BiWire Speaker Cable help needed

[lovinthehd]

Not that I would do it, but are they not liable for what they put in print to be accurate or be subject to lawsuit.

Who enforces audio claims, tho? Certainly not the FTC. There are many companies that should be sued for fraud, tho.

 

[BFL]

Forgot to ask if the same info applies to the Hdmi cables and optical cables? No difference in brands or claimed ratings?

 

[ryanosaur]

Forgot to ask if the same info applies to the Hdmi cables and optical cables? No difference in brands or claimed ratings?

Pretty much.

For HDMI, you should most likely look for those certified by HDMI Org. They will usually have a QRC code and are tagged as such.
Always look for known brands. Monoprice, for example is a good option, here. But perhaps not some random product you find on Amazon for $5 cheaper.
That being said, HDMI is also very sensitive to the run length, and at a certain point you need to consider a hybrid HDMI cable and perhaps a voltage inserter to assist powering the cable. That is for longer runs.

Optical cables, or Toslink, are fiber optic. There should be no major concern with these except for how you use and handle them. These cables are sensitive to being bent to tight which can break the fiber, thus rendering the cable useless.

None of these particularly require a very expensive purchase (except for long HDMI runs), but shopping smart and buying a known brand could save you time and heartache as opposed to looking for the absolute cheapest cable on Amazon or at Best Buy.

Similar to Speaker Cables... ALWAYS avoid the same companies that proscribe magical results with their products. Fraudioquest and all the other specialty companies preying on the Audiophool sell very expensive cables that, just like the Speaker wire, don't do sh!t.

 

[BFL]

Pretty much.

For HDMI, you should most likely look for those certified by HDMI Org. They will usually have a QRC code and are tagged as such.
Always look for known brands. Monoprice, for example is a good option, here. But perhaps not some random product you find on Amazon for $5 cheaper.
That being said, HDMI is also very sensitive to the run length, and at a certain point you need to consider a hybrid HDMI cable and perhaps a voltage inserter to assist powering the cable. That is for longer runs.

Optical cables, or Toslink, are fiber optic. There should be no major concern with these except for how you use and handle them. These cables are sensitive to being bent to tight which can break the fiber, thus rendering the cable useless.

None of these particularly require a very expensive purchase (except for long HDMI runs), but shopping smart and buying a known brand could save you time and heartache as opposed to looking for the absolute cheapest cable on Amazon or at Best Buy.

Similar to Speaker Cables... ALWAYS avoid the same companies that proscribe magical results with their products. Fraudioquest and all the other specialty companies preying on the Audiophool sell very expensive cables that, just like the Speaker wire, don't do sh!t.

Great... Thanks.. My Martin Logans just showed so should be a good weekend

 

[BFL]

Just an update...i opted for the Canare 4s11 cables. My wife likes them as they are not as intrusive as the MITs that i had. I only wish the banana plugs went into the post a little further on the F100s. The F100 post are pretty large compared to my Denon AVR or previous Infinity speaker post.

 

[j_garcia]

That is one reason why I opt for BFA style plugs on the speaker side. I have some that have small binding posts and others that are a little oversized. BFAs can be spread a little bit so they fit any post.

I like the 4S11 because it is a single cable and is easy to manage.

 

[BFL]

That is one reason why I opt for BFA style plugs on the speaker side. I have some that have small binding posts and others that are a little oversized. BFAs can be spread a little bit so they fit any post.

I like the 4S11 because it is a single cable and is easy to manage.

i guess i could have ordered spades on the speaker side, however the bananas seem to tighten enough and i get sounds so i think its ok. Just odd that ML put such large post on the back yet have the socket recessed.

 

[ryanosaur]

i guess i could have ordered spades on the speaker side, however the bananas seem to tighten enough and i get sounds so i think its ok. Just odd that ML put such large post on the back yet have the socket recessed.

It's not uncommon for bananas to not fit all the way.

The most important thing is getting good contact and a secure fit. If you were able to remove it by simply thinking "out," you have a problem. If it is snug enough that you have to apply some grip-and-tug to remove it you should be fine.

