Better Cables subwoofer cable versus something cheaper

[Adam]

Hello. I would appreciate comments on if there's value in spending extra money on a Better Cables subwoofer cable for my new SVS PC-Ultra versus using a less expensive cable. Better Cables are recommended by SVS and are sold on their website at a discount, but at $35 for 3 meters, they are still significantly more expensive than (as an example) this cable:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10236&cs_id=1023602&p_id=2682&seq=1&format=2&style=

I'm not one for spending a lot of money on cables, but SVS recommends the Better Cables cables. I trust SVS (hence ordering a sub from them), so I don't consider that recommendation to be worthless.

I'd appreciate any feedback that you all have. Thanks!

 

[avaserfi]

I don't think it will matter much. I am pretty sure the big difference between worse and better cables are the amount of shielding. If you hear some disturbance it might be worth getting better cables. I actually ended up having to do just that. I was using a regular RCA for a subwoofer cable for a while and then new neighbors brought new interference so I upgraded to a bluejeans subwoofer cable and no problems since.

 

[no. 5]

I could very well be wrong about this, but in my opinion, because the bandwidth a subwoofer cable needs to pass is so small (maybe 200Hz at the most, as opposed to a video cable which needs to pass several megahertz), a subwoofer cable may not need to be as "good" as other cables, of course, good construction and decent shielding shouldn't be overlooked.

My advice is; if the cable is visible, buy one that's good looking.

 

[pzaur]

Adam,
Here are some other possibilites and they are all 12 ft cables:

AR ProII 12ft $6.99
75 ohm video cable, coaxial cable, triple shielded


AR HT172 Pro Series Coaxial 12ft $7.99
Nicer looking and also 75 ohm, coaxial cable


AR Master Series MS272 12ft $14.99
Nicest looking, IMHO. Quad shielded, coaxial cable

Monster MB400SW 12ft $9.99
Nice looking, dual shielded.


I don't think you'll go wrong with any choice you make. I would just stay with a 75 ohm cable. All of the above will do the job as well as what you were looking at. Personally, I only use "video" RCA cables for both video and audio situations. They tend to have more shielding than the "audio only" cables.

I've ordered from accessories4less.com more than once and have been very pleased when doing business with them.

-pat

 

[Adam]

Thanks, you guys. I appreciate the advice and the info on the other cables. Those AR Master Series cables sure are nice looking. Many, many choices, aren't there? I was just thrown off because SVS was recommending those expensive cables, and I couldn't figure out why. I'll e-mail them to get their story, but I'm almost certain that I'll go with something cheaper.

I was going to keep my Monster subwoofer cable attached to my B&W and get a new one for the SVS, but the B&W will probably be put near the back wall and the signal will already be going through 25' of something like this under my carpet, so I'm not going to get too spooled up over a great cable back there.

Thanks, again!

 

[pzaur]

Adam,
Good luck with the interconnect hunt! Just be sure that if you do go with the taper wire that you can get the correct connection at both ends.

-pat

 

[Adam]

Thanks, Pat. I know that the Taperwire speaker wire comes with connectors. I don't know about the 75 Ohm wire. I'm going to terminate it into wall plates, though, so I think that it'll work just fine.