Cables for Klipschorns

[emw2net]

Can anyone recommend good cables for Klipschorns powered by a Jadis Orchestra tube am?

[wuzzzer]

Copper, a few inches longer than you think you might need. 

[DizRotus]

low voltage 12 gauge stranded copper 2 conductor.  Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. label it as exterior lighting cable.  IMO, anything heavier gauge or more boutique is a waste of money.

[Panelhead]

  I use something close to what Klipsch uses INSIDE the AK-6 and AL-5. Using Canare Star Quad speaker cable. The 31 cents/ft smallest ga will work. The next size is more than what is needed. 

  The internal wire in my LS was 14 ga. 

[OO1]

20 hours ago, emw2net said:

Can anyone recommend good cables for Klipschorns powered by a Jadis Orchestra tube am?

the most overlooked part is not so much the cable , but the connectors ---------make sure to buy good quality like Furutech  -------their bulk cables are very good and so are their entry level connectors -----

 

 

http://www.furutech.com/products/bulk-cables/speaker-cables-bulk-cables/

[Jim Gregory]

In my system as far as sound quality:
In my experience interconnects “yes”. Speaker cables “not so much”. Heavier gauge for runs over 12 ft

[Alexander]

 

There is way too much hype over speaker wire.

 

This has been talked about many times before – just keep it simple and avoid CCA (copper clad aluminum) wire, make sure it is pure 100% copper.

 

I solder all of my crimped connectors BTW, I would suggest doing so if you have the skill and means.

 

 

[Iteachstem]

Have a look at what I have used below.  Everything is available on Amazon.  Avoid the hype. I just saw someone selling a $23,000 set of speaker cables for $4,950 (Enklein David Speaker Cables) and to me, that's still about $4,925 too expensive!  I find it funny that anyone with expensive gear like this always declines when I ask them to do a double blind test compared to what I'm using at the time.  Although about 30 years ago I did have a friend in high school who swore that his expensive (at the time) Monster RCA cables would sound so much better compared to the generic ones that came with my parents Kenwood stereo system from a local stereo shop. So, we pulled out the good old 6 disc changed and swapped the cables back and forth and low and behold, neither of us could tell a difference!  (Now to be fair, we weren't running the cables across power cables and other stuff and the entire system, speakers and all, was about $1,200 at the time... think 1990's)  Anyway, I've rambled on enough.  Check out the stuff and see what you think... or take out another mortgage and buy some stupid expensive cables and justify the expenditure to all of your friends by using language like, "Takes the electronic sound right out of the signal and promotes an ultra smooth, wide, dynamic, fast and detailed sound stage." (I literally just cut and pasted this from someone selling Kimber Cables online at USaudiomart)

 

This is what I used for connectors:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078PN5GR6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

This is a decent wire I also used in the past:

https://www.amazon.com/KabelDirekt-Speaker-Wire-Audiophiles-Systems/dp/B07BBV1J4Z/ref=pd_bxgy_img_2/133-4360218-1089009?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B07BBV1J4Z&pd_rd_r=36a41c12-bfad-4361-a160-3c2c9c6f3c20&pd_rd_w=msIXP&pd_rd_wg=uEjqy&pf_rd_p=ce6c479b-ef53-49a6-845b-bbbf35c28dd3&pf_rd_r=JNMCCBQVE83AHPBAG0QB&psc=1&refRID=JNMCCBQVE83AHPBAG0QB

 

Best of luck!

[Coytee]

On 7/25/2020 at 3:12 PM, DizRotus said:

low voltage 12 gauge stranded copper 2 conductor.  Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. label it as exterior lighting cable.  IMO, anything heavier gauge or more boutique is a waste of money.

 

I roll with DizRotus 

[JDJohnson]

On 7/25/2020 at 12:12 PM, DizRotus said:

low voltage 12 gauge stranded copper 2 conductor.  Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc. label it as exterior lighting cable.  IMO, anything heavier gauge or more boutique is a waste of money.

 

That’s what I use. I solder banana plugs on it for ease of hook up and changing speakers.

[Shakeydeal]

Of course you get all the ubiquitous "wire = wire" answers here. Nothing shocking and actually quite predictable.

 

I recommend going to ebay and looking for the Western Electric speaker cables with the cloth outer jacket. Stranded tinned copper. Very cheap and very good.

 

Shakey

[DizRotus]

PWK used 18 AWG zip cord.  IMO, the only reason it was replaced—after his death—by something heavier gauge was for marketing, not a difference that could be objectively perceived or documented by scientific testing.

 

As others have said, wires are a topic that polarizes (pun intended, as always).  I would rather spend my money on music or room treatments to improve the experience.

