Helpful Tip - On your wire strippers give them a turn around the wire after you have them clamped down helps cuts the cover and makes stripping the cover off easier.
My addition 2¢ is that once I cut the cover, I back off to the next larger (well, smaller) gauge when pulling the cover off. I feel like I get fewer broken strands that way.
@@alm5693 Good tip. I find once I have the cover loose I pull the cover by hand. Also if I want the wire ends twisted, I can turn the cover as I pull it off doing both at the same time.
Electrical tape eventually starts to unravel and make a gummy mess. I would suggest heat shrink tubing. A hair dryer will probably work to shrink it if you don't want to use a heat gun.
You can also tuck the loose end of the sleeve back inside and use a small cable tie to secure it. I still get a lighter on the end first to melt the strands. Great video though!
Love the show, BTW , I have a suggestion for everyone. There is a product called Stabilant 22A , it improves electrical connections by increasing surface area of a connection without causing connectivity across surfaces. they are used by car makers to reduce the resistance in connectors such as airbag connections . it is used by BMW and others and can help with audio connections as well and i use it on my RCA and speaker wire contacts. you can find youtube videos etc to learn more .
I always used my pocket knife when I was a teen re-wiring things to where they weren't meant to go. Biggest concern is when stripping the ends and clipping off a couple of strands of copper. I actually still keep my pocket knife handy since the wire strippers (the ones I have anyway) don't always quite strip the wire, so just a tiny notch with the knife, and off it comes!
Thanks Randy, I got a roll of duct tape to use to hold the cables off the floor and 12 pairs of banana connectors, 100 feet of wire and a couple of pair of interconnects so I should be good to go. I love this hobby, my wife not so much.
It's best if you don't use any plugs, banana or spades, unless you are doing it for the looks, but for the best connection just bare wire to the speaker and the amp terminals.
Me too no plugs, but I LIGHTLY tin the twisted wire ends with quality solder so they never unravel, been doing it fifty years no issues and great sound (old guy)
I thought Seth Audio would have advertised an RCA cable for 100$, but I then remembered that some cost even more... So, thank you very much for this enlightening video! I've just received a pair of ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0, and I'll "craft" its cables myself. Like in the old days when parents used to sew their loved children's clothes, and it shouldn't cost more than that ;).
Shrink tubing would look and perform WAY better than electrical tape that always unravels and gets gooey and sticky. Ive never had a need for all this, just good quality twelve guage oxygen free copper speaker wire, twist each wire end neatly then LIGHTLY tin each wire end with solder so they dont unravel, worked well for 50 years for me with no issues
Tip: If using the banana plugs that you screw the cable down buy a spare set just for the extra grub screws, they are so small and easy to shear the head without much force. Found out the hard way lol.
Thanks Randy. Good Job. I'd add that some heat shrink with glue inside will put permanent fix on that flex braid. You can shrink it nicely with one of those $20 heat guns from Harbor Freight that you use to remove paint, just keep it moving or it will melt the flex. Don't debate cables, folks. Try it and if it works for you all the better. Cant learn a thing by just chatting about it. Randy, considering your submarine service and your dedication to cheap audio, I've come to think of you as "Deep Cheap".
El-cheapo jacket tip. Buy extra long, flat shoelaces & cut the tips off. Slide the cloth jacket over your wires & viola! You can get 'em with glitter, animal print, neon colors, whatever. Finish off the ends with tape or heat-shrink & you're done! Para-cord works too, just yank out the center strings.
Great Review. The ability to make your cables to the exact length you need is helpful to everyone! And it shouldn't cost as much as off campus housing for your child in college!
Hi Sir thanks for sharing...why are some cables so expensive ? up to $100 per pair, they are not coated with gold either? what to look for in good speaker cable?
Thanks again Randy. Just got the materials from Amazon. Could not figure out what wire to get and Amazon pushed me to a brand that is CCA wire, which I never heard of and made a mistake buying not realizing it wasn’t full copper.
I know this is an older video but just wanted to inform folks that Worlds Best Cables now has a 7 AWG, Ultra-Pure OFC, speaker cable pair that uses Eminence Gold Banana (x2) & Spade (x2) and other termination configurations and it also has carbon tweed jacket. 6 foot pair is priced around $175USD. I picked up a pair of these and think it a very good value.
Spades vs banana clips, anyone? I'll never forget one day when I needed to do some "emergency" sun tanning but I wanted to hear a new album I had just picked up (yes, this was back in a decade that started with an "S"), I didn't have speaker wire that long but my dad had a roll of what I would describe as double sided twist ties (steel, not copper cores, probably in the 24 gauge range) and necessity became the mother of invention! My Dynaco A25s (still have them, by the way) came with me outside tethered to my receiver with these makeshift "speaker cables" and they sounded great. Now we are asked to consider which speaker wires to use much the same as we would consider a treatment for a medical ailment. It's all too much, I tell you, it's too much!! 🤣
You can buy wire, connectors, cable boots, cable covering, EVERTHING for next to nothing and have yourself some decent cables with a couple hours labor.. and it’s fun and you’ll have some “pretty cables”!👍Good video!
