Cables - one of the most taboo subjects in audio

Ghost said:
Unrelated: what do we like for speaker cables? I know Blue Jeans are beloved for component interconnects, do we still like BJ for speaker cables?
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I’m using Worlds Best Cables throughout my system and am very pleased with the results. RCA and Balanced interconnects are Mogami. Speaker cables are 10AWG WBC Ultimate with banana plugs on both ends.

The only non WBC cables in my system are a Blue Jean from my UltraDeck to my MP7B and a USB cable that connects streamers to DACs.
 
mindhead1 said:
I’m using Worlds Best Cables throughout my system and am very pleased with the results. RCA and Balanced interconnects are Mogami. Speaker cables are 10AWG WBC Ultimate with banana plugs on both ends.

The only non WBC cables in my system are a Blue Jean from my UltraDeck to my MP7B and a USB cable that connects streamers to DACs.
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I also have some Audiocrast HPC01 power cables I bought on Amazon ($35). They are thick and look cool. I have them connected to amps and TT. I’m not sure if they make a big difference on the amps but I did notice a little more quiet on the UltraDeck when I made the switch.

I can’t bring myself to pay $500-$1000 for power cables. Not judging, but am at a point where I’m not sure how much ‘better’ I can get my system to sound vs different. If that makes sense.
 
mindhead1 said:
I also have some Audiocrast HPC01 power cables I bought on Amazon ($35). They are thick and look cool. I have them connected to amps and TT. I’m not sure if they make a big difference on the amps but I did notice a little more quiet on the UltraDeck when I made the switch.

I can’t bring myself to pay $500-$1000 for power cables. Not judging, but am at a point where I’m not sure how much ‘better’ I can get my system to sound vs different. If that makes sense.
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I have some Pangea power cables that were under $100 that I used for a few of my separates. I can't justify paying $500-$1,000 for power cables either as I think I wouldn't notice any HUGE jump in sound. would rather save that money to upgrade my amp or something.
 
mindhead1 said:
I also have some Audiocrast HPC01 power cables I bought on Amazon ($35). They are thick and look cool. I have them connected to amps and TT. I’m not sure if they make a big difference on the amps but I did notice a little more quiet on the UltraDeck when I made the switch.

I can’t bring myself to pay $500-$1000 for power cables. Not judging, but am at a point where I’m not sure how much ‘better’ I can get my system to sound vs different. If that makes sense.
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I have one of those Audiocrast ones too! lol
 
Slimwhit33 said:
I guess my question is what would a cable with that high of a capacitance do to sound from a theoretical standpoint? Does it matter when connecting a phono or a DAC?

Would appreciate any thoughts. Obviously I’m going to compare them now that I’ve noticed but wondering what should be expected.
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In brief, high capacitance creates a high-frequency peaking effect with a MM cartridge from electrical resonance. This can make a cartridge sound brighter than it would with a low capacitance.

If you are not scared by algebra, this link from Hagerman Technology describes what happens: Hagerman Technology LLC: Cartridge Loading

The same effect does not generally happen with line-level connections, such as with a DAC, or with MC cartridges.
 
Ghost said:
Unrelated: what do we like for speaker cables? I know Blue Jeans are beloved for component interconnects, do we still like BJ for speaker cables?
Click to expand...
If I were buying new speaker cables today, I'd buy BJC Twelve White with banana plugs. I'd use Ten White if my runs were longer.

As it happens, I use old-fashioned Radio Shack 12-gauge zip cord that I've owned for 20 years on my main system, with stripped and soldered ends. They do no damage to the signal, unlike the fancy AudioQuest cables I purchased a decade ago. In my office system, it's even more basic - I use under-ten-foot runs of 16 gauge red and black "speaker cable", also from Radio Shack. For short runs and reasonable speaker impedances, they are sonically equivalent to thicker gauge cable.

I'm an engineer at heart so I tend to go with engineering conventions. I'll pay thousands for well-engineered components, but I'll only pay $2.50 per foot of speaker cable. With that said, here is Roger Russell's classic article on speaker cables:

 
Angsty said:
If I were buying new speaker cables today, I'd buy BJC Twelve White with banana plugs. I'd use Ten White if my runs were longer.

As it happens, I use old-fashioned Radio Shack 12-gauge zip cord that I've owned for 20 years on my main system, with stripped and soldered ends. They do no damage to the signal, unlike the fancy AudioQuest cables I purchased a decade ago. In my office system, it's even more basic - I use under-ten-foot runs of 16 gauge red and black "speaker cable", also from Radio Shack. For short runs and reasonable speaker impedances, they are sonically equivalent to thicker gauge cable.

I'm an engineer at heart so I tend to go with engineering conventions. I'll pay thousands for well-engineered components, but I'll only pay $2.50 per foot of speaker cable. With that said, here is Roger Russell's classic article on speaker cables:

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i have the 12 white with locking banana plugs for my main setup. they are quite long so maybe I should have gone with the Ten white but they sound pretty great to me.
 
