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37.19.221.83
Can someone here please catch me up on speaker cables?
I haven't done any serious listening for a couple decades (because darling daughter took my receiver, etc. off to college); but I'm getting my old system (mid '70s) back together and getting issues sorted.
I see that there is a whole forum that discusses cables, but I didn't find anything other than specific cable questions. My speakers are Advent (Large) and Baby Advent IIs. Both have the spring connectors. I got my foam surround kit from Simply Speakers today and have them about ready to put back in their cabinets. I'm waiting for glue to dry sufficiently on the surrounds to allow me to install the gaskets, then it's back into the cabinet with the woofers and connecting them to my old Pioneer SX-727.
I have speaker wires that have the proprietary Pioneer plugs on one end and tinned stranded wire on the other. This is wire that comes shielded and the pair inside another vinyl cover, not the old transparent stuff. Continuity checks out; so I expect to get sound.
It has been a very long time since I delved into sound systems. I've never used anything other than simple, inexpensive cables. Can someone point me to a wiki where I can begin to learn what I need to learn?
TIA
a geezer with good hearing
Follow Ups:
If you are a dyi kind of guy, I would recommend the "White Lightning Moonshine" cables and interconnects....
I like your style, great receiver..
Make sure those crazy pioneer connectors are making good electrical contact.
I Soldered jumper wires from the plus/minus speaker connections about a foot long, installed banana jacks on a piece of plexiglass. mounted that to the back edge of my cabinet shelf...works great, ....
enjoy!
Nothing like the 70"s vintage sound...
Edits: 10/29/24
Aren't those just the white 14-3 extension cords found at Walmart? If so, that's a perfect suggestion for a vintage system as you can terminate them by simply stripping and tinning the ends. This of course since you're dealing with the somewhat funky (as I remember) vintage amp and speaker connections.
yes, that is correct, 2 conductors positive, one neg....
I've just rescued my vintage stereo system from my daughter. It's in need of work.
The system consists of a Pioneer SX-727 receiver, a Pioneer 12-D turntable, a pair of large Advent speakers, a pair of Advent shelf speakers, and a more recently acquired Sony dual cassette deck. I also have an Advent single cassette deck that is no longer in use because it lost one of the stereo channels.
The receiver needs a complete going through. The turntable needs to be repaired. I plan to take them to a service center in Austin, TX, for that.
The Sony dual cassette deck works fine for playing old cassettes and even for duping.
The speakers all need to be repaired. I'm thinking about tackling them myself starting with the shelf speakers. Before jumping into it, I thought I'd ask around on forums for advice.
Here's a pic of one of the shelf speakers.
a geezer with good hearing
Take your large check book and be prepared to wait awhile....
the young techs are sketchy...good luck!
I took a reel to reel in for maintenance, working,
after service it never worked again...
My experience:
Good- Various Gothic Cable depending on AWG. Excleelent build q and shielding. Cheap, great for all things AV and non-main rig in my house.
Better- Supra- again... specific model number depends on AWG.
Best- Cardas Litz hook up wire. I use 15.5AWG for tweeter and 11AWG for woofer as I have an outboard XO that sits next to my amps. tricky soldering if not experienced with litz... but if I can do it....
I've used and sold a number of cables over the years.
My recommendation is to use AliExpress and either try the Valhalla 2 or 1.It is configured similarly to the Nordost Heindahl.The "2" is more energetic in the upper frequencies, than the "1",which is more laid back.
The Xangsane XS9003 is a sterling silver cable with good body.Don't care for the XLR version.It sounds bright-to my ears.
In couldn't agree more. I have the Valhalla 2 in one of my systems and the Valhalla(original) in the other. I found both to be excellent. Makes me wonder what the actual Nordost cable could do to justify 100X (+ or -) the cost.
I suggest Mogami or Supra brand speaker cables.
Use what you have-
If you feel something is lacking there are lots of options.
I grew up on Zip Cord, as my experience improved, I went from 16 gauge to 14, to 12, and it did improve
a bit
then I bought a roll of Monster cable w/ and effective gauge of 6
It sounds pretty good-
However I will be ridiculed for Monster cable, or not going to 4 gauge
or silver...
Happy Listening
large diameter, at least 12 awg. larger the better
solid wire, NOT stranded
teflon coating
If you must have stranded wire because of flexibility issues, try Kimber 8tc or 12tc.
Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone
Large ga solid wire...sounds like a recommendation for Romex.
J.
Romex is typically only 14 ga. anyway, which is a bit too skinny for good speaker cable. There are good quality solid conductor speaker cables available. Think Anticables for a start.
Lack of skill dictates economy of style. - Joey Ramone
I use a single strand of cat5 cable I stripped apart.
Yep, one single strand.
I'm at the other end of the spectrum.
7awg multi-stranded tinned copper wire here: Duelund
J.
Be sure that your Cat5 uses teflon and not PVC!
PVC has memory effect and smears the sound due to the high dielectric constant and by the way cotton has the lowest dielectric constant.
One single core Cat5 (24AWG) is enough as speaker cable to drive (0,25-0.5W) horn speakers but not enough for speakers with higher drive effect.
Cat5 is plenty enough for tweeters in x-overs, but bass's needs a little more, about 20AWG.
I have made dirt cheap interconnects using 24AWG Cat cables with the KLE Innovation classic harmony copper bullet plug design and they sound much better than many expensive commercial interconnects.
I learned about single core cables and saved a lot of money by reading "The SuperCables Cook Book" by Allen Wright:
"As it's only the low frequencies that can sink deep into a conductor and still maintain energy - they are the ones suffering major time smear when THICK cables are used for interconnect or speaker energy transfer."
You can read about DIY Cat5 braided speaker cables and single core interconnects at VH Audio (he uses KLE Innovation plugs on interconnects ;-).
https://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html
https://www.venhaus1.com/diysilverinterconnects.html
mojul
How can I tell?
I can't imagine the cable is marked.
Years ago I had a homemade FRIED Model H subwoofer.
Peerless 85486 drivers IIRC.
I had a ARC D250 MKII and then a Carver LightStar 2.0
I used Fulton Gold speaker wire.
Two pair, paralleled.
A speaker builder/ owner of Carolina Audio called me and said I should
remove the Fulton and replace it with a single strand of cat-5 cable.
I thought he was NUTS!
But I tried it.
My Carolina Audio speakers are wired with a single strand of cat-5 cable.
They are transmission line speakers using a 4" metal driver by Ted Jordan and a 7" metal driver form him also.
Anyway I'd like to try what you've mentioned.
TIA
I went from speaker wire thick enough jump-start a bulldozer to
wire a piece of wire that would of melted if I tried to start that bulldozer.
Teflon has a much higher melting point. Maybe get known pieces of teflon and pvc and do some tests with a heat gun.
Sharpie tends to not stick to teflon, so try writing on it. Just some thoughts off the top of my head.
Now I remember.
When putting in computer network cables the ones that went trough a drop ceiling had to be Teflon coated for fire resistance.
IIRC the Teflon was only on the outside of the pvc wrapped inner cables.
I used to have lots of those cables at one time.
So I don't see how having cables wrapped in Teflon can have any
effect for audio.
Any idea?
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