I always thought I must be incompetent at this project because I canNOT do it without grunting and sweating. Now I have company! Cheap company, sure, but that’s okay with me 🤗
Instead of using the electrical tape on the sheathing, you can just tuck the sheathing back under itself. If you want to go nuts you can then secure it with a zip tie or a single wrap around the area you tucked the sheathing under.
We hates the Amazon banana plugs. We loves the Parts Express angled locking plugs with dual set screws that you tighten with a hex wrench, and they have a thumbscrew mechanism that locks them into the binding posts. These can also be stacked so work great with Rel subwoofer high level connections.
I just recently made a pair using some found Old School 10awg wire. Thought it was car audio amp power cable, but alas it was labeled speaker wire on the sheet. I needed spade ends on one side and pin ends on the other for my current setup. I will say it was tricky finding proper end connectors that fit 10awg wire as its never advertised properly on amazon products.
I did the same with old original monster cable copper 10 gauge i've had forever and the Mediabridge banana from Amazon. These plugs fit the heavier wire much better than any other I've seen or tried. FWIW
@@Selene_M3 Can you believe Monster is leaving the cable biz? The XP platinum speaker wire & THX certified RCA's are the best "name brand" cables ive ever heard!
Made my cables with scissors and a naked razor blade! (Maybe a little more precision than the knife). They work (the cables...and by implication the razor blade).
Some things I've learned from doing my own that might help you. 1) Set your wire strippers one gauge lower than your wire so for you with 12 gauge wire you'd set it to 10 gauge setting 2) then you can twist it around and it will nearly cut through the cable and you can easily pull it off the end and you don't risk cutting any of the copper strands underneath 3) I prefer the Monoprice Affinity Series banana plugs as they are still fairly cheap but they are a lot easier to use and if you screw up the polarity of the connectors it's an easy fix as the caps are colored not the gold connector part installation is just 2 screws first screw makes contact with the wire and second one holds the wire into the banana plug so it can make contact with the sleeving.
yeah. I was just doing this on the fly. I actually use the automatic wire strippers for my other stuff but I thought it would be funnier to do it the other way...
@@cheapaudioman I did find it amusing haha. Yeah that red handled one I've seen other people use and it looks so much easier since you can specify how long you want it.
@@TylerStout Gah. I didn't know until right now that I need to have an automatic wire stripper. This feels kind of like the moment when I discovered electric erasers (in the days before CAD).
@@cheapaudioman Not funnier, just dumb! If you use good strippers yourself, why make yourself look like a cheapo guy and show crap ones? Doesn't make sense. Those ones you're using are garbage!
Love it ! ... I really do like this bananas I have the same box I ordered the same ones they're so easy to make your own cables.. I went out on a limb and bought the connectors for 2.5 balanced and 3.5 cable connectors from Amazon they have plus minus little tiny screw terminals insert your wire of choice and you're off to the races.
I made these and I’m pretty happy with them. My only mistake was leaving too much jacket on the wire. I should have removed the excess then taped. It’s an easy fix though.
On wire strippers: After cutting the jacket ease off the pressure. Makes it easier to pull the jacket off. If you can afford the wire, you can afford a stripper. On the wire: The wire shown is good stuff. Make sure what you buy is rated in AWG not just the word "gauge" which is not technically defined and sometimes used to sell you under sized wire. If it seems too cheap, it IS too cheap.
It's only when one purchases proper banana plugs one realises just how loose Amazon basic banana plugs really are, in fact after trying to reinsert the Amazon basic banana plugs after experiencing proper tightly fitted banana plugs, it quickly becomes apparent that the amazonbasics banana plugs are now obsolete!
cables do make a difference!! had some cheap speaker wire, for my first dali concept 1 speaker. many years ago, and when i changed to better cables.. the speakers came alive!! ive also found that a proper sub cable, makes a difference to! the sub became alot deeb and tight, it came more alive. so yes cables do make an difference. but i still think its, to some kinda limit to..
its funny i just made up all 5 cables for my 5.2 system almost exactly the same way. If i could give any advise for receivers with spring clip connections please spring for the connectors. i did the bare wire route 12 gauge is a bit too much for the connection points on my onkyo sr 393 . did find a braided cover that came close to my svs subwoofer cables
ha. I never said that cables "can't" make a difference I just think folks should find out for themselves... I'm going to make some of those fancy braded cables too
I make mine from outdoor extension cord. Jacket already included. LOL. It's stupid easy. I usually get black but I hear red and orange add 5 more watts
Very Nice! Now tell us if it makes ANY difference if, say, the front left and right speaker cables are the same length. Meaning if your amp is off to one side so it takes 25' for the right one do you need to make the cable for the left side the same 25' even if the amp is much closer to one side or the other. Thank You
I don’t think so. However I use the same length even if one speaker is a lot closer. I don’t do it for any other reason than knowing which cables I have and to keep things organized.
Randy, did you catch Gene of Audioholics review and test of Audio Quests $5000 battery powered speaker cables? His 10 AWG Blue Jean cables ($50 ish) out performed them! BTW, loved your demo, I've made my own cables that are almost identical to yours accept for the cable jacket. Why would one need the jackets.......for aesthetics?
