what type of speaker cable/ connecter do your use with your electrostatics?

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Audio Adrenaline

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Joined 2018
#1
Just wondering what a few different people are using and what they have tried-ive got a set of Acoustat spectra 11s and im trying to figure out wha type of wiring I should use- I also need to buy a new set of XLR cables so id like to hear what you guys settled on for yours-silver wire Ive found has a horrible bright sound with my speakers😱
 
#4
Depends on the type of ESL

Big single segment panels - very common DIY ESL,, which are highly capacitive, > 1 nF, are sensitive to cables if the transformer step-up ratio is high enough. You'll need cables with low resistance and low self inductance. Low resistance is easy - just make them as short as possible and as much copper as possible - monster cable is fine. Low inductance requires cable with multiple (4-5 is enough usually) separately insulated strands. Don't waste your money on commercial low inductance cable - you'll pay a lot for hype. Multiple lengths of conduit wire alternated and woven together is much cheaper.

For segmented ESLs, it really doesn't matter much, Just don't make them overly long.
 
#6
Someone told because of the nature of electrostats you best use 5 solid copper cables braided each in their own insulation and the total awg must be double than what you should use for a normal speaker. Maybe it's like Golfnut says for the low inductance and resistance. That guy made them himself from standard ofc copper solid cable and with speakon connectors to his diy ESL. He did use an older Crest CA amp to power his ESL's (so that is probally why he uses speakon). I guess good quality xlr connectors can also work well for this.
 
#8
Here's what I use. This is in the planer and exotics sub, so I'll limit myself to speakers and amps. Also it's very Quad centric, because I eat my own dog food:

Original Quad ESL's: Original silver plated banana jacks or gold plated Pomona Bananas (shoulders turned down on my lathe to fit Quad holes)

ESL 63's and newer: Gold plated Keyston 5-way binding posts (with shoulder's turned down to fit Quad holes)

Amplifiers: Gold plated 5-way binding posts.

Speaker Cable: Canare star quad cable, either the 4S8 or 4S11 depending on run length. These are very nice quality cables at about $1 per foot.

Canare 4S8 Star Quad 16AWG 4-Conductor Speaker Wire - Gray - Per Foot

Canare 4S11 Star Quad 14AWG 4-Conductor Speaker Cable - Grey - Per Foot


speaker termination: Solderable single banana plugs gold plated.

Parts Express Gold 16-12 AWG Solder Type Banana Plug


I also use heat shrink tubing to tidy up the ends.

Canare is the way to go for interconnects too, and their RCA jacks are very nice for a reasonable amount of money. but that's a different post.


Sheldon
 
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