Van Damme Blue Speaker Cable.

[icehockeyboy]

Has anyone here used it? the thickest variation that is.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts, and hopefully what you compared it with/to. :)

[CageyH]

I have the tour grade (black) 4 x 2.5mm2 stuff, and it does a nice job of joining my speakers up to my amps. I put some QED Silver anniversary back in the other day, and I struggle to tell the difference.

[DSJR]

I could easily hear at the time how awful and constricted SA was and it was repeatable in several shop dem rooms too.....

The Van Damme stuff is good quality copper in a non-foo form and is used by pros in rigs over many metre runs. If you want a good white equivalent, I have good reports on the 'Fisual' stuff too.

Well, I'm going to reverse-shill for a moment and suggest any of the NVA speaker cables! The LS5 I'm trying is superb in ALL the systems I've used it with and is loads better than the Chord Odyssey IMO, against which I believe it competes (no artifice added), especially in bass cleanliness with 'porty' speakers. There, I've done it, but credit where it's due!

[icehockeyboy]

Hmmm.....someone not being able to tell how awful QED SA is suggests a trip to the doctors for a quick ear syringe..... :)

As for NVA, sorry but I only want to find out what people's thoughts are on VD Blue, and not looking at cable in general.

[The Black Adder]

I use the blue series 6mm (10awg) stuff... It's superb!

[CageyH]

Hmmm.....someone not being able to tell how awful QED SA is suggests a trip to the doctors for a quick ear syringe..... :)

Surely, one run of unshielded copper cable will sound very similar to another one of similar construction?

[wee tee cee]

Ive ordered some of the 6mm stuff to give it a go. The 2.5mm blue is OK but not great in my set up-sounds slightly overblown at both ends of the spectrum IMHO.

[icehockeyboy]

Ive ordered some of the 6mm stuff to give it a go. The 2.5mm blue is OK but not great in my set up-sounds slightly overblown at both ends of the spectrum IMHO.

Let us know how it is when you've had chance for a listen! :)

[icehockeyboy]

Surely, one run of unshielded copper cable will sound very similar to another one of similar construction?

That is your prerogative to believe that......many here totally disagree, myself included.

Mind you....if you think QED SA sounds like other cables, and I'm not being sarcastic here, I really would suggest a trip to have your ears syringed, as it's the most tin tack razor blade sharp trebly cable ever, and not being able to detect that means something's a bit amiss.

Either that or the tweeters in your speakers have blown! :)

[CageyH]

I can assure you that my hearing is perfectly fine (it's tested annually) and my speakers work 100%
I personally would use the same cable as is used inside my speaker if possible. Why do you need anything different to that unless you are using a long run?

[bronzeage]

I truly wish that all cables sounded the same to me - it would save me a lot of money.

Maybe I have wierd ears or a wierd brain, but with my eyes closed and with somebody else changing cables, I can tell the difference between every single one of them.

Interconnects, mains cables, speaker cables - without fail, I can tell there is a difference.

If gone into dealers without a clue what cables are used to connect up gear, and somehow I always end up preferring the fancy stuff.

Sadly, my opinion of which is 'best' has resulted in me spending money on such cables, a source of major frustration. I mean, who really wants to spend money on wire? But what can I do?

However, if your ears tell you otherwise, celebrate and pocket the money.

This reminds me of my Dad - he cannot tell the difference between a transistor radio and a top end hifi, it's all the same to him. So something about how the human brain interprets sound is a major factor in our decisions about what is a 'good' cable.

Anyway, to answer the original question - I have tried the Van Damme, and it's perfectly acceptable. Maybe not awesome, but it does nothing bad, and for many, that's enough.

[CageyH]

That is your prerogative to believe that......many here totally disagree, myself included.

Regarding your comment about material type and cable construction, can you tell me how the jacket/outer ow whatever you want to call it(basically what is left) will change the sound?

I would suggest that one 6mm2 cable will sound just like another 6mm2 cable if made of the same material and is of the same construction. How can it sound any different? It's the same.

[wee tee cee]

6mm cable arrived along with sewel deadbolts. Its pretty thick and heavy but easy enough to work with.
Just plumbed it in and played a few tunes. Pleasantly surprised.

Had to turn the pre down a couple of notches as it seems to have a lower impedance. Doesn't seem to be coloured frequency wise and there doesn't appear to be any loss of detail.
I run jumper length cable as my mono blocks are attached to the rear of the speakers.
I will give them a few hours to get my head round the change in sound.
I have replaced TQ ultra black, I will try them against my doubled up TQ black and see whats what.
But first impressions are very good indeed.

[potatoha]

I would suggest that one 6mm2 cable will sound just like another 6mm2 cable if made of the same material and is of the same construction. How can it sound any different? It's the same.

What two 6mm2 cables are we comparing here?

[icehockeyboy]

6mm cable arrived along with sewel deadbolts. Its pretty thick and heavy but easy enough to work with.
Just plumbed it in and played a few tunes. Pleasantly surprised.