So if I'm correct it looks like the jacket doesn't actually do anything? I was thinking perhaps it was shielding but really just to make it look pretty?
That look like THHN stranded wire. I have rolls and rolls of #10,#12,#8,#4 and so on all different color sitting around from multiple jobs. I was thinking of buying #10 speaker wire but sincere I have thousands of feet of THHN I wanted to save money by using what I have Can I used THHN wire?
Hey, he forgot the yak butter! Ha ha! The banana may have been for the break you may have to take during the build, LOL! I have been building my own speaker cables for a time now. Audioquest prices were the mother of that invention. I make my cables to look very similar to theirs and the wire is the same anyway. The price they charge is for the fact they buy the cables in bulk and the labor for putting on the terminators and fancy wrapping. Some tips: If you are going to use jacket cover (aka techflex): 1) Make sure you get the right size (circumference) for the cable you are working with. Too small and it won't go on, too big and it will be too loose. 2)Before stripping the cable as mentioned put the techflex on as instructed. The tip is when you are ready to cut it place a piece of electrical tape around the end right where you can cut it leaving a thin strip around the end. This helps with fraying. When stripping the cable turn the stripper a couple of times around, then move to the next size up and pull, cable jacket will come right off and you won't lose half the strands. Cable pants as they are called are a PITA to me, but have a neat look. (I don't use them anymore). Electrical tape vs Heatshrink for finish. I use heatshrink because it doesn't come loose and no adhesive to come up when the tape comes loose and it is a neater look. If using heatshrink make sure you size it to the cable circumference you are using. You want it just a tiny bit bigger then the cable. You don't need a heat gun either (although I have one I use carefully), but don't use a lighter, it is sloppy and can get nasty. A hair blow dryer will be good enough, just takes a bit longer, but won't overheat the cable and such as fast.
Where can I get the good stuff... the good wire? Hook me up! I’m good for it. In all seriousness, what do I need to look for when buying wire. I was told Teflon coated copper but I can’t find a decent or easy source
@@cheapaudioman Hey Randy, here's the thing. I'm not the world expert, but I have education and some experience and personally, I don't buy into all the stuff about cables, (teflon coat, anti-skin, cryogenically frozen, super special copper with radium and spent nuclear fuel and on and on). Much of it is marketing. I'm no engineer, but thinking like one avoids costly mistakes. Example: How can teflon coated wire be an efficient conductor? It would require extra work to strip the teflon coating at the contact points anyway. Everyday speaker cable comes protected and usually sufficiently shielded with the exception of zipcord. Just as with the "cable companies", it is 98% pure marketing, that is what one is paying for. I have tried different interconnects from Kimber, Wire World, Monoprice and the only ones that did not do well were the Kimbers. When it comes to speaker cable, I have heard Monoprice, Wire World, Belden and Audioquest and I could not tell the difference between them except for very subtly between Monoprice and Belden, but one needs a rather revealing system to notice it as it is very subtle. (I drive Paradigm Studio 100 v5 towers off Parasound Halo separates and they are not shy. Happened to be the very speakers used in Parasound's development of the John Curl Halo line due to their extreme balance and dangerously close to neutrality). By the way, Monoprice speaker cable (in-wall version) is not bad cable and I freely use it in my second lesser system. When buying speaker wire all you really need to look for is that it is 99% oxygen free good copper at least and the gauge. Of course, pay attention to length, the longer the more resistance. (Capacitance is not a concern with speaker wire as it is with interconnects, especially phono cables). My preference though is Belden. It is the same thing used by the special cable companies (they just dress it up and slap a huge price on it to pay for the labor and marketing). You can buy it in bulk or cut to length and it is not that expensive. It meets all requirements, it is good grade copper, 99% oxygen free and all that. Here is where I get my stuff: (You can find all this at other places as well) Belden cable I get at Blue Jeans Cable. You can by raw or have them terminate it for you. I prefer to do my own so I can choose the terminators and such. I like Blue Jeans Cable because of their straight shooting attitude as well. I get my Techflex and heat shrink at Wirecare.com for now. (I found them to be priced best and have all sizes so far. If there is a better place I hope I find out about it). Terminators: Anyone's call. I like a few brands out there, available all over the place. Tools: Also anyone's call. I'm sure I got some at Amazon and some at Harbor Freight.
I couldn't help but notice the contempt you showed for the very idea of braided cables. Which is cool. I don't have to agree with you learn something. But the best sounding cables (to my ears), I ever heard I made myself, out of 24 gauge telephone wire. I took 9 fifteen-foot lengths and braided them together three at a time. Then I braided the three, three wire lengths into one final cable. I did this twice. Not attractive in the slightest. But the result couldn't have been better if Harry Potter had waved his wand and shouted "Cablelus sin equalas." It took all morning, but I spent the rest of the day in my recliner, while Hermione washed my aural roots with Dr. Bronner's magical audio soap. I'd do the same with my current Logitech's Z623's, if it was possible, the bastards. Of course, it could all have been a colosal wast of time... But having fun is what's it's all about, right?
