Audiophile Speakerwire Recommendations

[allstar780]

I am piecing together my stereo system and I'm looking for some good speaker wire. I know everyone is going to say go to monoprice, but I'm not looking for budget wire... I'm looking for reasonably priced (no more than $100 for my 10 feet that I need) audiophile grade, 10-12 gauge speaker wire.

The most I've ever spent on speaker wire is about $1.00 a foot, so anything more than that is new to me and therefore I would like brand as well as site recommendations.

I will be using Monster M Series M1000i interconnects as I can get them from a friend for $25 for 2 pairs at 4 feet each, if anyone can recommend a better stereo interconnect (i need 2 sets) for under $50 a set, that would also be greatly appreciated.

[CasualKiller]

You won't find much for "audiophile grade" in that price range. The "cheap stuff" starts around 320 bucks for a 10 foot pair.

Anything cheaper than that all you're really getting is pretty much just dressed up monoprice wire.

I upgraded from a cheaper 14 gauge wire <was like 50 dollars for 250 feet> to Monster's 2 dollar a foot 12 gauge, there was 0 difference in sound quality.

[richteer]

Originally Posted by allstar780

I am piecing together my stereo system and I'm looking for some good speaker wire. I know everyone is going to say go to monoprice, but I'm not looking for budget wire... I'm looking for reasonably priced (no more than $100 for my 10 feet that I need) audiophile grade, 10-12 gauge speaker wire.

Hmm, to be honest, your budget is a bit constrained for a 10' pair of speaker cable. IF you can stretch the budget a bit, check out Nordost's Blue Heaven speaker cable, as well as those from Audioquest and Kimber Cable.

[allstar780]

alright so my budget will have to change then lol (like i said, this is foreign ground to me lol)... where can I buy the Nordost speaker cable online??

[Scooby Blu]

I got the pro instal wires from Audioquest. Four dollars a foot. Here is their link. And take a second to read their article on cable theory at the bottom of the home page. Love the wire. Might upgrade down the road.


http://www.audioquest.com/

[BoschRock]

Originally Posted by allstar780

alright so my budget will have to change then lol (like i said, this is foreign ground to me lol)... where can I buy the Nordost speaker cable online??

http://www.dvdcity.com/speaker/nor-blue-heaven.html

[coolmilo]

I just replaced all my speaker wires with DH Labs (www.silversonic.com). They list the prices for their products on their website. I purchaced Q-10 for the fronts and center and T14 for the surround speakers. I am so pleased with the improvement in sound after changing my speaker wire that I replaced my inter-connects, sub with BL-1 XLR cables and HDMI with DH Labs cables.

My previous speaker wires and interconnects were monster cable. There is a noticable improvement in my system both in sound and quietness when nothing is playing. My audiophile friend noticed an improvement in my system and I did not tell him that I replaced my speaker wires until after he made his comments.

I researched wire companies for a month or two and determined that DH Labs was the best bang for my dollar. I am very satisfied with my choice.

[allstar780]

what about the audioquest X2 speaker cable? any benefit to it over, say monoprice?

[DBlackGT]

check out www.ultralinkcables.com Their products rock and you can get most of them for a good price off amazon.

[allstar780]

ultralink makes crap... no offense.

at my work they often send us free HDMI and Component video cables and theyre of the same build quality as the in-store brand. I've seen 6 HDMI cables completely fail after being set up to go around a corner (i'm assuming the conductor is kinking or breaking) and its not like they are stretched unreasonably tight.

[DBlackGT]

Originally Posted by allstar780

ultralink makes crap... no offense.

at my work they often send us free HDMI and Component video cables and theyre of the same build quality as the in-store brand. I've seen 6 HDMI cables completely fail after being set up to go around a corner (i'm assuming the conductor is kinking or breaking) and its not like they are stretched unreasonably tight.

I have no experience with their video cables so i wouldn't know . But the speaker wire I have from them is A+ quality. Its 12 gauge prebuilt with banana plugs for around $30. And its build quality leaves nothing to be desired. Maybe you've just had some bad experience

[RUR]

Here's an affordable, high-quality cable and I use these with my ML's.
http://signalcable.com/speaker_cables.html

Various configurations, copper or silver. Frank's a pleasure to talk to.

[kingofgrills]

It will be hard to find decent 10' runs for $100. My XLO Electric cables, which are 8' long (I think) retailed for around $1,000 a pair.

One place I would highly suggest checking out is UsedCable.com, which is basically the Audiogon of the audiophile cable world. They carry pre-owned speaker cables, interconnects, subwoofer cables, etc., and the prices are heavily discounted from new. You might find some really good cables that fall within your $100 budget.

Here's the link:

http://www.usedcable.com/index.html

[TENSE]

people what type of gauge size speaker wire should i use for my klipsch rf-82's?
money is not an issue! and what type of plugs?

[richteer]

Originally Posted by TENSE

people what type of gauge size speaker wire should i use for my klipsch rf-82's?
money is not an issue! and what type of plugs?

The gauge of a cable has nothing to do with its sound quality! You say that money is not an issue, so I highly recommend Nordost Odin or Tara Labs Zero.

If, having investigated those cables, you decide that money is an issue after all, the other recommendations in this thread apply. :-)

[allstar780]

Originally Posted by TENSE

people what type of gauge size speaker wire should i use for my klipsch rf-82's?
money is not an issue! and what type of plugs?

must you jack every thread? if you are looking at just wire and not speaker cable, I am currently running 10 gauge copper wire with banana plugs on the ends to my 35s

[airwedge1]

Blue Jeans cable all the way.

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

I've never seen better cables. They explain in detail why there cables are good, and give good comparisons between the different types of cables they have without the marketing BS. I put there cables against any other cable on the market, and I guarantee they are better, or equal to anything else out there.

+ they are very reasonably priced. They don't screw you, and try to make a zillion percent profit, like all the other companies listed on this thread will do.

[jdc115]

Originally Posted by airwedge1

Blue Jeans cable all the way.

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

I've never seen better cables. They explain in detail why there cables are good, and give good comparisons between the different types of cables they have without the marketing BS. I put there cables against any other cable on the market, and I guarantee they are better, or equal to anything else out there.

+ they are very reasonably priced. They don't screw you, and try to make a zillion percent profit, like all the other companies listed on this thread will do.

I've don't have any experience with their cables but after reading the response the CEO wrote back to Monster after they had threatened to sue Blue Jeans Cable, I have a lot of respect for him and the company.

The CEO is a former lawyer/litigator, so he didn't take Monster's threat by just caving in. I believe Monster quietly dropped the matter as I have not heard they ever followed up after they received his response.

As far as cable suggestions, well, keep it within reason. I wouldn't make your cables cost 50% of the speaker cost. BlueJean/Monoprice both make quite good products from what I have read.

[Intamin]

Originally Posted by allstar780

what about the audioquest X2 speaker cable? any benefit to it over, say monoprice?

That's what I use, and I like it. Can't really compare to other brands, as it was the first/only speaker cable I bought (assuming you don't count the initial 4.99 cable I bought at best buy, which was an obvious upgrade). I'd hit up www.audioadvisor.com as well, they sell audioquest and some other more expensive brands. I think if I were to upgrade my interconnects (which I will do eventually), I'd probably go with the company RUR linked. Seems like a good deal.

[JJ]

I've got to stop getting upgrade-itis, lest of all for cables. I'm running 14AWG monoprice wire/banana plugs/subwoofer coax - and for some reason, I sincerely think I would not hear any visible improvement unless I went above and beyond any sort of price guidelines I can imagine being feasible.

And by visible I mean audible. Dammit, Intamin!