Well, here are my 5th generation speaker cables. Looking for advice on finishing the ends.
I came across a full roll of seriously nice cable that I wanted to build speaker cables from. According to the specs it is 10 gauge 43 strands, 99.99% pure copper with each strand silver plated. It is coated in silicone then fabric wrapped.
I then wrapped both conductors in sleeving to hold together and soldered on heavy duty gold plated terminals.
But I'm not 100% happy with 2 things:
1. Should the cables be twisted? I have another full roll of this cable in 14 gauge which would be a little easier to twist. Should I twist a pair of the 14 around the 10's?
2. I see alot of cables have a nice metal or wood termination at the ends where the 2 cables split out of. Is there any point in that other than decoration? I used heat shrink at the ends to bind the 2 cables into 1 at the point where the sleeve starts.
Any other ideas to make the next set better? They sound great and I figure they should be able to carry some pretty serious power but I would always like to improve if I can as I still have 400 + feet of this cable left to play with.
Thanks, Brian
(will edit post and add images when I figure out how to do that.)
I came across a full roll of seriously nice cable that I wanted to build speaker cables from. According to the specs it is 10 gauge 43 strands, 99.99% pure copper with each strand silver plated. It is coated in silicone then fabric wrapped.
I then wrapped both conductors in sleeving to hold together and soldered on heavy duty gold plated terminals.
But I'm not 100% happy with 2 things:
1. Should the cables be twisted? I have another full roll of this cable in 14 gauge which would be a little easier to twist. Should I twist a pair of the 14 around the 10's?
2. I see alot of cables have a nice metal or wood termination at the ends where the 2 cables split out of. Is there any point in that other than decoration? I used heat shrink at the ends to bind the 2 cables into 1 at the point where the sleeve starts.
Any other ideas to make the next set better? They sound great and I figure they should be able to carry some pretty serious power but I would always like to improve if I can as I still have 400 + feet of this cable left to play with.
Thanks, Brian
(will edit post and add images when I figure out how to do that.)
Twisting speaker cables (and power cables) is always a good idea.
Let's say about 1 to 4 twists per foot.
I don't think that adding the 14AWG to the cable gains you much.
Let's say about 1 to 4 twists per foot.
I don't think that adding the 14AWG to the cable gains you much.
A four conductor 14AWG, wired in a star-quad arrangement would make a very nice speaker cable.
It would be a 11AWG equivalent, low induction, high capacitance, flexible speaker cable.
It would be a 11AWG equivalent, low induction, high capacitance, flexible speaker cable.
I would like them to be used for most any amp that I buy. I currently have a Pioneer, but have also used them on my Sansui and Yamaha. When I get my tube amp done they will go on it also.
When you make exotic wood blocks for the ends, you can them make up all kinds of stories about "natural, organic and warmth of wood". You could even come up with stories how you tried dozens of species to find the perfect harmony. Be sure to make them following Fibonacci sequence dimensions. 🙂
To be totally realistic, you have built some very sweet 99.9% cables. Just use them and forget it. When you have a Krell powering some Wilsons, then worry about your cables. Just don't look inside your consumer receiver to see the 18 gauge wire that is not even soldered.
To be totally realistic, you have built some very sweet 99.9% cables. Just use them and forget it. When you have a Krell powering some Wilsons, then worry about your cables. Just don't look inside your consumer receiver to see the 18 gauge wire that is not even soldered.
Thanks for the info.
The other thing that I am not 100% happy with is the blue plastic wrap. The cables are coated in a really nice black fabric (i think it is kevlar or similar) that looks really nice. I was kind of looking for a different way to kep them together without wrapping them in sleeve. Something that would still let the fabric be seen. I tried tying them every 4 inches with a very thin stainless wire. (I had tried cable ties first but they were REALLY ugly. The wire worked but it seemed to cut into the fabric and damage it.
ANy ideas out there?
The other thing that I am not 100% happy with is the blue plastic wrap. The cables are coated in a really nice black fabric (i think it is kevlar or similar) that looks really nice. I was kind of looking for a different way to kep them together without wrapping them in sleeve. Something that would still let the fabric be seen. I tried tying them every 4 inches with a very thin stainless wire. (I had tried cable ties first but they were REALLY ugly. The wire worked but it seemed to cut into the fabric and damage it.
