Looking to replace Audioquest speaker cable (I am ashamed)

[alphamajor]

I've been lurking around for a few days, reading the various articles on speaker cables and their associated snake oils. Like several other people, I bought into a bit of it when I first got my speakers, though not too badly. I purchased 100' of the Audioquest Flast Series Type 1 cable. This is 4-wire individually seperated solid core with two wires of a larger gauge and the other two slightly smaller of gauge (not sure of the exact AWG).

While they have worked well, at least in my opinions, I've never had any other wires in my system, so I don't have any basis for comparison, even to compare if they are in fact any better than lamp cord. I also have no idea what the measurements are. Anyways.

The main thing that annoys me about these cables is that they are relatively stiff and hard to handle and run, difficult to termnate (and as such are not terminated right now), not to mention they are rather ugly.

I'm very much in favor of constructing my own cables. The main question is, of course, what cable/wire to go with? So far the things that have intrigued me have been the Canare 4S11 cable or braiding some Cat5. Of course, I'm open to other ideas and suggestions.

Just a general side note: Now, I have to admit outright that I am actually an Electrical Engineer, however, I am not educated in the area of RF/EMI or audio and signal concerns as they would relate to cables. My emphasis was more on digital electronics, microcontrollers and somewhat focused on robotics. Despite this, I feel somewhat ashamed for not truly understanding what happens on a speaker cable. Oh well. Yell at me if you want for this.

 

[jonnythan]

Why would you even want to "construct" cables?

Just use 12g wire. Slap some Parts Express banana plugs on the end if you like.

 

[stratman]

Just a general side note: Now, I have to admit outright that I am actually an Electrical Engineer, however, I am not educated in the area of RF/EMI or audio and signal concerns as they would relate to cables. My emphasis was more on digital electronics, microcontrollers and somewhat focused on robotics. Despite this, I feel somewhat ashamed for not truly understanding what happens on a speaker cable. Oh well. Yell at me if you want for this.

There are some neat articles for the techies in this site, go to the speaker wire primer article. If you want to forego the construction scenario, check out Bluejeans.com (they also provide great info on their site)

 

[zumbo]

I use ixos gamma shimmer 13AWG, due to the fact I have an open beam ceiling. The wires are exposed in my ceiling, but look cool. I use the silver, instead of the white in the link. The only difference is a silver/gray combo vs a white/gray. Couldn't get the silver picture up. You may be able to.

http://www.ixos.co.uk/us/ixos-products-detail.asp?PROID=122&Category=5&SubCat=12

Here it is:
http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-bin/item/IXOSXHS706S

50ft spool:
http://www.accessories4less.com/cgi-bin/item/IXOSXHS706S5

 

[j_garcia]

www.bluejeanscable.com

I like Audioquest, but their speaker cables are over the top. I have tried out the AQ wire like you purchased (type 4 I think, 4 conductor, single strand) and I noticed more or less no difference.

 

[alphamajor]

j_garcia: The type 4 is, according to Audioquest, a bit better than the type 1, but its basically the same conductors just in a star-quad configuration. When you say you noticed no difference, what were you comparing them to? more-or-less no difference? what exactly do you mean?

I'm trying to figure out if it is worth it to change over to something like Canara 4S11 cable (with techflex to pretty it up) as I would basically be spending the same amount ($1 per foot) as I did for the AQ Type 1 wire. Obviously, if the Type 1 wire actually measures better, then I probably don't want to get rid of it.

The main reasons I'm thinking about getting something different, as I stated before, is that the AQ wire is ugly, mostly due to it looking wavy because it is too stiff to really lay out flat, and the second reason, which is also linked with the first, is that because it is so stiff and wavy, it's a pain in the butt route around my living room.

On a side note, I found out that the Audioquest Type 1 cable, when the pairs are combined as in a star-quad configuration, is equivalent only to a 16AWG wire, and my longest run right now is 35 feet to my surrounds.