Good video cheapaudio man & like the metallica themed cup ;-) I`d like to help you out regarding the evaluation of the cable`s quality : Firstly fear no more how to evaluate it, there are some measurable el. charactersistics that have an direct impact on the output quaity of the sound (resistance, inductance, capacitance) and also there has been scientifically proven how the brain is easily influenced by other senses when comparing cheap/no brand audio gear vs expensive/branded audio gear. And as far as I know no-one has proven yet the otherwise even though there is a gauntlet on the floor.
Household twin and earth came 4th in a 20 cable blind listening shootout held by Hi Fi Choice back in the eighties, an article that has never been repeated, nor digitised, and has basically been buried under a huge rock
Brother your humor along with your expertise is an awesome combo. I’m new to the vinyl record world, or more like returning from an absence in the 80s. I’m trying to figure out a decent cable for what’s coming in the mail. Your advice would be appreciated like my first morning cup of coffee. Fluance RT85N Q 3030i speakers Ifi Zen PreAmp Yamaha TSR700 What am I missing brother. Send me back to store. God bless and Semper Fi.
You a marine, brother? Is the zen the DAC/headphone amp? If so you’re not missing much. An external phono preamp may bring out a lot more clarity. If that’s what you have I’d look at an external DAC. Geshelli labs J2 is great. Schiit modi is also great. Sabaj a20d is also a great choice
Possibly a very dumb question but when buying cables how do I spot the difference in quality? Is it just gauge sizes? Are there particular materials to look out for?
The thicker the gauge (which is measured in awg) the least resistance. The lower the number, the thicker gauge. 12 to 14 awg is probably the optimal size. If the cables are going to be of length, say for surround or height speakers, then I would recommend shielded cables, otherwise once the novelty wears off one will probably be wondering what's that faint background signal noise (noise floor)
I loved it when you kept on pulling out tools. 😂
Lol
He missed a hacksaw 😄
Banane...
Mad Max 😂
There should've been MacGyver music playing :)
Helpful Tip - On your wire strippers give them a turn around the wire after you have them clamped down helps cuts the cover and makes stripping the cover off easier.
Randy almost pulled a muscle stripping those wires.
My addition 2¢ is that once I cut the cover, I back off to the next larger (well, smaller) gauge when pulling the cover off. I feel like I get fewer broken strands that way.
@@alm5693 Good tip. I find once I have the cover loose I pull the cover by hand. Also if I want the wire ends twisted, I can turn the cover as I pull it off doing both at the same time.
Where’s the fun in that???
@@SalvadorFrieri True! Save money on the gym membership and just build more speaker wires.
When you twist the wire the positive should be clockwise and the negative counter-clockwise. The electrons will thank you.
Wouldn’t you have to travel to the Southern Hemisphere to be able to twist it counter-clockwise?
@@SalvadorFrieri be water my friend. Bruce Lee
@@khoi83 Be the electron...
very good!
@@khoi83nicely said. Nothing helps my electronics more than the Tao of JKD. 😁👍
Electrical tape eventually starts to unravel and make a gummy mess. I would suggest heat shrink tubing. A hair dryer will probably work to shrink it if you don't want to use a heat gun.
I can confirm a hairdryer works fine.
And I can confirm that the tape after a few years makes a gummy mess, even Scotch 33+.
what if u just keep adding another layer of tape every year lol. to cover the gunk
You can also tuck the loose end of the sleeve back inside and use a small cable tie to secure it. I still get a lighter on the end first to melt the strands. Great video though!
It's safe to know the Cheap Audio Man always carries a knie to protect you and me from the harm of too high prices.
Looks like a Kershaw Cryo. Good budget knife.
the way he puts it out and plant it on the table like nobody's business, I spat my coffee
So I see you didn't need the banana, just the banana clips. This DIY is pure gold. Thanks Randy!
What's a banana clip?
Thanks for showing what it’s really like to strip a wire. I saw all the other videos making it look easy and thought I was doing something wrong.
Love the show, BTW , I have a suggestion for everyone. There is a product called Stabilant 22A , it improves electrical connections by increasing surface area of a connection without causing connectivity across surfaces. they are used by car makers to reduce the resistance in connectors such as airbag connections . it is used by BMW and others and can help with audio connections as well and i use it on my RCA and speaker wire contacts. you can find youtube videos etc to learn more .
Thanks bro.
I always used my pocket knife when I was a teen re-wiring things to where they weren't meant to go. Biggest concern is when stripping the ends and clipping off a couple of strands of copper. I actually still keep my pocket knife handy since the wire strippers (the ones I have anyway) don't always quite strip the wire, so just a tiny notch with the knife, and off it comes!
Thanks Randy, I got a roll of duct tape to use to hold the cables off the floor and 12 pairs of banana connectors, 100 feet of wire and a couple of pair of interconnects so I should be good to go. I love this hobby, my wife not so much.
You don't love your wife, Tony?
@@jolkraeremeark6949 😂😂
This is the funniest, yet most professional audo channel I've ever seen. Timestamp 4.55 is definitely a highlight...
Amen Brother, I've been using 12 Gauge OFC Cables (OFC) for 40+ Years with no issues.
It's best if you don't use any plugs, banana or spades, unless you are doing it for the looks, but for the best connection just bare wire to the speaker and the amp terminals.