MikeH said:
i have the 12 white with locking banana plugs for my main setup. they are quite long so maybe I should have gone with the Ten white but they sound pretty great to me.
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If you're happy, don't try to make yourself unhappy!

Edit: From the Roger Russell article, you'd need runs over 50 feet with a 4 ohm speaker for there to be an issue.

Maximum Wire Lengths For TWO CONDUCTOR Copper Wire

Wire Size​
2 ohm load​
4 ohm load​
6 ohm load​
8 ohm load​
22 AWG​
3 feet max​
6 feet max​
9 feet max​
12 feet max​
20 AWG​
5 feet max​
10 feet max​
15 feet max​
20 feet max​
18 AWG​
8 feet max​
16 feet max​
24 feet max​
32 feet max​
16 AWG​
12 feet max​
24 feet max​
36 feet max​
48 feet max​
14 AWG​
20 feet max​
40 feet max​
60 feet**​
80 feet**​
12 AWG​
30 feet max​
60 feet**​
90 feet**​
120 feet**​
10 AWG​
50 feet max​
100 feet**​
150 feet**​
200 feet**​
 
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Ghost said:
Unrelated: what do we like for speaker cables? I know Blue Jeans are beloved for component interconnects, do we still like BJ for speaker cables?
Click to expand...
In my HT I use Canare 4S11 (partly based on price as I needed over 500 feet of cable in total). In my main 2-ch I use AQ (Robin Hood), and in my workshop setup I use Furutech. I have complaints about both the AQ (fragile banana plugs) and Furutech (why too damned stiff), both sound great. What budget and length were you looking at?
 
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Slimwhit33 said:
Obviously I’m going to compare them now that I’ve noticed but wondering what should be expected.
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I'm curious to hear your findings. I was going to say, might as well test them since you have them, lol.

Ghost said:
Unrelated: what do we like for speaker cables? I know Blue Jeans are beloved for component interconnects, do we still like BJ for speaker cables?
Click to expand...
Honestly, BJC is basically a right of passage in the audio hobby. I don't know anyone who hasn't tried them at some point along the way. And a lot of people end their journey right there.
 
Angsty said:
If I were buying new speaker cables today, I'd buy BJC Twelve White with banana plugs. I'd use Ten White if my runs were longer.

As it happens, I use old-fashioned Radio Shack 12-gauge zip cord that I've owned for 20 years on my main system, with stripped and soldered ends. They do no damage to the signal, unlike the fancy AudioQuest cables I purchased a decade ago. In my office system, it's even more basic - I use under-ten-foot runs of 16 gauge red and black "speaker cable", also from Radio Shack. For short runs and reasonable speaker impedances, they are sonically equivalent to thicker gauge cable.

I'm an engineer at heart so I tend to go with engineering conventions. I'll pay thousands for well-engineered components, but I'll only pay $2.50 per foot of speaker cable. With that said, here is Roger Russell's classic article on speaker cables:

Click to expand...
BJC/Belden cable are so fucking stiff and never flatten out really so something to bear in mind if your cables are exposed. Having a curly-q of speaker cables was part of why I went to the BJC Canare instead of the Belden.
 
Ghost said:
Probably will try out the Canare's. Need something not so stiff that can snake across the room. Thanks everyone!
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It's slightly cheaper to order direct from BJC vs Amazon, and WBC also make Canare. RedCo and Performance can make custom cables as well that come out a bit cheaper depending on your run. If it's under 10 feet I'd just buy direct from BJC.
 
Recs on interconnects to go from the Khozmo preamp to a schitt magni? probably need about a 6' cable to reach the magni on my desk...I was going to go with some WBC but then there seem to be a buncha different options on amazon from them so wasn't sure if it matters between Mogami/Canare or something else...

Also picked up two Audiocrast power cables to swap out some power cables in my office setup to get slightly longer runs as I rearranged stuff and damn....these things are beefy!
 
I need to replace the phono cable on my Dual 505. Unfortunately the plug broke off :(

Is this phono cable essentially just an RCA cable? I know how to solder and have a soldering iron. My question is then if I can just buy a good quality RCA cable and solder it at the turntable and remove the old one, or if I need a special phono cable.
 
uvwxVinyl said:
I need to replace the phono cable on my Dual 505. Unfortunately the plug broke off :(

Is this phono cable essentially just an RCA cable? I know how to solder and have a soldering iron. My question is then if I can just buy a good quality RCA cable and solder it at the turntable and remove the old one, or if I need a special phono cable.
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They are RCA cables but for a turntable I’d look for one with as low capacitence as possible. I’d maybe reach out to someone like blue jeans cables and tell them what you’re looking for and see what they advise/can offer you.
 
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