Bi-wire or just better speaker cable

[Ads_172]

I need to buy some new speaker cable as my current lot isn't long enough to allow me to move my speakers to where I'm going to...

I have a fixed budget and was just wondering whether people recommend either:

Buying 4 lengths of a certain quality cable so that I can bi-wire the speaker.

Buying 2 lengths of speaker cable twice as expensive (and hopefully good...) and not bothering with bi-wiring.

The better cable will deliver a better sound and there's mixed reviews on bi-wiring, so I don't know whether this would see any improvement?

 

[McBunny]

what sort of kit are you running

 

[Ads_172]

Cambridge Audio amp to Gale floorstanders - I can't recall model numbers off the top of my head. Have then got Cambridge CD player and DAB tuner and will be looking to also feed my TV (Tosh WLT3266) into the amp at some point...

 

[Steve]

When i had a Linn / Naim system, the speaker cables were in the region of £5 a foot / metre or so & that was years ago!

 

[riz]

Bi Wiring is good if you are going to run another amp along side(BI-Amp). Without the extra amp it wont make the slightest bit of difference. Bi wiring is good if the amp is there to power the speakers independantly (very hardcore audiophile stuff, most dont notice any difference)

Good Cabling would make a much better difference if your not Bi-Amping. Also high quality interconnects. When i changed my speaker cable, i then waited to change my interconnects and the differnce was phenomenal.

I use Nordost and have the black knight which was discontinued

http://www.hificables.co.uk/ProductsList/mcs/CategoryID/2371/GroupID/706/CatName/Nordost Phono/v/

My cabling is actually QED Silver Anniversary, which was expensive when it came out!!! lol, Just be careful as What HI-Fi give 5 stars to anything as they get massive pay outs from the companies, (hence huge adverts). Also be wary of Richer Sounds advice as all cambridge Audio products(not slating them) are manufactured by them and there mark up is slightyl higher on it.

If i were you i would get decent interconnects and upgrade wiring not bi wiring.

 

[Ads_172]

Cheers riz, I can totally echo the importance of interconnects in a system: mine aren't exactly top of the range (positively cheap compared to the Nordost range!) but the difference in them compared to what I had when I first put the system together is incredible.

Yeah, I noticed a Richer Sounds lean to Cambridge when I bought my system and would have probably have shopped around a bit more when I first bought it if I'd known more about what I was looking for, but it has served me well.

 

[Munson]

Bi-wiring does make a difference if you're using two sets of posts on a decent amp. If you're going to do it though, use bi-wire cable, as it looks hardcore and about a thousand times neater than twin runs.

 

[lasbazrre]

Bi-wiring does make a difference if you're using two sets of posts on a decent amp. If you're going to do it though, use bi-wire cable, as it looks hardcore and about a thousand times neater than twin runs.

Agreed.

TBH. Ads , as your set up is budget range ( not putting you down ) i'd shy away from spending BIG money on cables.

As you have floorstanders the will give plenty of base anyway , so i'd just buy a cable thats light at the top end , but still gives good midrange.

As said QED silver anni is good value , you can get it in bi-wire for around £7 a meter, but only if you have four bineding posts on the amp and each speaker.

If not go for Cord Carnival silver or if flush Cord rumour 2.

I was so impressed with the Cord Rumour 2 , i upgraded to the Cord Oddessy 2 cable and TBH theres very little difference for double the money, mind you i'm running a good midrange system.

Arcam 197 cd player
Roksan Kandy III
Quad 12-Ls

It's a very slippery slope hi-fi . when you get to a certain level the improvement in sound isn't cost affective.

leon

 

[Andy.]

I am getting a new set up in a couple of weeks. It already comes with high end cables etc but what are the interconnects? The new amp and speakers deserve a bit more attention to detail than my current lot.

 

[lasbazrre]

I am getting a new set up in a couple of weeks. It already comes with high end cables etc but what are the interconnects? The new amp and speakers deserve a bit more attention to detail than my current lot.

Interconnects are what connect your amp to your componets ie CD player, Phono deck , ect.

The ones ( white and red ) you get free are biz , so it's wise to upgrade them.

How much is your system worth? i ask this as if your set up is worth £300 , then spending £100 on one set of interconnects is over kill.

leon

 

[Ads_172]

^ Interconnects are the cables that connect the different separates together (Amp - CD Player, etc).

Cheers for the advice Leon,. As you say the system is fairly budget so I'm not going to spend more than the cost of the whole system on speaker cable! The Chord Carnival looks good, but I would need about 16m in total which starts to get pricey (comparatively) when you look at buying it terminated.

 

[lasbazrre]

^ Interconnects are the cables that connect the different separates together (Amp - CD Player, etc).

Cheers for the advice Leon,. As you say the system is fairly budget so I'm not going to spend more than the cost of the whole system on speaker cable! The Chord Carnival looks good, but I would need about 16m in total which starts to get pricey (comparatively) when you look at buying it terminated.

Don't buy it terminated , buy some good plugs £5 each and do it yourself , put some red and black electric round the join.

Good cables will last for ever though , so in a couple of years when you upgrade your system you will already have decent speaker cable!

leon

 

[Andy.]

I am getting a new set up in a couple of weeks. It already comes with high end cables etc but what are the interconnects? The new amp and speakers deserve a bit more attention to detail than my current lot.

Interconnects are what connect your amp to your componets ie CD player, Phono deck , ect.

The ones ( white and red ) you get free are biz , so it's wise to upgrade them.

How much is your system worth? i ask this as if your set up is worth £300 , then spending £100 on one set of interconnects is over kill.

leon

Cheers for that.

It is a Marantz SR8002 amp with a Marantz DVD player (do not know which one). Speakers are the Mordaunt-Short's MS500 set.

It is replacing my Harmon Kardon set so should be quite an improvement.

It was a "no expense spared" set up a couple of years ago so I imagine that the interconnects are probably high quality too.

 

[riz]

16m!!! lol, do you run a part time circus?

 

[Ads_172]

Lol, well, 8m each... I've got my set-up in a way so that all the 'boxes' are hidden in an AV cabinet in the back of my lounge, with the speakers either side of my TV on the other side.

I'm going to break from tradition and have my Sky+ and PS3 on a shelf below the TV though, as I'm getting sick of losing quality through trailing 10metre HDMI cables across the room! (and not wanting to spend £'s for decent HDMI cables 10m long!). My amp and all audio stuff will stay out the way, though.

 

[riz]

oh ok are your speakers on spikes?

 

[Ads_172]

Not at the moment, although they always have been previously.

I've got a nice wooden floor so don't really want the spikes to mark it; is there an alternative to the spikes for wooden floors?

 

[riz]

give me 2 mins..

 

[Ads_172]

Can't see the image in work, but am guessing by the name thats it's not a sensible solution!?!

 

[riz]

Can't see the image in work, but am guessing by the name thats it's not a sensible solution!?!

no lol.. this is
http://www.russandrews.com/lookup/1...tegory-Oak-Cone-and-Spiked-Feet-PSUPPFEET.htm

Dont get convinced by their other mains conditioning products as thats for uber geeks. You can also look at second hand cabling, isnt a problem tbh

 

[riz]

theses maybe a steal

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Russ-Andrews-...240880581QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170240880581