Need speaker cable


Hello everyone,

I am a regular reader of forum, but it’s my first post. I use odyssey cyclops integrated amp and Maggie 1.7i speakers. So far I have been using a Basic 12 gauge speaker wire. I am looking at buying a speaker cable and my budget is around $500. Please let me know your suggestions.
sudharl
Try these, to my ears these are absolutely the best sounding OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) cables money can buy. Almost everyone out there uses OFC in their cables. OCC provides the absolute purest base platform to get that much closer to absolute transparency.
https://audioenvy.com/product/speaker/nv-sp5-darkblue/
I'm using Knukonceptz 8 guage with their bananas for my Maggie's, sound great.
Thanks @builder3 & @lalitk  I will take a look at both. @johnto when I check the website it shows 2, mobile audio and home theater. Which is the one that you suggest.
I sometimes see used Auditorium 23's show up for about $650 at 2.5m lengths.  Highly recommended.
Canare 4S11 cables.  $100-150.00 a pair, depending on length.  Used in many recording studios throughout the world. 
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Seems like you have some good suggestions so far. The DH Labs sounds good. They make good stuff. I would also suggest Kimber 4TC. It works very well in a variety of systems.
Thank you all! I think I have good number of suggestions to start my research... appreciate every suggestion!
+3 for Canare 4S11. Transparent; allows faithful reproduction from your components.

The only cable I will use is from Raven Audio in Texas.

Priced fair and no fairy dust (BS)

I was a dedicated Transparent Audio guy until I bought these.

https://www.ravenaudio.com/product/speaker-cables/

I am running all Raven cables, speaker, xlr and power. I also have their wonderful CeLest Towers in my system.
If it helps, Zu Audio cables. They sell on their website but they also sell on eBay where you bid. Still, it will run you much less than $500 for a reasonable length. No idea if they will or will not be what you want, but check them out. I have Libtec.
Finley Audio
https://finleyaudio.com/?product=stratus-speaker-cable
One of the owners only uses Odyssey amps.  Knowing him, he would likely wind the cables for you and check them on his own amps.
Please check out Audio Envy, save some money, and get a great product.  I own them, they are far and above other cables I have owned, used and know.
You might want to look into Nerve Audio cables. Speaker Cables – Nerve Audio
I use their Axon 24, and Vagus 28S phono cables and they are of very good quality, sound great and are reasonably priced.

Acoustic Zen Hologram 2's are killer bang for your buck and always seem to be a few pairs on the various used sites for under your budget.
Though they don't show up very often, keep a look out for the no-longer in-production Clear Day Double Shotgun pure silver cables, originally $500 retail for an 8' pair, sold by their maker for $450.
Audioquest type 4....buy it from audio advisor as they will terminate them however you see fit. They use the bulk form of the type 4 cable with white jacket. 
Also QED makes a nice cable in the XT25. I have used their silver anniversary xt  biwire  cables for years with great results. 
I use Mogami 3104 Single bi-wire configured by Take Five Audio ($300) with my low level high end system ($20k).  I find them to be very well balanced with no coloration.
Acoustic Zen Satori...there are a couple used pairs available currently. Check out HiFiShark to see details (no, I'm not the one selling them, but I own a pair)...selling within your price range and are twice that price new. Very neutral and detailed. Good luck!
+5 for the Canare
If you’re looking for something above that, I’d try Verastarr. The owner, Mike, is a super great guy.
If you go for the Canare, I’d go through Blue Jeans cables, where you can get your choice of termination not soldered, but welded on. 
I use Straightwire. Great sounding, very reasonably priced product and great customer support.
I  still breaking them in, so the jury is still out, but so far, I am enjoying a pair of Morrow Audio SP6 cables.  List is $1000 for 2 meters, but regularly are on sale for 40-50% off.  60 day return option.
If you want some top notch cables for a very fair price. Please check out James Schmitt at:

https://www.schmittcustomaudiocables.com

I’ve bought several pairs of Speaker Cables and sets of interconnects from him and love them. Custom made and very high quality with numerous different types to choose from. You won’t be disappointed!

Im using StraightWire, mostly 'on' these days. 

During my deeply involved 'cable' period, in and around 2010, I tested out almost endless different brands from MIT, to numerous AQs, top Kimber 'hoses', to Chinese 'fat and not so fat' garden-hoses, to all sorts of Scientific this, that and the other.
Im talking only SCs now, never mind ICs... 😉 

ALL came and went, yet StraightWire (WaveGuide) stayed, and when all is said and done, still sounding the most natural in my here system. This since... 1997!