ANy ideas out there?
Once upon a time, we used something called lacing cord. Not sure you can get it any more as everyone used zip ties. Maybe Spruce Aircraft would have it.
The blue is a tad garish. You can get similar mesh in black. How about just heavy black cotton thread?
The blue is a tad garish. You can get similar mesh in black. How about just heavy black cotton thread?
Does anybody need 500 yards (meters) of lacing cord?
Alpha Wire Co. LC136 WH088 Hardware, tape. Nylon and dacron flat braided tape. Military MIL-T-43435 lacing cord, tensile strength: 50 lb. Color: white. Package of 500 yards. Rohs compliant. New (un-used) $24.00
Alpha Wire Co. LC136 WH088 Hardware, tape. Nylon and dacron flat braided tape. Military MIL-T-43435 lacing cord, tensile strength: 50 lb. Color: white. Package of 500 yards. Rohs compliant. New (un-used) $24.00
I picked blue because I just finished a pair of blue bookshelf speakers. They are done in a flat speckled black cabinet sides and back with metallic blue fronts. I kind of like the look of the metallic blue with the black speakers mounted in them- makes a nice contrast. But yes, I have to admit, probably a lot garish !! I am working on new design using a very light birdseye maple with metallic purple. Not your typical look for speakers but that's what I am aiming for.
Thanks all for the other ideas so far. I will check out the lacing and such.
My last pair were a bronze metallic. Anything but piano black. I remember when Tanburg Facets came in bright orange.
I think just black thread is all you need. Otherwise we are going to have to explain the difference in double loop lacing mil-spec and NASA lacing.
I think just black thread is all you need. Otherwise we are going to have to explain the difference in double loop lacing mil-spec and NASA lacing.
Re: keeping the separate cables together w/out using the blue sheath. Have you tried simply twisting them together? As long as the 2 ends are terminated rigidly (soldered, etc.), natural tension should keep the entire cable nicely together, without externally binding them, and showing off the factory black fabric. Sounds like you have enough to at least experiment with it: terminate one end fully - connector and all (as long as individual cables are "locked" together and cannot rotate independently). You'll need to cut the cables to desired length because the loose ends will need to be able to twist freely. Hang the finished end securely (resistant to rotation) from something tall enough so the cable length won't touch ground. Starting immediately from the finished end, twist the individual cables together, allowing them rotate naturally as you progress downward. You'll feel the individual cables naturally twist slightly as they wind together. When you reach the other end, solder and terminate without releasing the tension that's present. This tension should keep the whole cable nicely formed even when coiled up. If it's not to your liking, try again except add the slightest bit of additional twist in the same direction the individual cables are trying to twist. I haven't worked with your particular cable, but I've seen this work with both smaller and larger gauge cables than 14 (though not for speaker cables).
Wait to try cables with capacitance when you finish your tube amp. I forget why but too much cap in your speaker cables and SS amps do not get along. Tubes love it, but I have heard that SS can go through a melt down that can cost a lot to fix.
I braided 16 strands of old solid copper insulated in what looks like cloth but is an old synthetic called Celonese. Different dialectics will create different fields, but the act of crossing the wires in a braid cancels the inductance created by twisting lots of strands like big zip cord that has hundreds of small wires in the pos and neg of standard cable.
Losing the inductance and adding some capacitance will create enough of a field that shielding for RF probably would be a waste of time and money. The inductance of standard cable won't hurt tubes but braids instead of twists makes for a much quieter soundstage, especially for low wattage SE triodes.
I braid interconnects too, but the only insulation is the stuff magnet wire is coated with and 2V from a CD player can't create much cap. I have never tried to measure them or the cables.
I know a cable designer/builder and my stuff can't stand up to his, but my ICs cost only about $150/pr to build, the cables are from a spool of wire I bought at a HAMfest for $5 but the wire goes for a good $2/ft on Epay. Just look for WE celonese copper wire.
Thatch
I braided 16 strands of old solid copper insulated in what looks like cloth but is an old synthetic called Celonese. Different dialectics will create different fields, but the act of crossing the wires in a braid cancels the inductance created by twisting lots of strands like big zip cord that has hundreds of small wires in the pos and neg of standard cable.
