Speaker Cable Check (CCA or OFC) - Have I been ripped off?

Brozart · 18 Apr 2016 at 09:48

I bought 100M of OFC 2x2.5mm speaker cable from eBay for my surround sound system. The description said solid copper but the core looks silver inside once I snipped it, does this mean its CCA?

Thanks

Captain Fizz · 18 Apr 2016 at 10:01

Looks like it....
I have been looking at:
EUROPA SPEAKER CABLE 2×2.5MM²

Basically all the "really cheap" cables are CCA...

Brozart · 18 Apr 2016 at 10:43

Captain Fizz said:
Looks like it....
I have been looking at:
EUROPA SPEAKER CABLE 2×2.5MM²

Basically all the "really cheap" cables are CCA...

Thought that might be the case

Any recommendation on a speaker cable, I'll need about 100 meters of it? (10-12M distance per run)

Captain Fizz · 18 Apr 2016 at 11:36

Google what I posted

Top link.

I'm going with the Bi-Wire version but these peeps seem to have the cheapest copper cables.

Marine-RX179 · 18 Apr 2016 at 11:39

Think you will be able to get a refund through ebay making a claim that the items is falsely advertised?

Van Damme Blue Series is most likely the best quality cable on a budget, but the 2x2.5mm cable would still cost around average of £2.50 per meter.

But if you just want the cheapest copper cable (regardless of the quality), then you'd probably have to keep looking.

bledd · 18 Apr 2016 at 11:46

ebay gonna ebay

Captain Fizz · 18 Apr 2016 at 11:54

Fisual S-Flex Studio Grade
Is the 2nd cheapest cable I'd go with. £1.95 /m.

The Europa is £1.18 /m. Still copper

crapler8 · 18 Apr 2016 at 11:54

CCA yes you can get a refund... just be accurate when writing them back

Marine-RX179 · 18 Apr 2016 at 16:25

Captain Fizz said:
Fisual S-Flex Studio Grade
Is the 2nd cheapest cable I'd go with. £1.95 /m.

The Europa is £1.18 /m. Still copper

It would seem the the Van Damme Blue Series 2x2.5mm 100m is available at under £190 as well.

Brozart · 18 Apr 2016 at 20:02

I'm leaning towards Van Damme Blue Series 2x2.5mm as I can pick that up for £180. What's the best, VD or Fisual S-Flex? Also I need a 15M sub cable, any advice on this?

The cable is going to connect a Q Acoustics 2000I 5.1 package (+ 2 celing speakers for Atmos), would it be worth getting some 4 core cable too for bi-wiring if I was to upgrade the front speakers? I've heard some people add a thicker single cable for the centre, is that necessary?

Psycho Sonny · 18 Apr 2016 at 20:49

£180 for copper wire????????

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CASPEAK79.html

£33 job done

2.50mm²
2 x 79/0.2mm Strand Speaker Cable
For high quality speakers and long cable runs
Conductor: Twin Stranded Plain Annealed Copper cores laid side by side in a flat figure 8 construction.
Insulation: PVC
Sheath Colour: White / White/Black

Marine-RX179 · 19 Apr 2016 at 00:16

Psycho Sonny said:
£180 for copper wire????????

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CASPEAK79.html

£33 job done

2.50mm²
2 x 79/0.2mm Strand Speaker Cable
For high quality speakers and long cable runs
Conductor: Twin Stranded Plain Annealed Copper cores laid side by side in a flat figure 8 construction.
Insulation: PVC
Sheath Colour: White / White/Black

Yea but that is like saying "onboard audio of motherboard works as well, so why bother spending the extra money getting a soundcard/DAC?"

Under £2 per meter for good sound and build quality 2x2.5 speaker cables is pretty reasonable...

Schizo · 19 Apr 2016 at 05:28

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330723675170?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I got that for my rear speakers.

Schizo · 19 Apr 2016 at 05:30

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100m-2x-0...329299?hash=item35b7e251d3:g:PlsAAOxyBXNSZ7bX

100m

Brozart · 19 Apr 2016 at 09:02

Psycho Sonny said:
£180 for copper wire????????

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CASPEAK79.html

£33 job done

2.50mm²
2 x 79/0.2mm Strand Speaker Cable
For high quality speakers and long cable runs
Conductor: Twin Stranded Plain Annealed Copper cores laid side by side in a flat figure 8 construction.
Insulation: PVC
Sheath Colour: White / White/Black

It is a lot of money...

I'm just worried I'll spend good money on speakers and a receiver, then cause a bottle-neck from poor quality cable. I don't know what to do now! you've put me off

Captain Fizz · 19 Apr 2016 at 09:14

TBH, that cable gets recommended a lot on audio forums.

I'm putting mine through the walls so prefer a cable that's easier to route, but 2.5mm copper is still 2.5mm copper - Will be indistinguishable from Van Damme.

tom_e · 19 Apr 2016 at 09:35

Captain Fizz said:
TBH, that cable gets recommended a lot on audio forums.

I'm putting mine through the walls so prefer a cable that's easier to route, but 2.5mm copper is still 2.5mm copper - Will be indistinguishable from Van Damme.

But it's missing the fancy name and HiFi tax so it'll sound rubbish and your head will mess with you until every time you turn it on you might as well be listening to it with your head in a bucket of water

theone8181 · 19 Apr 2016 at 12:36

tom_e said:
But it's missing the fancy name and HiFi tax so it'll sound rubbish and your head will mess with you until every time you turn it on you might as well be listening to it with your head in a bucket of water

Whoo calm down, the audiophiles will be sharpening their pitchforks

.

Marine-RX179 · 19 Apr 2016 at 16:22

tom_e said:
But it's missing the fancy name and HiFi tax so it'll sound rubbish and your head will mess with you until every time you turn it on you might as well be listening to it with your head in a bucket of water

To be fair the cable insulation and build quality is not at the same level, so you can't compare purely on performance's front as the extra materials used add to the cost as well.

If we were to look at things purely from performance point of view, then I would suppose we would will have people whom buy budget PC case at £20-£30 laughing at people being idiot spending £100+ on case, when the performance won't be too much different using the same internal hardware

Psycho Sonny · 19 Apr 2016 at 21:53

Marine-RX179 said:
Yea but that is like saying "onboard audio of motherboard works as well, so why bother spending the extra money getting a soundcard/DAC?"

Under £2 per meter for good sound and build quality 2x2.5 speaker cables is pretty reasonable...

u wot m8? have you even looked at the spec of what i linked to? it's premium wire. 79 strands and 2.5mm squared.

Brozart said:
It is a lot of money...

I'm just worried I'll spend good money on speakers and a receiver, then cause a bottle-neck from poor quality cable. I don't know what to do now! you've put me off

the wire i linked to is premium wire. it just doesn't have a fancy name and is sold too cheaply IMO.

I have about £2000 worth of speakers and I use that wire.

tom_e said:
But it's missing the fancy name and HiFi tax so it'll sound rubbish and your head will mess with you until every time you turn it on you might as well be listening to it with your head in a bucket of water

spot on. the cable i linked to is what everyone should be buying if they are looking for good quality cheap cable.

it's 79 strands of copper. 2.5mm squared.

thats the spec and it's not a lie like some dodgy cheap ebay shop.