DIY Speaker Cables

[tdlt02]

Hi Guys,

At the moment I can't afford some really top notch speakers cables that would cost me around £1000 - £1500 for the lengths I need!

Any suggestions on good copper cable brands to buy from to make up my own cables and fit plugs, guessing 12 gauge is the best option!
I can spend in the region of up to £25.00 a metre


Cheers
Mark

[scotty38]

Why not just buy some of the Van Damme stuff ready made from Mark Grant?

[Bigman80]

Hi Guys,

At the moment I can't afford some really top notch speakers cables that would cost me around £1000 - £1500 for the lengths I need!

Any suggestions on good copper cable brands to buy from to make up my own cables and fit plugs, guessing 12 gauge is the best option!
I can spend in the region of up to £25.00 a metre


Cheers
MarkTop speaker cables don't have to cost that much.

Have a look over my trade page.

[Opti-cal]

Oliver (Bigman80) has made me some IC cables recently. His price was more than fair and I'm 100% sure I wouldn't get anything like them without paying a heck of a lot more. I'm sure his speaker cables are the same and there's a few guys here who can vouch for that. In fact along with a few other purchases some of his speaker cables are firmly on my list.

Coincidentally I have been a happy user of Van Damme studio blue both 2.5mm and 4mm but I'm expecting a leap forward when I finally get around to trying some of Oliver's.

[tdlt02]

Oliver,

Having a interconnect cable, and one tonearm cable from you then you would be first on my list if buying new, but I need around 5/6 metres run one side and 8 metres for the other run (ideally 2 x 8 metres but more expensive).

So would be too much at present as I've just spent money on another pair of speakers!
So either DIY method or wait a few months to save up and make do with what I have for the moment...

Mark

[Bigman80]

Oliver,

Having a interconnect cable, and one tonearm cable from you then you would be first on my list if buying new, but I need around 5/6 metres run one side and 8 metres for the other run (ideally 2 x 8 metres but more expensive).

So would be too much at present as I've just spent money on another pair of speakers!
So either DIY method or wait a few months to save up and make do with what I have for the moment...

MarkOoops lol, I've sent so many out I've forgot who's had what!!

That's a lot of speaker cable [emoji15][emoji15]

Let me have a look at what's out there, and I'll see what I can put together. Try and get you something epic for sensible money.

[Bigman80]

Oliver (Bigman80) has made me some IC cables recently. His price was more than fair and I'm 100% sure I wouldn't get anything like them without paying a heck of a lot more. I'm sure his speaker cables are the same and there's a few guys here who can vouch for that. In fact along with a few other purchases some of his speaker cables are firmly on my list.

Coincidentally I have been a happy user of Van Damme studio blue both 2.5mm and 4mm but I'm expecting a leap forward when I finally get around to trying some of Oliver's.Thank you for your kind words. [emoji4]

[majex45]

I use 2.5 mm2 mains flex cable. Wire all three of the conductors together at each end (You will need BIG 4 mm banana plugs to get the wire in).
Ideally solder the wires in using silver loaded low melting point solder. Then heatshrink sleeve to keep it all together and reduce the risk of shorts.
They will carry over 50 amps without a murmur.
You will get 1 set plus a spare length (4x8 + 18).
https://www.screwfix.com/p/nexans-arctic-flex-3183yag-3-core-2-5mm-50m-blue/810fk
This stuff is more flexible than most flex.

Other electrical suppliers are available.

[Ianmac]

Ive found using mains cable that often the cable is directional.
After many years I have found the best solution is to use a multi strand copper cable for Bass (LF) and Silver coated (not tinned copper) copper cable for the treble (HF) a mix of the two can be used for Mid, if tri wiring or tweaking HF LS level.
I always construct the cable such that it is non directional to ensure the same cable impedance looking into the amp as looking out. This is an essential in my book to maximise the damping of the speaker coil back emf.
Suitable cable and terminations are available from CPC/Farnell. Bass @ approx £40 and treble for approx £20 (+vat) in lengths of 30M.
My golden rule is always keep LS cable as short as possible.
I have my Ncores behind my LS with 10" cables The N cores are fed balanced over 13M from my equipment rack.

[icehockeyboy]

Nothing wrong at all with the Van Damme Hifi range of speaker cable.

[sailor]

Consider Duelund oil impregnated cotton covered tinned copper. Use 16 AWG if speakers are reasonably sensitive or 12AWG if not. These definitely and fortunately sound best when not terminated. So no worries or concern about expensive Rhodium, Silver or Gold banana plugs or lugs.

There is no need to match lengths of left/right speaker cables. With the money saved on not needing terminals perhaps order an extra 2M or so of 16AWG and some KLEI Copper Harmony RCA's and build a pair of interconnects. On sale at partsconnexion for $38.47/set of 4. This is a lovely combination. I am slowly replacing my expensive Furutech RCA's with the KLE units.

An internet search will provide tons of rave reviews on the Duelund DCA 12 or 16GA. Try reading Jeff Day's long rambling review for fun.

hificollective also keeps stock.