Easy Speaker Cables from stock coaxial cables

There are several stock coaxial cables that have a decent combination of materials that would
enable them to be used for speaker cables, and perform better than PVC based zip cords. They
would not be in the same category of performance as Cross-Connected 89259 or braided teflon
CAT5, but somewhere in between those and the large zip cords in terms of sonic performance.
Since they would not require any braiding or work other than terminations, they represent an easier
route to better than zip cord performance. Even there, if you had length to burn over time, they could
be terminated in the bare copper, and periodically cut-off when tarnished.

There is one problem from an EMF standpoint with these types of constructions, and that is even
though they tend to have a decently low inductance due to the coaxial construction, the larger center
conductors will still be prone to the skin effect, and some smearing of the sound will occur. In order
to use these as is, without taking them apart or reassembling them in a more effective geometry,
the center wire must come close to balancing the outer braid DCR, so as to not be too unbalanced
electrically, or waste copper.

BTW, due to the PVC jackets, and the larger center wire, these are NOT recommended for
Cross-Connection ala my 89259 recipe, the PVC dielectric will become a part of the insulator
system, and degrade the sound. Cross-Connection works so well on the 89259 due to the smaller
center wire (22 gauge), and the teflon jacket used on the 89259, a combination not found
elsewhere.

The first choice is :
Belden 8213, Foamed PE, 14 gauge solid bare copper wire, and bare copper braid, Alpha Wire
#9847, approx. 56 cents a foot. The smaller center wire has less smearing, so these will sound
slightly better coaxes with larger center wires. This is the only one of this group that I have formally
listened to, some of the others were auditioned informally.

Belden 8214, Foamed PE, 11 gauge solid bare copper wire, and bare copper braid,
approx. 70 cents a foot.

Belden 8237, Solid PE, 13 gauge stranded bare copper wire, and bare copper braid, Alpha Wire
#9008, approx. 55 cents a foot.

Belden 9251, Solid PE, 13 gauge stranded bare copper wire, and bare copper braid, approx. 72
cents a foot.

Belden 8267, Solid PE, 13 gauge stranded bare copper wire, and bare copper braid, approx. 76
cents a foot.

Triaxial cables can be used IF connected with the center and outermost braid as one polarity, and
the middle braid as the other. These will be more unbalanced electrically, with unequal DCR's,
however, the inductance will be lower than the coaxial types, and the capacitance commensurately
higher.

Belden 9888 triaxial cable, which does have a PE jacket, and Belden 8233, which also has a PE jacket,
with a 14 gauge solid bare copper center wire, and bare copper braid.

These are unusual types of coaxial cables, and may or may not be readily available. The ones I
have a cost for, are available from Newark, but only in 500 foot spools, which is the case with all of
these part numbers, minimum spool size is 500 feet.

So if you can get any of these coaxes without a special order, at a reasonable price, then you may
want to try them out as an easy alternative to PVC based zip cords. However, if you have to order
them, you would really be better off getting the good stuff, 89259, and making the CC version of the
speaker cable, and the leftovers will make excellent IC's, hookup wires, etc.

HOOK-UP
These are so simple to terminate.

The center wire is the Hot or Positive, and the outer braid is Ground or Negative.  This is the case at both ends, and so each coaxial cable is one channel of a speaker cable.

See other sections for recommendations on termination.

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