Yup, and give them a trim every so often when you move things around. Maybe every couple of years?
Well, technically it's best to skip the whole analog crossover, wire directly to the drivers and use a digital active crossover.
Me too no plugs, but I LIGHTLY tin the twisted wire ends with quality solder so they never unravel, been doing it fifty years no issues and great sound (old guy)
Waiting for cheap audioman, the feature length film. can't get enough of this channel
I thought Seth Audio would have advertised an RCA cable for 100$, but I then remembered that some cost even more... So, thank you very much for this enlightening video! I've just received a pair of ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0, and I'll "craft" its cables myself. Like in the old days when parents used to sew their loved children's clothes, and it shouldn't cost more than that ;).
Shrink tubing would look and perform WAY better than electrical tape that always unravels and gets gooey and sticky. Ive never had a need for all this, just good quality twelve guage oxygen free copper speaker wire, twist each wire end neatly then LIGHTLY tin each wire end with solder so they dont unravel, worked well for 50 years for me with no issues
Good video, Randy. I use 10 gauge wire myself; it was huge improvement over some Monster Cable crap I was using.......................
Hi Randy,you are fabulous!!!stay safe ,pal.Greetings from Athens, Greece .
Spent the evening watching Severence and building cables. Great fun and thanks for the links!
Tip: If using the banana plugs that you screw the cable down buy a spare set just for the extra grub screws, they are so small and easy to shear the head without much force. Found out the hard way lol.
Thanks Randy. Good Job. I'd add that some heat shrink with glue inside will put permanent fix on that flex braid. You can shrink it nicely with one of those $20 heat guns from Harbor Freight that you use to remove paint, just keep it moving or it will melt the flex.
Don't debate cables, folks. Try it and if it works for you all the better. Cant learn a thing by just chatting about it.
Randy, considering your submarine service and your dedication to cheap audio, I've come to think of you as "Deep Cheap".
ha. nice.
El-cheapo jacket tip. Buy extra long, flat shoelaces & cut the tips off. Slide the cloth jacket over your wires & viola! You can get 'em with glitter, animal print, neon colors, whatever. Finish off the ends with tape or heat-shrink & you're done! Para-cord works too, just yank out the center strings.
Great Review. The ability to make your cables to the exact length you need is helpful to everyone! And it shouldn't cost as much as off campus housing for your child in college!
Hi Sir thanks for sharing...why are some cables so expensive ? up to $100 per pair, they are not coated with gold either? what to look for in good speaker cable?
My favorite is the salsa jar with screws. Everyone should have one of those.
Thanks again Randy. Just got the materials from Amazon. Could not figure out what wire to get and Amazon pushed me to a brand that is CCA wire, which I never heard of and made a mistake buying not realizing it wasn’t full copper.
CCA is the work of the devil.
I know this is an older video but just wanted to inform folks that Worlds Best Cables now has a 7 AWG, Ultra-Pure OFC, speaker cable pair that uses Eminence Gold Banana (x2) & Spade (x2) and other termination configurations and it also has carbon tweed jacket. 6 foot pair is priced around $175USD. I picked up a pair of these and think it a very good value.
Good information delivered in a super obnoxious manner. Thanks.
Spades vs banana clips, anyone?
I'll never forget one day when I needed to do some "emergency" sun tanning but I wanted to hear a new album I had just picked up (yes, this was back in a decade that started with an "S"), I didn't have speaker wire that long but my dad had a roll of what I would describe as double sided twist ties (steel, not copper cores, probably in the 24 gauge range) and necessity became the mother of invention! My Dynaco A25s (still have them, by the way) came with me outside tethered to my receiver with these makeshift "speaker cables" and they sounded great. Now we are asked to consider which speaker wires to use much the same as we would consider a treatment for a medical ailment. It's all too much, I tell you, it's too much!! 🤣
I was about to not even watch video if that much material and effort required. Very funny 😊
You can buy wire, connectors, cable boots, cable covering, EVERTHING for next to nothing and have yourself some decent cables with a couple hours labor.. and it’s fun and you’ll have some “pretty cables”!👍Good video!
The what you need gag was great
I always thought I must be incompetent at this project because I canNOT do it without grunting and sweating. Now I have company! Cheap company, sure, but that’s okay with me 🤗
Instead of using the electrical tape on the sheathing, you can just tuck the sheathing back under itself. If you want to go nuts you can then secure it with a zip tie or a single wrap around the area you tucked the sheathing under.
awesome tips.
going tot ry this today. sounds interesting
So cool. Can't wait to put the nieces and nephew to work for this holiday season.
But now I want to see the maxed out version of speaker cables that do include the banana, wood glue, and LEDs
The LEDs make your system sound a little brighter!
Thanks for this great DIY vid! Wire was part of the prime day sale so picked up 100ft.
Randy is getting into the DYI videos :)
If you twist the cutters a full turn in both directions before trying to pull the insulation off, it will slide off much easier.
We hates the Amazon banana plugs. We loves the Parts Express angled locking plugs with dual set screws that you tighten with a hex wrench, and they have a thumbscrew mechanism that locks them into the binding posts. These can also be stacked so work great with Rel subwoofer high level connections.