 

[j_garcia]

My longest run is about 35ft also and if it is 8 ohm, that should be OK. My speakers are 4 Ohm and I think I am using 14AWG.

I tried out 5ft lengths vs various other stranded wires - I am currently using Monster X-1S wire and it works and looks great (got it for around $0.40 ft in bulk), though it may not work well for long surround runs. I did notice what seemed like a very slight difference in bass with the Type 4 (which is around $3/ft!), but it was hard to tell; so hard that it definitely wasn't worth it even if there was a difference.

 

[mtrycrafts]

j_garcia: The type 4 is, according to Audioquest, a bit better than the type 1, but its basically the same conductors just in a star-quad configuration. When you say you noticed no difference, what were you comparing them to? more-or-less no difference? what exactly do you mean?

I'm trying to figure out if it is worth it to change over to something like Canara 4S11 cable (with techflex to pretty it up) as I would basically be spending the same amount ($1 per foot) as I did for the AQ Type 1 wire. Obviously, if the Type 1 wire actually measures better, then I probably don't want to get rid of it.

The main reasons I'm thinking about getting something different, as I stated before, is that the AQ wire is ugly, mostly due to it looking wavy because it is too stiff to really lay out flat, and the second reason, which is also linked with the first, is that because it is so stiff and wavy, it's a pain in the butt route around my living room.

On a side note, I found out that the Audioquest Type 1 cable, when the pairs are combined as in a star-quad configuration, is equivalent only to a 16AWG wire, and my longest run right now is 35 feet to my surrounds.

If you are replacing or thinking of replacing that audio cable just because of its looks, then do it, nothing else matters.
But, if you are doing it for audibility issues, there is really no need. You have your funds sunk into it, they do work. You indicate it is stiff. OK, how much do you play with it? after all, once installed, you should forget it.

Can you hide it? Cover it?

 

[f0am]

I am not ashamed to say I use Audioquest speaker cable. I have 14 awg bi-wire running to my fronts. It was 80 cents a foot on onecall. And after reading on up on the canare wire on bluejeans, I was worried that their cable was going to be too stiff. Works great, not EVERYTHING Audioquest makes is snakeoil. Just 99.9 percent of it is. I was tempted to buy one of their Q vibration dampeners, those things look sweet for 40 bucks!
But seriously after reading threw the forums for months now, and after using different wires threw out my life, its true, Wire is Wire.

 

[mtrycrafts]

It was 80 cents a foot on onecall. And after reading on up on the canare wire on bluejeans, I was worried that their cable was going to be too stiff. Works great, not EVERYTHING Audioquest makes is snakeoil. Just 99.9 percent of it is.

Yes, their wire works. So does the other peddler's wires But, they tend to make snake oil claims. That is usually the issue with them
But, those $.80/ft cable was a bit expensive compared to others at $.30/ft

 

[gene]

Works great, not EVERYTHING Audioquest makes is snakeoil. Just 99.9 percent of it is.

That is true. Some of their lower end products like their self terminating coax cables are quite good. If they didn't slap batteries on their high end stuff, boast a bunch of marketing technobabble nonsense, and charge more for their so called "high end" cables than a new car, they would be allright. But then.... they wouldn't be Audioquest

 

[j_garcia]

Yep, my problem with them is what they charge retail. I buy a lot of their stuff used or on closeout for extreme deals, otherwise I probably would have gone with something else like Bluejeans.

 

[alphamajor]

Well, I ordered a few feet of Canare 4S11 and some locking bananas from BJC to try out. Ideally the sound on my system will not change, but I suppose it's possible that it might. As long as it doesn't foul things up, I think I'll go ahead and wire all the speakers with 4S11 and make them all pretty with Techflex and heatshrink. Being that a fair amount of my speaker cable runs are exposed, which is due to the layout of my living room and inability to hide them, I would like to have something better looking than flat, beige, crinkled cable all over the place. However, I think the main reason I'm trying this out is that I always like making my own things and having them look good. Feeling accomplished is always nice.