Should i replace speaker cable

[garlik_bread]

I currently have a Sony STR-DG910 receiver hooked up to a Sony 5.1 speaker system, which currently works OK.

BUT - the speaker cable is old and very cheap, bought from Wilkinsons a few years back for about 50p for the lot They've been cut and rejoined, soldered in places, taped, bent, coiled etc.

Now, the speakers all work consistently, but would i notice any difference if i were to rewire them all with better grade cable?

 

[Upholder]

I currently have a Sony STR-DG910 receiver hooked up to a Sony 5.1 speaker system, which currently works OK.

BUT - the speaker cable is old and very cheap, bought from Wilkinsons a few years back for about 50p for the lot They've been cut and rejoined, soldered in places, taped, bent, coiled etc.

Now, the speakers all work consistently, but would i notice any difference if i were to rewire them all with better grade cable?

I use 2 core power cable.... cheap, flexible and as good as expensive dedicated "speaker cable"...

 

[garlik_bread]

I use 2 core power cable.... cheap, flexible and as good as expensive dedicated "speaker cable"...

But what im trying to get at is; if the speakers are currently working, will changing the cable make them sound any better?

 

[cribeiro]

But what im trying to get at is; if the speakers are currently working, will changing the cable make them sound any better?

It is hard to tell. What is the cross section of the cable? If it is 2.0mm2 or similar, and the soldered joints are done ok, I would not bother. You'd need a very expensive setup to notice the difference.

 

[scatterbug]

How accessible are the cables (have you buried any in the wall?) and how long are your runs? Personally, I would replace with something reasonable like Van Damme Blue. Don't discount the placebo effect.

 

[garlik_bread]

It is hard to tell. What is the cross section of the cable? If it is 2.0mm2 or similar, and the soldered joints are done ok, I would not bother. You'd need a very expensive setup to notice the difference.

Its very cheap cable, and very thin to boot. but it works!

How accessible are the cables (have you buried any in the wall?) and how long are your runs? Personally, I would replace with something reasonable like Van Damme Blue. Don't discount the placebo effect.

The cables are in trunking, which is removable but a bit of a pain in the a*se because they're painted, and the rears are about 10m (guess)?

I've wondered about the Placebo effect. I'm no audiophile so probably cant tell the difference between mono and 8.1 HD audio

 

[scatterbug]

The cables are in trunking, which is removable but a bit of a pain in the a*se because they're painted, and the rears are about 10m (guess)?

I've wondered about the Placebo effect. I'm no audiophile so probably cant tell the difference between mono and 8.1 HD audio

LOL! Me too!

Can you pull the cable through without removing the trunking? If not, then I wouldn't bother. Wait until you get a problem or need to redecorate.

 

[garlik_bread]

LOL! Me too!

Can you pull the cable through without removing the trunking? If not, then I wouldn't bother. Wait until you get a problem or need to redecorate.

Nope, the cable wont pull through the trunking (i know from experience!) so i'd have to remove the top, which isn't necesarily a huge problem.

I think what i need is a really good test DVD to see how good they sound. Any ideas?

 

[cribeiro]

Its very cheap cable, and very thin to boot. but it works!



The cables are in trunking, which is removable but a bit of a pain in the a*se because they're painted, and the rears are about 10m (guess)?

I've wondered about the Placebo effect. I'm no audiophile so probably cant tell the difference between mono and 8.1 HD audio

Every cable will conduct electricity, the question is how good.
I really think you should get something better, and that you should notice the difference.
No need to be "audiophile". Just use your ears

 

[BlueWizard]

It is about resistance per foot in the wire. Certainly tiny wire works, but some of the signal is lost in the wire and never makes it to the speaker.

However you will frequently find cheaper bargain speakers coming with 22 ga (AWG) or even 24 ga wire. Why? Because it is cheap.

It is generally a consistent standard that you don't use anything less than 18ga wire, and 16 or 14ga are preferable for modern high powered amps.

Now, there is available outragiously expensive 'premium' speaker wire, but few people need to spend that much money. For most, common speaker wire is fine, and reasonably priced. You can find large rolls of it on Amazon or eBay, as well as from most HiFi dealers.

Myself, I usually go to the building supply or home improvement store and buy wire labeled 'speaker wire' in the proper gauge.

