Digitalis Direct and MyCableMart.com (budget cables)

Has anyone else tried these cables?

http://www.digitalisdirect.co.uk/10m-loudspeaker-cable-ofc-322-strand-loud-speaker-wire/

http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=105

I have to upgrade cables but I'm a little of a budget-minded audiophile so I always look for bargains.

Those are too cheap that I felt the need to ask for your opinions.

The specs from those cables seem good but I'm a rookie in terms of cable science.

Those cables from MyCableMart don't have great looks but that would be the "audio jewelry" side of things

 

Get Blue Jeans cables.

 

I guess I should try all three and compare them to each other

However, I'm not a big fan of the white jacket from Blue Jeans

 

The grey doesn't look bad. I have a set of BJC speaker wires, my only complaint is they are very stiff. Getting them to lay flat is an exercise in futility. Otherwise nicely made with good connectors. I don't currently use them.

 

I dig the looks of that Digitalis Direct wire. Gotta love that copper.

Would it be easier to cut some of those 322 strands? When stripping the insulation I mean...

 

Digitalis Direct? Buy with confidence. I bought my 322 strand from them a few years ago. OFC, 2.5mm diameter, full spec - £5.50 delivered. Happy to recommend them and the cable was fine. Still have it and it replaced some Audioquest Type IV biwire. Very nicely in fact!

PS - don't worry about losing some of the strands, a few fell off when I cut the insulation off mine and everything was fine.

 

Great!

 

And anyway, for £5.50, what do you have to lose??? Might as well give it a go (which was my logic at the time)!

 

I bought a pair of Blue Jeans cables a while back. They were probably one of the cheaper versions.
I couldn't get them out of my system fast enough.
The inexpensive MIT Terminator5 interconnects blew the Blue Jeans away.
I haven't heard later models of Blue Jeans cables. Just sharing my experience.

 

Same with my Monster. The cables the OP posted are good enough. He's free to buy snake oil if he can afford them/hear a difference.

 

Those cables are alright. Seems as if you already upgraded your speakers ? I switched from generic to Monster and Turquoise when I upgraded my speakers and could not for the life of me hear a difference. They do look nice and I like them. You do get the peace of mind on the durability department though with nice construction, materials, and corrosion resistance.

 

Good copper wire is good copper wire
Can't do any better functionally
I see the strand count but no gauge
Choose a gauge determined by your run:

 

I'd avoid Monster's "original" or any of their big gauge stuff with the clear jacket; oxidizes and turns green after a while as well as the jacket gets sticky from out gassing

I've had a ton of the stuff go bad, THREE systems worth

Emailed Monster (they claim a life time warranty on their wire), catch was, I had to mail it to them on my dime

Cost more to pursue the warranty due to postage costs than it did to just buy some more wire (this time Belden and Mogami, for less money) and just toss the Monster

 

Ive seen this chart before. Here: http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm
Roger Russell has some interesting things to say about speaker wire. But then quite a large number of folks seem to disagree with him.

 

The chart is everywhere; it's not his creation
Ohm's Law
Good general guideline

 

I didn't intend to indicate he created it, just where I saw it. His experiences make for interesting reading.

 

I've had them for 7 years no probs. How long did yours take to develop these problems ? I forgot the model and think they're no longer made but were the cheapest Monster available (copper and silver intertwined in a single cable inside a clear jacket, not 2 inside the same jacket like nowadays)

 

Two wires, one "gold" colored and the other "silver" colored?

 

Yeah, I guess. I see it more like copper and silver-colored though.

 

Is it like this?

 

Nope; it's bicolor like a candy, maybe I should post a pic tomorrow ? Can't find it anywhere online.

 

like a candy cane? I thought you might be describing a copper and aluminum speaker wire like the picture I posted.




I'm currently using Kimber 8TC. Prior to that it was Canare 4S8. I am slightly skeptical about the whole speaker wire debate and I can't detect the difference between these two wires.



Both are terminated with bananas, my 4S8 are not configured for bi wiring.

 

Yes; I remember now. Candy cane describes it appropiately. It's copper and aluminium. Bought a whole spool back then. Your Kimber are sweet BTW

 

Thanks! I like them and they were recommended by my "audio advisor" (not the online store) when I wired my all Rega kit.

I think aluminum isn't the best choice for speaker wire, all copper would be better. Aluminum has only about 61% the conductivity of copper, Is the difference audible? I don't know.

 

Not to my ears and my equipment level.