Does speaker wire really matter ?

[trioid]

I have not found it to make much difference unless you go to extremes (in wire gauge, that is). I still use multiple strands of magnet wire (copper wire with enamel insulation) after having earlier used the thick Monster rope, and other 'stuff'. Here is another recent discussion on the topic:

http://www.audiodesignline.com/howto/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=E5B1CPNZNY3ROQSNDLPCKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=201805860

What a fun and also crazy hobby

[mas]

Speaker wire certainly DOES matter....

Any of you poo-poo'ers ever try to listen to your speakers WITHOUT it? [:$]

HUH?

Well, have ya tough guy?!!!

HUH? []

That said, I use Home Depot spool of 12-g myself. I'd put more credibility in putting that money into better speakers themselves than
the wire. I however, have never done any side by side tests... no
reason to in my household.

[]

Actually I have listened to systems without wires. Its called "wireless" transmission. (Now that should really confuse everyone!)

But considering the cost of a good system, the spectral (as in 'spectrum') issues and keeping up with the evolving frequency allocation issues , unless you absolutely need it and are willing and capable of troubleshooting the potential (potential???) interference and ingress issues, you are best just dealing with the wires.

As far as what is best, stick with the cheapest ~12 gauge OFHC copper you can find and enjoy.

And as far as needing to read any impromptu opinions about what wire is best...If you are using anything in the signal chain that contributes a significant resistive or reactive component you are going to effect the sound. So, unless you know exactly what you are doing, avoid this. What is so gosh darn kompleekated about this?

I wonder how long this thread will last? 3 months? 6months?...?Too long?

[]

[seti]

Or you could just do a search on this forum and read some of the wire threads : ) Also the power cord threads are fun as well.

[vman71]

I have used speaker wire like Monster XPHP to more expensive designer speaker cable. I can honestly say that speaker wire/cable does make an audible difference. The difference though is not commensurate with the extremely high cost of the designer speaker cable. I say this based on my using of Monster, NBS and my current speaker cable Argent Audio Pursang S. The Pursang S has the most obvious sonic improvement I've heard with respect to speaker cable versus something like Monster. I don't think it warrants the premium price though.

So my .02 answer is "yes, they make a sonic difference (sometimes better, sometimes worse)" and "no, the premium price doesn't justify their (minimal) sonic improvement." YMMV

I think we get so many different answers to this question because everybody hearing sensitivity is different.

One thing we can agree upon here is that you've got some nice speakers.

[psg]

CLUELESS

It isn't ecoustics.com or AVS; there's no need for that kind of talk. And please disengage the caps-lock.

[Downriver]

Hi, Great forum

A good place for cables: http://www.monoprice.com/products/search.asp?spcDB=10239&spcWord=Speaker+Wire&keyword=speaker%20wire

excellent prices on quality toslink and HDMI cables.

[johnyholiday]

After a good nappy change, it's a good idea to throw some talc around,it's an electrical insulator,an water repellent

[mas]

After a good nappy change, it's a good idea to throw some talc around,it's an electrical insulator,an water repellent

...And forget the wire standoffs, I would also suggest getting up on something high as this subject very quickly becomes quite deep.

If only it were in insight...

[]

[SilverSport]

Someone lookin' for OB ???? ..... I got a roll of 16 gauge Monster speaker wire from amazon.com.......100 ft........$21.00 delivered to my door ... []

You bested my closeout deal...nice!

Bill

[oldbuckster]

Someone lookin' for OB ???? ..... I got a roll of 16 gauge Monster speaker wire from amazon.com.......100 ft........$21.00 delivered to my door ... []

You bested my closeout deal...nice!

Bill

That included shipping, and NO sales tax .................... We all get Lucky..............sometimes !!!!!!!!! How's it going Bill ?

[IndyKlipschFan]

Roger Russell was right...

"We have been told by advertising that the

exotic speaker wires offer fabulous advantages over ordinary lamp cord. It

would seem reasonable that using this same wire for lamps would also enhance

their performance. In the same vein as wire literature, you can have your light

bulb reproduce light faithfully, finally allowing you see light the way it

should be seen and bring out the natural performance of your table lamp. It may

offer greater warmth, detail, brilliance, definition and speed by providing

wider bandwidth and reduced skin effect. Just imagine what it might do for your

electric razor and microwave!"

Brilliant!!

[Guest srobak]

Funniest thing I have read all day... awesome! I would LOVE to throw that back at exotic speaker cable manufacturers!

[psg]

As far as what is best, stick with the cheapest ~12 gauge OFHC copper you can find and enjoy.

