Speaker cable recommendations


Hello! I'm currently looking for some speaker cable recommendations. Current system is Luxman L509x to ATC SCM20s and I've been using Belden 9497 to connect the two. I have roughly 10 ft between the left speaker and amp which makes for a more expensive cable.

I've been wanting to stay around $300 or less but the options that have been recommended to me tend to be above that.

Options that I've been considering - 

  1. Wireworld Solstice - there's a sale right now and I can get biwired for $250
  2. DIY Duelund 16GA for tweeter/12GA for bass - for the length, I'm looking at ~ $550 biwired from partsconnexion
  3. DIY Neotech NES-3004 MKII - ~$600 
  4. Used Analysis plus - it looks like I can only afford Oval 12 around this price range. 

Any suggestions on which direction would go well with my system? I've been leaning more toward the Neotech since I've read the duelund has a specific sound that it goes for and Neotech should be more neutral. I have no experience with any of the cables above so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

driftingbunnies

+1 for Anticables - I am using two pair of copper speaker cables to bi-wire my speakers.  The SQ improves with every upgrade that I make to my system.  They are NOT a limiting the SQ in any meaningful way: a great endorsement for such inexpensive products.  I also own six of their Level 3 power cables. If you go that direction, remember to play them for a while before doing a critical evaluation.

-1 for AudioEnvy - before the Anticables, I used speaker cables and power cables from Captain (bought all-at-once at a hifi show).  After the break-in, I found them remarkedly unbalanced and 'thin' sounding (hope that make sense).  When I contacted him a few weeks after the purchase, he offered to sell me his newest cables - at full price (no exchange, etc.)!  It made me wonder if he had the new cables ready to sell when I bought mine and that he was cleaning out old inventory.  

I had Patrick Cullen build me a pair of jumper cables back when I used dynamic speakers and they were perfect in every way. Recently, I auditioned a $900.00 Audioquest Blizzard power cord for my DAC and it made a huge difference but not in a positive way. I started thinking that the only way I would be happy with an Audioquest PC would be to spend around $5,000.00. Right now I am using a Cullen Crossover PC and though the difference is subtle, it’s been an overall improvement. Anyway, the point I’m making is that just because a cable will cost you more money doesn’t mean that it’s the right cable.

++++1 for AntiCables. The 2.1 speaker cables are great entry level cables, but for mid fi and up, I'd start with the 3.1 cables......at $250 per 6 foot pair with Z bananas, they are an absolute steal. I have not tried them, but the 4.2 Flex cables at $470 for 6 foot pair look really interesting. Please do remember that AntiCables do take longer than your average cables to break in, mine started to settle in at about 150 hours....but damn they will reward you.

I also recently ordered a pair of Morrow Audio SP6 speaker cables, as I had an older pair of Morrow interconnects that I used to get the 65% off in trade in. They are being burned in at Morrow right now for 20 days, and should receive them in about a week.

Additionaly I have a pair of Zavfino Nova OCC speaker cables, DHLabs Q-10 speaker cables, and a pair of Micca Chinese made speaker cables that Steve Huff tried and liked. I'm currently working on a "from scratch" listening room that should be finished by the end of the year, where I'll have 2 amplifiers and 3 sets of speakers: Buchardt Audio S400 MkII, 1980s Infinity RS Kappa 7s (GR Research upgraded crossover, upgraded internal wiring, new gold over copper Viborg B603G binding posts), and "yet to be purchased" higher end speakers (Joseph Audio?, Fyne Audio?, Tannoy?, etc) At that point I'll start a major speaker cable shoot out for fun.

This is what I currently use in my modest 2-channel system with pleasing results: 

Furez SP8 WP38NP bare copper spade connectors, WBT 610 Nextgen Cu copper banana plug connectors and Furez FZ144AS 14-4 speaker cable. 

 

 

@vthokie83 Congrats on the new room!  If you haven’t already, I’d very highly recommend reading this from Earl Geddes for tips on building a good-sounding room. I found it supremely interesting, educational, and useful while also being very approachable. 

http://www.gedlee.com/downloads/HT/Home_theater.pdf

Best of luck with the room.