Speaker Cable Survey

[schaefer11]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Gregory, Monster is among the worst sounding cables I have ever heard.... Just being honest...

Gregory, I, on the other hand, have never heard a cable that sounded like anything. Just being honest as well. So no cringing from me, I think you have spent your money wisely.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by schaefer11

Gregory, I, on the other hand, have never heard a cable that sounded like anything. Just being honest as well. So no cringing from me, I think you have spent your money wisely.

Lucky you....

[schaefer11]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Lucky you....

Agreed.

[Still-One]

Originally Posted by schaefer11

Gregory, I, on the other hand, have never heard a cable that sounded like anything. Just being honest as well. So no cringing from me, I think you have spent your money wisely.

I hope my hearing never gets like that.

[Gregory]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Gregory, Monster is among the worst sounding cables I have ever heard.... Just being honest...

I don't doubt you are correct, and one of my perceptions is that vocals sound `colored´ in some material, like a nasal resonance. An old buddy with EE degree of 25 years came over the past weekend (for some holiday cheer) and reported that he believes the coloration is in the recordings. He also was unable to identify any flaws or anomalies in the old and rebuilt Thiels.

Being from the old school, I have three HEAVY barrier strips in the output (speaker) circuit. Strip #1 terminates the 4 and 8 ohm jumpers from the 2205 amplifier:


Barrier strip that terminates 4 and 8 ohm jumpers from the 2205.


Then AWG-10 jumpers route the amperage to another barrier strip where the C33 Monitor Amp output can be connected:


Speaker lines shown connected to C33 Monitor amplifier output.


Finally.. there's another barrier strip behind the video stand/rack where the speakers are aside the the panel display (upper corners of the photo.) The cables are terminated with Michell Sure-Loc Rhodium plated banana plugs. These will not come loose, as the more you tighten the thumb-screws, the tighter they become in the jacks.


Third barrier strip behind video rack connects jumpers routed to jacks on the bottom of each speaker.


Now I bet you're all really cringing!!

So what do recommend for my application? My buddy Steve the EE says to move the Power Amp to a position under the video gear and use short speaker cables. That is a possibility but I'd need quality line-level cables of some 30 ft. You'll notice the thin black stereo cable from the (DVD) HDMI audio output (up to the C33) on the right above.


-Gregory

[Gregory]

Originally Posted by schaefer11

Gregory, I, on the other hand, have never heard a cable that sounded like anything. Just being honest as well. So no cringing from me, I think you have spent your money wisely.

Maybe so.. that was going thing back then. I never upgraded the cables, not even the solderless crimps (fortunately they never came loose of fell off.) Have just realized those open-circuit `jumpers´ on the 4 ohm taps are like capacitors attached to the amplifier terminals. They were for transformer tap/speaker experimentation. Probably should remove them and take out one of the cable segments. Hmm?


-Gregory

[schaefer11]

Originally Posted by Gregory

Maybe so.. that was going thing back then. I never upgraded the cables, not even the solderless crimps (fortunately they never came loose of fell off.) Have just realized those open-circuit `jumpers´ on the 4 ohm taps are like a capacitors attached to the amplifier terminals. They were for transformer tap/speaker experimentation. Probably should remove them and take out one of the cable segments. Hmm?


-Gregory

The shorter the cables and the fewer the connections, the less likely for hum and noise to be generated for sure.

[cédric1]

Hello,

This is my first message on this super forum
I have a Mcintosh Mc402 amp and B & W 802D
I currently use cable kimber 8TC with WBT bananas.
Is that good or when you advise me to take more upscale?
Sorry for my bad English

Best regards from Switzerland

Cédric

[jdandy]

Cédric.......Welcome to Audio Aficionado.

Kimber 8TC is an excellent speaker cable that has received wide acclaim from many reviewers and audio publications. Kimber 8TC was voted Product of the Year by The Absolute Sound in 2006, and is published again in The Absolute Sound, March 2010, as an Editor's choice. That's all well and good, and I am happy the pundits like it, but it still has to sound good to please me, and it does. I use Kimber 8TC with WBT Angled Solid Silver Locking Bananas on my main system, and 8TC with WBT Gold Topline Locking Bananas on my two channel tube system. I am very pleased with the 8TC speaker cable's sonic presentation, it's complete absence from external noise, the wide spectrum detail, and general ease of use behind amps and speakers.

You can spend enormous sums of money on any number of manufacture's exotic speaker cables, and Ray Kimber's 8TC is not cheap, either, but performance exceeds it's cost by a wide margin. You don't need to go more upscale. You are already there, in my humble opinion.

[cédric1]

Hi Dan,

thank you for responding so quickly.

It's a pleasure to read this forum is an excellent source of information

Cédric