Can cables of any cost and quality provide bass response missing in my B&W speakers?


I'm sure variants of this question have been offered previously, but let me ask in light of the following:  I have a very modest main system powered by an Adcom 555II amp, Adcom GFP-750 pre-amp, and run into a pair of B&W CM-4 speakers (6.5in woofer, 6.5in. woofer/mid. and tweeter, and bi-wireable).  Any music with a moderate-to- heavy bass component (organ, bass fiddle, etc) just doesn't translate to my ear.  I'm using a mid-range pair of Monster cables, and in fact tried a second pair of Z-Series to no audible difference.  On the other hand I have a legacy pair of a/d/s 1090L tower speakers (2x7.5in woofers, 6in. mid-range, tweeter) that deliver thundering bass when needed regardless of cabling used, and powered by the same system.  Even tried passive bi-amping for the B&Ws by using an old Carver M-500t amp for HF input, and Adcom amp for LF input...no diff.  Is there any point really in looking at higher-end speaker wire of, e.g., thicker gauge, or exotic geometry, or multi-conductor "shotgunning", whatever, in order to induce greater LF response from the CM-4s?  Thanks for your patience.
compass_rose
Of course, this is completely anecdotal, but the deepest and most prodigious bass I have been able to get out of my speakers has been with Cerious Technology Graphene Extreme speaker cables.  I was not expecting or prepared for how much difference they could make. 

Prior to that, I was using an old set of thick, heavy stranded copper cable by Esoteric, which I would have thought would give great bass.  The thing I like about the GE cables is that I don't even have to turn the volume very high to have the deep bass.  And everything else is great with these cables as well, including mids, highs, imaging, and sound stage. 

They used to offer a 30-day money back guarantee, not sure if that is still the case.
Save your money and try 9 or 10awg with simple bfa plugs... Plenty of options, belden 5t00up, van damme hifi 6mm, furez 10awg.... Move your speakers a few inches left right back or forward.  If that doesn't do it, tweek sub, or audition alternative speakers.
A point of interest I want to make about Polarity of speaker leads.
Just because the amp has red on red and black on black, and the speakers are the same doesn't necessarily mean all is correct. Sometimes one needs to change the leads on one speaker and listen. I learned that lesson the hard way with a pair of Legacey Signiture speakers many years ago.
@compass_rose - RE:

auxinput...so, how about just using No. 10/2 Romex cable...single Cu conductor, solid, unstranded? I have about 50ft left over from running 240V service for a wall heater...always curious how simple electrical wire would work in home stereo setup. Also, there is a stranded version as well - THHN #10, 19-strand pure Cu...cheap enough at Home Depot...not being sarky, a legitimate query.
Yes - it will work, but do you want the best out of your system?

How well it works depends on the origin of the wire. Not all Romex is equal

Good Cables are designed to combat many EMI/RFI effects within the cable itself - Romex is not - the result is a "smeared" sound that lacks clarity, details, dynamics AND (guess what) bass extension

But give it a whirl and then try a good cable - the difference should amaze you.

Despite many opinions to the contrary - a thicker gauge is not always better - I was using 10 gauge - I now use 16/13 Gauge (i.e. Signal/Neutral conductors) AND I get better bass performance than the 10 gauge.

It’s all about the cable geometry - i.e. how the conductors are positioned with respect to each other AND the gauge of the signal and neutral conductors - it is best if the neutral is a heavier gauge than the signal.

It’s taken me a couple of years of tinkering with cables to come up with this approach on my Helix cables, I even tried Romex (not good), so I speak from experience.

The cables I recommend in my post above are extremely good performers. There is little difference between them in sound quality. One is commercially available, the other is a DIY project.

But feel free to try the Romex - you may not hear the difference, which would save you a bundle

Regards - Steve



Re: smaller gauge...there has been a huge boom in Duelund 16awg tinned CU speaker wire recently, sort of a knock-off of old Western Electric 16awg electrical wire (cloth-covered), which is still coveted and resold at remarkably elevated prices.  Also available at a fraction of the Duelund cost is Belden 9497, seemingly same specs - 16awg, individual strands tinned, but manufactured as a twisted duplex, available for example on Ebay @ $0.99/foot.  I plan on buying enough for double-runs to each speaker as part of on-the-cheap speaker cable evaluation.  Anyone have any experience with any of the above?  
Cheers.