Interesting info on speaker wire - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

Keith.B · 2009-02-21, 07:55 AM

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

eljay · 2009-02-21, 09:08 AM

See also the Audioholics.com site for lots of info. on cables & interconnects, including:
- Rubbing the Snake Oil Out of Speaker Cables; and
- Top Ten Signs an Audio Cable Vendor is Selling You Snake Oil.

dmoes · 2009-02-21, 03:47 PM

interesting article. I guess the lamp chord that I am using on my Paradigms is just fine but I knew that. A couple of years ago when I purchased a new AVR and just for fun I let the sales guy ramble on about the cables. were I to actually believe the guy I would have spent a fortune on new speaker and audio hookup wire not to mention the Power centre. when he was finished and thought he sold me his hill of beans I told him that the lamp chord, cables and power bar I have been using for years will be just fine I'll just take the reciever. I dont think he was so happy that I lead him on.

PHAND · 2009-02-21, 09:19 PM

I am not sure which power centre you are referring to, but there are advantages to power conditioners when it comes to filtering.

I do agree about speaker wire. But I wouldn't pull someones house using lamp cord, mainly because it won't usually be rated for running inwall, have meter markers, rip cords, or colour coding. I am picky about my wire that I use in custom installations, but for those reasons.

nickleinonen · 2009-02-22, 12:57 AM

i've done blind tests between basic quality 12g copper speaker wire and fancy stupid expensive and i can hear a difference in the sound between the 2 of them. enough to justify the cost difference, no way ever..

i've done the same with video cables [component/rgb] and hdmi. again there are differences to be seen, but not enough to justify any extra costs [and i am happy with my $8 belkin hdmi's from factory direct]. the only place i would recommend any better cable is in hdmi when getting into long runs. i have done some work with 10m & 12m hdmi cables that were the basic ones that could not handle 1080p. but that is all i was given the ok to use [price restricted] that could now be fixed by using the cat5e/6 hdmi extenders that are more reasonably priced now.

Keith.B · 2009-02-22, 08:05 AM

Quote:

I am picky about my wire that I use in custom installations

And that's a good thing!
Installation in walls and plenums is a different matter than just wiring up some speakers in the living room.
You wouldn't believe the specs of the cable we use for audio wiring on cruise ships

2009-02-21, 07:55 AM	#1
Keith.B Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Midtown Toronto Posts: 53	Interesting info on speaker wire http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

2009-02-21, 09:08 AM	#2
eljay Premium Supporter Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ottawa (Orleans), ON Posts: 8,345	See also the Audioholics.com site for lots of info. on cables & interconnects, including: - Rubbing the Snake Oil Out of Speaker Cables; and - Top Ten Signs an Audio Cable Vendor is Selling You Snake Oil. __________________ MY HT SET-UP (PICS & GEAR LIST)

2009-02-21, 09:19 PM	#4
PHAND Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Burlington, ON Posts: 356	I am not sure which power centre you are referring to, but there are advantages to power conditioners when it comes to filtering. I do agree about speaker wire. But I wouldn't pull someones house using lamp cord, mainly because it won't usually be rated for running inwall, have meter markers, rip cords, or colour coding. I am picky about my wire that I use in custom installations, but for those reasons. __________________ - CEDIA Certified CPI I

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2009-02-21, 03:47 PM	#3
dmoes Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Peterborough Ontario Posts: 298	interesting article. I guess the lamp chord that I am using on my Paradigms is just fine but I knew that. A couple of years ago when I purchased a new AVR and just for fun I let the sales guy ramble on about the cables. were I to actually believe the guy I would have spent a fortune on new speaker and audio hookup wire not to mention the Power centre. when he was finished and thought he sold me his hill of beans I told him that the lamp chord, cables and power bar I have been using for years will be just fine I'll just take the reciever. I dont think he was so happy that I lead him on.

2009-02-22, 12:57 AM	#5
nickleinonen Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: markham ontario canada Posts: 340	i've done blind tests between basic quality 12g copper speaker wire and fancy stupid expensive and i can hear a difference in the sound between the 2 of them. enough to justify the cost difference, no way ever.. i've done the same with video cables [component/rgb] and hdmi. again there are differences to be seen, but not enough to justify any extra costs [and i am happy with my $8 belkin hdmi's from factory direct]. the only place i would recommend any better cable is in hdmi when getting into long runs. i have done some work with 10m & 12m hdmi cables that were the basic ones that could not handle 1080p. but that is all i was given the ok to use [price restricted] that could now be fixed by using the cat5e/6 hdmi extenders that are more reasonably priced now.