AudioQuest FLX SLiP 14/2 - Advice Needed

[Paul Glavey]

Hello to All

This is my first post and I hope it's alright to straight away ask for advice. I have a SONY Multi Channel AV Receiver STR-DA5500ES and I want to set-up 7.1 speaker system. I was not planning on doing it so soon but we're putting in a display cabinet and this is forcing me to do the speaker wiring now.

To be honest I don't really know much about the sound systems or sound engineering but I know I like good sound quality when watching a movie so I want to get this right. I'm not going to go straight out and buy just anything just to get the system up and running, I'm fine with just getting the wiring done and adding the speakers later so as to do it right. I have to put all speakers in-wall or in-ceiling apart from the Subwoofer so all cabling needs to be suitable for in-wall. The back surround speakers will be the furthest from the AV receiver at no more than 25 feet of cable needed.

I was looking into getting the AudioQuest FLX SLiP 14/2 but I'm not sure if that is really the best cable for me or if in fact this cable is worth the price. The people at AudioQuest and their supply agent tell me that AudioQuest FLX SLiP 14/4 cable would be better but I don't really understand why and if I need it.

The other issue that bothers me is the cost of the connectors. I'm told Spade connectors are best but I've been recommended the Banana connectors from AudioQuest and they are really expensive, €42.50 for 4 connectors (about $48 USD). And what's the difference between gold and silver connectors if they cost the same.

Am I getting railroaded? Do I need to spend this amount of money? Would other brands that cost significantly less do the same job without any noticeable sound quality loss?

All advice and help is appreciated.

Thanks

 

[killdozzer]

I'm not all that well versed in hi-fi, but I managed to learn so far that AudioQuest is almost the undefeated king of what you call railroading. It's not that all of their products are bad, but almost all are overpriced due to mystification. Most of members here advise people to stay clear of AudioQuest unless they are really looking for, what is here referred to as hi-fi jewelry - a lot of bling with no real or confirmed impact on performance.

 

[Paul Glavey]

Thanks killdozzer. 'hi-fi jewelry' I was starting to think that myself. I'm not too flashy myself so I don't think I want to pimp out my living room with Hi-Fi bling. Hopefully someone will suggest alternatives that I can source in Ireland or UK.

 

[Speedskater]

I would agree with 'killdozzer' except for the "It's not that all of their products are bad" part. Many of their products are examples of bad engineering.

 

[killdozzer]

There you go; Speedskater went even further saying that MOST of their products are actually bad. I’m not saying he is wrong, but for me elementary logic says that if a cable can’t be more than it is on account of some “voodoo” and such, it can hardly be less than a copper conductor that it is. It’s a copper wire with some connectors if cables are terminated. I doubt they don’t know how to solder the connectors. The problem is that they are not producing only cables. I guess that’s what Speedskater is aiming at.

I’m sticking with the claim that if AudioQuest was to charge 15$ for a meter (three feet) of their cables, it would be pretty OK. (But this would also mean that they would have to give up on making fools out of people saying that cables need braking in period or that cables have a direction in which they work better)

 

[Paul Glavey]

Thanks for the comments lads. I just took a look at some of the cables recommended at the end of this article 'Speaker Cable Gauge (AWG) Guidelines & Recommendations' (I can't post links yet) paying particular attention to the Blue Jeans option the 5T00UP 10AWG Speaker Cable. I was always told that the cable needs to be OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) and there is no mention of this in the specs of that cable. Is OFC really that important?

 

[KEW]

Stick with Blue Jeans Cable.
Nice, well built cables at fair pricing.

Call BJC and let them address your question, though I expect it will get answered here soon enough..

 

[Paul Glavey]

Hi KEW, thanks for the input. The problem with BJC is if I purchase from US I've to pay duty on import and if I purchase from BJC UK the currency exchange rate from Sterling to Euro makes it to expensive. I'd be better off purchasing a more expensive cable from Euro Zone Country. It's a pity BJC does not have a supplier in Euro Zone EU country.

 

[Speedskater]

If you read the Blue Jeans pages they list some bulk interconnect cables that are available from other providers. For speaker cables there is no magic. Any twisted pair with about the same size conductors will sound the same.

 

[KEW]

My speaker cables are:
http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=2789

with this:
http://www.amazon.com/Deadbolt-Banana-12-pair-Sewell-Direct/dp/B006U3O566/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455571272&sr=8-1&keywords=sewell+banana

That is $60 for 6 cables totalling 100'.
From your post I inferred that you wanted pre-made cables, but these are not at all hard to do and you can customize the length of each run.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Thanks for the comments lads. I just took a look at some of the cables recommended at the end of this article 'Speaker Cable Gauge (AWG) Guidelines & Recommendations' (I can't post links yet) paying particular attention to the Blue Jeans option the 5T00UP 10AWG Speaker Cable. I was always told that the cable needs to be OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) and there is no mention of this in the specs of that cable. Is OFC really that important?

Welcome to this chat board.

How long are your cable runs? 10 ga is rather thick and may be less flexible to work with; don't really need that gauge. Not sure if BlueJeans is that available there or how much shipping is to where you are but you could find 12 ga or 14 ga stranded wire in hardware stores there. Even landscape wire will do.
Most if not all copper wire is OFC even if not specifically mentioned.

 

[gene]

Hello to All

This is my first post and I hope it's alright to straight away ask for advice. I have a SONY Multi Channel AV Receiver STR-DA5500ES and I want to set-up 7.1 speaker system. I was not planning on doing it so soon but we're putting in a display cabinet and this is forcing me to do the speaker wiring now.

