Members jackajesusfreak Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 I wanted to get some better speaker cables. What is a good brand name to get? Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcastar Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 If you're looking to improve or clean the sound... better quality amps and speakers are usually the place to start.... Most cables are virtually identical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members KF650SB1000 Posted December 23, 2009 Members Share Posted December 23, 2009 What are you using now? EWI has some very good budget cables that are built to last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 You could go to this site to find EWI cables. The owner is a regular contributer here and is a dream to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members popgadget Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 I'll second (or third) the suggestion for EWI and Audiopile. Another possibility is to get some SO or SJO cable of an appropriate gauge from a local electrical supply, Lowes or Home Depot and make your own. Audiopile also has a good selection of quality connectors. Avoid marketing hype and brands that claim superior sound due to their materials and construction, it is all about physical construction, quality terminations and the appropriate gauge for the length of the cable run. The thicker 600v neoprene jacket of the SO cable makes it very durable, regardless of the brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Getting the local Lowes/Home Despot it can be a grab bag for the jacket type. I bought some carol 14/2 once are really didn't like the way it laid out. So I bought more EWI, much better! I like to buy in bulk and build the cable myself, not a cost thing but I've been doing it so long they'll match the other cables. Most stuff is 13/14 gauge except the 30 and 50' which is 12 ('cept 4cond. which is still 13ga for mid/high use). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phil Clark Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Whatever you buy, don't let anyone talk you into Monster Cables. They are overpriced and not really any better than most of the other cables out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boomerweps Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Audiopile also labels each cable on each end with it's size and length, a nice touch. I bought most of my cables seaching 12 AWG or 12GA and similar on ebay. With a little patience you can find decent deals on long cables and then cut them to length. I pretty musch use all SPEAKON now so those can be terminated with just some wirecutters/strippers and a screwdriver, REALLY EASY. Boomerweps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackajesusfreak Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Let me back this post up by asking this first, which I should have asked before I asked which cables to buy: Is there any truth to the fact that a better cable will make a difference and improve the sound?Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Once you're looking at decent good quality cable other factors come into play like how it coils/lays, type of ends, servicable or replacable. Rapco, whirlwind, horizon, CBI & EWI all make great cables that aren't that expensive. I really like the low end rapco with the nuetrik ends they sell at GC, also really like (and will buy more of in the future) the EWI starline or whatever base model with the non-nuetrik ends. I have sooo many now though I can't see buying anymore. At this pont any cabling I need is for inside racks and I prefer foil shield install cable since it doesn't get moved. Anything that gets plugged and unplugged with each gig is EWI/rapco, install for other stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members flanc Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Let me back this post up by asking this first, which I should have asked before I asked which cables to buy: Is there any truth to the fact that a better cable will make a difference and improve the sound?Jack For live applications...not really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackajesusfreak Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 For live applications...not really. So it's a lie and just a sales pitch? Jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Quality of connector, how it coils/lays. For recording AND live it make little difference. There is a lot of money to be made selling high end cabling and it makes for some slick sales pitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 So it's a lie and just a sales pitch?Jack Regarding sound quality... yes (for the most part). Regarding handling, lifespan, reliability... there are better quality cables that are netter in these regards. In many cases this has little to do with price, which is why experience and reputation is important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted December 24, 2009 Members Share Posted December 24, 2009 Let me back this post up by asking this first, which I should have asked before I asked which cables to buy: Is there any truth to the fact that a better cable will make a difference and improve the sound?Jack As long as you have sufficient guage/length ratio, then it won't improve the sound at all. The things to look for are durability (of both the jacket and the connectors) and flexability (is it stiff and have a memory (OK no jokes about what's the first thing to go - Please!)). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jaswrx Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 I have two 25ft EWI cables that are 4 conductor AND two 10ft 2 conductor cables. Someone make me an offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackajesusfreak Posted December 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 I have two 25ft EWI cables that are 4 conductor ANDtwo 10ft 2 conductor cables.Someone make me an offer. Educate me here. I have 2 25' Live Wire cables. If I were to buy your 2 25' EWI, what would I gain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6Imzadi Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 Another 50' of cable, nothing more. I'll take the two conductor cables. $10 each if they have neutrik ends. PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members agedhorse Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 Educate me here. I have 2 25' Live Wire cables. If I were to buy your 2 25' EWI, what would I gain? More cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jackajesusfreak Posted December 25, 2009 Author Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 More cost. The truth is starting to surface. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unalaska Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 25' what? 1/4 to 1/4? NL2 to NL2? Banana to ? 12ga? 16ga? Livewire is just fine, GC speaker cable tends to be ok. The {censored} XLR and 1/4 guitar cable is really really bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 Let me back this post up by asking this first, which I should have asked before I asked which cables to buy: Is there any truth to the fact that a better cable will make a difference and improve the sound? Jack It can't be a fact if there isn't truth. So it should be "is there any truth to the idea". After that you have to define "better". How do you define "better"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 So it's a lie and just a sales pitch?Jackis what a lie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 The truth is starting to surface.the truth is, if your current cables are fine, you'd just be gaining more cables. What are the specs of your current cables? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dogoth Posted December 25, 2009 Members Share Posted December 25, 2009 I'm reminded of a post a couple of years ago where a bunch of audiophiles did blind comparison tests on different speaker cables. The one that the majority picked was a coat hanger:D. Once again, as long as the guage/length ratio is sufficient for your wattage application, there is no SONIC difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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