Had to turn the pre down a couple of notches as it seems to have a lower impedance. Doesn't seem to be coloured frequency wise and there doesn't appear to be any loss of detail.
I run jumper length cable as my mono blocks are attached to the rear of the speakers.
I will give them a few hours to get my head round the change in sound.
I have replaced TQ ultra black, I will try them against my doubled up TQ black and see whats what.
But first impressions are very good indeed.

I will of course expect you to drop everything, and do nothing else other than sit and listen so you can report further. :)

[CageyH]

What two 6mm2 cables are we comparing here?

Take your pick.

[Techno Commander]

I have wired 3 night clubs with the 2.5 and 4mm quad core Van Damme speaker cable.
Absolutely no problem connecting Crown MA5000Zs to stacks of Electrovoice Deltamax.
I wouldnt use anything else.

:gig:

[potatoha]

Take your pick.
I was asking for your selection as I couldn't think of any?

[AlexM]

I use 8m lengths of 6mm sq Van Damme Blue. I think it is very good, and is by no means out of it's depth in my system. I prefer it to the Cardas Quadlink-5C speaker cable I was using before by quite a bit. It essentially does nothing to the signal to passing through it as far as I can tell, which is exactly what I'm looking for in a speaker cable TBH.

So, a good quality heavy duty stranded copper cable with a decent CSA that is relatively cheap and does the job. Is it the best speaker cable ever? probably not, but it is good and it is cheap.

Regards,
Alex

[CageyH]

I was asking for your selection as I couldn't think of any?

MEDIA-SUN MS6 OFC Copper 2x6.0mm²
SOMMERCABLE MAGELLAN SPK260F Cable Coaxial OFC 2x6mm² Ø11.2mm
Klotz LYP060T
762 strand speaker cable from the likes of eBay.

[Clothears]

I use the 2.5mm blue variety, and have done for over 3 years now. It matches the colour of my carpet perfectly.

.

[wee tee cee]

My son had a listen last night, his ears are better than mine. He came to the same conclusion- sounds spot on.

[CageyH]

Does the 2.5mm version sound different to the 4 or 6mm version?
Which one will suit your system best?

[potatoha]

Kevin,

I was asking for two cables made of the same material and of the same construction.

Your selection of cables all have different construction, especially when it comes to stranding. The only common ground between them is the overall conductor thickness. Are you suggesting that cables sound the same if they are of the same thickness?

a. MEDIA-SUN MS6: 300 strands of 0,15mm (0.02mm²) ofc filaments in shotgun construction with PVC insulation
b. SOMMERCABLE MAGELLAN SPK260F: 84 strands of 0,3 mm ofc filaments in coaxial construction with double shield
c. Klotz LYP060T: 189 strans of 0.2mm copper filaments in shotgun construction with PVC insulation
d. 762 strand ebay copper cable

[CageyH]

It was a selection done very quickly.
6mm2 does not have much choice, but if you look at the 4mm and 2.5mm there are similar cables from many different brands.


Are you suggesting that cables sound the same if they are of the same thickness?
That is not what I am suggesting at all. A cable of a similar size, material and construction will sound exactly the same. If it doesn't, then you must have golden ears or a good expectation bias.
The biggest question is, what difference does the number of strands, or construction have on sound? What diameter cable is best?
Should we use, say 2.5mm for treble and something like a 4mm or 6mm cable for bass?

The only way to be sure with a cable is to try it in your own system, in your usual room with your own music and ears.
If you think the perceived change is worthwhile, then great. You have reason to be happy.

[Zoidburg]

Ive just bought the 6mm blue on a bit of a whim really to see what if anything it does in my system. Currently using BR twist so will report back my findings once iv got it plumbed in (probably wont be until next weekend though). Dont know if anyone has gone this route before?

[wee tee cee]

the vd stuff should sound noticeably different to the br twist-it will be interesting to read your impressions. I a few of the good budget speaker wires belkin/talk/br twist/ vd 2.5mm-the 6mm stuff gets closer to my TQ stuff than any of the others ive tried so far.

[Zoidburg]

the vd stuff should sound noticeably different to the br twist-it will be interesting to read your impressions. I a few of the good budget speaker wires belkin/talk/br twist/ vd 2.5mm-the 6mm stuff gets closer to my TQ stuff than any of the others ive tried so far.

Thats interesting then as the tq blue was initially on my wish list but im very budget conscious just now thus going with the van damme. Will report back on findings soon anyway.

[Zoidburg]

Cable arrived today, its certainly chunky enough, I will get some plugs on it in a bit ready for a listen tomorrow.

[icehockeyboy]

Collected mine yesterday afternoon, basically, as Wee Tee Cee says it is very close to my TQ Black, so, for a quarter of the price. I am very impressed with it.

[Zoidburg]

I have the 6mm blue installed now but I have also taken the opportunity to move back to my Consonance amp so its difficult to say exactly what difference the cable is making. I will say though that Im very happy with what I can hear so far. I will swop back to the twist after a couple of days and see what I notice though.

[icehockeyboy]

Golden rule....only ever do one swap at a time so you can tell what has made a difference!

[wee tee cee]

The vd 6mm is the best vfm cable I have tried so far. Really doesn't do anything wrong, maybe a fraction on the warm side of neutral and missing that last fraction of space and detail in comparison with tq ultra black-not too shabby. I would happily recommend it to anyone regardless of system cost.

