Cable Question

[bryanalban]

I need to get some speaker wire and another HDMI cable. When I bought my speakers at the store (Monitor Audio Silver) the sales guy said make sure to get good quality cables, "mine cost $100 each".

Since then I've been doing research on here and other sights, and have come to the conclusion that I don't need to spend that much for good cable. I learned about BLUEJEAN CABLES, and was going to order from them (seems like a good price).

Is this the right speaker wire to get:

Belden 5000 series Cable
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

I was going to get the 12 AWG version, my speakers are going to be less than 15 feet from my receiver.


Also, should I use banana clips to terminate the cables? It seems like it will be easier to connect/ re-connect them in the future.

Also about HDMI cables. When I bought my Plasma TV a year ago I bought a HDMI cable at Best Buy, and it cost me $90. I know I was ripped off. I need another HDMI and I was wondering which kind to get:

BJC Belden Series-F2

or

BJC Belden Series-1 Bonded-Pair Cable
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/hdmi-cables/index.htm

Again the cable will only be about 6 feet long.


Thanks for the help.

 

[j_garcia]

If you are going to buy a HDMI cable, get the ones that are on the Pitchfork sale to help FIGHT Monster. See this thread: http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50142 I have bought 6 or 7 of different varieties of their HDMI cables and I have no complaints about any of them so you really can't go wrong.

This is one rare instance where I will recommend NOT going with that Belden. I've used it and I found it difficult to work with (stiff) personally. Less than 15ft you don't really need more than 14AWG wire also.

I use Bananas on all of my speaker connections - the locking ones from BJC are my preference, though the other ones they sell are good also; I've used both.

 

[Cpt.America]

You are absolutly on the right track. Bluejeans cables are a great product, for a perfectly fair price. Paying 100 bucks for an HDMI cable of any normal length, is NOT a fair price. The only places you need to remember for quality, well priced cables, are blue jeans, monoprice, and parts express.

I happen to get all my cables from monoprice, and think they can't be beat.

If you only need to go 6feet, this will work PERFECTLY. I know, I have 3 of them:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10240&cs_id=1024008&p_id=3992&seq=1&format=2

12 gauge speaker wire... great quality, great price, this is what I use:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023901&p_id=2747&seq=1&format=2

I also use banana plugs... I get a better connection with the terminal on the back of the amp. Id recommend bananas from bluejeans.

 

[j_garcia]

Since you got ripped off once by Monster, get the Bluejeans HDMI to help fight against them!!!! You owe it to yourself

My last spool of wire came from Monoprice

 

[bryanalban]

Thanks,

Think I'm going to go with the 12AWG Beldon cable from Blue Jean.

Is it difficult to install the "locking" banana clips? I've never done that before.

 

[j_garcia]

You need to strip the wire to an adequate length, unscrew the sleeve on the connector, insert the wire, install the two set screws, screw the sleeve back on and you are all done. Takes a few minutes per connector and is pretty straight forward. I just did some two days ago.

 

[bryanalban]

Thanks for the help with the HDMI and speaker wire. I ended up ordering from Blue Jean.

It won't ship til Monday, and I realized that I also need a cable to connect my CD player to my AVR. I have an old, old RCA stereo cable that I used on my old system, but I'd like to get a better cable.

What do you suggest for and RCA stereo cable?

Blue Jean's seems to be much more expensive than the ones at Monoprice. Are the Monoprice ones good?

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/index.htm

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=2864&seq=1&format=2

Thanks for the help.

 

[highfigh]

Thanks for the help with the HDMI and speaker wire. I ended up ordering from Blue Jean.

It won't ship til Monday, and I realized that I also need a cable to connect my CD player to my AVR. I have an old, old RCA stereo cable that I used on my old system, but I'd like to get a better cable.

What do you suggest for and RCA stereo cable?

Blue Jean's seems to be much more expensive than the ones at Monoprice. Are the Monoprice ones good?

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/index.htm

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021803&p_id=2864&seq=1&format=2

Thanks for the help.

If it's decent cable, and it probably is, the monoprice should work fine. I don't recommend using the cheap crappy cables that come with equipment and I have heard cheap AV cables that sounded really bad, like the ones I originally had connected to my VCR and used when I bought my DVD player, just for convenience. I was so disappointed in the sound that I considered returning it and taking the hit for the restocking fee (since I bought it from a distributor). It really sounded that bad. I switched to the cables I had been using for my CD player and was very happy with the sound.

I have used regular RG-59 and RG-6 with compression RCA connectors more often that I can count and that's also one of the least expensive ways to make this connection if you're not buying a pre-packaged set.

IF it's an AVR, why aren't you using the digital connection? Is this for Zone 2?

 

[bryanalban]

IF it's an AVR, why aren't you using the digital connection? Is this for Zone 2?

My CD player does not have a digital connection. I was planning on getting a new CD player, but I think I'll make due with this one for a while longer.