Are DIY Cables Worth It?

That's funny, not having read this thread until today; I ran down to Home depot just this Monday to get 14/2 solid core copper wire, and some cheapo metal spades. I stripped the PVC covering, removed the ground wire, crimped the black/white wire with the cheap spades and connected to my SS amp, MF pre-amp, and my Proac. Crank the system up without even burning in the wires, and WOW! was my first reaction. I can clearly hear the difference, and what a difference. It sure beats the heck out of my other name brand cables I have. (Note that + and - are a single wire ran separately.) I really couldn't believe my ear, why the heck did I ever paid so much for other cables? BTW, it cost me $12.00 for 25 ft. The solid core is "Anti-cable"'s specialty, actually, they're pretty cheap for a 12 gauge speaker wire if you are not the DIY type.

Anyway, I was planning to make my own speaker wire using 20 gauge solid silver coated copper wires (Teflon coated). I’ll be adopting a variation of simplicity rules (Anti-Cable) as well as going for the thin braided wire. My target is 14 gauge to + and -, using 20 gauge, I have 16 wire to braid, 8 to + and 8 to – (Same number of conductors as Kimber 8TC). In fact, as I was reading this thread, my wires came in today. So I’ll start braiding tonight.

Cost per foot? I order 200 feet of yellow, and 200 feet of black, about $110 plus shipping. Divide that by two 12’ speaker cables for a total of 24 foot and you get $4.16 per speaker wire foot un-terminated. (With some leftovers to make jumper wires 8^) )

Will let you guys know how it goes and how it sounds!

The "minus" i.e. the "ground" connector. The central pin is the "signal". As per RCA ever since the '30s if I recall. C'mon guys.

This is an intersting thread.

As I mentioned above, I use a 6 gauge electrical wire from Home Depot that has 19 copper strands thats twisted. They are as Springowl said...I clearly here a difference. It was like a blanket was taken off the speakers.

I would be confident to put this or Springowls cables up agaist anything out there. It may or may not out perform them all but it will be comparable. And at $25 for an 8 foot pair it seems wise. Especially if you used 220 feet to wire a complete home theater. Do that math!

Theres a thread on misc. talk that slams tweaks like the clock, but what about these cable companys overcharging for cables that we can build for $25 and they charge $1500 for comparable sound. That seems like snake oil.

What I really like to know is the % of OFC contained in DIY wires such as your 12/2 or 14/2 home wires, zip cords, etc versus the name brand wires advertised by Cable Company that claims 99.997% OFC or whatever. Does that .9 percent really makes that big of a difference, I wonder? I have cut open old home electrical wires that are +35 years old, and the copper looks as shiny as the new ones without any oxidation at all. Heck, in 35 years our audio system may have changed three or four times already.

I think springowl that the ofc pertains to any copper that is exposed to air opposed to being protected in the wrap. I could be so wrong.