That sounds like a lot of steps to get the wire into the clip. Just kidding. I’ll check them out
@@cheapaudioman If you don’t mind having one banana plug violating another when using high level connections, it works quite well....
This is my new favorite AffordableAudioRandy™ video by a COUNTRY MILE.
Seems like a few of the commenters didn't get the wire stripping joke - lol. Good work as usual.
That was a fun video to make
Finally, with your help, I went to the 1st floor workshop and made a whole mess of speaker cables. I feel complete. Now what?
Plug'em in and enjoy the music
I just recently made a pair using some found Old School 10awg wire. Thought it was car audio amp power cable, but alas it was labeled speaker wire on the sheet. I needed spade ends on one side and pin ends on the other for my current setup. I will say it was tricky finding proper end connectors that fit 10awg wire as its never advertised properly on amazon products.
I did the same with old original monster cable copper 10 gauge i've had forever and the Mediabridge banana from Amazon. These plugs fit the heavier wire much better than any other I've seen or tried. FWIW
@@Selene_M3 Can you believe Monster is leaving the cable biz? The XP platinum speaker wire & THX certified RCA's are the best "name brand" cables ive ever heard!
@@AllboroLCD I had not heard that! That is news.
Made my cables with scissors and a naked razor blade! (Maybe a little more precision than the knife). They work (the cables...and by implication the razor blade).
Some things I've learned from doing my own that might help you. 1) Set your wire strippers one gauge lower than your wire so for you with 12 gauge wire you'd set it to 10 gauge setting 2) then you can twist it around and it will nearly cut through the cable and you can easily pull it off the end and you don't risk cutting any of the copper strands underneath 3) I prefer the Monoprice Affinity Series banana plugs as they are still fairly cheap but they are a lot easier to use and if you screw up the polarity of the connectors it's an easy fix as the caps are colored not the gold connector part installation is just 2 screws first screw makes contact with the wire and second one holds the wire into the banana plug so it can make contact with the sleeving.
yeah. I was just doing this on the fly. I actually use the automatic wire strippers for my other stuff but I thought it would be funnier to do it the other way...
@@cheapaudioman I did find it amusing haha. Yeah that red handled one I've seen other people use and it looks so much easier since you can specify how long you want it.
@@TylerStout Gah. I didn't know until right now that I need to have an automatic wire stripper. This feels kind of like the moment when I discovered electric erasers (in the days before CAD).
One trip to Amazon and now my UA-cam recommendations are filled with videos about wire stripper shootouts: Search for the best wire stripper.
@@cheapaudioman Not funnier, just dumb! If you use good strippers yourself, why make yourself look like a cheapo guy and show crap ones? Doesn't make sense. Those ones you're using are garbage!
Man you taped the crap out of that cable! It will survive the apocalypse!
I use 10' hockey skate laces to wrap my cables for a softer feel
Be careful not to get them wet though, or your system will sound too soft and mushy
Randy, my hero.
Randy you are the best. Really funny! 😂😂🤣
Great vid Randy, funny got an ad at the end for snake river audio - thought it was part of your bit!
Love it ! ... I really do like this bananas I have the same box I ordered the same ones they're so easy to make your own cables.. I went out on a limb and bought the connectors for 2.5 balanced and 3.5 cable connectors from Amazon they have plus minus little tiny screw terminals insert your wire of choice and you're off to the races.
I made these and I’m pretty happy with them. My only mistake was leaving too much jacket on the wire. I should have removed the excess then taped. It’s an easy fix though.
I need to make some more
Patiently waiting for the drill bit review.
I used old fashioned phone cords already doubled insulated and it's solid copper rather than stranded copper.
LOL this is the funniest video you ever done. The banana was epic :D
Love your natural comedy. Never comes off as forced.
Love it this is exactly how I would be making one of these videos
Wow, so few tools and stuff needed to build speaker cables. I'm doin' this!
On wire strippers: After cutting the jacket ease off the pressure. Makes it easier to pull the jacket off. If you can afford the wire, you can afford a stripper.
On the wire: The wire shown is good stuff. Make sure what you buy is rated in AWG not just the word "gauge" which is not technically defined and sometimes used to sell you under sized wire. If it seems too cheap, it IS too cheap.
Very cool. Looking forward to making some cable. I was gifted a Kenwood receiver and some KEF speakers.
Rotate the wire strippers on the cable and it will cut the circumference of the sheath and make stripping easier
Great video. The springs on those Amazon plugs get real loose really fast in my experience though.
It's only when one purchases proper banana plugs one realises just how loose Amazon basic banana plugs really are, in fact after trying to reinsert the Amazon basic banana plugs after experiencing proper tightly fitted banana plugs, it quickly becomes apparent that the amazonbasics banana plugs are now obsolete!
cables do make a difference!! had some cheap speaker wire, for my first dali concept 1 speaker. many years ago, and when i changed to better cables.. the speakers came alive!! ive also found that a proper sub cable, makes a difference to! the sub became alot deeb and tight, it came more alive. so yes cables do make an difference. but i still think its, to some kinda limit to..
