Panelhead Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 I have switched to Canare. It is insane expensive, a dollar a foot for the woofer run and 31 cents a foot for the mid/tweeter. This is Star Quad construction. The AK6 and AL5 come wired internally with a different star quad wire. If I ever upgrade speakers to AK6 or AL5 the wires will match. It is a 25 dollar set of biwire cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Islander Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 That’s really cheap. I considered that paying $1.65 a foot for 8 AWG fine-strand twisted pair heavily insulated cable was a real bargain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted May 14, 2019 Moderators Share Posted May 14, 2019 I think I will stick with my 14AWG Oxygen free for my short runs @ $23 per 100 feet. I know for a fact this wire can outperform my old abused ears, and the nonexistent livingroom sound treatments. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave A Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 5 hours ago, dtel said: I think I will stick with my 14AWG Oxygen free for my short runs @ $23 per 100 feet. I know for a fact this wire can outperform my old abused ears, and the nonexistent livingroom sound treatments. That's right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Whitlow Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Lamp cord is not OFC and will oxidize. Oxides are non-conductive. Don't see much point in using this stuff long term if you're even remotely serious about the hobby. If you can't handle a buck or so a foot for something decent, take up knitting or something.I‘ s been using the same 16ga lamp cord for forty years. No oxidation here. Bought on a spool and I’vs never knitted. All it has to do is pass current and it does it well, just can’t brag about the price.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polizzio Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 11 minutes ago, Tony Whitlow said: I‘ s been using the same 16ga lamp cord for forty years. No oxidation here. Bought on a spool and I’vs never knitted. All it has to do is pass current and it does it well, just can’t brag about the price. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Oh come now Tony........you've never been tempted to spend $2500 for a pair of speaker leads/wires? How about $40,000? I like ur style, Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 33 minutes ago, Tony Whitlow said: I‘ s been using the same 16ga lamp cord for forty years. No oxidation here. Bought on a spool and I’vs never knitted. All it has to do is pass current and it does it well, just can’t brag about the price. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 40 years? You must be colorblind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polizzio Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Pennywise, you own any $1300 loud speaker cables? I bet you do Share your favorite brand with us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Whitlow Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 40 years? You must be colorblind.Color blind?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 11 hours ago, JohnKuthe said: Congrats! You created a new audiophile cabling technique! Now run with it! No pun intended! The technique for using Cat5 for speaker cables has been around for a long time. It's a pain to twist together the lengths, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 On 5/14/2019 at 10:02 AM, Tony Whitlow said: Color blind? 16 gauge lamp cord oxidizes faster than just about anything else (unless it's tin annealed copper), or terminated with a good connector and soldered. If it's bare wire, try stripping it back -- you'll notice how much lighter the wire is. A lot of oxidation will add resistance between the amplifier and loudspeaker. I'm no wire freak by any stretch, but I do prefer a good tin annealed copper with better than average insulation. Like I said, a little over a buck a foot. Not exactly break the bank stuff going on here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Whitlow Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 16 gauge lamp cord oxidizes faster than just about anything else (unless it's tin annealed copper), or terminated with a good connector and soldered. If it's bare wire, try stripping it back -- you'll notice how much lighter the wire is. A lot of oxidation with add resistance between the amplifier and loudspeaker, not exactly ideal. I'm no wire freak by any stretch, but I do prefer a good tin annealed copper with better than average insulation. Like I said, a little over a buck a foot. Not exactly break the bank stuff going on here.Mine are fine. They pass current and that’s all that’s needed.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmalloy Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Tony Whitlow said: I‘ s been using the same 16ga lamp cord for forty years. No oxidation here. Bought on a spool and I’vs never knitted. All it has to do is pass current and it does it well, just can’t brag about the price. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Every lamp cord I've seen connected to speaker terminals get brown and nasty from oxidation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Whitlow Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 Every lamp cord I've seen connected to speaker terminals get brown and nasty from oxidation. So? Either they work or they don’t.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fmalloy Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 59 minutes ago, Tony Whitlow said: So? Either they work or they don’t. Copper oxides don't conduct electricity, so it increases the electrical resistance of the wire to your speaker. Also, the oxidation can spread to your speaker terminals. Lamp cord is meant to connect to...lamps. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 I am still using some 12ga lamp cord I bought at least 30 years ago, and just stripped some insulation off to make some new connections. Amazingly clean and bright. I imagine that has to do with the composition of the vinyl covering. Even what was already exposed had very little oxidation. I would like more of this, but I can't make out the name from what is embossed in the plastic. What I have is very flexible and has way more strands than anything I have bought in the past ten years. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 12 minutes ago, Marvel said: I imagine that has to do with the composition of the vinyl covering ... Right. Some inexpensive wire is insulated with a poor quality PVC, which interacts chemically with the wire. It's hit or miss with the really inexpensive stuff. "I just spent $10,000 on loudspeakers and electronics." "A DOLLAR A FOOT!" This place kills me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason str Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 If only Radio Shack was still in business.... Their twisted flat wire was cheap and high quality, my 20 + year old wire still looks like the day it was purchased. Dad used lamp cord back in the day, it did green up like it was kept outside. As long as you keep an eye out and know what to look for its nothing to loose sleep over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Pennywise said: "I just spent $10,000 on loudspeakers and electronics." That's even before you spring for new crossovers... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deang Posted May 14, 2019 Share Posted May 14, 2019 I wouldn't know anything about that ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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