Pocster Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 Does it matter? (sure some of you audio experts are flipping your lid at that) Looking for 50m ; looking at fleabay as usual. £80!!!! or £20??? - it's a wire ; who cares!!!
Grosey Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 I used 2 core electrical flex, have used telecoms jumper wire in the past. If it's copper it will work, but yes audiophiles will freak. But unless every other component of your listening experience is on point, the cable is probably the least of your worries.
Nickfromwales Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 Any stranded cable TBH, but OFC ( oxygen free ) is the proper stuff. Segregate the cables well away from the mains cables .
Pocster Posted August 16, 2017 Author Posted August 16, 2017 Right!; as I suspected !. if it's wire it will work - so cheap as chips it is!
Nickfromwales Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 Don't go bigger than 2.5mm2 or on longer runs you can start losing high end / treble due to capacitance. We used to run our 18" bass bins off 4mm2 so 1.5 should more than suffice for domestic drivers.
Jeremy Harris Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 20 minutes ago, Onoff said: I've used T&E in the past. Me too, I think it's probably the cheapest form of reasonably thick section copper you can buy, and fine for fixed speakers set in walls or ceilings. You're unlikely to be putting lots of power through wall/ceiling speakers, anyway, and I doubt that anyone would be able to hear a difference between the very best oxygen-free copper speaker wire and a bit of 1mm² or 1.5mm² T&E.
Pocster Posted August 16, 2017 Author Posted August 16, 2017 Yeah I saw "oxygen free" enough - love someone to explain the 'benefit' of this . Tonight the shampoo I wash my hair with has protain-b complex in it BS BS BS BS BS BS BS
Pocster Posted August 16, 2017 Author Posted August 16, 2017 £7.50 50m roll order of quality audio wire ordered
Guest Alphonsox Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 I have use T+E in the past. I currently use enamelled magnet wire - works well EDIT - Not a fan of stranded wire, it's too difficult to keep a clean contact area between the wire and the terminals.
Jeremy Harris Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 There's more BS associated with cable and connectors for "Hi Fi" than you can wave a big stick at. I've heard some truly ludicrous BS before now, including claims that "skin effect" comes into play at audio frequencies (it doesn't at all) and a host of other garbage. Around 30 years ago, when I still had access to a decent lab at work, I did loads of measurements on different cable and connectors, using a (for the time) state of the art Hewlett Packard network analyser. Not once was I able to measure any difference between the "best" cable on the market and a cheaper bit of ordinary copper cable of the same CSA. That didn't stop a fellow Hi Fi nut friend claim that using gold phono plugs improved the sound of his system (even though gold is not a particularly good electrical conductor, it's 30% worse than copper............).
Guest Alphonsox Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 There is of course the Randi prize for speaker cable - http://gizmodo.com/305549/james-randi-offers-1-million-if-audiophiles-can-prove-7250-speaker-cables-are-better
Pocster Posted August 16, 2017 Author Posted August 16, 2017 7 minutes ago, JSHarris said: There's more BS associated with cable and connectors for "Hi Fi" than you can wave a big stick at. I've heard some truly ludicrous BS before now, including claims that "skin effect" comes into play at audio frequencies (it doesn't at all) and a host of other garbage. Around 30 years ago, when I still had access to a decent lab at work, I did loads of measurements on different cable and connectors, using a (for the time) state of the art Hewlett Packard network analyser. Not once was I able to measure any difference between the "best" cable on the market and a cheaper bit of ordinary copper cable of the same CSA. That didn't stop a fellow Hi Fi nut friend claim that using gold phono plugs improved the sound of his system (even though gold is not a particularly good electrical conductor, it's 30% worse than copper............). Reminds me of the first time HDMI cables were introduced. Guy in Currys trying to sell me a gold connector one for £50!. It's digital mate! - binary! ; goes along any cable. I think he genuinely believed (because it's gold) it was 'better' ....
Pocster Posted August 16, 2017 Author Posted August 16, 2017 1 minute ago, Alphonsox said: There is of course the Randi prize for speaker cable - http://gizmodo.com/305549/james-randi-offers-1-million-if-audiophiles-can-prove-7250-speaker-cables-are-better LOL!
richi Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 You can buy audiophile SATA cables, "for to make teh em-pee-freez sownd betters." I **** you not. 2
Barney12 Posted August 16, 2017 Posted August 16, 2017 Don't forget that you'll need a decent power cable for the source equipment. Here's a mid range kettle lead for you: https://www.nottinghamhifi.co.uk/chord-sarum-super-array-power-chord-1-0m.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5dTer6Lc1QIV7Z3tCh3EaQaLEAkYBCABEgI7DfD_BwE
Pocster Posted August 16, 2017 Author Posted August 16, 2017 I've got a nice 3k kettle to go with that!
SteamyTea Posted August 17, 2017 Posted August 17, 2017 I have "£50 ears" and a £20 radio. Am I getting 30 quid of benefit somewhere?
Barney12 Posted August 17, 2017 Posted August 17, 2017 12 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: I have "£50 ears" and a £20 radio. Am I getting 30 quid of benefit somewhere? Depends if you're listening to Chorley FM
SteamyTea Posted August 17, 2017 Posted August 17, 2017 AM Rock, this is Cornwall, the home of radio transmissions.
oranjeboom Posted February 10, 2018 Posted February 10, 2018 Not wanting to start a new thread on this one, so just resurrecting! About to plaster the vaulted ceiling which will have 170mm celotex in between and under 50mm under rafters. The plan is to create sufficient void in the celotex to place speaker in there. Is there likely to be any interference with the foil face of the insulation? What about speaker wire running through/along celotex? Would conduit help in any way?
Onoff Posted February 10, 2018 Posted February 10, 2018 Presumably you'll be losing the foil face where the speaker is? There'll be no issue with interference. Got any thoughts on what speakers yet? Something like this? https://www.monitoraudio.com/en/product-ranges/super-slim/css230/ Conduit is always good.
oranjeboom Posted February 10, 2018 Posted February 10, 2018 was thinking of these https://www.soundandvision.com/content/origin-acousticsbang-olufsen-boc106-ceiling-speaker-review but with my wallet at the moment will probably go for something like these that folk on here have mentioned https://tech4homes.co.uk/adastra-iw5-in-wall-ceiling-speaker yes, will have to cut some celotex but was thinking the surrounding peripheral foil may still interfere, but will fit conduit which will also make it easier to replace the cable in future if needed.
Cpd Posted February 10, 2018 Posted February 10, 2018 I put in speaker wire better than the current system justified... with the hope of one day upgrading the speakers......
Onoff Posted February 10, 2018 Posted February 10, 2018 The foil won't interfere with anything. It's aluminium anyway so wont have any effect on the magnetic coil side of things. It WILL though nicely short things out like across terminals etc. Bit of a difference in those speaker prices, even I could afford the fugly ones! I'm a big fan of good old twin and earth for speaker wires. Of course you can kid yourself this, that or the other OFC, £XXX per meter sounds better.
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