Great video, gonna make some speaker cables. Where exactly am I clipping the banana to.
I love him, he can be on SNL ..easily
They have yet to call
2:00 Christ! I'll just order from Blue Jeans. They have the knowledge and the power!
You are so awesome and funny and amazing tutorial❤❤
Thx for posting! Why do you use the wire jacket?
That was beautiful.
its funny i just made up all 5 cables for my 5.2 system almost exactly the same way. If i could give any advise for receivers with spring clip connections please spring for the connectors. i did the bare wire route 12 gauge is a bit too much for the connection points on my onkyo sr 393 . did find a braided cover that came close to my svs subwoofer cables
Thanks man, great video
After watching this video;
Audioquest: Left the chat.
Audiophiles: Unsubscribed.
ha. I never said that cables "can't" make a difference I just think folks should find out for themselves... I'm going to make some of those fancy braded cables too
@@cheapaudioman but people who loves music and this hobby will continue watching.. it's so entertaining 💕
With my kid's scissors... 🤣🤣🤣
Love your video’s, You’re realistic! 🙏🏼🙏🏼👍🏻
I make mine from outdoor extension cord. Jacket already included. LOL. It's stupid easy. I usually get black but I hear red and orange add 5 more watts
I was wondering what speaker cables do you use for your own equipment? thank you for awesome videos!
1:58 that pile scared me, I almost gave up😵
Very Nice! Now tell us if it makes ANY difference if, say, the front left and right speaker cables are the same length. Meaning if your amp is off to one side so it takes 25' for the right one do you need to make the cable for the left side the same 25' even if the amp is much closer to one side or the other. Thank You
I don’t think so. However I use the same length even if one speaker is a lot closer. I don’t do it for any other reason than knowing which cables I have and to keep things organized.
Randy, did you catch Gene of Audioholics review and test of Audio Quests $5000 battery powered speaker cables? His 10 AWG Blue Jean cables ($50 ish) out performed them! BTW, loved your demo, I've made my own cables that are almost identical to yours accept for the cable jacket. Why would one need the jackets.......for aesthetics?
Saw another UA-camr measure those cables and he found the cause much more noise than the cheap cables.
The jackets (AKA cable pants) are for aesthetics. So is heat shrink.
Audio Science Review.
So if I'm correct it looks like the jacket doesn't actually do anything? I was thinking perhaps it was shielding but really just to make it look pretty?
As Wylie Coyote would say: Genius! Sheer unadulterated, GENIUS!!!!
I pulled a Hammy running with the Scissors.
Awesome! 👌 😆
That look like THHN stranded wire.
I have rolls and rolls of #10,#12,#8,#4 and so on all different color sitting around from multiple jobs.
I was thinking of buying #10 speaker wire but sincere I have thousands of feet of THHN I wanted to save money by using what I have
Can I used THHN wire?
Great video! Hilarious and awesome. Thanks Randy!
Hey, he forgot the yak butter! Ha ha! The banana may have been for the break you may have to take during the build, LOL! I have been building my own speaker cables for a time now. Audioquest prices were the mother of that invention. I make my cables to look very similar to theirs and the wire is the same anyway. The price they charge is for the fact they buy the cables in bulk and the labor for putting on the terminators and fancy wrapping.
Some tips:
If you are going to use jacket cover (aka techflex): 1) Make sure you get the right size (circumference) for the cable you are working with. Too small and it won't go on, too big and it will be too loose. 2)Before stripping the cable as mentioned put the techflex on as instructed. The tip is when you are ready to cut it place a piece of electrical tape around the end right where you can cut it leaving a thin strip around the end. This helps with fraying.
When stripping the cable turn the stripper a couple of times around, then move to the next size up and pull, cable jacket will come right off and you won't lose half the strands.
Cable pants as they are called are a PITA to me, but have a neat look. (I don't use them anymore).
Electrical tape vs Heatshrink for finish. I use heatshrink because it doesn't come loose and no adhesive to come up when the tape comes loose and it is a neater look. If using heatshrink make sure you size it to the cable circumference you are using. You want it just a tiny bit bigger then the cable. You don't need a heat gun either (although I have one I use carefully), but don't use a lighter, it is sloppy and can get nasty. A hair blow dryer will be good enough, just takes a bit longer, but won't overheat the cable and such as fast.
Where can I get the good stuff... the good wire? Hook me up! I’m good for it. In all seriousness, what do I need to look for when buying wire. I was told Teflon coated copper but I can’t find a decent or easy source
@@cheapaudioman Hey Randy, here's the thing. I'm not the world expert, but I have education and some experience and personally, I don't buy into all the stuff about cables, (teflon coat, anti-skin, cryogenically frozen, super special copper with radium and spent nuclear fuel and on and on). Much of it is marketing. I'm no engineer, but thinking like one avoids costly mistakes. Example: How can teflon coated wire be an efficient conductor? It would require extra work to strip the teflon coating at the contact points anyway. Everyday speaker cable comes protected and usually sufficiently shielded with the exception of zipcord. Just as with the "cable companies", it is 98% pure marketing, that is what one is paying for. I have tried different interconnects from Kimber, Wire World, Monoprice and the only ones that did not do well were the Kimbers.
