my friend has less efficient speakers, and that is exactly what he did.
Solid copper or stranded copper for speaker cables? What is your choice and why?
I had old copper speaker cable made by Audioquest (don't know the model). The cable contains only two solid copper wires, one is thicker than the other. As I recalled, Audioquest claimed back then that thicker wire primarily carries lower frequency signal and the thinner wire is responsible for the rest. I actually have not seen this type of design nowadays, BUT when listening and comparing it with the stranded wire (either 12 or 10 gauge) cable, I found the dynamic range is greater, and the bass is tighter and has more weight. What do you think?
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Thank you! Alex/Wavetouch |
My speakers are also low’ish efficiency that I drive with big power amps so my HT speaker cables are bi-wired Pro9’s with two full runs/side or 6awg to each speaker. How did your friend’s cables sound? I suspect pretty good. I have long suspected the advantage of stuff like OCC copper for speaker cables is virtually non-existent so the copper in CAT8 should be plenty good. The Monoprice CAT8 source uses polyethylene insulation, which is also good but maybe topped by a foamed insulation product like in the HT cables, although I doubt that benefit is clearly audible either. |
I get a kick out of the cable types and gauges we use, especially when I read charts in vintage manuals: McIntosh's Chart for AWG/distances, (lampcord suggested). pg 5 or 6 here McIntosh-MC2205-Owners-Manual.pdf formula: do not exceed 5% resistance of speaker's impedance examples: 16 awg: 4 ohm: max: 25'; 8 ohm: max 50' 12 awg: 4 ohm: max 60'; 8 ohm: max 120'. ....................................................................... calculator: https://www.wirebarn.com/Combined-Wire-Gauge-Calculator_ep_42.html My single run of Cat 8: 8 strands of 22 awg is equal to 13 awg so I'm using 13 awg for 12' run, 16 0hm speakers. McIntosh chart says 13 awg is good for 100' 8 ohm; 200' for my 16 ohm speakers! |
- 41 posts total