Do expensive speaker cables make a difference?

Smallboydanger

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Today I went and listened to a few Monitor audio speakers, the Gold 100 out of them all was my favourite. I was advised to get rid of my Amazon basics speaker cables and Van Damme cables and at least get some Chord cables starting at lowest £30 a metre in order to get the best out of my speaker.
Is this a truth or just a way to get me to spend more?
 
Unless you're running seperates into the 10's of thousands per item.. cabling is a myth. the ones that come in the box... bin... yes.. they will work but thats all there is too them.

speaker cable for the Silver 100 / Gold 100.. fiver a meter is more than fine.. nice chunky cable and you're good. something like richer sounds' "cambridge audio ultra 100" is spot on
 
Today I went and listened to a few Monitor audio speakers, the Gold 100 out of them all was my favourite. I was advised to get rid of my Amazon basics speaker cables and Van Damme cables and at least get some Chord cables starting at lowest £30 a metre in order to get the best out of my speaker.
Is this a truth or just a way to get me to spend more?

Absolute bollocks.

They want your cash. Nothing more.

If you’re using the AB 1.3mm then swap it for this and that’s all you’ll ever need.

 
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Mark Grant are good. I like mine terminated, and they'll do a 2x 2m, with both ends terminated for a shade over £40. I know that you can do this yourself, but theirs look much better and this matters as the speakers are side on to the door as you come into the room that they're in.
 
Whenever I've bought speakers or amps I've always asked the dealer to throw in some cable or interconnects. Never been refused. Last purchase was a Rega amp and I blagged terminated Chord Clearway and a set of Clearway interconnects. No way would I have paid the asking price and VDB is about as good as you need.
 
Yes, you get an extra 1db per pound spent.
 
I'm using this

Check this out at Amazon.co.uk
30m of Auline White Speaker Cable 13 Strand for Surround Sound Hifi Car Audio System 30m of Auline White Speaker Cable 13 Strand for: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
and this

AmazonBasics 16-Gauge Speaker... AmazonBasics 16-Gauge Speaker Wire 1.3 mm² - 30.48 m (100 feet): Amazon.co.uk: Hi-Fi & Speakers

Both of those are a bit thin for what is usually recommended for decent hifi, although they’ll both work naturally.

2.5mm/2 is usually what is recommended.

The cable I listed earlier in the thread is 2.5mm and any of the 2.5mm or thicker van damme speaker cable will also do a great job.

There’s no reason to spend more than £5 per metre maximum.

And amazon basic interconnects are also very good.

Spending any more money is simply not necessary, and will bring no gains.

Except to the seller of expensive cables.

And those who believe in fairy tales.

I’m sure some of those people will be along shortly to share their mystical anecdotes.
 
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Today I went and listened to a few Monitor audio speakers, the Gold 100 out of them all was my favourite. I was advised to get rid of my Amazon basics speaker cables and Van Damme cables and at least get some Chord cables starting at lowest £30 a metre in order to get the best out of my speaker.
Is this a truth or just a way to get me to spend more?
Just ask them for the test measurements that can prove that the extra cost of Chord copper shows any benefits over someone else's copper. If they can't (and they will not be able to) or they say it is not measurable, just laugh and walk away from these scam merchants.
 
Both of those are a bit thin for what is usually recommended for decent hifi, although they’ll both work naturally.

2.5mm/2 is usually what is recommended.

The cable I listed earlier in the thread is 2.5mm and any of the 2.5mm or thicker van damme speaker cable will also do a great job.

There’s no reason to spend more than £5 per metre maximum.

And amazon basic interconnects are also very good.

Spending any more money is simply not necessary, and will bring no gains.

Except to the seller of expensive cables.

And those who believe in fairy tales.

I’m sure some of those people will be along shortly to share their mystical anecdotes.
Thank you will save my money and get what you recommended
 
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I'm using this

Check this out at Amazon.co.uk
30m of Auline White Speaker Cable 13 Strand for Surround Sound Hifi Car Audio System 30m of Auline White Speaker Cable 13 Strand for: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics
and this

AmazonBasics 16-Gauge Speaker... AmazonBasics 16-Gauge Speaker Wire 1.3 mm² - 30.48 m (100 feet): Amazon.co.uk: Hi-Fi & Speakers
Ok. That auline cable is too thin.. you need at a minimum a copper thickness of 1.5 mm sq and preferably 2.5 mmsq. .. Thickness of the copper is important ,and the thicker the better, but 2.5 is the biggest bang for buck point, .. narrower and the insulation is the expensive part, thicker, the copper. Every other consideration is extremely minor
 
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Ok. That auline cable is too thin.. you need at a minimum a copper thickness of 1.5 mm sq and preferably 2.5 mmsq. .. Thickness of the copper is important ,and the thicker the better, but 2.5 is the biggest bang for buck point, .. narrower and the insulation is the expensive part, thicker, the copper. Every other consideration is extremely minor
Thicker is not always better as there is an upper limit of cross-sectional area that for a given impedance will cease to have any further benefit:
 
Thicker is not always better as there is an upper limit of cross-sectional area that for a given impedance will cease to have any further benefit:
Sorry Larkone, but that is not actually correct, even though there is a skin effect, a larger diameter conductor always has more conductive material in the external annulus. It is correct that the deep core carries less and less of the higher frequency current..but it still always carries some. The skin depth is the exponent on a log value scale . It can get to the extent that using 25mm copper water pipes would be almost as effective as 1 inch solid copper rod!.
However we probably both agree that going above 2.5 mm sq, copper is into the law of diminishing returns.
 
