SPEAKER CABLES!

[Mayo Fan]

That's about what I recently bumped into. The solution that worked for me: spend some serious money on a serious cable and you'll be surprised. All the better brands have speaker cables, Mogami/Vovox/Evidence just to name a few. The Evidence worked out really wel for me, tighter and more balanced than the no-name cable I used before. Me likes

[NOZMEDA]

So you dont think it was the hype that made you think it was better? A sonic placebo?

[chadds]

[1958Bassman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCardl4MEtE

[Menno]

Originally Posted by NOZMEDA

I'm a severe audiophile. So, Im constantly lookin at my setup and searching for the "weakest link" that limits my rig from sounding the best it can. With that being said, and with what I currently own, I only notice one weak link. My speaker cable from head to cab. Im using a 450w@4ohm head with a 4ohm cab. My speaker cable is a 14g speakon. Does anyone know, however subtle, if there would be a sonic difference by increasing the gauge to 10 or 12? Would i burn out the cabinet's internal wiring due to its assumed smaller gauge? Any input about anything posted here would be helpful.

As long as your cable is less then 40 ft (14 gauge, 4 ohm amp), you're good to go.

The resistance of the cable is related to gauge and length. More resistance leads to powerloss and less dampening. Fortunately these effects only become noticable when your cables are of serious length. A reason why internal wiring of the cab isnt done with 12 gauge or so.

See here a table for gauges/lengths etc

[username1]

Here is a wire resistance calculator. You can punch in different wire gauges and see for yourself the little differences.
http://www.bcae1.com/images/swfs/spe...rassistant.swf

[bb03]

Great info here:

http://www.audioholics.com/education...er-cable-gauge

Good quote, also:

"A music lover uses his audio gear to listen to music. An audiophile uses music to listen to his audio gear."

[StereoPlayer]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

It won't make a lick of difference. Remember that inside your cab, the wires connecting the speakers are likely 18 ga., so there's no point in going huge.

+1,000,000

I've always said the speakers are the weakest link in any system.

[bassmeknik]

Originally Posted by dincz

Keep looking - it's not the speaker cable

+1000000000000000000000000

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by NOZMEDA

Ugh. Do? Math? The? Aww man. So i guess it would be like 1.aquire impedance data on both current and prospective cables. 2. Apply data to 450w and calcutate current difference. 3. If current difference is notable, ensure that i dont exceed my 500w rms rating?

Here is the math.

1. From Table 9 of the NEC here is the ohms AC resistance per 1000' of the different copper conductors. Divide by 100 for a 5' two wire cable:

AWG14: 3.1
AWG12: 2.0
AWG10: 1.2

2. There will be no current difference, only voltage drop.

3. See #2. In any case, the resistance on the line is dominated by the speaker impedance and can never be lower than that.

The difference in resistance between a 5' AWG14 and a 5' AWG10 speaker cable is (3.1-1.2)/100 = 0.019 ohms. The difference in voltage drop will be negligible; you will not hear any difference.

[Jeff Scott]

OP are you using high end audiophile grade bass strings? You may be missing out on perfection if you aren't!

[Jeff Scott]

Oh yeah, high end audiophile grade picks, too, if play with them!

[bongomania]

Originally Posted by NOZMEDA

My main thing is, im trying to bring out the capability of this cabinet. It can produce 28hz sound. I want to have a bass sound thats heard in the ears and felt in the guts

The only way any speaker cable can affect the low frequencies of your signal is if the cable fails.

[BassmanPaul]

I use 10 gauge cable for my speaker cables and speakons. The cable is actually made by Monster and is very flexible. I use the cable because I was given it. My cabs are all 4Ω so I like to get as much power as I can to the cabinet terminals. There is no audible difference I can discern between the 10 gauge and the 16 gauge "heater cord" cables I also own. I have to admit I have called the bigger cables "a proper bass player's cables." Guitar players are impressed!!

[Stephent28]

you guys are obviously not audiophiles or you would understand the sickness......

If you think it will improve it, do it. You probably have thousands tied up in your amp/cab and bass so why not drop a few bucks and have piece of mind.

I went with the Lava cable speakons. Does it sound better than the cables I replaced that cost 1/5 of the cost? Probably not but I do not care. I am happy and that is truly the only one who matters in my book.

I also use an Essential Sound Products cable for my Puma 900 and imho I can hear a difference so it was well worth the money to me (again, the only one who matters).

Essential Sound Products has an awesome 1/3 off Black Friday sale going on right now which really lowers the price. http://essentialsound.com/

[BassmanPaul]

So the ESP products go from costing a fortune to costing a small fortune?

Seriously Stephen, if YOU like the ESP cables then don't let anyone sway you from that. I have always found that if I'm happy on stage I play so much better. Anything that aids you to be a better player is worth what you are content to pay.

[Stephent28]

Agreed BassmanPaul,

As an audiophile, I feel the same way as the cable distracters feel about their 10K basses. In a blind listening test can you really tell the diff in the mix between a $1500 bass and a $10,000?

I think not but if they feel better with their 10K bass then more power to them.
You got to do whatever makes YOU happy....not the joe on the sideline watching you play.

[lomo]

Try making your decisions based on logic and wherever possible, blind A/B comparisons. You will save a LOT of money this way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fdeck]

Originally Posted by ggunn

3. See #2. In any case, the resistance on the line is dominated by the speaker impedance and can never be lower than that.

This.

[wcoffey81]

would it be a better choice to look for cables with "better" shielding than to just look for lower gauge?