I'm getting a new Onkyo 876 soon with some new speakers to give me a 7.1 system Comes with a length of QED Micro Speaker Cable which should do most of the speakers. I also have some QED 79 Strand speaker cable in the garage which I was going to use on 2 of the surround speakers. I'm loath to splash out on more cable as I have quite long cable runs to do. Does anyone think I will be able to notice a difference in sound from the 2 surrounds wired up with the different cable?
Mixing different speaker cables
- Thread starter cram
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I read the other day that 'expensive cables' is well and truly a scam.
A test was done where they used expensive 'high end' cables on an audio set up, and and made another set up where the speakers were wired up with coat hangers.
A bunch of audiophiles who were of the cables make a difference bandwagon couldn't tell the difference between them at all.
So yeah, you'll be completely fine.
A test was done where they used expensive 'high end' cables on an audio set up, and and made another set up where the speakers were wired up with coat hangers.
A bunch of audiophiles who were of the cables make a difference bandwagon couldn't tell the difference between them at all.
So yeah, you'll be completely fine.
Soldato
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i would suggest doing the front 3 speakers in the same cable and then the rear two in the same cable. EDIT: just read you're going 7.1, i'd still do all the speakers the same if possible.
I currently have my rear speakers done with different kinds of cable (one copper and one silver) and they sound different! No point spending all that cash on a shiney new 876 and then skimping on £30 of speaker cable
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I do not understand how this is possible unless one is a very poor cable.
It's not possible. Generally, because people know there is a difference, they will hear/perceive a difference.
The silver isn't letting 'more quality' pass through it. You're forgetting the fact that the speaker terminals won't be silver, and the amp's terminals won't be silver either, so there's no difference between them really.
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I think you'll find we sing from the same hymn sheet (see my thread "is there a diference.." but i still find it interesting that people believe there is a difference even when they are aware of things like the placebo affect. We cannot state that it is not possible for someone to be hearing differences, but we can state that such claims are unlikely to be the result of what they think they are based upon known facts.
Get a wood plated cable, it should add a nice oaky sound to your system 
Honestly it shouldn't matter, but chop off a few inchers from each end if you can to remove the oxidised parts that might have formed in storage over time. Use the longer runs to your rear speakers and keep the lengths similar. There shouldn't be an affect in the sound because of this but taking an extreme example there might be some if one length is 2m and one 20m, with a thin cable. But that's an extreme example.
Honestly it shouldn't matter, but chop off a few inchers from each end if you can to remove the oxidised parts that might have formed in storage over time. Use the longer runs to your rear speakers and keep the lengths similar. There shouldn't be an affect in the sound because of this but taking an extreme example there might be some if one length is 2m and one 20m, with a thin cable. But that's an extreme example.
Why would you want a gold plated optical cable?
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speaker cable can make a profound difference, but thats when you're driving speakers with very difficult loads - think electrostats. people who say there is no difference whatsoever are flat out wrong, sorry. With average speakers driven by an av amp, you'll be hard pressed to hear many differences.
You wouldn't, but they're manufacturered and sold as higher quality cables because you get people who don't put any thought in to it.
No it's fraud.
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is it?
How does gold plating enhance the performance. It doesn't - unless I'm very much mistaken gold has no beneficial properties to red light transmitted down a fibre optic cable.
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it doesnt but thats neither here nor there. it has better conductivity yes, which is what they sell it on, based on a sonsumer who wouldnt know better, ie: that its not needed.
if it were actually fraud they wouldnt be on sale. Yes, consumers shouldnt be taken advantage of but thats buisness at the end of the day.
if it were actually fraud they wouldnt be on sale. Yes, consumers shouldnt be taken advantage of but thats buisness at the end of the day.
Gold has better conductivity of light? Pull the other one.