decorp flat speaker wire VS monster cable

[Frostea]

i was looking into buying a 100ft roll 12g or 14g speaker wire
iwas going to buy this wire:

http://www.decorp.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=DA&Category_Code=FLTW

i was wondering if anyone knows it and how it compares to monster cable

thanks

 

[BMXTRIX]

Flat speaker wire from every manufacturer that I am aware of always has suffered from some impedence issues that lower audio quality. A lot of companies make flat wire, but it is better to go with standard speaker wire if possible.

Check speaker wire shoot outs on this site for information on how well Monster fares against competitors as well. You will often find much better value for your money, though eBay offers 500' spools at a reasonable price on Monster cable.

 

[mtrycrafts]

i was looking into buying a 100ft roll 12g or 14g speaker wire
iwas going to buy this wire:

http://www.decorp.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=DA&Category_Code=FLTW

i was wondering if anyone knows it and how it compares to monster cable

thanks

Is there a specific reason you are looking at flat wire? At $170- $230 per 100 ft, it is expensive wire especially when you can buy wire for about $.30/ft at Home Depot or some such place.

 

[zumbo]

i was looking into buying a 100ft roll 12g or 14g speaker wire
iwas going to buy this wire:

http://www.decorp.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=DA&Category_Code=FLTW

i was wondering if anyone knows it and how it compares to monster cable

thanks

I would use Blue Jeans Cable. Forget about the "as good as Monster" issue. Don't buy the hype. Blue Jeans Cable has any cable you need at a great price. And the service & quality is top-notch!

 

[inmypjs]

I am using DeCorp's DeWire flat wire 18FLT for my surrounds. The thicker the gauge the better of course. I ran it through a length of 30-35', so I bought the 100' spool which costed me $100. I needed superflat speakers because there is no other way for me to install the speaker wires but on-wall and I wanted them to be invisible. I was going to have my walls re-painted anyway so after I installed the wires, the painter hid them really well (paid extra labor for it) and it's virtually invisible.

I talked to the owner himself and what's so nice about him was that he gave the connectors for free. I still have to purchase the adhesive spray though which doesn't dry fast so you can make quick adjustments in case the wires get crooked during installation. At that time, they were not even selling the wall box. That's very handy when connecting the wires to your receiver which allows you to connect the flatwire cable to a regular cable with banana plugs. Also, you'll need the L-type banana plugs if you plan of hanging your surrounds on the wall. I really couldn't compare it with other types of wires because I never did, nevertheless, I think it's pretty good.

Here's a review:
http://www.audaud.com/audaud/MAY02/EQUIP/equip3MAY02.html

I've done my research on flat wires and DeCorp is the flattest of all. They've had good reviews as well. A cheaper alternative would be TaperWire. They are very accomodating as well and sent me samples of all their wires. They are a lot narrower but not as thin. They have an adhesive on one side while the other side is white which you can also paint to hide and match your wall color. Taperwire is available here:

http://21st-century-goods.com/page/21st/CTGY/FW
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=100-015

 

[jaxvon]

That first review doesn't tell you much about the wire's performance, just that the reviewer felt like hearing differences in the sound. If he'd measured the cable, then I might fell that he has some credibility. Otherwise, too bad.

 

[inmypjs]

Just found this Invisiwire (flat cables) from Impact Acoustics. They cost less than DeCorp's DeWire (18AWG) but still more than Taperwire.

http://www.impactacoustics.com/product.asp?cat_id=3101&sku=43028

 

[FlatWireGuy]

Invisiwire costs a little bit less, but there are reasons for this - a couple of undesirables.

First, it is not as thin as DeCorp flat wire. You were comparing prices of DeCorp DeWire 18AWG and Invisiwire, so let's compare thickness.

0.031 - Invisiwire says it is 1/32 of an inch
0.004 - 18AWG DeCorp flat speaker wire

Invisiwire is nearly 8 times as thick, so you have to consider that in concealment. It's going to install thicker on the wall.

Invisiwire has self-adhesive backing vs. DeCorp flat wire which does not (uses spray adhesive). The advantage here is for DeCorp, and I will tell you why I think this.

With self-adhesive backing it seems like your installation must go in one solid line with no bends. Flat Wire is designed to go places easily and put the speakers where you want them. A lot of times you may want to go from horizontal to vertical or vice versa.

With DeCorp wire you can make an angle, crease it down, and continue the install. This is not possible with self adhesive backing, because if you turn it at an angle, the adhesive is now facing out into the room!

Anyway, we've heard from inmypjs, who did install DeCorp, and I have used it as well for my 5.1. I would like to know if anyone has experience with this Invisiwire and if my thoughts on its cons are accurate. Also, what did you end up going with, Frostea?

~ Cheers ~

 

[TMASD2002]

What Flatwire guys says is mostly correct.

I used the Invisiwire from Impact Acoustics and was able to bend and flex it around a corner with very little problems. It does take some extra work to get it to flex just right.

Flatwire is correct about the adhesive backing being an issue, I peeled it off when I flexed it around the corner.

Hope that helps some!