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Thread: DIY Speaker Cables

  1. #1
    Join Date: Oct 2018

    Location: Croydon

    Posts: 61
    I'm Mark.

    Default DIY Speaker Cables

    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

  2. #2
    Join Date: Dec 2017

    Location: Lincolnshire

    Posts: 342
    I'm Martin.

    Default

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

  3. #3
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tdlt02 View Post
    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
    Top speaker cables don't have to cost that much.

    Have a look over my trade page.

  4. #4
    Join Date: May 2018

    Location: Woking

    Posts: 803
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    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.
    System 1: - Amp - Musical Paradise MP-701 mk2 - Neurochrome 686
    - Source: Audio Technica LP-5 - Custom 6V6 stage - Novafidelity X30 - Soekris 1421 (LPSU) - Custom TDA1541 C3G DAC -
    - Speakers: Martin Logan Prodigy's - Subs: - REL T3's -

    System 2 - Amp: Musical Paradise MP 303/Custom 300B SET - Custom 6SL7 Pre -
    - Source: Pioneer N-30K - SONCOZ SGD1 -
    - Speakers: Loth X BS1's - Sub: REL T3 -

  5. #5
    Join Date: Oct 2018

    Location: Croydon

    Posts: 61
    I'm Mark.

    Default

    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

  6. #6
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by tdlt02 View Post
    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
    Ooops lol, I've sent so many out I've forgot who's had what!!

    That's a lot of speaker cable

    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.

  7. #7
    Bigman80 Guest

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Opti-cal View Post
    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.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Nov 2019

    Location: 1066 Country

    Posts: 94
    I'm Peter.

    Default Cheap as chips

    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-ar...50m-blue/810fk
    This stuff is more flexible than most flex.

    Other electrical suppliers are available.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Ayrshire, Scotland

    Posts: 231
    I'm Ian.

    Default

    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.
    Technics 1200 tweaked,Ianmac Bearing,DACT DIY Phono Pre, Belcanto CD-2, Engineered Switzerland DIY Renderer, Benchmark DAC2, Hypex NCore, ATC SCM40
    2nd system --Engineered Switzerland DIY streamer, Sony CDP11,Topping D50 DAC, Hypex NCore. Kef 1point2 speakers. Ianmac Filters

  10. #10
    Join Date: May 2011

    Location: Torquay

    Posts: 2,719
    I'm Craig.

    Default

    Nothing wrong at all with the Van Damme Hifi range of speaker cable.
    Bluesound Node 2i
    Audio Analogue Pucinni SE
    B&W DM607 s2
    Chord Shawline X speaker cable
    Klotz ic’s

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