I agree with you, but someone on another forum argued with me that using too thick a wire wasn't good if you can believe that (I don't).

http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/397083.html

[Guest " "]

"I agree with you, but someone on another forum argued with me that using too thick a wire wasn't good if you can believe that (I don't)."

 

I took a look at the thread.....difficult to follow....I usally find that folks that need a few hundred word essay 's to communicate their views are really just trying to convince themselves.

Cables can be intentionally designed to change the sound, but not for any of the reasons indicated in the refered to thread.  The thread, like many, still just focus'es on wire resistance arguments.

 

 

[jerohm]

All I know is that ALL the Home Depot "Monster Cable" clone stuff of mine, has turned black/green and the insulation has gotten tacky... whereas my 20+ year Original Monster Cable still looks new (possibly over-engineered/marketed, but superior none the less). Gauge certainly makes a difference (12 should be more than enough) for longer runs, but is NOT necessarily the only thing to consider. I live near the water in CT, without air-conditioning, and the with the windows opened nearly all summer, so that certainly MAY come into play.

[Islander]

I've tried several sizes of speaker cable and in every instance the bigger cable sounded better, with crisper transients, better detail and stronger bass. The sizes were 16 gauge, 14 gauge, 12 gauge and now 8 gauge.

The cable size may not be crucial when playing test tones, but to properly reproduce the spiky peaks of music, it's necessary to allow for sudden demands of many more watts than the average listening levels would call for.

[SilverSport]

Someone lookin' for OB ???? ..... I got a roll of 16 gauge Monster speaker wire from amazon.com.......100 ft........$21.00 delivered to my door ... []

You bested my closeout deal...nice!

Bill

That included shipping, and NO sales tax .................... We all get Lucky..............sometimes !!!!!!!!! How's it going Bill ?

...pretty good...hope the same for you...I am getting vacation for the first time this year...we have been busy...nope, not going anywhere but not going in to work (unless something bad happens...and it always does...guess that's why it has taken me until now to take any time off...[]

Bill

[BLSamuel]

I agree with Coytee - speakers don't work without speaker wire.

Now if you've got a powered speaker, then you don't need speaker wire, just the correct cable. That said, multiple driver powered speakers probably have speaker wire inside.

I've always been the believer in heavy gauge as there is scientific research that too small a gauge of wire constricts the proper flow of electrons. Reasonably good quality with good jacket and should be all set.

Do the exotic speaker cables make much of a difference or improve the sound? I really don't know but suspect the extra coin would be better spent on better speakers of electronics.

I think I can more readily believe the post that said heavier 8 gauge cable did sound better than 12 gauge while playing music than I can the exotic cable literature I've read. I think I read (many years ago) that there is scientific research that identifies that musical transients, even with a relatively small average power level of a few watts can require hundreds and even thousands of watts of instantaneous peak power. I've often wondered if that's one of the reasons Klipsch speakers sound more like the real thing as they require dramatically less power to fully reproduce the music - the music just pours out as opposed to being squeezed out?

On the other hand, if you've got plenty of $$$$, a lot of the exoxtic speaker cables look pretty cool.

I will continue to use speaker wire. I've yet to get them to work without it.

Just more of my 0.002 cents of rambling.

[Jay481985]

I hate my 10 gauge beldin speaker wire, it doesn't fit in the denon receiver as well as I would like

[Islander]

I think I can more readily believe the post that said heavier 8 gauge cable did sound better than 12 gauge while playing music than I can the exotic cable literature I've read. I think I read (many years ago) that there is scientific research that identifies that musical transients, even with a relatively small average power level of a few watts can require hundreds and even thousands of watts of instantaneous peak power. I've often wondered if that's one of the reasons Klipsch speakers sound more like the real thing as they require dramatically less power to fully reproduce the music - the music just pours out as opposed to being squeezed out?

On the other hand, if you've got plenty of $$$$, a lot of the exoxtic speaker cables look pretty cool.

As Sam Tellig wrote in his review of the La Scala II in Stereophile, "To get dynamics like this elsewhere, you might be looking at a very expensive pair of speakers -- $20,000 or $30,000 a pair, or more -- plus equally expensive, heroic, high-power amplification."

The accurate reproduction of the dynamics of music is one of the most noticeable ways to distinguish between a system that sounds like a good hi-fi and a system that sounds like live music. That's why efficiency (or sensitivity, as it's called nowadays) of the speakers was one of PWK's priorities.

As for expensive exotic cables, it could be that they're mostly bought by people who have already spent a great deal on their systems and are actually trying to spend more money but are running out of ideas for upgrades.