 

[BFL]

It's not uncommon for bananas to not fit all the way.

The most important thing is getting good contact and a secure fit. If you were able to remove it by simply thinking "out," you have a problem. If it is snug enough that you have to apply some grip-and-tug to remove it you should be fine.

cool!! they are snug!!

 

[fmw]

Also, forgot to ask if there is any data if spades are any better than banana plugs?

It doesn't matter. A more secure approach is to twist the bare wire strands and tin them with solder. You put them in the binding post holes and tighten them. It is the most secure way to connect them. Using connectors only adds another point that can fail. You can do this at both ends. If you want connectors make sure they are soldered securely.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

It doesn't matter. A more secure approach is to twist the bare wire strands and tin them with solder. You put them in the binding post holes and tighten them. It is the most secure way to connect them. Using connectors only adds another point that can fail. You can do this at both ends. If you want connectors make sure they are soldered securely.

IME bare wire gives a Better connection than tinning. That’s because you “crush” the strands into a nice mesh with the binding posts. When you tin them, it doesn’t allow the same contact, because the solder is hard and therefore you get less contact.
Any of these connections are probably all the same in practice. Haven’t seen any evidence showing one is truthfully better.

 

[fmw]

IME bare wire gives a Better connection than tinning. That’s because you “crush” the strands into a nice mesh with the binding posts. When you tin them, it doesn’t allow the same contact, because the solder is hard and therefore you get less contact.
Any of these connections are probably all the same in practice. Haven’t seen any evidence showing one is truthfully better.

The purpose of tinning is to prevent stray strands from causing a short circuit, not to improve the connection. Tinned bare wire is necessarily a better electrical connection It is a more secure and reliable one with less chance of failure. I agree that all connections are equally capable of carrying the signal. Tinned bare wire is the best for reasons of reliability. It has the added value of being cheaper.

 

[highfigh]

IME bare wire gives a Better connection than tinning. That’s because you “crush” the strands into a nice mesh with the binding posts. When you tin them, it doesn’t allow the same contact, because the solder is hard and therefore you get less contact.
Any of these connections are probably all the same in practice. Haven’t seen any evidence showing one is truthfully better.

60/40 isn't so hard that it prevents crushing but the stuff with more Tin or Silver is definitely harder.

If someone can't twist the ends in a way that prevents stray wires sticking out, they should let someone else do it. Only about 1/2"-3/4" of insulation needs to be removed and that's too short to reach from one post to another.

 

[BFL]

I wound up going with the Blue Jeans Canare 4S11 cables. Only concern was getting the banana plugs in far enough as the post on the back of the new ML XT speakers are large.

 

[Verdinut]

I wound up going with the Blue Jeans Canare 4S11 cables. Only concern was getting the banana plugs in far enough as the post on the back of the new ML XT speakers are large.

That's why it is suggested that you get cables 2-3 feet longer than necessary to allow freedom of adjustment.

 

[BFL]

That's why it is suggested that you get cables 2-3 feet longer than necessary to allow freedom of adjustment.

Length wasn't the issue.. Not sure if u have seen the new ML xt f100 speakers, but the post knob on the back is fairly thick and the insert that the banana plug goes into doesn't come all the way to the edge. However, I was able to get them tight despite that.

 

[Alex2507]

IME bare wire gives a Better connection than tinning.

Only if you freeze the wire.

 

[fmw]

Forgot to ask if the same info applies to the Hdmi cables and optical cables? No difference in brands or claimed ratings?

All that matters with wire in audio is the ability to conduct electricity and do it reliably. Minimum wire gauge is dependent on the length used. Any stranded copper wire with properly soldered connectors is fine. Optical doesn't even have to conduct electricity. It simply needs to transfer data from one place to another. Proper connections are all that matters.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Only if you freeze the wire.

What happens when it thaws out?

 

[ryanosaur]

What happens when it thaws out?

Better lay down a drop cloth!