Speaker cable recommendions

[spike99]

OK, So i recently bought B&W CM Series and I'm looking for some good speaker wires. For now, I'm looking for 2 fronts and 1 center. Since I may move in the future, I don't know what living room size I will have so I want to get surround speaker wires some time in the future.

In the mean time, I have bought 14AWG from monoprice with banana plugs. Should get them shortly.

I suppose monoprice cables are good, but I prefer terminated cables done.

I'm currently looking at the below speaker cables:
1. cobalt cable (ultimate speaker cable 10AWG) ~ $150 fronts & center
2. river cable: StarFlex SPX Bi-Wire 2 Banana/4 Banana ~ $360 fronts & center.

I currently use Denon AVR-4308 as a receiver. B&W speakers have 4 speaker connectors. I don't know if it makes a differences to get speaker cables that are bi-wire. I get the feeling that some people say it makes a difference and others not.

Thanks in advance.

 

[its phillip]

I recommend sticking with the monoprice cable.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...
I'm currently looking at the below speaker cables:
1. cobalt cable (ultimate speaker cable 10AWG) ~ $150 fronts & center
2. river cable: StarFlex SPX Bi-Wire 2 Banana/4 Banana ~ $360 fronts & center.
....

WOW, expensive.
Have you looked at BlueJeans cables?

 

[tcarcio]

Read this........ http://www.roger-russell.com/wire.htm#introduction Then go to www.monoprice.com as suggested.

 

[jinjuku]

OK, So i recently bought B&W CM Series and I'm looking for some good speaker wires. For now, I'm looking for 2 fronts and 1 center. Since I may move in the future, I don't know what living room size I will have so I want to get surround speaker wires some time in the future.

In the mean time, I have bought 14AWG from monoprice with banana plugs. Should get them shortly.

I suppose monoprice cables are good, but I prefer terminated cables done.

I'm currently looking at the below speaker cables:
1. cobalt cable (ultimate speaker cable 10AWG) ~ $150 fronts & center
2. river cable: StarFlex SPX Bi-Wire 2 Banana/4 Banana ~ $360 fronts & center.

I currently use Denon AVR-4308 as a receiver. B&W speakers have 4 speaker connectors. I don't know if it makes a differences to get speaker cables that are bi-wire. I get the feeling that some people say it makes a difference and others not.

Thanks in advance.

Spend that $360 + $150 on a nice amp like Parasound (HCA 1500 or the 3500).

 

[spike99]

Maybe off topic, But I don't understand the need of getting a separate AMP... How much of a difference in sound would it be getting a separate AMP ? I thought my Denon 4308CI was a good receiver.

Also, I don't listen to music much, but I would like to try some... Probably would be best to buy CD's but it seems much more convenient to download music instead of having a stack of CD's. Denon has an adapter ADD-11R that I can attach a IPOD touch. In terms of sound quality... would this be good ? I believe when u download songs, it may be compressed but what bit rate is good enough ?

 

[jinjuku]

Maybe off topic, But I don't understand the need of getting a separate AMP... How much of a difference in sound would it be getting a separate AMP ? I thought my Denon 4308CI was a good receiver.

Also, I don't listen to music much, but I would like to try some... Probably would be best to buy CD's but it seems much more convenient to download music instead of having a stack of CD's. Denon has an adapter ADD-11R that I can attach a IPOD touch. In terms of sound quality... would this be good ? I believe when u download songs, it may be compressed but what bit rate is good enough ?

Since you didn't state which of the CM series you have...

The CM9 is 89db and 8 ohm but can dip into the 3 ohm territory. 200 watt program (no clipping). You could get a 5 channel amp and bi-amp (bi-wire isn't going to make a difference).

In the end what I am getting at is an amp will make more of an impact as an upgrade than speaker wire.

Your Denon in stereo mode will have enough juice.

 

[spike99]

Since you didn't state which of the CM series you have...

The CM9 is 89db and 8 ohm but can dip into the 3 ohm territory. 200 watt program (no clipping). You could get a 5 channel amp and bi-amp (bi-wire isn't going to make a difference).

In the end what I am getting at is an amp will make more of an impact as an upgrade than speaker wire.

