coat hangars as speakers cables...

[abefroeman]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/

 

[Adam]

I like how the photo links to a post on this site. Now, the circle is complete...

So - does this mean that coat hangers make great wires, or that Monster makes crappy wires?

 

[Joe Schmoe]

So - does this mean that coat hangers make great wires, or that Monster makes crappy wires?

Neither. It means that there is no such thing as "great wires" or "crappy wires" because wire is wire and it makes no difference. Of course, we already knew that.
The only real objection to using coathangers is that they are stiff.

 

[Adam]

Neither.

Shoot. I had that as one of the options in my question, but then I took it out.

I will disagree that "wire is wire," though. Well, in terms of electrical performance that is. It's just that one can buy inexpensive wires that perform well enough that most people can't discern any effects.

Having not done any calculations, I was suprised that the coat hangers would have a small enough resistance to not have detectable effects. Maybe coat hangers these days are better than the ones that I grew up with - generally the thin, steel ones that come from the dry cleaners.

 

[BMXTRIX]

What's weird is that I personally swear by the Monster CI-PRO in-wall speaker cable. I've used about half a dozen other brands including Belkin and some other major brands, and I've never had anything touch CI-PRO.

I mean, everything else from Monster is pretty ridiculous, but looking online I could pick up 500 feet of their 14/2 cable for under $150 and the cabling itself not only uses a very high strand count to maintain flexibility, but the jacket flows easily through holes, is extremely flexible, but is tough enough to not easily tear - yet whe you strip the cable and wiring, it does so cleanly.

This is within 10% pricing of almost all other brands out there, and less than some of the underperforming options.

The audio quality? Identical to everything else! So, I'm not talking about everything else, just the cable itself and the design of that cable - and just the CI-PRO cable.

I should point out, that despite their high price, at least most people do get a decently made cable. Sure, they could have saved a fair bit of money with Monoprice or BlueJeansCable - but at least they aren't getting hurt on both product quality and price... just price. Unlike, say... Bose - where it is most definitely a lose-lose.

 

[Halon451]

(Sigh...)

Another day, another speaker cable thread...

 

[chadnliz]

More 10 yr old articles to get the minions to once again claim they know it all, its been a few days so surely its time for another one.

 

[Adam]

Had to thank you Chad. I couldn't stop chuckling after reading, "minions." That word just cracks me up.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...
but looking online I could pick up 500 feet of their 14/2 cable for under $150 and the cabling itself not only uses a very high strand count to maintain flexibility, but the jacket flows easily through holes, is extremely flexible, but is tough enough to not easily tear - yet whe you strip the cable and wiring, it does so cleanly.

This is within 10% pricing of almost all other brands out there, and less than some of the underperforming options.
.

If it wasn't for their business practices, this cable could be on the recommend list. $.30/ft is a good price

 

[mtrycrafts]

http://www.engadget.com/2008/03/03/audiophiles-cant-tell-the-difference-between-monster-cable-and/

Coat hanger wire also works as a digital cable for short runs

 

[chadnliz]

Thanks Adam, yea that word kinda just makes ya smile! I will be here till Thursday........try the fish!

 

[Midcow2]

All metals are conductors

Copper is typically used for wires and cable becuase it has low resistance, is maleable and cost effective.

A metal coat hanger is made mainly of iron and could be used as a cable. However, the resistance per foot is 5.94 times that of copper and you wouldn't want to use a very llong run. A typical coathanger is 12 or 14 gauge and would have a resistance of about

Where you could run 12 gauge copper wire easily 100ft , you would not want to run coat hangers more than 15 ft.

You would also need some way to insulate the coat hangers.

Elements - Ohms*meter
silver 1.6 × 10-8
copper 1.7 × 10-8
gold 2.2 × 10-8
aluminium 2.7 × 10-8
magnesium 4.2 × 10-8
tungsten 5.4 × 10-8
nickel 6.9 × 10-8
iron 10.1 × 10-8
chromium 13.2 × 10-8
manganese 160 × 10-8
carbon (graphite) 3 000 × 10-8

Alloys
Manganin 44 × 10-8
Constantan (Eureka) 49 × 10-8
Nichrome 110 × 10-8


P.S.- some people have actually used barb-wire to hook up speakers on ranches.

 

[Joe Schmoe]

P.S.- some people have actually used barb-wire to hook up speakers on ranches.

No way! You made that up!

 

[Tomorrow]

P.S.- some people have actually used barb-wire to hook up speakers on ranches.

That's just to keep the cattle from stampeding from rap music.

Ohms*meter

Barbed Wire - 5,088 x 10-cow

 

[mtrycrafts]

More 10 yr old articles ...

You mean those articles come with an expiration date?