Any recommendations internal speaker wire?

[kipduff]

Apologies to Kipduff whose thread has been waylaid.

I'm fine! All very interesting....

Been away from the thread- have done 70% of the woodwork- and doing day job. Next Wed Thurs, maybe finish...

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I will only gently enter this thread long enough to suggest that audio explorers might want to try small gauge magnet wire as speaker cable. I run 15' lengths of drill twisted #26 gauge and have for years. This is principally for high sensitivity transducers. Lansing and Hilliard recommended the matching of input and output impedances in 1945 when they introduced the Voice of the Theatre systems. Their crossover impedance was 12 ohms; It is hard to imagine the power amplifier that would have had such a high output impedance. Anyway, injecting another ohm or two in the speaker wire seems to do no harm and might actually do some good. The clarity and immediacy of the sound is hard to beat. I used to suggest online that with careful shopping the intrepid audiophile might keep his speaker cable costs under $5 per mile!

Steve:

I have seen this approach mentioned in several locations I think, and I'm glad you chimed in here. Had some questions:

1) though I'm leaning for smaller gauge wiring in this application (18 or 16ga), 26AWG seems too small for the amperage.
2) The insulation on this wire seems too thin. Twisted pairs won't rub thru insulation?

Not challenging you- I've just been real curious about the specifics and concept.......

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Hi Kip,

Here is what I find works best, crossover to drivers - and especially with lower powered tube amps:

From the Crossover to the high frequency compression drivers, use a 57 1/8th inch run of M22759/11 16 , ( 16 AWG, so you don't lose the highs ) one run for each polarity, do not twist the two wires.

For the crossover to the Woofer, use TWO runs of 12 AWG for EACH polarity. That would be m22759/11 12 and you can lightly twist the two wires in each polarity, but NOT the two polarities together. Again, use 57 1/8th inch length intervals.

I also find the ALTECs sound best when the press to fit connectors, stock on the drivers, are bypassed completely ( ie - not used ). I solder the 57 1/8th inch long 16 AWG m22759/11 16 directly to the tabs on the diaphragm ( did this just last night to a pair of 802Ds) . Place a clean rag OVER the diaphragm when soldering, to avoid splatters onto the diaphragm. I prefer Wonder Solder. In and out QUICK with a HOT gun.

On the woofer, I also prefer to bypass the crummy press-to-fit connectors, temporarily placing a rag over the backside of the cone when soldering, and solder the two 12 AWG Mil Spec wires DIRECTLY to the inner ALTEC stock terminal, that holds the lead-in wire to the voice coil. Loop each double 12 woofer wire, off the terminals and Double Tie Wrap each double 12 AWG run to the ALTEC woofer 's frame, to avoid TUG damage. Double 12 to each polarity equals about 9 AWG effective.

To my ears, under hard drive, direct soldering and the wiring, precisely as described, sounds nicer - more dynamic, is lower in distortion, than using a stock NON soldered press to-fit-connections and crummy wire. Really, IMHO, no comparison between the two methods, if you seek ultimate ALTEC performance.

Oh, from amp to speaker, I use two 57 1/8th inch lengths ( 114 1/4 inch runs ) of TRIPLE m22759/11 12 . I prefer to keep the two speaker wire polarities separate, no light twisting, they do not even touch each other. If you have a long distance between amp and speakers, the low powered tube amp will under-perform with long speaker wires. In that case, use a long interconnect, and short speaker wire ( eg: a single 57 1/8th inch run - amp to speaker , DOUBLE 12 AWG ).... and have the amps placed right near the speaker.

For anyone who posts that what I propose ( and do !! ) is " unnecessary ", I can GUARANTEE you Kip, they haven't tried it nor heard it, nor will they have the mindset to follow this precisely as was described. I LOVE this wiring, biggest ( wiring ) performance bang for the buck !! No deviations. Wonder Solder. If you execute this, as described, PLEASE share with us all your listening experience and impressions. Have fun, I do.


Low Ohms..... Jeff Medwin

( 825s, 515Bs, 802Ds 400 pounds of mass loading per enclosure, DIY crossover, Type 46 or JJ 2A3-40 DIY Direct-Coupled single-ended tube amps )

PS: For people who may be unaware, 57 1/8 th inches, and multiples and divisors thereof, is a length developed by Audio Engineer Robert W. Fulton, in the 1970s, which he applied to all his wiring.

Fulton Musical Industries - Biography

I really appreciate the detail and specifics of your response. But I'm not ready to commit to this approach because 1) my layperson's instinct is pushing me away from large gauges of wire- especially where the runs could be as low as 3" between posts and X-over- and 12" between X-over and drivers. 2) I wanna see and hear it first and get a better idea of what it's all about. 3) This is a big committment in work and $.

Thinking seriously about going to the show in Denver- also want to see and hear more Altec specific setups. Last time I heard 604's was in the mid seventy's- had some 604E's I bought at Costa Mesa swap meet for $150. Got em re-conned and put them in a smaller ported box based on design I got direct from Altec (then in Anaheim). Had a crappy Proneer receiver and I didn't make the boxes well at all- 3/4" particle board. Really did thumpy Bob Marley bass real good though- thumpy bass was real big in the 70's! Don't know what happened to them! My taste and HiFi system have evolved considerably.....