Home Live Stream multitest – the best speaker cable up to 200 euros

Live Stream multitest – the best speaker cable up to 200 euros

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Price: € 200

The Test

Contents

Standard ‘lamp cord’

Let’s start with standard ‘lamp wire’. Blue/brown ‘wallmart’ wire in this case. One euro per meter. So at 2 x 3 meters we’re talking about six euros; we didn’t make any mods.

Quite frankly, we expected worse. Is it very good? No, of course not. But strikingly enough it doesn’t do much wrong either. It’s a bit stiff and it certainly lacks some detail. But it’s ‘tasty’ somehow. Adele, for example, doesn’t sound very sharp or intrusive. But if we are critical; the whole thing is a bit flat and lifeless. Layers are not so easy to distinguish, which makes the whole less exciting. And it’s a bit flatter when it comes to imaging. But anyway: for six euros in total this is certainly not a setback.

We’ve now set the baseline. On to the next one.

Art Speak Solid Core Silver

We did this Art Speak Solid Core Silver speaker cable last in the livestream. The reason is that this is the other ‘extreme’ in this test. Is the lamp wire only one euro per meter, this silver cable is 50 euro per meter (complete with plugs).

But with 2 x 2 meters you still get a reasonable price that still fits within this test. :-). Is it ‘cheating’? A little bit… apologies. But as said: the Art Speak cable is a silver cable with three solid silver wires. The cable is shielded and offers no further frills. So nice and straight forward.

The Art Speak Solid Core Silver is a very friendly and complete sounding cable. The picture simply ‘fits’. Calmness, definition, imaging, flow and resolution. Certain cables – think of the Supra – will put a little more focus on detail, but this Art Speak just sounds complete and balanced. A very nice cable in our system.

By the way, no cable for junkies of super open high and sparkling vocals. Because the Art Speak doesn’t ‘enrich’ on anything. It does give the necessary ‘chest’ and balance. Ideal for vocal work, acoustic work and intimate music. But well: of course it plays everything…

Audioquest SLP 14/4

Audioquest is one of the largest cable manufacturers in the audio world. They really make almost anything. From hdmi to in-wall speaker cable. And also various accessories. Think usb-dacs, power filters and connectors.

The Audioquest SLP 14/4 is in fact the first step to a decent speaker cable. The step from the lamp wire to this Audioquest SLP 14/4 (which is in fact installation cable) is immediately audible. Tighter and deeper low-end, more definition in the middle area and more air. In short: it offers for 8 euros per meter a directly audible result. And for those who just don’t feel like investing heavily in cable, this is a sensible buy. Just a pure copper cable without frills. There is enough to say for that.

The Audioquest loudspeaker cable can be compared to the best participants in this test field. It is somewhat spicy in the middle and higher spectrum. That’s given the price no shame at all: it also makes quite a difference if we calculate about six meters. But if you want to tame a ‘snappy system’, you’d better choose a different cable. On the other hand: if you’re looking for more openness and energy, this is a good choice.

Duelund DCA 16GA

A special speaker cable. Tinned copper in a cotton mantle. You don’t see that very often. And we can’t really imagine the sound… …if that’s even possible with cables.

To be honest, we didn’t know Duelund at all. It is a Danish company that has taken the special Western Electric cable back into production: the DCA 16GA. This because it was ‘rediscovered’ a while ago and therefore not only became very expensive, it was also simply unavailable within a short period of time. With all the consequences – copy cables – of that.

We borrowed the Duelund DCA 16GA – 2 x 3 meters: 210 euros total with plugs – via Audiotweaks for this test and understand that this cable is so highly praised. The sound is very fast and open. Now this might sound very strange, but it sounds like a good horn speaker. The timing, speed and openness is striking with this Duelund.

In the low end we don’t hear the power and power in the lower octaves, like in the Purecable or Art Speak – or the tautness of the Audioquest – but that may be due to the short burn in time. Maybe that comes with a bit more playing hours. In any case, it’s a cable that has made an impression. Especially considering the price: 10 euros per meter (double that, because you need two strings per speaker!).

Purecable SP#79SV

Purecable is a Dutch company. The cables stand out because of, among other things, the purple colour. That’s fine with your editor, because apart from red, purple is a favourite colour. But anyway: a colour doesn’t make a cable sing. That does the geometry, choice of material, editing, etcetera.

The name Purecable is partly due to the processing of the copper. It is incredibly pure. In addition, nanoparticles of silver and gold are added (in an oily substance). This should significantly improve the performance of the cables. We have seen this before. Siltech also does it in a slightly different way. An additional advantage is that the oil used as a binding agent prevents oxidation.

