AVForums

Our philosophy in our forums, reviews, podcasts and feature videos is to promote audio and visual excellence by gathering and sharing the best information and resources available.

Help

To begin please visit our help section »

Not a Member Yet?

It only takes a minute to start enjoying the benefits of AVForums membership, and it's free!

Member Log in

Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best?

Post Reply
Old 16-10-2008, 8:41 PM   #1
Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Leeds
Experience Points:
9,888, Level: 23
Points: 9,888, Level: 23 Points: 9,888, Level: 23 Points: 9,888, Level: 23
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 47, Got 2
Posts: 390
Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best?

I know a lot of people think cat5 cable is superior to speaker cable. Is this just subjective or is there some objective reason why this should be so?

In other words is it a fact that for a given price per metre, Cat5 will always be better than speaker cable? How noticeable will the improvement be to an average listener?

I can see that with lots of stripping and braiding, multiple lengths of Cat5 can be used for bi-wiring, but is it useful for single wiring, which is what I will be doing?

Is the benefit more noticable over longer cable runs? My longest will be about 11m. I'm prepared to spend upto around £2 per metre, so my total bill will be less than £100. Will Cat5 be worthwhile for me?

Thanks
  Quote
Old 16-10-2008, 10:06 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
conman's Avatar
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Nottingham
Experience Points:
3,997, Level: 14
Points: 3,997, Level: 14 Points: 3,997, Level: 14 Points: 3,997, Level: 14
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 11, Got 48
Posts: 1,545
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

what is your amp and speakers?
what cable you currently have?
  Quote
Old 17-10-2008, 8:12 AM   #3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Londonish
Experience Points:
7,387, Level: 20
Points: 7,387, Level: 20 Points: 7,387, Level: 20 Points: 7,387, Level: 20
Activity: 0.4%
Activity: 0.4% Activity: 0.4% Activity: 0.4%
Thanks: Gave 132, Got 211
Posts: 2,265
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

Will you enjoy spendng countless hours braiding the cable, with those lengths you had better stock up on supplies

I will try some solid corse eventually, but to be honest I would just buy some van damme stuff from the powerbuy section off this forum and be done, all for less than £2 per metre.
  Quote
Old 17-10-2008, 11:35 AM   #4
Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Leeds
Experience Points:
9,888, Level: 23
Points: 9,888, Level: 23 Points: 9,888, Level: 23 Points: 9,888, Level: 23
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 47, Got 2
Posts: 390
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

Quote:
Originally Posted by conman View Post
what is your amp and speakers?
what cable you currently have?
My current kit is as in my signature, but I will soon be replacing the speakers, probably with Definitive Technology in wall speakers. I could be spending upto £3k on them, and don't want to lose much of their quality (and waste my money) due to poor cable. However, I am suspicious of the hype around cables, especially digital interconnects, and so don't want to spend lots of money on cable just for the sake of it. I just wondered whether Cat 5 offers any real advantage that would justify the effort.

On the subject of effort, if I were to use just one cat5 cable for the whole run (not 3 as I have seen elsewhere), would it not be relatively simple as I would only have to treat each end of the cable, separating the 4 solids from the 4 coloured cables? Or have I missed the point, and it is not possible or worthwhile using just one cat5 cable?
  Quote
Old 17-10-2008, 5:21 PM   #5
Prominent Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Experience Points:
20,829, Level: 35
Points: 20,829, Level: 35 Points: 20,829, Level: 35 Points: 20,829, Level: 35
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 49, Got 709
Posts: 4,329
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

There isn't a lot of copper in a single Cat5 cable so you really do need more than one.
  Quote
Old 18-10-2008, 9:27 AM   #6
Assured Advertiser
 
Joe Fernand's Avatar
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: The Borders
Experience Points:
36,543, Level: 46
Points: 36,543, Level: 46 Points: 36,543, Level: 46 Points: 36,543, Level: 46
Activity: 20.3%
Activity: 20.3% Activity: 20.3% Activity: 20.3%
Thanks: Gave 205, Got 1,344
Posts: 14,190
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

If the argument about all speaker cables 'sounding' true is to be believed then multiple runs of braided CAT5 cable will sound no better or worse than any other design of speaker cable.