To be honest I don't really know much about the sound systems or sound engineering but I know I like good sound quality when watching a movie so I want to get this right. I'm not going to go straight out and buy just anything just to get the system up and running, I'm fine with just getting the wiring done and adding the speakers later so as to do it right. I have to put all speakers in-wall or in-ceiling apart from the Subwoofer so all cabling needs to be suitable for in-wall. The back surround speakers will be the furthest from the AV receiver at no more than 25 feet of cable needed.

I was looking into getting the AudioQuest FLX SLiP 14/2 but I'm not sure if that is really the best cable for me or if in fact this cable is worth the price. The people at AudioQuest and their supply agent tell me that AudioQuest FLX SLiP 14/4 cable would be better but I don't really understand why and if I need it.

The other issue that bothers me is the cost of the connectors. I'm told Spade connectors are best but I've been recommended the Banana connectors from AudioQuest and they are really expensive, €42.50 for 4 connectors (about $48 USD). And what's the difference between gold and silver connectors if they cost the same.

Am I getting railroaded? Do I need to spend this amount of money? Would other brands that cost significantly less do the same job without any noticeable sound quality loss?

All advice and help is appreciated.

Thanks

Audioquest is in the business of selling high profit margin cables wrapped in psuedoscience. Their white papers have little to no basis in reality but they sell a good story and their products look nice. If you want to buy into a fairy tail and you like audio jewelry and don't mind the prices, then go for it! If instead you want cables that are engineered well, cost a lot less and have no psuedoscience than there are MANY brands out there such as Monoprice and Bluejeans Cable to consider.

 

[Latent]

Don't get too worried about the brand of speaker cable you get. Monoprice and bluejeans are just a couple of known brands that don't overcharge but speaker cable is speaker cable and the only a few things to really worry about:

1. its gauge (which only needs to be so low before there is no gain and really depends on the length you need and if the speaker is a full range or a smaller surround speaker)
2. Is it made of just copper or something else?
3. Flexibility as some cables are easier to bend and handle and some come with harder wearing stiffer covers
4. Color as you want something that either stands out because you want to see it or blends in.
5. How cheap can you get it.

You may find local no name brands that will meet all your requirements if you can't source the brands mentioned above.

Also note that if you go crazy with trying to get the lowest Gauge you can you will often find terminating them a lot harder as thick low gauge cables can be too thick for some mounting and banana plug options.

 

[Paul Glavey]

thanks for all the posts. I was already to purchase the Blue Jeans cable when I realised how much it would cost once I got it into Ireland, basically add on another 26.7% to the cost of cable and delivery unless I chose the delivery cost of $185, then the courier covers the 26.7%. Blue Jeans cable is made by the American company Belden so I'm going to look out a supplier in Ireland.

My longest cable runs are back and side speakers because I have to go up into ceiling and down (she won't let me chase the walls unless I really have to), so about 30 feet.

In Ireland and the rest of Europe we don't use the American Wire Gauge system but I found a website that gives the European equivalents. 10 AWG Number is Ø 0.102Inch - Ø 2.59mm - Ø 5.26mm². that is a very thick cable for speakers.

In my research and from a chat with Blue Jeans I now realise that OFC is common for most copper cables.

With all the research what has become most relevant is the following;

• Even the cable that is reasonably priced in the US is too expensive in Ireland
• European Speaker Cable manufactures use the same pseudoscience as the ones in American
• The specialist suppliers are not always the people to get advice from, you need independent advice.

Tomorrow I'm visiting my local hardware store and seeing what they've in-stock.

Thanks again.

 

[Paul Glavey]

Just a quick update. I found a company in Germany that make a good speaker cable but still pretty expensive for 6mm² (10AWG). Company name is Bedea and so far I've found a company called Mercateo that supplies it. The cable manufacture code is LSP6 or LSP6HFL, LSP6HFL is a High Flexible Loudspeaker Cable which goes up to 16mm². They have a good PDF on the site with technical specs which I don't fully understand and to new to this forum to post the link.

Paul

 

[Chu Gai]

Don't over obsess on this. You should be able to find a spool of copper wire at a hardware, home improvement store, or even on your local eBay. Connectors, be they spade or banana ought to be able to also be found on eBay or at some electronics store. The more strands the wire has generally means it's more flexible and if you break some strands who cares.

 

[Paul Glavey]

Hello all

Just wanted to let ye all know that I eventually decided on speaker cable from a company called Bedea. The cable is their LSP6HFL Audio Cable which is a 2 x 6.00mm² speaker cable.

I want to thank everyone for their help. I'll now need assistance with picking out some speakers but that's for another post.

Thanks again.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hello all

Just wanted to let ye all know that I eventually decided on speaker cable from a company called Bedea. The cable is their LSP6HFL Audio Cable which is a 2 x 6.00mm² speaker cable.

I want to thank everyone for their help. I'll now need assistance with picking out some speakers but that's for another post.

Thanks again.

That is a pretty thick wire, 9 ga US and seems to be expensive 6 Euro for 1 meter?, $2 per US foot is expensive zip wire.

 

[jonnythan]

Buy literally anything that is equivalent to 14-12 AWG and made of copper that is rated for in-wall use in your locale.

Apaprently that converts to 2.1 - 3.3 mm2. 6 would be total overkill.