Losing the inductance and adding some capacitance will create enough of a field that shielding for RF probably would be a waste of time and money. The inductance of standard cable won't hurt tubes but braids instead of twists makes for a much quieter soundstage, especially for low wattage SE triodes.
I braid interconnects too, but the only insulation is the stuff magnet wire is coated with and 2V from a CD player can't create much cap. I have never tried to measure them or the cables.
I know a cable designer/builder and my stuff can't stand up to his, but my ICs cost only about $150/pr to build, the cables are from a spool of wire I bought at a HAMfest for $5 but the wire goes for a good $2/ft on Epay. Just look for WE celonese copper wire.
Thatch
We are big on home-made power cords,interconnects, and speaker cables.
That's nice cable. Really nice cable!
I was taught and experience has seemed to confirm that speaker cable gauge is best determined by amplifier power.
I use a just under 14 gauge speaker cable for the McIntosh powered AR3a's and just over 16 gauge with my son's hand built tube amp powered Cornwalls.
You've got your banana's are color coded and while tech flex is available in a wide array of colors I like the blue(degustibus non es disputandem).
If you haven't already you might add some rf shielding either with inexpensive blocks on each end or with copper tape or even aluminum foil under the tech flex.
Be fearless tho-my skepticism about the cables came to a screeching stop when my son built a high end power cord for the aforementioned tube amp. The results were simply indisputable! Repeated A/b tests with similarly skeptical friends yielded uniformly positive results. We have found at least with the Sony and Denon gear we have worked with the power cables are easily accessible inside and the low grade factory power cord easily replaced.
N.b. look for hospital grade wall plugs etc, we have found them more than satisfactory and far less expensive than similar "audiophile" plugs.
Likewise interconnects good quality gold connectors seem indistinguishable(at our level at least) from C and other elite brands. I am not knocking absolutely top shelf components it's just their price point frequently is way beyond ours.
Then go after your turntable connects, ground, and power cable.
At this point every wire in my system from the wall outlet to where the plugs go into the 3A's is DIY.
Lastly my monniker here expresses the most profound aspect of my personality-nearly pathologic skepticism- I only did this wire work because every time my son improved the cables in his system the sound improved, sometimes almost shockingly. Oh well even a seasoned skeptic has to give way to overwhelming evidence.
Hot tip: wire can be easliy wound with slow use of an electric drill-a real sanity saver.
That's nice cable. Really nice cable!
I was taught and experience has seemed to confirm that speaker cable gauge is best determined by amplifier power.
I use a just under 14 gauge speaker cable for the McIntosh powered AR3a's and just over 16 gauge with my son's hand built tube amp powered Cornwalls.
You've got your banana's are color coded and while tech flex is available in a wide array of colors I like the blue(degustibus non es disputandem).
If you haven't already you might add some rf shielding either with inexpensive blocks on each end or with copper tape or even aluminum foil under the tech flex.
Be fearless tho-my skepticism about the cables came to a screeching stop when my son built a high end power cord for the aforementioned tube amp. The results were simply indisputable! Repeated A/b tests with similarly skeptical friends yielded uniformly positive results. We have found at least with the Sony and Denon gear we have worked with the power cables are easily accessible inside and the low grade factory power cord easily replaced.
N.b. look for hospital grade wall plugs etc, we have found them more than satisfactory and far less expensive than similar "audiophile" plugs.
Likewise interconnects good quality gold connectors seem indistinguishable(at our level at least) from C and other elite brands. I am not knocking absolutely top shelf components it's just their price point frequently is way beyond ours.
Then go after your turntable connects, ground, and power cable.
At this point every wire in my system from the wall outlet to where the plugs go into the 3A's is DIY.
Lastly my monniker here expresses the most profound aspect of my personality-nearly pathologic skepticism- I only did this wire work because every time my son improved the cables in his system the sound improved, sometimes almost shockingly. Oh well even a seasoned skeptic has to give way to overwhelming evidence.
Hot tip: wire can be easliy wound with slow use of an electric drill-a real sanity saver.
Regarding keeping them together without wrapping: we have gotten some nice sounding/looking results using zip ties at intervals.
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