New Altec speaker boxes Part 2

[bigjunglejim]

I know when I upgraded my interconnecting wires (between components) there was a real difference. Also, when I went from 16 Ga lamp cord to 12 Ga there seemed to a difference.

In 1995 or 1996 I went to a MAMM show and saw some $5,000 ACTIVE speaker wires that were supose to be completely invisible to the sound. At $5,000 I left them at the show (LOL). The question is, when is enough enough?

Everyone listing here has the right to their opinion. Although some opinions make better sense than others, everyone's opinion is important to the person sharing it. Respect is the order of the day. Except when you disagree with me. (just kidding)

[bigjunglejim]

Old Guy Would you agree with Jeff about using Vampire CCC (Continuous Cast Copper) 18 ga. stranded chassis wire for the connetion from the terminals to the speakers? Would this give the new cabinets a little "extra" quality?

[bigjunglejim]

Hi all. Anybody know the specs for Altec Model 18 grill cloth and frames? The Altec plans don't include the grills. As you know, I'm trying to be as true to the originals as possible except with some slight improvements.

[Old Guy]

Originally posted by Jammin Jungle Jim:
Old Guy Would you agree with Jeff about using Vampire CCC (Continuous Cast Copper) 18 ga. stranded chassis wire for the connetion from the terminals to the speakers? Would this give the new cabinets a little "extra" quality?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Try it, if you like it better use it.

[bigjunglejim]

Old Guy. I don't think my ears are good enough anymore to tell the difference. I recently had a hearing test. My right ear's ability to hear above 2k is almost non existent. The graft looks like a slow rolling rock going over a cliff. My left ear is better but, not good enough to be a good judge of speaker wire. I need the opinion of others who can hear a lot better than I can.

Back in the sixties, seventies and eighties when I was playing drums and constantly exposed to high SPL's, people told me I was going to go deaf. My stock answer was, "by then there will be bigger amps". It came to pass. MORE POWER. But, I'm not deaf, just impaired.

[Old Guy]

Speaker wire is a personal choice.

I'd like to start with two statements. Both 100% true.

Most speaker wire is .999 fine or better. Means less than one tenth of 0ne percent impurities. Most of the time with stuff like Belden it's closer to one hundredth of one percent.

And this one may cause a firestorm. 99.9 % of advertising for wire is just plain lies.

Virtually zero claims can be backed up in a laboratory.

You can cause problems by using wire too large, just as you can by using wire too small.

Any difference you hear is more likely due to the capacitance of the wire rather than the copper.


Take for instance- solid silver power cords. Supposedly they sound more "detailed"
and "Involving". People pay $300 for a silver power cord 8 feet long- then blissfully hook it to the 20 miles of copper coming into their house.
Silver speaker wires might make some sense, since losses are higher in a low voltage situation. For a tube amp, silver in the output winding might make some sense. But power cords? Bwahaha.

A fool and his money are soon parted.

OFC is "the big lie". It all is OFC except for maybe some really cheap junk.

I an not trying to disrespect anyone. Just the wire industry itself and it's 2000 percent markups.


Here's what McIntosh Labs chief guru says-

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

I like the point where they had to pull the zip cord from their demo room and put in boutique wire just to please the customers. Didn't sound any better, according to the people who actually designed the speakers. the customers were just not happy unless they saw fancy wire.

The bottom line on wire- if you expect to hear something, you will.

It will either be there, or your brain will manufacture it.

[selmerdave]

Hi Old Guy,

I'm just curious about this, and I have no interest in a "fire storm" either. I apologize if I over-reacted to the other post.

If I have two sets of wires of identical gauge and length, both copper and twisted pairs, neither is from an audio manufacturer (neither have accompanying claims for the sound difference) and both cost less than $2, and I am able to repeatedly hear the same differences and others are as well, what am I likely hearing? Not always favouring one or the other, just differences. And I'm asking honestly, not looking to challenge you, but I have experienced the above and I can't see how they would measure any differently. Any thoughts?

Dave

[bigjunglejim]

Old Guy... Good stuff. I scanned the info in the link you provided. I'm short on time this weekend but, I'll be reading it in full this coming weel. Thanks.

[bigjunglejim]

I'm looking for the Altec plans and specs for the foam used around the horns of their Model 19's. I bought new foam for my 19's from someone on line and I'm greatly disappointed. The foam extends into the mouth of the horn 1/8" on one side and 7/16" on the other. By the way, when I say the mouth, I don't mean the flat mounting area but the actual flare of the horn. I don't remember the originals cutting into the mouth of the horn at all.

[Ronald Lee]

Old Guy: I agree 110% with you on that wire stuff. Given what everything else is going on in your listening room that can influence the sound of your speakers, the kind of wiring probably has very iittle to do with it.

When I built my speakers, I found that the larger diameter wire I wanted to use wouldn't fit in that itty-bitty hole in the binding post, so I used bannana jacks with a set screw holding the wire in place. I believe I was using 14ga wire. Since my speakers were bi-amped, you just match the color of the binding post with the color of the jack and you're done. Hook up the drivers to the wrong amp, and "poof" no more compression driver diaphram.

BTW: I just bought some 18ga zip cord from my local Home Depot, it was like 50?/foot. I wonder if there is going to be any price increase in that audiophile wiring?