 

Debates Regarding connectors rage almost as fiercely as do those surrounding wire.  Rather than binding posts and/or banana plugs, I use Neutrik Speakon connectors exclusively.  There is no sonic improvement, but they permit quick and secure connecting—or disconnecting—that can be accomplished one-handed in the dark.  Thousands of band roadies must know what works best.

 

YMMV

[gfong]

I have La Scala's and I use AudioQuest Castle Rock speaker cables. Before that I used AudioQuest Rocket 33's and before that I used MIT EXP 3 cables and lastly I started out with good ole 18 gauge shielded speaker wire from Home Hardware. From where I started to where I am now I am glad that I experimented. Everyone's story may be different and that is fine as of course I do believe that different types of cables matter.

I did find a difference in characteristics of sound and had the ability to acquire the ones I did.

 

Main point is ...try if you can, get a buddy over that has copper wire or zip cord then try a entry level brand or a expensive brand. Don't limit your music experience to just science and all wire is wire. Some of these cables can be costly, a lot of stores will allow you to try their cables without having to commit to them.

 

2nd main point.. lol If you try them and think that the ole zip cord sounds the same or better then use the zip cord! it really is that simple and no need for people to take sides and argue. If YOU think that your Klipschorns sound better with 2500.00 cables it is your decision and its your money!

 

Good luck and hope you do experiment with some different types before settling on lamp cord and if you do settle on lamp cord at least you tried other options!

 

Time to answer the question: I would recommend you try some AudioQuest speaker cables but not the Type 4 entry level ones as I find they are a little harsh on the tweeters. I also used Type 4 with my Polk Audio RTiA7's and 9's and they seemed a little harsh on those as well.

I would at least start out at the Go-4 or the Rocket 44's or 88's for your horns. I would also recommend you purchase these used as you will save substantial bucks as well while also being able to see if you do like them. If you don't like them I'm sue you can flip them on the used market for what you paid for them. Most of the AudioQuest line have a signature sound that I find goes great with Heritage line speakers.

[Panelhead]

G+1 on the Speakon connectors. My connector of choice. Not quite ready to add to the LS II’s. Yet.

  I saw two seperate tests of the Benchmark AHB2 where the measured noise and distortion levels were lower using Speakon versus 5 ways. So measurable but not audible improvement. 

[The Dude]

On 7/27/2020 at 6:39 AM, Coytee said:

 

I roll with DizRotus 

I as well, however for some reason I get all excited over looking at different speaker wires and connectors, kind of like a lady and diamonds. 

[MechEngVic]

It's kind of disappointing that this subject always ends up as "Zip cord VS 20,000$ cables". Anyone who say basic 2 strand copper cables is all you need because PWK said so is wrong, and anyone who buys 20,000$ cables is rich and wrong. The truth is somewhere in the middle. The wires in any set of cables exhibit inductance, resistance, and capacitance, and how a manufacturer or DIY'er deals with it can make an audible difference. It doesn't have to be expensive but it should be better than 2-strand. This video is a great example:

 

 

[Don Richard]

So let me get this straight -  hooking speaker cables to the antenna input of a tuner is a good indicator of it's audio quality as speaker wire? 

 

I have read where noise was getting into an audio system, and it turned out to be a nearby traffic signal controller. The speaker wires were picking up the noise, which was amplified through the amp's feedback circuit. Their solution for the problem was to use coaxial cable for speaker cable, with the shield connected to common. Please note that it was a combination of a nearby EMF producing device, the speaker wire, and the amplifier's circuitry that caused that audible issue.

 

If an EMI issue exists, shielding all wiring may be necessary. Some audio equipment is better at rejecting noise than other equipment, so YMMV.

[Dave A]

I believe in overkill so I use 12g zip cord. All the rest belongs on Audiogon.

[fmalloy]

11 hours ago, Don Richard said:

So let me get this straight -  hooking speaker cables to the antenna input of a tuner is a good indicator of it's audio quality as speaker wire? 

Exactly! Using a speaker wire for something that's completely unrelated to the purpose it was designed for is to prove the quality of what it *is* designed for is ludicrous.

 

It's like evaluating an airplane for air travel by taxiing it thru city streets. 

[MechEngVic]

5 hours ago, fmalloy said:

Exactly! Using a speaker wire for something that's completely unrelated to the purpose it was designed for is to prove the quality of what it *is* designed for is ludicrous.

 

It's like evaluating an airplane for air travel by taxiing it thru city streets. 

...Until you consider that radio waves, and other electromagnetic waves, are everywhere, and your long lengths of speaker wires are acting just like antennae and picking up the stray signals being emitted by the countless sources of EMI including your power cables, cell phones, and yes even your AM and FM. Maybe an electronics or physics class would help you understand. Then you'd see that the only ludicrous thing is your airplane analogy.