does size matter?

[EchoMatrix]

ok ok if you all have been paying attention, i almost have my new setup.

now some final questions.
Does size matter for cable? gauge wise?
are all gold plated banana plugs created equal as long as they have a decent name attached to them?

i gots a : pioneer reciever
velodyne speakers
dayton 10" woofer

thanks

 

[JL_Audio_User]

For car audio? I say definitely yes. Amp power cables, grounds and speaker cables do matter.

for computer audio? It definitely couldnt hurt to have high quality cable but how much benefit it gives...I would'nt know....sorry

 

[EchoMatrix]

but all the parts would fit, am i correct?

this is for a home audio system that I will hook up to my comp via HDA DDL

 

[JL_Audio_User]

but all the parts would fit, am i correct?

this is for a home audio system that I will hook up to my comp via HDA DDL

If your reciever has line level inputs you better make sure (up to) what gauge speaker wire it can accept. Also why bannana plugs? If it takes straight wire I would recommend that. The less interuptions in your line between source and driver the better.

(my opinion)

 

[EchoMatrix]

cuz i hear the oxygen corrodes copper. plus banana plugs are cheap.

so its up to my reciever on what gauge wire it takes?

would I just be find with a 16 gauge?

 

[GodsMadClown]

would I just be fine with a 16 gauge?

yes.

DAYTON COAXIAL DIGITAL CABLE 12'
$11.70
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=181-628

16 GA RED/BLK ZIP CORD 1'
$0.26 FT
Please order a minimum of 10 ft.
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=100-055

Order some of the other cool cables while you're there...

AR AP091 COMPONENT VIDEO CABLE 6'
$9.88
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=189-060

SUBWOOFER CABLE 13' (Radioshack Gold)
$4.86
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=189-300

 

[EchoMatrix]

shipping is a beast. I need that Y connection of the woofer?

 

[GodsMadClown]

Not really. Yeah, shipping at PE is steep. That's why it'd have been best to oder everything with your subwoofer.

If you were getting stuff anyway at PE, those are the things that I'd pile into the cart.

If you only need speaker wire, you can just get 16 gauge stuff at your local hardware store. It'll do the job fine. I mean, you're not running this stuff to the other side of the house, are you? Plus, volumes won't really get all that high.

p.s. Don't waste money on banana plugs. They're more a convienience than anything else. Strip an inch of the insulation off the speaker wire, twist the ends tightly with some needlenose pliers, and heat up the twist with your soldering iron. Apply a few lights strokes of solder and it'll wick right into the center of the copper strands, holding the whole twist together. Instant speaker wire pin connectors!

 

[JL_Audio_User]

twist the ends tightly with some needlenose pliers, and heat up the twist with your soldering iron. Apply a few lights strokes of solder and it'll wick right into the center of the copper strands, holding the whole twist together. Instant speaker wire pin connectors!

Good advice

Solder Iron & solder<<<<an audiophiles best friend I couldnt live without mine

 

[EchoMatrix]

now if only i had a sodering iron...

looks like i get to play with my cars engine. only thing i have that gets uber hot

 

[JL_Audio_User]

now if only i had a sodering iron...

looks like i get to play with my cars engine. only thing i have that gets uber hot

Radio shack or any hardware store has them for cheap. You outta get one just to have. Solder beats a crimp connect everyday of the week

 

[GodsMadClown]

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1340444

Weller® Soldering Iron Kit (SP23LK)
Item no: 20002
Our Price:
$16.99

FREE Ship to Store for a limited time only! (See Promotion Details)

Qty:

AVAILABILITY: In stock, leaves warehouse in 5 - 7 full bus. days. - (Details)

Standard Ground Delivery available - (Details)

Note: Shipping restrictions may apply.

* 25 watts, 750 degree
* Kit contains : MT1, MT2 and MT3, 1/8" diameter tinned tips made of nickel plated copper; 5' of 40/60 rosin core solder; and soldering aid tool
* Light duty
* Carded

 

[killernoodle]

I think its worth it to get the 20/40 switchable one at radio shack with the stand. Bigger connectors flow faster with more heat. Lower power setting for SMD components. teh win!

 

[Mister X]

Radio Shack soldering irons are GARBAGE.
The cheap Weller's are not much better.
If you are gonna buy one..... buy a damn Metcal already.
Or at least a Hakko 936.
Now that we have dispensed with the soldering iron recommendations can we get back to talking about overpriced cable solutions?

 

[GodsMadClown]

For the purpose of wicking some solder into a twist of copper strands, just about anything moderately more hot than a hairdreyer will do. The insulation might get a little melty, but as long as you don't move it, and have decent ventilation...