The Purecable loudspeaker cable we are testing is the entry-level cable. However, it leaves a positive impression! With about 20 euros per meter without plugs – equal to the Duelund – it stands in the middle of the field. We hear a nice spatial image – in depth, as well as height and width – with a wonderful bass. It feels a bit more coherent than the Audioquest. Partly because of the somewhat friendlier mids and highs. It plays slightly ‘colder’ in the middle layer than the Art Speak. In short: an excellent all-rounder, that will feel at home in many systems.

QED XT40i

We’ve tested cables from QED before. And with great success. The XT25 and XT40 are good cables. The XT40i is the successor of the XT40. The XT40i costs about 15 euros per meter. For 2 x 3 meters, (with the fabulous Airlock plugs) you will pay 179 euro.

A few changes have been made to the XT40. The shielding has been changed and the wires are a bit further apart. That should improve openness and speed. We got the QED just like the Duelund, new. The QED has played for about a week for this test. In our opinion, that should be enough to get a good idea.

The QED includes a lot of detail and a tight and punchy bass (but less deep). The high feels a bit ‘detached’ from the mids. The whole does feel very fast and open, but it seems too focused on detail and the highs do seems to be detached from the mids and bass. That gives some restlessness and creates a distraction. Certainly in comparison with a Purecable or Art Speak, for example, the QED brings less balance and refinement. In short: it is not such a good match with our system.

Supra Ply 3.4

From the Swedish Supra we got the Supra Ply 3.4. With 13.50 per meter a relative entry-level cable in the range of the Swedish manufacturer (who also makes medical cables). 3.4 stands for the two 3.4mm2 copper wires. There is also an S-version that adds shielding.

In the Live Stream we tested the Ply 3.4 speaker cable after the Audioquest. The third cable in the test. This resulted in an impressive ‘wow effect’. Partly because the Supra is so different from the Audioquest. The Supra goes a significant step further in terms of energy and openness. That makes an impression.

Now the Supra can be a touch fresh on a very open system. But the fact is: it is not overly bright or annoying and the Ply 3.4 also gives a lot of extra depth and width.

Another thing that stands out is the rhythmic feel of the cable. This is clearly audible in Little Fuge by Jaques Loussier. The timing and precision is striking when we connect the Supra. So it really is a cable that offers energy, punch and openness.

Listen to the cables! Live Stream – Speaker cables – 200 euros per pair

Conclusion

It was a very interesting test. Now we can point out a winner, but we don't think that makes much sense. You can listen yourself via the stream. And thus determine yourself which cable you like best. And which cable might fit best in your system. Each cable has its strength and its 'weakness'. Or its strong and less strong points. Art Speak is silky smooth and complete. The Supra delivers loads of energy and is rhythmically strong. The Audioquest is a strong 'bang for the buck' solution. Purecable is well balanced and will fit in many systems. Duelund is super fast and airy. And the QED XT40i focuses on detailing. It's what you're looking for. And what fits your system.

Winkels met Audioquest

Sint-Antoniusstraat 15
2300 Turnhout, BE
Joseph Bensstraat 21
1180 Ukkel, BE
Pleinweg 136
3083 EP Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, NL
Hooikade 13
2627 Delft, Zuid Holland, NL
Bredabaan 1031
B-2930 Brasschaat, BE
Pelikaanstraat 126
2018 Antwerpen, BE
Schoenmakersstraat 19
6041EX Roermond, NL
Grotestraat 23
5931 CS Tegelen, NL
St. Ceciliastraat 28
5038 HA Tilburg, NL
Geldropseweg 105
5611 SE Eindhoven, NL
Breestraat 146-148
2311CX Leiden, Zuid Holland, NL
Korte Jansstraat 11
3512GM Utrecht, NL
Korevaarstraat 2 e-f
2311 JS Leiden, NL
Koningsstraat 35
2011TC Haarlem, Noord Holland, NL
Theresiastraat 151 - 157
2593 AG Den Haag, Noord Holland, NL
Beethovenstraat 9-b
1077 HL Amsterdam, Noord Holland, NL

Winkels met QED

Pleinweg 136
3083 EP Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, NL
Schoenmakersstraat 19
6041EX Roermond, NL
Grotestraat 23
5931 CS Tegelen, NL
St. Ceciliastraat 28
5038 HA Tilburg, NL
Beethovenstraat 9-b
1077 HL Amsterdam, Noord Holland, NL

Winkels met Supra

Pleinweg 136
3083 EP Rotterdam, Zuid-Holland, NL
Hooikade 13
2627 Delft, Zuid Holland, NL
St. Ceciliastraat 28
5038 HA Tilburg, NL
Breestraat 146-148
2311CX Leiden, Zuid Holland, NL
Korevaarstraat 2 e-f
2311 JS Leiden, NL
Steenstraat 54
6828 CM Arnhem, Gelderland, NL
Beethovenstraat 9-b
1077 HL Amsterdam, Noord Holland, NL