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Need speaker cable recommendations ...

Anyone have experience with speaker cables for Lexicon MC-1, EAD Powermaster and Dunlavy Aletha speakers. The usage will be 50/50 HT/music. I am happy to buy used, and would prefer to limit the cost to no more than $500. I need 10 ft length. Some threads suggest simply going to Home Depot or Radio Shack. Kimber Kable 8-TC seems to pop up on many threads. I am bleary-eyed from reading the Dunlavy "Cable Nonsense" threads and see points on both sides regarding the Z-6. I understand the final decision is personal preference, I'd simply like to know if others have gone down a similar path and where they ended up. Thanks.
newtohifi
danvetc
527 posts
 
I would second the idea that you use a source which allows for trial and return. Get a buddy to switch them back and forth and determine whether you really hear a difference. There is a LOT of snake oil here, my friend. Charlie.
sean
6,231 posts
 
Most of the differences in cables of any kind have to do with component interface and personal tastes. With that in mind, you really do need to audition a few cables and see what floats your boat. Some amp / speaker combos will respond quite drastically to speaker cable swaps and some may be barely noticeable if at all. The only way that you'll find out is to see for yourself.

You can do this by either hooking up with some type of dealer that allows auditions or buying several used cables and then unloading what you don't like. If you do your shopping right, you should be able to find several variations to choose from at the price mentioned. When reselling the "left-overs", you should be able to at least break even if you did your homework at the initial time of purchase. That's the approach that i took and found the first hand experience to be WELL worth the effort. Sean
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stevemj
129 posts
 
High end speaker manufacturers have used aluminum wire in their finest drivers for many years. The wire on the voice coils is small and there is a lot of it. Since the cheapest copper is far better than aluminum size for size, I suggest you get some cheap copper wire. Twelve gauge would be a nice over kill. If you don't like the idea of copper wire, use aluminum wire three sizes larger.
bj812
20 posts
 
I've tried a lot of wire in last 20 years like (vampire/kimber 4tc 8tc pbj hero plus select 1010 1011 3033 3035/cardas/audioquest/xlo/transparent/tara/ The biggest dispointment and suprisingly bad and I mean bad was the tansparent cable, it was hard & nasty no matter the length of the break in. The 2nd best I found is cardas haxlink gold rich in harmonics A nice speaker cable. The best that I think is the finest I found is by a small company called wasatch cable works. It is natural & articulate & at the same time give a wide and deep soundstag. The reproduction is three-dimensional thats "IT" OOOOH YEAH here is the wbe page (www.WasatchCableWorks.com)
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