Is the pursuit of decent cabling different than talking about a decent soldering iron? Aren't you the one who keeps telling us to roll our own?

 

[JL_Audio_User]

As long as it melts the solder....its done its job. I bought my Radio Shack solder gun 8 years ago for $8.00 And have used it hundreds of times.

A well spent $8.00

 

[Cyrilix]

As long as it melts the solder....its done its job. I bought my Radio Shack solder gun 8 years ago for $8.00 And have used it hundreds of times.

A well spent $8.00

That reminds me of computers in general and power supplies. Some people invest good money into a solid power supply, but others have bad experiences. Either way, there are always people that use generic and end up with machines that "work".

I could be completely off with my analogy though...

 

[JL_Audio_User]

That reminds me of computers in general and power supplies. Some people invest good money into a solid power supply, but others have bad experiences. Either way, there are always people that use generic and end up with machines that "work".

I could be completely off with my analogy though...

Umm....I had to read it twice to "get" the analogy....cuz I'm sloooooow

I get it though, I DO believe in paying good money for good quality BUT a $8.00 solder has done its job for me and done it well for years. Does the expensive solder have pictures of naked women on the handle? If not......then I'll pass

 

[SockMan!]

As long as it melts the solder....its done its job. I bought my Radio Shack solder gun 8 years ago for $8.00 And have used it hundreds of times.

A well spent $8.00

I don't mean to sound like I'm patronizing, but isn't there more to soldering than merely melting solder? Wouldn't heating the subject be important too? Granted, all I've ever soldered was power wires, usually for fan cables, but still I've rarely got good results just by melting the solder onto the wire.

 

[JL_Audio_User]

I don't mean to sound like I'm patronizing, but isn't there more to soldering than merely melting solder? Wouldn't heating the subject be important too? Granted, all I've ever soldered was power wires, usually for fan cables, but still I've rarely got good results just by melting the solder onto the wire.

No your right, but it wasn't a discussion on HOW to solder (for me anyway) it was on whether a cheap solder wand/gun can work as good as an expensive one.

 

[Deleted member 72990]

i think we're all putting too much thought into this.

buy a 50ft spool of wire (somehwhere in the ballpark of 12-16 gauge), a coaxial cable for the soundcard to receiver, and a y-shaped subwoofer cable. then hook it all up You can find all this stuff at radioshack and probably wal-mart too. Most receivers will accept 12 gauge wire which is pretty large, and i dont think your receiver is an exception.

as for soldering banana plugs onto the wire, it really isnt necessary, but if you're doing it just for fun or something, go ahead and do it

 

[hamm3rhead]

I second the vote for a hakko 936... then again a radio shack butane portable iron works really well in a pinch.

 

[mustang_steve]

I love metcal solder stations...I really need to luck out and fine a nice SMD rework unit on Ebay....and then promptly sacrifice a chicken to the EBay gods to smite all snipers to ensure my victory and my metcal soldering station.

Their SMD stations are so nice that even a drunk monkey could do a perfect solder joint everytime....basically they regulate the temperature like it's nobody's business, providing just enough heat to do the job, but being able to keep the tip at that temperature to finish jobs that are FAR larger than it should be doing.

...but at $800 new, those things had better do it

 

[EchoMatrix]

cant i just put the damn thing into the microwave?

uhgg, sounds like too much work. i think ill just ask around who has one. heat is heat no matter what machine i end up using. what temp does copper melt?

 

[Mister X]

cant i just put the damn thing into the microwave?

...
Put something metal in your microwave and turn it on one time.

what temp does copper melt?

Copper Melting point= [/K]: 1357.77 [or 1084.62 °C (1984.32 °F)]

 

[EchoMatrix]

my grandpa will help me soder it. He has an industrial one. Dont think we have anything hot enough to melt copper

 

[Mister X]

I r confused.
Solder = tin and lead (and sometimes it may also contain silver and copper).
Standard 60/40 solder melts at roughly 361°F
What does melting copper have to do with soldering?

 

[mustang_steve]

Dude!

You don't have to melt the copper...just get BOTH materials that are to be joined as hot as the melting point of the solder...this will allow the solder to form a metallurgical bond, which is the entire point of soldering. Melting in the copper will jsut burn a hole in your PCB.

 

[JL_Audio_User]

my grandpa will help me soder it. He has an industrial one. Dont think we have anything hot enough to melt copper

This is'nt difficult......and why on earth do you need an industrial one Are we still talking about copper wires? Cuz if we are then GO TO RADIO SHACK! for the 5th time.

