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Can speaker cables be too thick?

Hi folks, I've tried several speaker cables in the past, like the MIT MH-750, Wireworld Gold Eclipse, Ridge Street Audio, Pure Note Paragon and Cardas Golden Eclipse. I've been using these expensive cables until I replace them with ordinary 2x6mm2 OFC copper cables consisting of multiple small gauge solid conductors. These cables have the best tonal balance and they match very well with the speakers (Dunlavy SC-V). I use them in biwire fashion (each cable is 5 ft in length). What would happen if I replace them with even larger gauge copper cables, like 2x8mm2 or 2x10mm2? Would the sound improve further with the larger gauge cables? What sonic characteristics can be heard when the speaker wire is "too thick"?

Chris
dazzdax
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I presently own two sets of speaker cables. I could install each of them for comparison, and a listener would have to be tin-eared not to discern a clear difference between them.

There must be some difference in their capacitance and impedance specs related to differences in wire and shielding.

No comment on the performance of the cabling is intended. Each is excellent in its own right.
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
Can anyone tell me what the sonic characteristics are when you are using a very thick copper cable (> 4 AWG) compared with cables with higher gauge number? A certain Swiss amplifier manufacturer claims that the thicker the copper cable the better the sound. Sometimes 20-30A travels through the cables during very short periodes (kick drum, tympani) even when the speakers seem to be a benign load throughout because in real life with real music a speaker's impedance can vary a lot.

Chris
porziob
316 posts
 
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

This should answe3r your thickness issue w/ regard to overkill. He takes a common sense approach, missing in much of what passes for cable "wisdom" today.
oregon
608 posts
 
I recently had an odd experience. I am not into the technical aspects of electrical phenomena, so no arguements from me.
I use tube monos and decided on short, 1.5m Cardas Ref cables for my Avalons and Audio Physics. After about 3 weeks, it seemed the music was compressed and muddied. No longer had the soulfulness. My audio group agreed.
I tried my old standbys- DIY monster cable with a Home Depot power cord taped together in biwire configuration. (Absolute Sound did a speaker cable shoot out with low, med, very high $ cables. The Home Depot the lowest $. A Sound concluded that it was tought to HEAR much of a difference between the H Dep. and the most expensive cables.)
My cheap DIY monster cable with a Home Depot cord at 15 feet immediatley put the soul, depth, soundstage, tonal balance back into the room for which the Avalons and Audio P are known for.
I don't know if the Cardas were too short. But they were HUNDREDS of dollars more expensive than the cables I am using and will DIFINITELY remain in my system.
You might want to give this approach a chance. if you agree with my take on the matter, you can use that good money for other things.
Good luck!
dazzdax OP
599 posts
 
I'm sorry, even the Roger-Russel article doesn't provide the answer to the question. Thx anyway for the article.

Chris
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