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Speaker wire... Diy?

I am new to this, so please bare with me. I always thought 12 gauge speaker wire, bare on each end, was best. But there is Kimber, Nord, etc, that seem to be incrementally better! Can I buy the components and put together my own $17000 speaker wires? If so, where can they be purchased, and which are good enough to be used? Which terminations are best for sound? Which wire? Length? Guage? 
ddjr
ieales's avatar
ieales
1,201 posts
 
@dave_b 
All speakers are colored and far from neutral.

I have a pile of Transparents, some of which I used for more than 15 years, currently 'resting' as they did not complement my monoblocks.

Transparent makes great cables, but I refuse to drink their, or any other manufacturer's, Kool-Aid and reserve the right to use something different to ameliorate exacerbated flaws.

dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Been their and done that many many times.  Transparent has won me back with their Gen 5 stuff recently.  I’ve used most everything mentioned here and across the board really.  Love to experiment!  I hear what other cables do well or not so well, but my priorities are to be sitting in front of a fully dynamic, expressive soundstage with realistic weight, warmth and unexaggerated detail.
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
Quad 57s can be rather pedestrian 🚶‍♂️sounding in certain respects unless they are placed on stands, the heavy rattle-trap metal grills are removed and the plastic dust covers are removed. Oh, and replace the power cords and remove the entire electronics package and put it on springs.  Much more open, resolved, extended and dynamic with much better low end.
glupson
7,842 posts
 
Don't forget to change membranes and take the name off.
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Yes, I agree completely!  We have achieved agreement...see, and they said it was impossible 🙃
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