Seriously...live a little and learn a new skill. Do it yourself and tell gramps you dont need his help.

Solder wand/gun $8 - $20

Solder $2 - $4

Confidence and pride in learning a new skill............priceless

 

[EchoMatrix]

I still have reminders on my hand from the last time I tried useing a soldering gun. Cuz i cant get something that can melt copper, im just gonna use soder. Sure its not the best conductor, but my system aint the best either. If anyone sees a big problem with this let me know and explain

he has an industrial one, it probally beats a cheapie, and im not gonan tell him to sell it and get a worse one either. Its just what he has. He is a music man anyway so he probally knows what he's talking about.

as for soldering the stuff on the speaker itself, I dont think I want to do that. I just want to "tin"(?) it. Id rather just melt the ends of the copper to make a better thing to put in my speaker connection, but nothign gets that hot to just melt the copper alone

 

[Mister X]

What do you suppose would happen to the insulation on the copper wire if you got the wire hot enough to melt?

 

[JL_Audio_User]

I still have reminders on my hand from the last time I tried useing a soldering gun. Cuz i cant get something that can melt copper, im just gonna use soder. Sure its not the best conductor, but my system aint the best either. If anyone sees a big problem with this let me know and explain

Who said anything about melting the copper? Am i mistaken or did the solder come in because someone said a solder tip on the wire, would be better than a bannana clip (which it is). So reading the above quote of yours makes me wonder if you really READ the posts ? Cuz it does'nt look like it to me.

he has an industrial one, it probally beats a cheapie, and im not gonan tell him to sell it and get a worse one either. Its just what he has. He is a music man anyway so he probally knows what he's talking about

.

Sell it? what are you talking about? Who said sell anything?

Id rather just melt the ends of the copper to make a better thing to put in my speaker connection, but nothign gets that hot to just melt the copper alone

If you got the copper hot enough to melt, the insulation would melt or catch fire so do yourself a favor and forget about melting the copper. You said you burned yourself soldering but you wanna melt copper??

 

[kidicarus74]

i think we're all putting too much thought into this.

buy a 50ft spool of wire (somehwhere in the ballpark of 12-16 gauge), a coaxial cable for the soundcard to receiver, and a y-shaped subwoofer cable. then hook it all up ...

just to try to get this thread back on track... not all speaker cables are created equal. There are lots of factors that come into play. For instance, cables can be insulated or shielded, two cables of the same gauge made by different manufacturers could ave different strand counts and even different strand gauges, cables can be in wall rated or not... all of these things are really important to know before you just go out and buy any old 50ft spool of "wire" (wire isn't really good enough, sure you can interchange the term wire and cable, but fundamentally they're two different things).

Personally, if you use high performance components, it makes no sense to go out andbuy generic cables to hook them up. Generally speaking, cabling should be 5-10% of your entire home theater budget. That being said, my home system can be bought off the shelf for $7000, and i spent about $330 on cables. I prefer 12 gauge, shielded, high strand count, UL rated cables (a.k.a. monster xl in-wall cable, and yes i said monster, which if you buy for sticker price at best buy you get ripped off, but every high end dealer cuts deals on cabling when you buy high end equipment).

Anyway, the point i'm trying to make... don't just run out and buy walmart (or radioshack) brand thin-as-a-hair wire... it won't do even the shittiest of hometheater systems justice.

home theater mags cabling intro

 

[mustang_steve]

I still have reminders on my hand from the last time I tried useing a soldering gun. Cuz i cant get something that can melt copper, im just gonna use soder. Sure its not the best conductor, but my system aint the best either. If anyone sees a big problem with this let me know and explain

he has an industrial one, it probally beats a cheapie, and im not gonan tell him to sell it and get a worse one either. Its just what he has. He is a music man anyway so he probally knows what he's talking about.

as for soldering the stuff on the speaker itself, I dont think I want to do that. I just want to "tin"(?) it. Id rather just melt the ends of the copper to make a better thing to put in my speaker connection, but nothign gets that hot to just melt the copper alone

please re-read my earler post. the copper does not have to melt, just get as hot as the molten solder. As for it being the best or not...keep in mind almost every cable maker (except for the few that overprice in the tens of thousands of percents for their prodcuts) DO solder. Reason is it ensures a good connection...plus the copper inside the joint won't be corroding anytime soon, assuring a long-lasting connection.

Only cables I don't colder on is my 2-channel setup, they get crimps...with a crimp die, not some crappy multi-tool. A good die crimp may be less than air tight, but it is solid. I haven't worried about solder on it since i like using just the amount of cable that's needed, and I'm constantly messing with it.