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Help me build speaker cables please!

Howdy!
I’m looking for input on some home brewed speaker cables. I’m currently using cables I made from braiding 8 lengths of CAT 5 plenum cable together. They’re terminated in silver plated BFA bananas and set up as a biwire configuration at the speaker end. I love their sound, but think I’m ready to try something made from higher grade metal. I’ve been doing a lot with silver in my system and have loved the change in sound almost every time I’ve gone from Cu to Ag. The only place I like Cu better is in the PCs for my amps. That said, I’m leaning heavily towards making a set of solid silver speaker cables, using .999 silver wire from Rio grande. I’ll insulated them with teflon spaghetti tubing and possibly terminate them with silver plated BFAs.

Where I’d love some input is here: do I do one run of 10awg, or biwire 12awg to the woofers, 14awg to the tweeters and mids? I’m using a dared tube preamp and monoblock Ghent audio class D amps (500w into 4 ohm) which drive floor standing RBH 1266 SE/R speakers. They are 4 ohm and have side firing 12" speakers. They like a lot of juice and sound their best when given what they want, hence my desire for large diameter cables.

Cost wise, it’s only $50 more expensive to biwire. I liked the change in sound when I first biwired, but I also went from blue jeans twisted pair 12 awg to my braided CAT 5, which has a combined 9 awg. So I’m not sure if it was the biwiring or all the other differences that improved the sound.

Also, any other ideas for superb sounding DIY SCs are welcome.

Danke!
toddverrone
williewonka
3,110 posts
 
Todd - Without getting into the design specifics of your amps,,,

From the web...
Can I get a shock from the speaker connections on my Amp?

YES! Amplifiers in the 400 plus watt per channel range are not uncommon today. 

Such an amplifier will put out about 50 to 60 volts RMS to a speaker.

So in very "general" terms, suppose you amps output voltage is 50 volts
- To deliver 500 watts output would require 10 amps. 

In order to keep it simple - and in very general terms... 
- the current carrying capacity of a conductor is specific to the gauge of the conductor. 

 see http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

18 gauge conductors can handle 16 amps contiuous for chassis applications

Power transmission limits of 2.3 amps are for much longer runs  than those employed for a speaker cable

So the 10 amp rating previously quoted seems about right

Also remember - THIS IS CONTINUOUS POWER !!!

The amp will not come close to the 10 amp continuous at the loudest of levels.

But - if it makes you feel more comfortable use 12 gauge

Regards - Steve :-)



toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone OP
840 posts
 
Steve - I understand. I’m aware that 18 awg is plenty to handle the current of most amps.. but from past experience, fat cables sound better in my system to me.

However! That may be because of the fatness of the neutral.. I’m willing to keep an open mind, but I tend to keep operating based on what has worked in the past until I’m satisfied that the new way of thinking is legit. I’ve no reason to doubt you, my mind just works that way.

Alan - I find your solution very interesting, in that just a 1’ piece of wire could make that much of a difference. And I’m happy you’ve found something that works for you and is unique. I definitely don’t judge you or think poorly of you for spending what you have on cables. I just don’t have that kind of budget right now. Thanks for the input though.. I keep hearing great things about Jenna..
dragon_vibe
430 posts
 
I have tried Silver Cables, Both from clear day cables and then building my own from Neotech Silver. Overall i found the sound transparent but fatigue would creep on session that lasted over an hour.

Neotech Hook up Copper Solid may work but their is a seller on Ebay selling Neotech cables for cheap.
williewonka
3,110 posts
 
Todd - I know exactly where you are coming from - I was that way too - up until quite recently :-) 

I used to have 10 gauge Van den Hul D352 silver plated copper that I thought were terrific.Never found anything to better them. I started with VDH 14 gauge, then 12 and finally the 10 gauge D352 - each time the bass got better

Here's what changed mt mind
http://image99.net/blog/files/fac35e44c003d559714cdd73d86febf9-51.html

Here's what cemeted my new found beliefs
http://image99.net/blog/files/228f7609149d575dd8dd8d956511e7c2-57.html.

Short Story - I no longer make pre-listening judgement s based on cable girth - like I had done in the past.

Try this...
- make a set of neutral conductors from the wire you will finally use
- BUT...
>> make 2 sets of signal wires
------one set from an 16 or 18 gauge extension cord (home depot)
------ a second set from a 12 gauge extension cord (home depot)

Basically,
- the copper will be of a similar quality
- so any difference in sound will be down to the gauge of the conductor and the geometry of the finished cable

I've taken this approach with my helix cables and it is an affordable way of proving a theory - it is time consuming, but rewarding

Hope that helps - Steve





toddverrone's avatar
toddverrone OP
840 posts
 
@dragon_vibe that's what I'd be worried about. If I bought silver speaker cables and didn't like them, I could at least sell them. DIY silver cables would be way cheaper but nigh on impossible to sell.. out of curiosity, what equipment were you using? Were there other silver cables in the mix?
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