Your Denon in stereo mode will have enough juice.

I recently purchased the following B&W CM series
2 CM8's - Fronts
1 CM Center - Center
1 ASW10 -SUB
2 CM1 - Surrounds

Considering that I have receiver DENON 4308CI, Do I really need separate amp ? What do you mean that my Denon will have enough juice in "stereo mode" ?

OK, so you are saying that bi-wire will not make a difference ? In what scenarios would it make a difference ?

 

[jinjuku]

I recently purchased the following B&W CM series
2 CM8's - Fronts
1 CM Center - Center
1 ASW10 -SUB
2 CM1 - Surrounds

Considering that I have receiver DENON 4308CI, Do I really need separate amp ? What do you mean that my Denon will have enough juice in "stereo mode" ?

OK, so you are saying that bi-wire will not make a difference ? In what scenarios would it make a difference ?

Stereo is only 2 channels driven. There is no scenario that bi-wire will make a difference.

Bi-amping could (there is a difference).

As an example:

Parasound makes a dead silent amp.
Crown tends to make amps that have more bass emphasis (a bit more slam)

You could run the mid/highs with the Parasound and the Woofer/s with the Crown.

It's about the best example I can come up with for Bi-Amping outside of going fully active on the cross over and providing amplification for each driver. That is seriously down the rabbit hole and not a bad place to be

 

[zumbo]

Hook-up the B&W's with the Monoprice and enjoy.

If the Denon runs out of gas, which I doubt, consider an amp. Just know up front, it's gonna sound the same. You will just be able to push it a little more.

 

[spike99]

Hook-up the B&W's with the Monoprice and enjoy.

If the Denon runs out of gas, which I doubt, consider an amp. Just know up front, it's gonna sound the same. You will just be able to push it a little more.

Everyone seems to agree to stay with monoprice

If having a separate amp may only achieve a higher sound versus better sound... Then it doesn't make sense to get a separate amp for me... Especially since my neighbors won't appreciate the blasting sound.

 

[zumbo]

Everyone seems to agree to stay with monoprice

If having a separate amp may only achieve a higher sound versus better sound... Then it doesn't make sense to get a separate amp for me... Especially since my neighbors won't appreciate the blasting sound.

It will give you better sound at higher levels. I am usually the only one at my house that enjoys these levels.

It will sound the same most of the time.

It will take a load off of your receiver, and probably add life to it.

If you constantly find yourself pushing your system to the point the sound flattens-out, instead of livening-up, you probably need an amp.

If your receiver goes into protection mode, shuts down/comes back on, you definitely need an amp. This, along with the above statement, will kill your speakers.

Speakers change sound.

 

[spike99]

It will give you better sound at higher levels. I am usually the only one at my house that enjoys these levels.

It will sound the same most of the time.

It will take a load off of your receiver, and probably add life to it.

If you constantly find yourself pushing your system to the point the sound flattens-out, instead of livening-up, you probably need an amp.

If your receiver goes into protection mode, shuts down/comes back on, you definitely need an amp. This, along with the above statement, will kill your speakers.

Speakers change sound.

From your statement, I probably don't need an amp. I really don't have any of the issues you mention.

 

[spike99]

By the way, I called Denon tech support for unrelated question and then I asked about bi-amping and it appears that my receiver (Denon AVR-4308CI) is able to bi-amp the fronts (Left & Right). Not sure at this time about center or surrounds...

If the option is there... and without having to buy another amp... Is this recommended ?

Looks to me that it would make a difference to bi-amp versus to bi-wire.

 

[jinjuku]

By the way, I called Denon tech support for unrelated question and then I asked about bi-amping and it appears that my receiver (Denon AVR-4308CI) is able to bi-amp the fronts (Left & Right). Not sure at this time about center or surrounds...

If the option is there... and without having to buy another amp... Is this recommended ?

Looks to me that it would make a difference to bi-amp versus to bi-wire.

Yes it does (I own the same receiver). It's all in the user manual.

 

[spike99]

Yes it does (I own the same receiver). It's all in the user manual.

OK.... Thanks, although i don't think i'll benefit for my usage, I'll start looking into this.

BTW, are you using this feature?