When it comes to speaker cable, I have heard Monoprice, Wire World, Belden and Audioquest and I could not tell the difference between them except for very subtly between Monoprice and Belden, but one needs a rather revealing system to notice it as it is very subtle. (I drive Paradigm Studio 100 v5 towers off Parasound Halo separates and they are not shy. Happened to be the very speakers used in Parasound's development of the John Curl Halo line due to their extreme balance and dangerously close to neutrality).
By the way, Monoprice speaker cable (in-wall version) is not bad cable and I freely use it in my second lesser system.
When buying speaker wire all you really need to look for is that it is 99% oxygen free good copper at least and the gauge. Of course, pay attention to length, the longer the more resistance. (Capacitance is not a concern with speaker wire as it is with interconnects, especially phono cables).
My preference though is Belden. It is the same thing used by the special cable companies (they just dress it up and slap a huge price on it to pay for the labor and marketing). You can buy it in bulk or cut to length and it is not that expensive. It meets all requirements, it is good grade copper, 99% oxygen free and all that.
Here is where I get my stuff: (You can find all this at other places as well)
Belden cable I get at Blue Jeans Cable. You can by raw or have them terminate it for you. I prefer to do my own so I can choose the terminators and such. I like Blue Jeans Cable because of their straight shooting attitude as well.
I get my Techflex and heat shrink at Wirecare.com for now. (I found them to be priced best and have all sizes so far. If there is a better place I hope I find out about it).
Terminators: Anyone's call. I like a few brands out there, available all over the place.
Tools: Also anyone's call. I'm sure I got some at Amazon and some at Harbor Freight.
@@ericelliott227 do you know the size of the tech flex needed for the monoprice cable that you mentioned? Thanks for your time!
Great video Randy! Why don't you do a video about Audio Racks and or shelves....
I couldn't help but notice the contempt you showed for the very idea of braided cables. Which is cool. I don't have to agree with you learn something. But the best sounding cables (to my ears), I ever heard I made myself, out of 24 gauge telephone wire. I took 9 fifteen-foot lengths and braided them together three at a time. Then I braided the three, three wire lengths into one final cable. I did this twice. Not attractive in the slightest. But the result couldn't have been better if Harry Potter had waved his wand and shouted "Cablelus sin equalas." It took all morning, but I spent the rest of the day in my recliner, while Hermione washed my aural roots with Dr. Bronner's magical audio soap.
I'd do the same with my current Logitech's Z623's, if it was possible, the bastards.
Of course, it could all
have been a colosal wast of time...
But having fun is what's it's all about, right?
What's the point of the cable jacket? Looks?
In this case, yes
Good video cheapaudio man & like the metallica themed cup ;-) I`d like to help you out regarding the evaluation of the cable`s quality : Firstly fear no more how to evaluate it, there are some measurable el. charactersistics that have an direct impact on the output quaity of the sound (resistance, inductance, capacitance) and also there has been scientifically proven how the brain is easily influenced by other senses when comparing cheap/no brand audio gear vs expensive/branded audio gear. And as far as I know no-one has proven yet the otherwise even though there is a gauntlet on the floor.
The beginning was so funny 😂.... next time included "a master's degree in mathematics"🤣
funny i used those same banana plugs. I have found that over the years the rubber gets gummy. As a result I moved to completely metal plugs.
Yes, i dont think after 3 years that he keep using this type of cables. Nice diy for cheap cables but more expensive ones really make the difference.
So much for the kitchen table.
Adds character
Yeah, but how long do these cables take to burn in?!?!?!?! (Snark font)
Household twin and earth came 4th in a 20 cable blind listening shootout held by Hi Fi Choice back in the eighties, an article that has never been repeated, nor digitised, and has basically been buried under a huge rock
You are a funny cat!!!
Peak CAM. 😊
For buying wire jacket that is compatible with 12 ga wire, is 1/4" the size jacket you need or do you need 1/2" jacket? Thanks
Have you determined yet the size needed?
Brother your humor along with your expertise is an awesome combo. I’m new to the vinyl record world, or more like returning from an absence in the 80s. I’m trying to figure out a decent cable for what’s coming in the mail. Your advice would be appreciated like my first morning cup of coffee.
Fluance RT85N
Q 3030i speakers
Ifi Zen PreAmp
Yamaha TSR700
What am I missing brother. Send me back to store. God bless and Semper Fi.
You a marine, brother? Is the zen the DAC/headphone amp? If so you’re not missing much. An external phono preamp may bring out a lot more clarity. If that’s what you have I’d look at an external DAC. Geshelli labs J2 is great. Schiit modi is also great. Sabaj a20d is also a great choice
Possibly a very dumb question but when buying cables how do I spot the difference in quality? Is it just gauge sizes? Are there particular materials to look out for?
The thicker the gauge (which is measured in awg) the least resistance. The lower the number, the thicker gauge. 12 to 14 awg is probably the optimal size. If the cables are going to be of length, say for surround or height speakers, then I would recommend shielded cables, otherwise once the novelty wears off one will probably be wondering what's that faint background signal noise (noise floor)