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

I bought some from amazon that was quite reasonable, i figured that the skin effect from RF is so low at 20KHz that it was more than adequate. I got 78 stands 2.5mm 99.99% OFC for a quid a metre (obviously it wont sound as good as stuff thats the same but costs twice as much:rolleyes:)
 
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
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This is what I used for my 6k+ system. Plenty of info out there on why this is overkill.
 
FerretBoy said:
This is what I used for my 6k+ system. Plenty of info out there on why this is overkill.
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You have probably made some guy reading this slash his wrists with that :eek:

£6K+ on a system yet you probably spend 1/5th on wire than he did. At least you know that wire is wire it doesn't need a fancy name on it to be better than another wire of the same spec.
 
I have a mid to high end sound system and I use Van Damme blue on my rears and and this Canare on my front L&R http://www.ghentaudio.com/part/s01.html

I've had more expensive cables such as Kimber and Chord and if there are any real differences then they are very slight and probably easily influenced in a sighted test, I'm not sure I could tell any apart in a blind test.

For reference my speakers are in sig, only thing not mentioned is my 5 x Hypex mono block power amps and MDAC for 2 channel.
 
Thanks for all the feedback its been very useful.

I was about to buy the cable from TLC Direct but I came across a thread posted in March warning that they switched suppliers and accidentally sold CCA:
https://www.avforums.com/threads/tlc-speaker-cables-cca.2016717/

I've decided to go with a German manufacturer called DCSkabel they sell 2x2.5mm cable for £1 per meter including vat and delivery - more sensible that my original £180 of cable :)
 
The cable has arrived, very good quality and much heavier than the original reel

w7dmdt.jpg
 
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 :D
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I wouldn't worry about it

I've a Denon 7200 AVR - bought some cheap speaker cable as a stop-gap before I got speakers into positions I wanted

still using it - sounds fine :)
 
JasonM said:
Brozel, I'm looking at that exact same cable on the rain forest website.

What do you think of the quality of this cable?
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I bought the same cable and it's really good, i got thirty metres though, two ten metre runs for rears and three three metre runs for left, right and centre. It's a nice cable to route and strips cleanly and well priced.
 
I recently purchased some 4mm square DCSK cable. My previous cable was the 1.5mm square cable that came with yamaha speakers.

Anyway its helped the sound to the point the speakers are louder, I tested this over 3 days by just fitting the new cable on one channel and switching balance, over all sound feels less restrictive and more detail also.

But again the DCSK cable is really high quality.

My audio setup is a Pioneer AMP with DAC, 4 x Yamaha NS-F160's (all on new cable) + 2 Pioneer rear field speakers.
 
JasonM said:
I recently purchased some 4mm square DCSK cable. My previous cable was the 1.5mm square cable that came with yamaha speakers.

Anyway its helped the sound to the point the speakers are louder, I tested this over 3 days by just fitting the new cable on one channel and switching balance, over all sound feels less restrictive and more detail also.

But again the DCSK cable is really high quality.

My audio setup is a Pioneer AMP with DAC, 4 x Yamaha NS-F160's (all on new cable) + 2 Pioneer rear field speakers.
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well better quality cable tends to have a lower resistance. So your speakers are getting more of the load now and the cable less.

lots of people changed their cables in their headphones for this very reason and noticed an improvement straight away. not a huge improvement but it's probably the most cost effective improvement you can make. however don't be fooled into thinking you should get even better cable next time round. there is a point where it becomes pointless. depends on thickness of pure copper and length of run 2.5mm is recommended for short - normal runs. up to 4mm for long runs.
 
Psycho Sonny said:
well better quality cable tends to have a lower resistance. So your speakers are getting more of the load now and the cable less.

lots of people changed their cables in their headphones for this very reason and noticed an improvement straight away. not a huge improvement but it's probably the most cost effective improvement you can make. however don't be fooled into thinking you should get even better cable next time round. there is a point where it becomes pointless. depends on thickness of pure copper and length of run 2.5mm is recommended for short - normal runs. up to 4mm for long runs.
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Yes I totally agree with above, speaker cable is a resister and actually heats up, you will never notice the heat as it's that minor, however it's energy thats not going to produce sound!

I was really surprised I had noticed any difference, as you say I think it's more the case the 1.5mm cable was the restriction, I would been as happy with DCSK's 2.5mm cable. The 4mm cable was only £10 extra for length required and went the whole hog while I was doing it!

And the difference it made was a real difference tested over 3 days with various tracks with new cable just on right channel and swapping left/right ballance, If I read it on a forum I would have been skeptical but I could hear it!

This is the difference between the cables, the red cable there is 2 wires there!
speakercable.jpg
 
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I have VanDamme Blue 2.5mm but only because its a stereo system so only got 3m total. It does feel quality, but I can help but think its 2.5mm twin core felx you would use for electrical work haha its just a lot more flexible.
 
seanyc5 said:
I have VanDamme Blue 2.5mm but only because its a stereo system so only got 3m total. It does feel quality, but I can help but think its 2.5mm twin core felx you would use for electrical work haha its just a lot more flexible.
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That's all most wire is, ots not infused with unicorn hair like some forums believe.
 
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