Hey, I bought it in Munich at the time, with my Burmester 961s off same vintage - and please note, I'm not selling this stuff! 😊
😘 
Michélle 🇿🇦 
I'm using the 
Knukonceptz Karma 8 guage cable if you click on speaker cables you'll see it .Their bananas will fit the 8 guage cable. If you ask when you order they will explain how to get them to slip in. Lots of bananas won't accept that guage.
Another vote for Anti-cables. Did a series of A/B comparisons versus similarly priced Kimber Cable and more expensive Audioquest with some Audiophile friends and we unanimously chose the Anti-cables. 
Best value cable  I found, that produced instant results over basic 12ga in my system is Kimber Kable 8pr. Best part - it is only about $7 a foot in bulk if you are using your own connectors. With connectors price goes up quite a bit. Thecableco.com will let you customize length and type of connectors.
My preference is Wire World

They have some really good deals on closeouts.

This is out of stock but they are great cables I suggest you give them a call https://store.wireworldcable.com/collections/sales-and-closeouts/products/copy-of-mini-eclipse-8-spe...
Depending on the length you need, that will also determine the price for the product that you land on.  I use Audioquest exclusively throughout my entire system.  I can't speak highly enough for that brand.  Though they may be a bit more pricey than many of their competitors, you can definitely count on their products to deliver an excellent sound through research, materials, and craftsmanship of the product manufacturing process.  Audio Advisor for this Spring is offering bulk product/length purchases at a significantly reduced price compared to the Audioquest finished/packaged product at retail.  You just can't go wrong with either of these options.  They offer this in the products of Type 4, Type 8, and Rocket 88.   The Rocket 88 is by far the best sounding of those 3 options and they are selling at 6ft, 8ft, 10ft, for $450, $560, and $670, respectively.  That's 43% off of list price.  It's like buying new product for "used product" prices.  Have fun on your decision process and do enjoy the music!
sudharl

I’ll assume since you are using 12g wire, it is stranded: it is SO MUCH BETTER to go to an electrical supply house in your area, and purchase 12g SOLID CORE COPPER WIRE. I use it, bare end and twisted together, (from Amp or Integrated) and have never been disappointed.Whether single or bi-wired, it is easily the most cost effective answer. I read years ago a comment made by a high-end speaker mfg., who said this is easily the best for most amp/speaker combo at a value of $78,000 or less.
In my area, the the 12g Solid Core Copper wire (in various colors) at $0.20 (+ tax ) lf - so to 6’ bi-wire my speakers was under $10...
MOST IMPORTANT : BREAK IN FOR 300+ HOURS CONTINUOUS PLAY (vary volume - low overnights, various changes in volume daily for several hours at a time).
Other alternates you might consider: NORDOST FLAT 2or FLAT 4, and cables from JW Audio (similar what you could make yourself, except he cold-treats the cable as well).
You were on the right road with the 12g - now go the rest of the way and be surprised...
REMEMBER: Twisted together, bare ends and adequate break-in.
Good Luck Bud...

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How about 65 CENTS per foot? Why pay huge $$ for cables? You can buy 50 conductor flat grey cable, used in computer systems, for $65 for a 100 foot roll from surplus outlets. There is a certain well regarded company selling flat cable for big bucks. They use flat, multi conductor cables too; the first half of their wires for the + conductor and the other half for the - line. I suggest you use every other wire for + and the interleaving wires for the - side. It is a tedious job, stripping 200 wires (pulled apart for 3 or so inches and stripped 1/2 inch or so) to make a pair of cables for a stereo system (it takes me about two hours - I do it while watching PBS documentaries), but it's really worth the bother. The wire "breaks in" in about two hours and you should listen carefully during that  time. The sound changes radically. You may think you wired the strands together incorrectly, initially. Do check very carefully when you connect the strands together (every other one, got it?). Check it with a meter of some kind. I've never heard a better cable. Be sure to cut the cable at right angles to the length so that all the conductors are the same length. Yes,they will be really ugly cables. But they do go under carpets easily.
I haven’t listened/tested high end cables but I am very skeptical of spending $500 on cables for a $1000 amp. (I think I googled the OP’s amp correctly)

I’d suggest spending money on other parts of the setup.  
superultramega,

If you haven't tried it, you have no useful opinion. $500.00 spent on cables for a $1000.00 amplifier is by no means extravagant.
I am still trying to get my head around 65cents per foot ‘Ugly’ cable suggestion by boomerbillone 😇
roxy54,

I also haven’t tried heroin but I’ve heard enough about it that I’m not interested. 
I’d be happy to a/b test expensive cables. But there is a lot of information online conflicting the benefits of high-end cables. What is the value of the wiring inside the amp? If the wire to the speaker jack is lower quality than the speaker cable shouldn’t that be upgraded to remove a weak link?

Everyone is entitled to enjoy this hobby in their own way. I likely won’t spend more than 10% the price of my amplifier or speakers on speaker cables.