Speaker cable recs.?

Hi folks.

I know it's a contentious issue around here, but sadly I'm in the market for a decent speaker cable. Having been down the ruinously expensive Nordost route once before, I'm very reluctant to go down there again, but I know that the stuff is good. I'd prefer to find a reasonably flexible cable that doesn't sacrifice bass and midrange solidity for 'air' - but if I can get 'air' then great. I've looked into a couple of home-brew options, but want to draw up a shortlist to try to hear - including whatever's good at the moment.

I need around 5m per side (or will do following a re-organisation of the room) and though the speakers are biwire I'm happy with a single wire and jumpers option (but only if the jumpers are the same type). Budget is notionally up to £200, but if a little extra buys a lot more, I can stretch. I'm keen to hear people's thoughts on the Eichmann speaker cables, though I expect they're outwith my budget - but having had great results with their connectors, I am wondering if it's worth springing for their speaker cables too.

System is valve pre-power into biwirable 3-way floorstanders.

Ta,

John

 

Hi John!

Im delighted with my canare studio cable. I also use 5m per side.

I find it very neutral, resistant to interferance cable that allows me to forget it is there.

I use a valve amp too, and it has 4 independant wires inside so you can bi-wire if you want to.

Something like the Canare I have would allow you to either a) save money on more expensive cable or b) give you a neutral base against which you could compare more exotic offerings to see if the benefits were there for you.

By the way, have you tried your speakers wired with a single run?

I know some setups can sound better with bi-wiring, personally I often prefer a single run of cable.

Good luck in finding what you need.

Thanks
Chris

 

Get some really fat shiny cable, that always makes it worthwhile!

 

I don't know about shiny. Might make the music sound shiny. Fat however is not such a bad idea. The 6mm Van Damme must be well fat if my 4mm is anything to go by. What does it do? Well it conveys electric current faithfully from an amplifier to a speaker. Nothing more. Nothing less. But it can't be any good because it's only £2.99 a metre. Oh well.

 

If you don't fancy studio cabling (I would def. give it a go) I'd suggest some 2nd hand Kimber 4TC. I've tried a lot of Kimber wire, as well as Isolda, Nordost and found it fairly impressive. Agreed it's a little expensive new with RAs mark-up.

As I see you're on the 'Fife Riviera' you may not be too far away from me (Newport ish) I've some I'd be happy to let you try out.

Neil

 

RS silver plate stuff. Its v cheap unless you buy it with the chord logo attached.

 

John,

When I changed from Naim amplification to valve/hybrid I took the opportunity to listen to a number of alternatives. Out of all the cables I listened to three appeared to sound better than the others where I felt there was little, if any, difference.

First, but stupidly expensive, was JPS Labs, as sold by the Audio Salon in Glasgow. Neutral, realistic and to my ears just about perfect.

Third, but very expensive, was Chord Oddessy 4. Not quite as good as the JPS but very acceptable.

Second and very cheap was a cable on e-bay. Follow the link for details http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FABULOUS-SOUN...Z5805706513QQcategoryZ295QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I bought this as a stop gap until funds would permit the JPS but I am so pleased with it it is staying for the forseeable future. It lacks the last sense of 'air' that the JPS has but nothing else and at £1.99/m (I need 7.5m each side) it makes financial sense.

For £20 you could do worse.

Happy listening,

ft

 

I'm using the 2.5mm Van Damme - even cheaper than the 4mm - and its fine. Better than the DNM Reson it replaced and a quarter the price.

 

Thanks, guys. I need a fairly 'compact' cable as I'm going to recess it into the carpet underlay - and so the NAC-A5 I'm currently using (a relic of my Naim days) though quite reasonable as a speaker cable is somewhat inflexible and too 'fat' to hide in the underlay.

The only thing I'm worried about is - as a cable believer in a general sense, if not a believer that a pricy cable can make a poor system sound great - the fact that I'm getting a very good sound from my system as it stands, and I don't want to sacrifice the good bits but would like more detail (I have always felt that NAC-A5 masks the last degree of detail). I've emailed the speaker manufacturer asking what they'd recommend but no response, unfortunately.

Here's a pic for the heck of it, by the way...

 

Well I guess if you only need 5m runs, then one thing that can be said about trying some cheap (in audiophile circles) pro cable like the Van Damme is that it'll cost you all of £20 to £30 to see. If you don't like it, you won't be way out of pocket. Just lash them up naked to the binding posts and if it works then think about a more sophisticated termination. If it doesn't you'll be out of pocket to the tune of a couple of evenings in the pub.

 

Id suggest 5m of Chord Odyssey 2, ideally shotgunned at the speaker end and bare wire at the other. An excelleny cable, if you look in the private ad's you might find some for sale....................

 

Trashed by this forum, but I think hard to beat: Nordost Flatline Gold or Super Flatline (bi-wire). VERY thin construction, very transparent. No big bass though, rather very quick and neutral sound.

 

Hey, thanks again for the recs. Remember that I can't look at cables like Odyssey or anything too thick as it will have to be able to snuggle into carpet underlay, and I know Odyssey is at least as thick as the A5 which won't fit.

 

If you think Odyssey is thick you should see my latest stuff! I managed to get mine tucked down the side of the underlay. My mate has the Nordost Solar Wind which is flat, its okay but seems to be on the bright side.

 

Solar Wind is one of the brightest Nordost cables. The Flatline is more balanced.

 

T-Bone - can you post a pic of the cable you're using, just so I can get a handle on what can be done? Garmt: I've been down the Nordost route before - ended up with SPM Reference speaker cable, which is vey pricy (mine was used, and short lengths - absolutely superb cable but in the end I'd put too much money into cables so sold it on, therefore don't really want to go down the Nordost route again!)

 

You might want to check QED Silver Anniversary (bi-wire). Fits within your budget, rather thin cable (not as thin as Nordost though), and value for money. But, looking at your speakers, it may be worthwile to stretch your budget a bit...

 

John, aren't you using Mogami I/Cs? If so, or even if not, you should try Mogami 2972 - wee'd on DNM, Isolda, Van Damme and a host of others in my systems. Also, the Hitachi OFC may work well with your gear.

 

Hi Alex, I'm using one Mogami lead between preamp and power amp. The difficulty is in finding the stuff. If I could find 10m of the speaker cable without buying a drum...

Actually, I think the Mogami rocks, and would happily replace other i/cs with it as well, if I could find it...

John

 

John,

Phonography should have a drum of Mogami. They sell at £10 a metre. They also have the interconnect lead but like to make them up at which point price starts to rise.

If they are out then the other Pear Audio dealers should be a first point of call.


Cheers

Jason