Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Which speaker cable do you use?

Looking for inputs on which speaker’s cable do you use for your front towers. I went to Radio Shack and they recommended Monster cable, Kindly post which cable are you using for your front speakers and where to buy it from.

I’m looking for a good cable and not something that is a advertising hype.

Cheers

Axiom bulk 10 guage.

The subject of cables, both speaker and interconnect, can be a divisive one. There are conflicting opinions. I fall into the "anything of reasonable quality, and low cost will do fine" camp when it comes to speaker cables. Personally I use this. I find it rather ugly (though some think it's good looking ), but it's quality wire, at a reasonable price (37.5 cents per foot). And, for a thick wire, it's surprisingly flexible. If 100 feet is more than you need, it also comes in a 50 ft. roll at 46 cents per foot. You can find similar wire at your local Radio Shack, Lowe's, or Home Depot. I prefer this, though.

If you find that too ugly, here is an even less expensive alternative.

Parts Express is a good company to deal with and ships the same day if you get your order in before a certain time in the afternoon. I think it's 3 PM but don't hold me to that. I'm sure it's, at the least, 1 PM.

Monster products, while being good quality, are generally VERY overpriced.

The Axiom wire that Stuart (expatbrit) mentioned is really handsome wire, and though not inexpensive, at 85 cents per foot it is not ridiculously priced. It is, I believe, like the Parts Express wire, 12 gauge as opposed to 10 gauge. 12 gauge is more than adequate.

Monster cables..M series, bi-wire, with spin-on gold bananna plug do-dads........I know I'm in the minority around here, but I can't help myself...I've had good experience with Monster products, over the years, and like to give a "heads up" on a product I like, and have used.

Not to be picky, but just for the questioner's sake. Axiom's bulk wire is 12 gauge.

And that's what I use as well.

Larry, no need to explain. As I've said before, "because I want it" or "because I like it" are perfectly valid reasons for purchasing anything. I have a Monster power conditioner that I enjoy. But, I know I could've gotten by with something that cost a lot less. But, I LIKE IT!

I personally am curious to try this guy's speaker wire. (sorry don't know how to do the lazy link) http://www.signalcable.com/speaker_cables.html

He supposedly has a large following on Audiogon for his speaker wires, interconnects and power cables. Haven't tried anything yet. I thought I might give it a try on my center channel though, that way I'm only trying one cable and I'm not out too much $$$.

I use Radio Shack's 12ga wire on the fronts and Radio Shack 14ga for all other speakers.

Acoustic Research banana plugs on fronts, and eBay-found generic gold-plated banana plugs everywhere else.

Monster Cable is good, but only if you can get it for a fraction of the retail price.

Regarding Monster:

Have you seen this regarding Monster's lawsuits?

I wouldn't touch a Monster product if it WEREN'T overpriced and so aggressively marketed! I'm not knocking those who like their products; people should choose what works best for them and I respect that. But it seems like Monster's "Bose-like" heavy-handed marketing towards world domination has taken a nasty turn. I had heard this weeks ago, but wasn't sure if it was just one of those internet rumors. Now that I see it in a major newspaper........

Should also mention again that Home Depot sells speaker wire in 12ga and14ga at very reasonable prices ($.20 to $.30 per foot). Just be sure to go to the bulk wire area and have them cut the length you need. Like Jack, I fall into the "eliminate the hype and expense for speaker wire and use what works" camp. I use the Home Depot 14ga and it performs admirably.

I recently had a neighbor bring some of his Monster Price 12ga over and hooked up my M60s - neither of us could tell the difference between it and my Home Depot 14ga. (Please - let's avoid the scientific, blind A/B test discussion here ). I expect the debate will continue to rage. In the end, look at your options and, as Jack said, get what you feel good about.

Another vote for the Home Depot 12 gauge bulk-cut-to-length wire, with AR banana plugs (only for the Denon side of course). Works just fine for me.

I am currently using Signal Cable's speaker cable. It is simply Canare 4s8 star quad speaker cable. If you source out the materials to make them yourself you can save a few $, but Frank does do a first rate job terminating and finishing off the cable. It sounds as good as anything I have tried with my M60s.

