Surround Cable Recommendations

How cheap is cheap? I am using IXOS 6003 13awg cable for my HT system. Pretty good considering it is only $1.49 per foot plus terminations at Accessories 4 Less (www.AC4L.com) Regular price of the 6003 is $2.50 per foot.

If that is too cheap, then Analyisis Plus has the Theater 4 (four 16awg conductors) which they claim is for long runs. It is $9 per foot.

Or try the Analysis Plus Clear Oval at $8 per foot. The Clear is a 14awg version of the Oval 12 (12awg).

I used a total of 100 feet of the IXOS 6003 for 5 channels, so with terminations, $200 was better than spending $1000.

For me music and the stereo mains are the top concern, so this is why I wouldn't go crazy on wire for the rears. My limit would probably be $3 a foot.

Chris

I too have used the IXOS 13 AWG stranded wire from Accessories4Less.com and found it to be a significant step up from that junk wire found at Home Depot.

You might also try MIT Terminator 4 or 5 cables from Audio Advisor A twenty five (25) foot pair is less than 100 bucks and a fifty (50) foot pair of MIT Terminator 5 is about 170 bucks.
I have never heard this cable but would guess they aren't too much better than the stuff on the roll - but they certainly look better (more macho looking) and will surely impress your friends... :)

Well you can stick to the IXOS 6003 or go for the larger 11 awg 6006 that lists for $3.50. Accessories for less sells it for $2.39

At Audio Advisor.com you could go for Analysis Plus Oval Theater 14, which sells in bulk for $2.99 per foot. They can have them terminated also. It is CL3 rated for in wall installation as well.

Gotta remember here that when you run 35' of cable - to each speaker the total is 70'. Making even "cheap" spooled wire rather pricey at 2/3/4 bucks a foot. This audio hobby can be a black hole for cash if we do not plan our purchases strategically. For instance, if you ever wanted to upgrade - the cheap spooled stuff has nearly NO value once you've purchased & used it, whereas the MIT would maintain a greater percentage of its initial retail value.

If you can find the MIT used - that would be your best bet.

Unless you've got everything else in your system up to your ultimate level I'd say go with a spool of generic 16 awg wire from Radio Shack, Home Depot, etc. that will work just fine. The surrounds are only going to be handling relatively low-level ambient information, so the improvement of spending a few hundred dollars on better cable for this application will be minimal at best, especially compared to sinking that money somewhere else in your system. At less than $10 you should just try a generic spool first as you've got very little to lose. Best of luck.

Tim