AWG to Euro Conversion -

12ga = 3.50mm²
13ga = 2.50mm²
14ga = 2.00mm²
16ga = 1.50mm²
18ga = 1.00mm²

Any of these wires is adequate, anything less is not.

Steve/bluewizard

 

[philofcas]

I currently have a Sony STR-DG910 receiver hooked up to a Sony 5.1 speaker system, which currently works OK.

BUT - the speaker cable is old and very cheap, bought from Wilkinsons a few years back for about 50p for the lot They've been cut and rejoined, soldered in places, taped, bent, coiled etc.

Now, the speakers all work consistently, but would i notice any difference if i were to rewire them all with better grade cable?

sorry, but how can anyone not believe that a good quality proper speaker cable will not better "about 50p for the lot They've been cut and rejoined, soldered in places, taped, bent, coiled etc", i'd recommend you visit a local hifi dealer and ask them their opinion, please change it pronto !!

 

[deckingman]

Can you lay your hands on any 2.5 mm mains cable or flex. If so, try this on the fronts and play a few CDs. No need to run it in the trunking. If you can hear a difference, then change it. If not, don't worry about it. For info, the rrp on my amp was about £1.4k, my source was about £900 and speakers in all cost over £2k. I use 2,5 mm diameter cable costing about £1.50 to £2.00 per metre and yes, in my time I have tried all sorts of exotic stuff and no, in all honesty, I can't detect any audible difference (providing it is thick enough).

 

[garlik_bread]

I've got some mains cable lying around the shed, so think i'll try that with the fronts & centre as a test. I've heard i can use Cat5 cable too, which i can get very easily. Is that hard to set-up? Maybe i'll record the sound output somehow and maybe playing them side by side would help?

Thanks for all the input chaps

 

[cribeiro]

I've got some mains cable lying around the shed, so think i'll try that with the fronts & centre as a test. I've heard i can use Cat5 cable too, which i can get very easily. Is that hard to set-up? Maybe i'll record the sound output somehow and maybe playing them side by side would help?

Thanks for all the input chaps

CAT5 cable can be used, but it is not so straightforward. You need to braid several "twisted pairs" together for a single loudspeaker cable.

I don't think you have the devices needed to test the sound quality of your cables, except your own ears

 

[garlik_bread]

CAT5 cable can be used, but it is not so straightforward. You need to braid several "twisted pairs" together for a single loudspeaker cable.

I don't think you have the devices needed to test the sound quality of your cables, except your own ears

So my 80's ghetto blaster with hi-speed-dubbing wont be good enough then? Darn.

With the cat5, i presume it's as simple as stripping the wires back and using say the green, brown, orange and blue for + and the 4 remaining striped for -?

 

[cribeiro]

So my 80's ghetto blaster with hi-speed-dubbing wont be good enough then? Darn.

With the cat5, i presume it's as simple as stripping the wires back and using say the green, brown, orange and blue for + and the 4 remaining striped for -?

Google "tnt audio cat5", and you will see

 

[garlik_bread]

Google "tnt audio cat5", and you will see

I see, so they're using 6 cat5 cables per speaker? but thats bi-wired?

I've just stripped one cable and seperated half the wires and braided them into 2 sets. I'll try that on my centre speaker and see what happens (fire probably)

 

[Smurfin]

sorry, but how can anyone not believe that a good quality proper speaker cable will not better "about 50p for the lot They've been cut and rejoined, soldered in places, taped, bent, coiled etc", i'd recommend you visit a local hifi dealer and ask them their opinion, please change it pronto !!

Absolutely, but then your local hi-fi dealer will try to sell you £5 per metre cable that doesn't do anything something half the price does....

 

[philofcas]

Absolutely, but then your local hi-fi dealer will try to sell you £5 per metre cable that doesn't do anything something half the price does....

True, they might just do that, my point was purely that any decent purpose made speaker cable would outperform what i suspect is cheap as chips (cheaper!!!) bellwire.

Looks like a similar establishment succeeded in selling you oodles of nice kit, impressive list that

 

[garlik_bread]

Well i can say that my 3ft Cat5 cable to my Centre speaker sounded no different to the wire that came with my old sony AIO, which has got 22AWG on it.

My rears however use the crappy/broken/soldered cable though so maybe it would be better for them.