Audible differences between speaker cables?


I'm a newbie to speaker cable issues. My analytical side says that there shouldn't be much difference from one type or brand of cable to another (given that they are low enough resistance to provide a high damping factor). Nevertheless, there are some strong opinions to the contrary. What audible differences are there from one type of cable to another?
jlambrick
Or not. There are many many card carrying audiophiles, most of them with degrees in electrical engineering or some other technical field, who believe that all competently designed cables sound the same (actually dont sound at all). Some of them are my friends. Unhappily, I find that cables do sound a bit different, but as I often say, I am probably delusional.

If you are new and looking for speaker cables, don't worry about it too much and dont spend a lot of money. I saw one of the mailorder outfits had some Ixos 6003 on sale recently. HCM is selling some discontinued Audioquest GR8. You occasionally see Kimber 4VS on sale used here. If you are really curious, you could go to Radio Shack and buy some 18 gauge solid core hookup wire (not stranded), lightly twist 2 strands together one for "positive" and one for "negative" and use that.

Now to your question specifically, do you want people to tell you how they think an Audioquest cable (neutral) compares to a Kimber cable (brighter maybe except for the aforementioned 4VS) at the same price point? There are so many of them and such a wide range of prices. If you have a price range in mind it would help.

What I want from a wire is that it does nothing but pass along a signal. Sometimes I think cable designers attempt to do something else. But it's probably just my imagination.
Howdy. Follow Paul's advice and see for yourself. There are a lot of intellegent and well meaning people on both sides the incredibly thick and tall wall this subject is divided by. In my humble opinion, you should certainly have some pretty ones, at least. Have fun. Charlie
Run for Cover!!!!!
I suggest you read a couple of the threads already at this site. One called "How much Money do you want to waste" and and another called "John Dunlavy on cable nonsense". They are both in the forum cable section. Also search Audioasylum.com on this issue. It's a touchy subject sometimes and may be "talked out" at this site. There is a real divergence of opinion and no concensus it seems.

Actually, I remember your name from one of the threads. You are an electrical engineer-No? I posted a rather tongue in cheek reply to your post. Hope you do not mind the humor. Good Luck. Personally, I think a well designed cable will do and it does not have to be $$$$. Lots of other more important places to upgrade. But that is just me.
Sincerely, I remain
The better your components, the easier it should be to hear a difference. The worst cable I've ever heard is OCOS?
A local dealer told me I had to hear it. I went in the room
and the salesman actually acted surprised when I told him it was the worst I'd ever heard Sonus Faber speakers sound,
and I like every speaker I've heard from them. It was brutal! The cable was bad everywhere & the salesman claimed they were fully broken in. I know no one here personally in the Phoenix area who bought these. But I've seen reviewers admit to using them..
I use Ixos, Nordost, Monster & MIT myself, they all sound good to me..

Daniel
Well, I've sounded off in this topic before and for me the ghist of the matter is simply that I can hear quite a bit of difference on a fairly wide range of parameters between say a Nordost and MIT shotguns from the eighties through my ESLs. At the same time, I'm by no means sure, if I am not simply delusional. But then, frankly, I don't really care a damn, 'cause like a serious case of infatuation, it's a very nice and pleasurable emotional state. Besides , there are more "truths" in this our world, besides those established by the natural sciences. Cheers,