Speaker wire... Diy?

@ddjr - don’t let the "nay-sayers" in this thread put you off trying DIY cables - especially the Helix Cables.

Granted, many DIYer’s fail because they simply opt for the bulk cable with some expensive connectors. Few actually try anything out of "the norm" and as a result the cables do sound mediocre.

Many of the latest developments in cables have all been about cable geometry, i.e. how the live/signal conductor are placed with respect to the other conductors, whether it be braided, ribbon or helix variants. All of which offer better perofrmance than your standard bulk wire from companies like Beldon, Van den Hul etc...

So give it a whirl and see how they perform. If I had listened, I would not be enjoying the superb imaging, clarity, dynamics and realism that my system now conveys.

If you would like to contact me via the Dashboard - Messaging offered by Audiogon please do - I’m always willing to discuss DIY with others of a similar mindset :-)

Regards - Steve

dave_b
Careful GK...there is also a lot of well educated imbeciles babbling in institutions. Just because there are a few still lurking about who haven’t been committed yet doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be 😉

It would have been correct to say, “there are also a lot of well educated imbeciles babbling in institutions.”

Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry and Life Sciences are my strong suit.  Writing with an emphasis on grammar, rather than content, was never an obsession of mine.  Recently, I’ve delved into Cosmology and Quantum Mechanics.  Still looking for your breakthrough results to be published on  the seminal work you’ve done regarding Entanglement and its application to remote audio diagnostics and restoration!

So here is someone who tried various mid level speaker cables ( $2k most expensive) and after purchasing new to me speakers was on the verge of selling them as they just did not sound "right" to my ears.
Not what I expected or other reviews had led me to believe.

A friend loaned me some different copper construction speaker cables and a change was wrought, still not what I expected but led me to believe it was my " higher end " cables not matching well with said speakers.

Talking with a fellow member who now makes cables for a side living, Western Electric was suggested, so two 13ft lengths were purchased from ebay, some nice spades and shrink tube and outer braided sleeving, grand sum maybe $140.

Best sound so far I had heard and this was quite a few months ago and even though the amp has changed since then I still feel these " home brew horse patty DIY stuff" hold their own  very well in my system.

Now I truly have no idea if 5k or 10k cables would trounce them and to be frank I have no intention of finding out, at least not on my dime.

Just my experience, YMMV.

@dave_b 
"there is also a lot of well educated imbeciles babbling in institutions."

Yeah, whatever, Dave. Amazing reasoning. Sure does sound like you know best.