# Interesting - DIY Speaker Cable



## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

Never gave it much thought but it is an important link from amp to speaker cabinet.
What was wrong with using high temp electrical cords?


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

I just buy 2 conductor speaker cable (14 gauge stranded and twisted) by the foot at a local supplier and solder the plugs onto it. It might be considered overkill by many, but it is durable and easy to assemble.

I think you could probably use anything with 2 conductors of a reasonable gauge (I wouldn't go below 18 gauge..personally).

The speaker load(s) involved will determine the gauge and maximum recommended length.

This is a guide:


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## WCGill (Mar 27, 2009)

Fancy-Schmancy. I just do lamp cord, lazy. Beautiful work though.


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

Cool video. However, I am disappointed that he didn't once mention why this is a "better" speaker cable.


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## Gordie (Mar 22, 2014)

Or go to London Drugs (in BC) to get the Monster Cable stuff that looks like pink lamp cord. It's 16 gauge, and it's pictured in Dave Hunter's book for the speaker cord in his "2-stroke" single ended amp build.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

Unless its on sale ....... big sale .... monster cable is overpriced. Lamp cord or no-name speaker cable of the same gauge works just as well for about 1/5 the cost. 

As long as it's large enough (bare min 16 AWG, IMO), it'll work fine. The more strands, the more flexible, if that matters. Fixed installations or short amp-cab cables, not a big deal, but if you're running 50' PA speaker cable, you want large flexible cable - that may cost a bit more, but in the long run (pun intended), its worth it.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I remember reading a post by Mark Norwine ( Turbo Pup amps ), where he said he kept a pair of cutters in his car, and every time he saw an old vacuum cleaner on garbage day he'd cut off the power cords & use those as speaker wire

I can attest this works well...I have done it 

I think I got 3 lengths of white speaker wire from my last vacuum. 

it is easy to distinguish from music instrument cable, is very flexible & has that durable rubber coating on it. great tip.


I have also used lamp cord


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2016)

High/Deaf said:


> As long as it's large enough (bare min 16 AWG, IMO), it'll work fine.


Makes sense to me.
Considering what you find inside a cab, lamp cord or similar should be fine.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

@laristotle Exactly!!!

When someone brags about the Monster power cable that they just paid $100 for (I shit you not), I like to remind them of the cheap, often aluminum, cable in the walls supplying current to that overpriced chunk of copper.


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## epis (Feb 25, 2012)

bolero said:


> I remember reading a post by Mark Norwine ( Turbo Pup amps ), where he said he kept a pair of cutters in his car, and every time he saw an old vacuum cleaner on garbage day he'd cut off the power cords & use those as speaker wire
> 
> I can attest this works well...I have done it
> 
> ...


Yep, agree 100%


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## james on bass (Feb 4, 2006)

I've been a fan of lamp-cord as well for a number of years.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

I'll never forget wanting to use lamp cord and I had forgotten to unplug it! Wow that was bright. Lucky for me the shielding on the plyers protected me from electrocution. Seriously.


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## nonreverb (Sep 19, 2006)

Lamp cord rules! I have a box of it.


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## Blind Dog (Mar 4, 2016)

'Audiophiles' often try to get me to purchase spendy cables. They get a little embarrassed, for me, when I say, "I can't hear the difference, and I can't afford them." I'm not an audiophile -- I just love tunes, and good/vintage gear. Usually their smug will wear off about the time I offer to put up a cornerstone piece of my gear, against one of theirs, in a real life test. (Which wire sounds better.) *Not one taker. *They practically run when I suggest the same sort of bet with their great deal on a $5k power cable. I have a 125+ year-old house, and lights that dim constantly because of a large mill, and sketchy politicians. How the hell is 1m of $5000us ac cord, and gold plated fancy connectors going to influence the miles of old industrial-grade cable that come before that $5k one? Maybe you need to buy their audiophile magic beans too.

'Entry'/mid-level Valhallas run $11,849/2m pr. for spkr. wire, $4999 for 1m power cord, $7999 for analogue interconnects (rca cords), and $4799 for a tone arm cable. That's $29,246 US and $42,909 Cdn. with taxes, for those who are playing at home. I would be embarrassed to say I couldn't come up with a more worthy place for that kinda dough. I may be ignorant, but I'd rather listen to a '69 big block Corvette (and rightly brag about it), than expensive wires that even my dog may, or may not, be able to hear the difference in. I certainly can't.

*The short: imo +1 "Lamp cord rules!" *

(Cool avatar btw nonreverb. My dreams include a B-3. Not to brag _but_, I have a blue, professional grade, rubber composite tub I store all my fallow cords in. Sounds exqui$ite when I open it. Lowered the noise floor, and the bass notes became more defined and Stygian. )


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## oheare (Jun 18, 2012)

Old clothes irons often have pretty cool cloth-covered power cords that, while not all that long, make pretty neat speaker cables.


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