[icehockeyboy]

The Van Damme Blue is around £10 a metre unterminated,

The TQ Ultra Black is £255 a metre! Terminated I do admit, but that is one hell of a price difference for probably not a huge difference in SQ.

[CageyH]

Do I need any special connectors for 6mm cable, or will the standard z plugs fit ok?

[icehockeyboy]

Do I need any special connectors for 6mm cable, or will the standard z plugs fit ok?

As far as I can see, standard Z plugs should be fine.

I can check with A1 Sounds tomorrow if you like......

[wee tee cee]

sewel deadbolts at £20 for 12 pairs on amazon are very good IMHO.

[CageyH]

Thanks, the reason I ask is that Z plugs are 4mm.

[icehockeyboy]

I was trying to persuade a friend of mine that you don't need to spend silly money to get some quality cable, mind you he bought some Chord jumpers at £85, but it's too late to do anything about that , :)
So I was obviously telling him how some 6mm VD Blue would wee all over the 20 year old cheap QED stuff he has.

He is very enthusiastic about the VDB, but someone told him it's a bit 'tamed' and laid back for want of a better description, now, I've had it in my system a few weeks, and Wee Tee Cee has had it for a while, and my opinion of it is totally the opposite.

So, gentlemen, would you post your thoughts about how you find the treble frequencies on this fine yet inexpensive cable, so I can show him please?
Cheers! :)

[Macca]

The thing is the outcome will be different with different systems. It may well be better than your friends QED 79 strand, it may be worse it may sound absolutely the same. I've had all three experiences with different cables and different amps and speakers. Wheras with one combo you could swap the cables and have no change whereas with another make the same swap and hear a noticeable difference in the presentation. And when I say notable I mean you could pull in a civilian from off the street and he would hear the difference instantly.

I recently tried a highly recommended cable that is not cheap in my own system - it lasted about 10 minutes, One minute to think the sound was terrible nine more to check everything was working properly including checking if my hearing had suddenly gone. It ruined the sound. Yet in other systems it is the best thing since sliced bread. And they are not making it up it really does work in those set-ups. Very difficult to generalise about a speaker cable - unless it is QED SA obviously ;)

[CageyH]

I think I am going for 4mm cable. Trying to find decent BFA compatible plugs for 6mm cable is proving difficult.

[potatoha]

Most BFA bananas will take VD's 6mm. When VD says 4mm or 6mm, I believe they mean conductor size in CSA (mm²) not diameter (∅). If you still want BFA banana plugs that can take ∅6mm (2.5 AWG), you could try something like this (http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/banana-plugs/plugs-bp-szplug-red-single-banana-plug/) and solder at the opening of the plug.

[CageyH]

Superb, thanks. It has taken a while to verify, but you are correct.
6mm cable it is then!

[CageyH]

I am thinking of fitting Nakamichi Z-plugs, and Nakamichi spade terminals to make up a set of jumpers and for the other terminations. Are these plugs of reasonable quality?

[icehockeyboy]

I found this.....might be of interest to you, it's from the D.I.Y Audio forum.

Warning: Nakamichi plugs made of IRON
I discovered that Nakamichi banana plugs and spade terminals are gold plated iron, NOT "pure copper" as advertised. Note that it appears that Nakamichiplug.com is NOT associated Nakamichi.com; I have no issues with Nakamichi (the real one) gear. I have seen several postings on this forum and others about using Nakamichi banana plugs and other connectors, and wanted to let folks know that they are an overpriced piece of gold plated iron. Hey, they look nice, and the moderate price would make one think that they're getting a good deal. Nope.

Discovered by breaking a tip on a spade plug trying to get it to fit an 8mm post; copper doesn't snap like that and upon magnification is definitely not copper by looks. Filed down that piece, and sample filings on other pieces and also some banana plugs, discovered all were a gold plating on copper plating on soft iron. Finally verified it by dropping it in some hydrochloric acid, and as expected the iron reacted (slowly). (Don't have any nitric acid to test with which is very reactive with copper but not as much with iron.)

[CageyH]

Thanks. Simple Z plugs it is then!

[Mark Grant]

I think I am going for 4mm cable. Trying to find decent BFA compatible plugs for 6mm cable is proving difficult.

6mm2 cable is about 2.8mm diameter when the strands are very tight together or about 3.2 mm diameter with a few strands loose and splaying about.

The cable entry of the low cost BFA Z plugs as you see on many high end cables is around 3.65mm diameter so would fit nicely.

This kind of connector found on a google images search:
http://i1307.photobucket.com/albums/s587/petemacsna/monarchycable1.jpg

You should find those online for about a £1 or so each.

[CageyH]

Thanks Mark.
It was unclear if it was 6mm diameter or CSA on the VD blue, but I understand that a multistrand is roughly 15% bigger.
I'll get some Z plugs from a known source, and some spades as well.

[CageyH]

Can anybody recommend some good, but cheap spade connectors?
Preferably solder type, as Imdon't have a big set of crimping pliers.