12 wire compared to Nordost Blue Heaven Speaker Cable?

As a long time slave in the mines of mid-fi, let me help OP with this. The Denon DRA-697CI is a very good mid-fi receiver. When it was current it sold for around $800.00 iirc, so it is not an entry level item, and has a fairly unusual feature set implied by the CI designation. Your Polk RTI-8Ts are solid, well made upper mid-fi speakers, with many owners singing their praises online. 12 gauge tough pitch stranded copper zipcord speaker wire is what you have.  Nordost BH is not the first rung of the ladder up from there. If you have been given it to try, by all means do so, and form your own opinion!  If you have to purchase it at retail, even in Nordost’s line there are more sensible options, like Super Flatline.  But I would suggest getting Mogami or Canare wires from WBC as more suitable to your circumstances. 

I think you would have better off upgrading the power cord to the Nordost Blue Heaven or Red Dawn. I did this in the past and it blew my mind. I would definitely buy used which will be easy because Nordost just upgraded their Leif line. The one cavity to this is the New Nordost blue Heaven power cable is the same guage as the Old Red Dawn power cable. If you can find an old 2 meter Red Dawn power cable at 40% + off retail  you will be set. The power cable made a bigger difference in sound on Home theater than the speaker cable did. Probably because it has so much DSP. You give it a good RFI/ EMI filter power cord like Nordost you won’t believe your ears. I say return the speaker cable. Guage is more important. 

OP my guest is you will get a better sound with Nordost blue heaven, this are amazing cable for the price.Just let the Nordost acclimate for six days, and burn in if its brand new.By experiment you will learn and constant listening.Play your familiar cd or music. Keep us update what you think. Just be patience.

Greetings all! Sounds like I unintentionally stirred up a bee hive! I can feel the seething resentment and condescension from most of you. I have no idea why you are so filled with venom!

So, a statement about this listener:
I began my music path very young trying to build speaker cabinets in grade school. This was fun but produced bad quality. In college, a friend had some impressive audio equipment; I remember a top of the line Nak deck and a Lyn Sondec table. Very impressive! For fun we used to go to Paul Heath Audio in Chicago to bring in imported vinyl which they would play for us when customers left. I think the system was a tube Ampzilla played on a Magnapan variant which looked like room dividers. Hawkwind "hurry on sundown" was dynamic. Cat Stevens vinyl sounded "live." Later I went to a Fulton demonstration and heard what real base from a pipe organ sounded like on 30" drivers with electrostatic tweeters- wow!

So here I am trying to build a dirt cheap system this year. I spent $80 on the 697, $140 on the 8-t's, $50 on my DP-47F w/ Ortofon 10 cartridge. The Blue Heaven cables were $29 here= https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804265444804.html?src=google&gatewayAdapt=glo2usa

I also own some gear from my youth - a SA-8500 and a pair of 355 Barons, along with many other speakers. Some of you obviously are proud of your glorious investments; my modest system is being built to meet my budget as this is not my only pursuit. My 8' stainless Espresso counter also requires $$ along with roasting gear.

To those who support my adventure, blessings to you for your kind words!
To those who offered their snarky elitist derision, thanks anyway.

PS: I have attended 100's of live performances which would melt down most of the elitists here. Who? Ive seen John McLaughlin 7 times - both electric and acoustic, Oregon with Ralph Towner at Amazing Grace and the ASU hatbox. How about
Frank Zappa, Weather Report, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Michael Walden, Billy Cobham, Ron Carter, The Selector, Rory Galagher, Moody Blues, Talking Heads, Ted Nugent, BOC, Jean Luc Ponty (7 times), and so many others!

I am simply here to learn -period. If some of you want to insult me, go ahead and enjoy your pride. Thank you to the rest!

Blessings!

ristrettox6

Sounds like I unintentionally stirred up a bee hive! I can feel the seething resentment and condescension from most of you. I have no idea why you are so filled with venom! ... To those who offered their snarky elitist derision, thanks anyway ... If some of you want to insult me, go ahead and enjoy your pride.

Such drama!

I am simply here to learn -period.

It looks like you're here for the drama.