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Post by Boomzilla on Sept 27, 2014 13:32:02 GMT -5
Assuming I'll run long interconnects and short speaker wires (and by "short," I mean no more than 2-feet maximum) does it really matter what size / terminations I use?
I have 8-ga. 10-ga. 12-ga. and 14-ga. wire laying around in sufficient quantity to make my own wires.
I'm tempted to use the David Yohn method and "go commando" with bare wires. If that's the case, then the 8-ga. is out (too big to fit in the amp & speaker terminals' wire holes. Given the short run anticipated, is there any benefit at all in using heavier wires?
Also, given the short run anticipated, is there any reason at all to use spade or banana terminals?
Thanks - Boom
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DYohn
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Post by DYohn on Sept 27, 2014 13:39:39 GMT -5
What's the amplifier power output?
And as you say, I never use connectors unless it's in an installation where lots of swapping around will occur. But it's purely a personal decision and it makes no difference whatever to the sound - unless the connectors add resistance by being are poorly attached to the wire, that is.
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novisnick
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Post by novisnick on Sept 27, 2014 13:39:49 GMT -5
Assuming I'll run long interconnects and short speaker wires (and by "short," I mean no more than 2-feet maximum) does it really matter what size / terminations I use? I have 8-ga. 10-ga. 12-ga. and 14-ga. wire laying around in sufficient quantity to make my own wires. I'm tempted to use the David Yohn method and "go commando" with bare wires. If that's the case, then the 8-ga. is out (too big to fit in the amp & speaker terminals' wire holes. Given the short run anticipated, is there any benefit at all in using heavier wires? Also, given the short run anticipated, is there any reason at all to use spade or banana terminals? Thanks - Boom My AVR has never had a need for a " Pitch Fork " and it surely doesn't eat Bananas. real men go naked!!!!! bare your all,,,,,,,,,,,,,cable that is,,,,,,,,he,,,,,he,,,,,,,, In all honesty, I used bare cables for years, never noticed a difference. |
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Post by Boomzilla on Sept 27, 2014 13:46:25 GMT -5
Amps are XPA-1L models, speakers are Axiom M80 (4 ohm load).
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Post by deltadube on Sept 27, 2014 13:52:35 GMT -5
Assuming I'll run long interconnects and short speaker wires (and by "short," I mean no more than 2-feet maximum) does it really matter what size / terminations I use? I have 8-ga. 10-ga. 12-ga. and 14-ga. wire laying around in sufficient quantity to make my own wires. I'm tempted to use the David Yohn method and "go commando" with bare wires. If that's the case, then the 8-ga. is out (too big to fit in the amp & speaker terminals' wire holes. Given the short run anticipated, is there any benefit at all in using heavier wires? Also, given the short run anticipated, is there any reason at all to use spade or banana terminals? Thanks - Boom maybe you can get your wire length a bit shorter bro man 2ft is real long don't you think ...  I don't think you can hear a difference between a 15ft 12awg cable and the ones above... cheers.. |
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Post by AudioHTIT on Sept 27, 2014 13:54:32 GMT -5
Boomzilla, I thought the measurements you did on speaker wire terminations some time back was very good. As I remember, the BlueJeans sonic welded connections measured best, but you want to make these? My Maggies are really designed for bananas so I don't fight it, and I prefer spades on the amp for a strong, easy connection with good surface area. I like terminations because they look better and I don't worry about loose strands. Bare works fine, I just prefer terminations.
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Post by Boomzilla on Sept 27, 2014 13:55:17 GMT -5
I want enough slack to roll the amp stand around for vacuuming.
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Post by deltadube on Sept 27, 2014 13:56:35 GMT -5
how about a 4 footer ..  |
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Post by deltadube on Sept 27, 2014 13:58:30 GMT -5
8 footers perfect for the vacuum lol  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 27, 2014 13:58:51 GMT -5
For that short of run I doubt it will make a difference one way or the other. My bare cables are 3 ft, and I could not tell a difference between 10ga, 12ga, and 14ga. I use 10ga only because it looks better to me using the bigger wire. Use what you have available, and don't fret about it.
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DYohn
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Post by DYohn on Sept 27, 2014 14:10:23 GMT -5
Amps are XPA-1L models, speakers are Axiom M80 (4 ohm load). Use the 12 gauge. |
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Post by bluemeanies on Sept 27, 2014 14:34:52 GMT -5
how about a 4 footer .. Deltadube...you make some nice cables! |
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Post by repeetavx on Sept 27, 2014 15:09:24 GMT -5
Since you asked. My experience is that two and a half feet long ten gauge speaker wires allow the amplifier to control your speakers better than eight foot long nine gauge wires. I'm very happy with Blue Jean Cables, sonically welded, locking bananas.
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Post by Gary Cook on Sept 27, 2014 16:23:19 GMT -5
Amps are XPA-1L models, speakers are Axiom M80 (4 ohm load). Use the 12 gauge. +1 At that length you'd need 5 decimal places of Ohms to record any difference in resistance. Cheers Gary |
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DYohn
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Post by DYohn on Sept 27, 2014 17:09:42 GMT -5
Since you asked. My experience is that two and a half feet long ten gauge speaker wires allow the amplifier to control your speakers better than eight foot long nine gauge wires. I'm very happy with Blue Jean Cables, sonically welded, locking bananas. How'd you measure that? |
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Post by garbulky on Sept 27, 2014 17:51:07 GMT -5
I don't really notice a whole lot of difference between speaker cables. Maybe I do a LITTLE bit. But I couldn't say for sure. But I would reccomend the biggest you can. 8 guage, go for it. Trim the end a little bit if you have to to make it fit.
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Post by repeetavx on Sept 27, 2014 17:59:17 GMT -5
Since you asked. My experience is that two and a half feet long ten gauge speaker wires allow the amplifier to control your speakers better than eight foot long nine gauge wires. I'm very happy with Blue Jean Cables, sonically welded, locking bananas. How'd you measure that? The length or the sound? No measurement of the sound, just personal observation. Because of a hallway off my theater room (den), I have problems with resonances at some bass and mid bass frequencies. I have a couple of bass traps and acoustic panels installed that help, but I could use some more. When I went from eight feet speaker cables from my XPA-2 to two and a half feet, I heard less bass overhang, bass frequency resonances, and more bass instrument detail. I also heard less aluminum tweeter "glare". At least that's what I heard. |
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DYohn
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Post by DYohn on Sept 27, 2014 18:44:14 GMT -5
I can't dispute what you think you heard because I was not there, but attributing whatever happened to your change of speaker wire is questionable at best I'm afraid, unless you have some sort of objective evidence to demonstrate some audible difference they created.
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Post by repeetavx on Sept 27, 2014 20:23:34 GMT -5
I don't have a spectrum analyzer at home. Without it I wouldn't know how to measure the presence of low amplitude frequencies or distortion. 95% of the money I've spent on audio is because I, or someone who wrote a review, thought that it made a system sound better.
Question away. I know what I hear, and I spend my money accordingly. Whether it's signal chain or room interaction, everything seems to influence the way the sound signals, then waves, interact on their way to your ears. It's all part of the joy of this hobby.
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Post by deltadube on Sept 27, 2014 20:28:27 GMT -5
I don't really notice a whole lot of difference between speaker cables. Maybe I do a LITTLE bit. But I couldn't say for sure. But I would reccomend the biggest you can. 8 guage, go for it. Trim the end a little bit if you have to to make it fit. I could not hear a difference between 14awg and 9 awg over 10ft.. no difference.. perhaps on paper there maybe a difference but u cant hear it!!! cheers |
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