What would you recommend then?
2.5 mm sq copper wire, whether single core ..as in house wiring, or multicore flexible or very fine multiple strands for extra flexibility makes little difference .. except in handling. Nice coloured jackets are prettier.
I suggest 2.5 mm as it is the most copper for the money.
 
2.5 mm sq copper wire, whether single core ..as in house wiring, or multicore flexible or very fine multiple strands for extra flexibility makes little difference .. except in handling. Nice coloured jackets are prettier.
I suggest 2.5 mm as it is the most copper for the money.

Yep, if you can also get it with a red outer sheath on it .....
It will make your system slightly brighter.😏
 
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2.5 mm sq copper wire, whether single core ..as in house wiring, or multicore flexible or very fine multiple strands for extra flexibility makes little difference .. except in handling. Nice coloured jackets are prettier.
I suggest 2.5 mm as it is the most copper for the money.
Any good?

Check this out at Amazon.co.uk
DCSk - 15m - 2 x 4mm² - Black Speaker Cable - German Made OFC Copper Speaker Wire for HiFi or Car Audio - AWG 12 Role - 99.99% Insulated Speaker Cable https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01G1KA0RA/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_hLQvEbTMEAXPZ
 
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I would say your dealer is partially correct, in that in order to get the best out of your system (MA Golds are nice speakers) decent cables will get the maximum out of it.

However, as people have said there is nothing wrong with decent 2.5 mm copper, something like the Van Damme Blue or LC-OFC are both great. I use the latter.

If you want to spend £££s on speaker cables, make sure you audition them before. Ask your dealer for a demo of some cables at different price points to see if you can hear the difference, then you can decide if it's worth it to you.
 
I would say your dealer is partially correct, in that in order to get the best out of your system (MA Golds are nice speakers) decent cables will get the maximum out of it.

However, as people have said there is nothing wrong with decent 2.5 mm copper, something like the Van Damme Blue or LC-OFC are both great. I use the latter.

If you want to spend £££s on speaker cables, make sure you audition them before. Ask your dealer for a demo of some cables at different price points to see if you can hear the difference, then you can decide if it's worth it to you.
How about this cable
is 4mm 12 AWG any better than 2.5mm 14 AWG ?


 
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Absolute bollocks.

They want your cash. Nothing more.

If your using the AB 1.3mm then swap it for this and that’s all you’ll ever need.

Is this

Van Damme Professional Blue Series Studio Grade 2 x 2.5 mm (2 core) Twin-Axial Speaker Cable 268-525-060 5 Metre / 5M https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0030C6856/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_FISvEbRARXTS7
any better than this

DCSk - 10m - 2 x 2.5mm² - White Speaker Cable - German Made OFC Copper Speaker Wire for HiFi or Car Audio - AWG 14 Role - 99.99% Insulated Speaker Cable https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B019545M6S/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_7RSvEbE4YTN7Q
 
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Absolute bollocks.

They want your cash. Nothing more.

If your using the AB 1.3mm then swap it for this and that’s all you’ll ever need.

Is this any better
Van Damme Professional Blue Series Studio Grade 2 x 2.5 mm (2 core) Twin-Axial Speaker Cable 268-525-060 5 Metre / 5M https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0030C6856/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_FISvEbRARXTS7

Compared to this

DCSk - 10m - 2 x 2.5mm² - White Speaker Cable - German Made OFC Copper Speaker Wire for HiFi or Car Audio - AWG 14 Role - 99.99% Insulated Speaker Cable https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B019545M6S/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_7RSvEbE4YTN7Q
 
— As an Amazon Associate, AVForums earns from qualifying purchases —
Is this any better
Van Damme Professional Blue Series Studio Grade 2 x 2.5 mm (2 core) Twin-Axial Speaker Cable 268-525-060 5 Metre / 5M https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0030C6856/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_FISvEbRARXTS7

Compared to this

DCSk - 10m - 2 x 2.5mm² - White Speaker Cable - German Made OFC Copper Speaker Wire for HiFi or Car Audio - AWG 14 Role - 99.99% Insulated Speaker Cable https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B019545M6S/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_i_7RSvEbE4YTN7Q

They both look a little different to each other, but they are identical for our purpose.

They are both 2.5mm/2 copper speaker cables. And as such will perform identically.

Simply choose the one that you like the look of more.

Ps, the Van Damme cable is more robust.

It needs to be for pro applications; being carried about from place to place for instance. But its electrical properties will not differ for the purposes of hifi, that we need, to any other properly made 2.5mm/2 copper cable.
 
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