Bimetallic speaker wire

[MaleManGuy]

Hi Everyone :-)

I cabled up all my speakers with 14ga bimetallic speaker cable I bought from futureshop for $57 per 100'. Is there any reason other than appearance or cost savings to make it bi-metallic? Any disadvantaged to it? When I say bimetallic, each wire is would with copper and some other silver colored metal, maybe with nickel in it or something, not sure.

Jeff

[glenn22]

I'm curious why it would be Bimetallic... The only other conductors that are better than copper are Silver and Gold.... I highly doubt either of those are the secondary metal due to costs. It's cheaper wire, it's possible they'd want to save money by not including 100% copper as it's really pricey.

The disadvantage to that would be a higher impedance as the conductors aren't as good as pure copper, however, how much that would affect sound quality would depend on your speakers and reciever.

[MaleManGuy]

Originally Posted by glenn22

I'm curious why it would be Bimetallic... The only other conductors that are better than copper are Silver and Gold.... I highly doubt either of those are the secondary metal due to costs. It's cheaper wire, it's possible they'd want to save money by not including 100% copper as it's really pricey.

The disadvantage to that would be a higher impedance as the conductors aren't as good as pure copper, however, how much that would affect sound quality would depend on your speakers and reciever.

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...027143&catid=#

here's a link to what it would look like :-)

[glenn22]

In fact, are you sure it is bimetallic? upon thinking about it more, it makes no sense at all. Is the wire split into 2 with one side looking more coppery and the other appearing more silver? in that case it's like it's all still copper, just tinted differently to allow you to get the polarity correct on both ends.

[glenn22]

Originally Posted by MaleManGuy

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...027143&catid=#

here's a link to what it would look like :-)

If that's the cable you used, then it is as I stated in my post above and the wires are simply tinted differently. Here is a quote from Monster Cable's web site:

• Color-Coded Connectors give you simple, error-free hookup of home theater system surround sound speakers
• Large Copper Conductors deliver all the power your speakers need for larger-then-life sound and true-to-life dialogue

[MaleManGuy]

Originally Posted by MaleManGuy

http://www.futureshop.ca/catalog/pro...027143&catid=#

here's a link to what it would look like :-)

I agree... altho... 1/2 of each wire is still copper... maybe at much higher currents this is a concern perhaps. Tough call... I haven't seen any comparative data on this type of speaker cable. And my ears don't pick out anything unusual.
and with runs being no longer than 18' for the rear speakers, and 5' or less for the fronts... can't imagine it's too much of a difference over straight copper.

Jeffy

[MaleManGuy]

Originally Posted by glenn22

If that's the cable you used, then it is as I stated in my post above and the wires are simply tinted differently. Here is a quote from Monster Cable's web site:

• Color-Coded Connectors give you simple, error-free hookup of home theater system surround sound speakers
• Large Copper Conductors deliver all the power your speakers need for larger-then-life sound and true-to-life dialogue

There really isn't any color coding on that cable type if both conductors are bimetallic... not sure if 1/2 the strands are plated or not... but it certainly shows in the price, the stuff sure is cheaper :-)