Pulling a long braided cable through wall voids/studs will be fun unless you put an outer sleeve over the cable.

As -Ad- suggests VanDamme Blue Series 2x2.5mm or Black Series 4x2.5mm will be ideal, wont cost a fortune and wont have you braiding cables for hours on end.

Joe
  Quote
Old 18-10-2008, 11:10 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
conman's Avatar
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Nottingham
Experience Points:
3,997, Level: 14
Points: 3,997, Level: 14 Points: 3,997, Level: 14 Points: 3,997, Level: 14
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 11, Got 48
Posts: 1,545
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkTaylor View Post
There isn't a lot of copper in a single Cat5 cable so you really do need more than one.
Yeah i agree with Mark. There isnt enough cross section area of copper, unless you use 3 or 6 length. other alternative to cat5e would be enamel copper with teflon or pvc sleeve.

surely, the easiest option would be the vandam.
  Quote
Old 18-10-2008, 7:41 PM   #8
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience Points:
7,549, Level: 20
Points: 7,549, Level: 20 Points: 7,549, Level: 20 Points: 7,549, Level: 20
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 69, Got 273
Posts: 1,694
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

I made some cat5s just to try and I'm still using them. They "sound" great but to be honest, no different than any other 2.5 mm copper to me.
  Quote
Old 19-10-2008, 10:52 AM   #9
Member
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Leeds
Experience Points:
9,888, Level: 23
Points: 9,888, Level: 23 Points: 9,888, Level: 23 Points: 9,888, Level: 23
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 47, Got 2
Posts: 390
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

Thanks guys - its speaker cable for me
  Quote
Old 20-10-2008, 4:32 PM   #10
Illustrious Mumbler
 
Mr Incredible's Avatar
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: The Fylde Coast
Experience Points:
19,521, Level: 33
Points: 19,521, Level: 33 Points: 19,521, Level: 33 Points: 19,521, Level: 33
Activity: 7.1%
Activity: 7.1% Activity: 7.1% Activity: 7.1%
Thanks: Gave 1,660, Got 3,440
Posts: 15,626
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

In case you ever get the call to the dark side, read this post of mine.
More CAT5 questions....

Sure, Van Damme 2.5 sq mm is good value at +/- £1.80 pm + P&P, but you can make the equivalent gauge of cat5 cable for about 55p per meter. (305m roll @ £55 makes 100m of 2.5 sq mm cable which is more easily set up for bi-amping than the VD 2.5 sq mm which is just two core.)
  Quote
Old 20-10-2008, 11:14 PM   #11
Member
 
Rami Tupper's Avatar
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: West Lothian
Experience Points:
2,418, Level: 11
Points: 2,418, Level: 11 Points: 2,418, Level: 11 Points: 2,418, Level: 11
Activity: 3.5%
Activity: 3.5% Activity: 3.5% Activity: 3.5%
Thanks: Gave 15, Got 26
Posts: 246
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

cw1308 is similar to cat5 but can be had in different numbers of pairs, depending on how much copper you need. i`ve wired my multiroom audio using cw1308 6pair throughout and it does a great job.
  Quote
Old 21-10-2008, 10:36 AM   #12
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Experience Points:
7,549, Level: 20
Points: 7,549, Level: 20 Points: 7,549, Level: 20 Points: 7,549, Level: 20
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 69, Got 273
Posts: 1,694
Re: Cat5 vs Speaker cable - is there a definitive and objective view on which is best

As Mr Incredible says - cat5s are cheap. I actually found them quite fun to make (I know, sad isn't it). They can look really cool if you use the right braid and colour coded (red and black) heat shrink. Stick some gold plated banana plugs on the end and you can have some fun with them. Get all your "audiophile" mates round a do a demo (don't tell them they are home made). If you hint that they are expensive, the'll be convinced they sound awesome.
  Quote
Post Reply



Thread information and display options
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off