That's the exact reason I boycott ALL monster products. I refuse to give 1 cent to a company that sues 104 (and counting) companies over ONE *#$% WORD!! There's even a company on the list that uses the "M-word" in another language (French if I recall). Monster Marketing Strategy = sue the hell out of everyone even if they have nothing to do with audio products. SICK!! Sorry for the rant guys.

I bought Axiom's bulk wire, it supports Axiom and it's quite a good cable, very flexible.

That's basically what I've got, simply for the coolness value. I, uh, "finished" them myself, but I'm sure yours are a lot prettier.

I'm with you on the Bose thing, I have never been impressed with their products......(any that I've heard anyhow).

regarding Monster...I'm NOT defending them, but I can think of other far more ridiculous, frivolous, lawsuits to get worked up about,...other than those (over-zealous) trademark infringement examples.......(unfortunately that's the corporate world these days).
It is a shame that our society has become such a litigious one.

just to add my opinion...

home depot 12ga..

dont believe the monster hype...

bigjohn

I have a similar question regarding Speaker cable. I used the 12 gauge from PartsExpress that Ajax linked to. However I ran out of enough to wire one of my surrounds. Does it make a difference if I bought say 14 gauge for that one run or should I at least have the surrounds with the same gauge.

I'm thinking that it's a moot point and I could probably run 10-16 gauge and it would be fine (short run) but I wanted to get some opinions.

Thanks.

I use a pair of 8' Audioquest type 4 speaker cables. Was 80 bucks for both of them, termnated in gold spades. Worth it IMO. I like to think it makes it sound slightly better, but while that is kinda controversial i dont really care, i bought them more for the quality of the cables. I have had the plain 12 gauge stuff before and i didnt like it. I dont think they were too expensive for something im going to use forever.

How short a run are we talking about? If you have to buy some more wire for that one run, why not get some 12 gauge. You could pick up a piece just long enough for your run at Home Depot, or Lowe's. (I'm assuming they have 12 gauge wire, of course) I think you could get away with the 14 gauge if you wished, but that's only a guess, and not based on actual knowledge or experience.

Me too. Well, actually Lowes 12ga, but it was something like 29 cents a foot, maybe even 26 cents a foot...

Don't waste your money on Monster, I just bought some high quality oxygen free 12 gauge off of ebay.

You make a VERY valid point:

"Worth it IMO"

This applies for every piece of your system, if you have the money, and feel there is value, then you are absolutely correct in your views on the piece

Canare 4S11 from markertek.com for 75cents/ft.

I second that BB!I use three 4ft runs of this…for my L/C/R.

I use Axiom speaker wire.I got 2 nine foot runs.Very nice wire IMO.

I use Liberty UltraCap 12awg. It costs .50 ft if purchased through retailers.

I use 12 ga. bulk wire from Lowes. (Woods brand I think.) Very reasonably priced, and you get a 10% (maybe more) discount if you buy a whole spool. (250')

I've tried Monster and wasn't impressed.

For my front 3 speakers, I use 12-ga Monster Cable that came free with my previous set of speakers bought locally. For my surrounds, I use 14-ga zip wire. At least one of which is spliced in one location. Sounds great!

Brit, I use 16ga lampcord all around. There's no factual basis for imagining that somehow the sound will mysteriously improve if more money is spent on such a simple item, although charlatans abound who are happy to charge the gullible hundreds of times as much. Use whatever source is most convenient to you.

Mapleshade Double Golden Helix Plus weird thin speaker cables.



Best speaker cable I've ever heard on my tubie system.

For my HT systems, I use Monster Flat Mini Elect on one - the only Monster cable I like, and for the rest 12 gauge oxygen free copper twist in Teflon cover from somewhere.

Just ordered some of the Axiom bulk wire with banana locking plugs (2 single pair). I'm very happy with the Axiom bulk wire I bought for my surrounds, so I'd thought I'd give it a shot on the L/C/R.

I am in that "audiofile major no-no" category too Peter. I ran out of wire 10' short of my one rear speaker so had to join another piece of 12ga because I was too lazy to drive back to the store. Sounds perfectly fine.

I have only heard improvement from a cable once, and that's when I went from poorly spliced (6+ splices) 18 gauge to fresh 16 gauge unbroken cable.