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Model: Cat5 Speaker Cable Category: Cable Suggested Retail Price: materials cost about $45 Description: Braided Cat5 Network Cable Manufacturer URL: DIY by Chris VenHaus Manufacturer URL: DIY by Chris VenHaus
Review by calsaint (A) on March 19, 2002 at 10:27:37
IP Address: 162.93.14.71Add Your Review
for the Cat5 Speaker CableAfter reading the many glowing reviews of this speaker cable I decided to give it a shot. I believe I have some useful information for those contemplating taking on this project, so here goes …..My speaker cables were Monster Z1s. Not all that bad .. definitely an improvement to the RadioShack Megacable it replaced. But while the Z1s sounded clearer, less sibilant, and produced more bass for me than the cheapo zipcord, I felt the need to audition some other cables for reference to see what I might be missing in the areas of detail, soundstage, imaging, etc., so I borrowed some Analyis Plus Oval 9s and Cardas Quadlink 5Cs from the Cable Company for a week.
Since this is a review of the 27 pair ChrisVH Cat5 speaker cable and not the Z1s, A+9s, or 5Cs, I won’t go into great detail on these other cables, but I will offer a few of my findings in my system. I’d also like to note that I tested these cables with my sub both on and off, my notes as I re-read them now are from “no sub†listening:
A+9s:
Positive: Great imaging. Very fast. Involving. Clarity and extension in highs. Soundstage height
Negative: Bass was muddy, soundstage compressed.5C:
Positive: Relaxed, but still fast. Left me not thinking about the cable. Clear bass. Soundstage breadth
Negative: Exaggerated midrange (probably just not the best match with my P1s). Less detail in highs. Baby blue?Z1s (after being able to compare them with these other cables)
Positive: inexpensive upgrade to zip cord to bring out full musical range. Will tame a receiver/bright speaker combo
Negative: non-crisp highs, non-tight lows. Slowxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
27prCVHCat5Construction notes:
I’d like to address a few of the issues that have been brought up in the past or that are on Chris’s website. :I chose to wear rubber gloves. Make sure you buy a few because when you smooth out the cable as much as you do in this project they are going to tear.
I tried band-aids for the fingertips, but they just shredded and made my hands sticky. I gave up on that idea.
I found the two most important, and most time-consuming, parts of the process was 1. Smoothing out all strands of the cable prior to doing any braiding and 2. Combing out the tangling that happens in front of your braid. In order to get (almost) uniform length braids you have to smooth out each of the three strands a lot. It takes time to keep the strands kink-free, but this really aids in being able to get in a braiding rhythym.
At about the 65% point in your braid I compared the length of the three strands I was braiding. Invariably, one was longer than the others (hey .. I’m not a uniform braiding machine). To end up with all three strands having approximately the same length at the completion of that braid I would send the longer strand on a longer braiding path for the final 35%. If this does not make sense now, it will when you start your work. Using this method for all three braiding stages (the 3 individual, the three 3 braids, the three 9 braids) will help you towards a uniform length cable at completion
I bought my cable from MECI for $.08/foot. The website said “1585a equivalentâ€. When I called customer service I was advised that I was getting 1585a, and that it was “Plenum, not teflonâ€. I’m sure if you are reading this you know that from that point forward I considered the rep to be far from an expert on the subject, so I just waited for the cable to arrive and I’d see what I got. What I got was 1701a, which is teflon Cat5 like 1585a but the pairs are BONDED TOGETHER. My first few attempts at using an xacto blade to split the pairs left me very frustrated, but I found that once I got the hang of it splitting the pairs was not that hard at all. If you end up with 1701a, splitting the pairs should not be considered a tough part of completing your project.
I did what I considered to be a tight braid. I wanted a cable of between 8 and 10 feet. I started with 14’4â€, and they shrank with braiding down to 8’6†of ~8ga cable.
My hands did not hurt until trying to crimp these onto the AQ spades I purchased.
My live-in girlfriend thought I was totally nuts with all this cable everywhere.
Listening notes:
The cables have been playing non-stop in my system since their completion 8 days ago. They have aged very nicely, and seem to be continuing to age, but I thought now was an acceptable time for a review.Positive:
Bass – I literally forgot that I had my sub off until I popped in a dvd yesterday. (Crimson Tide). The bass is articulate and deep to the point that I have changed my Rava sub to a lower gain. I am considering getting more Cat5 to complete a set of speaker cables for my sub (My Z1s could well be displaced again) Better than the A+9, 5C, Z1
Imaging – Musicians are easily located.
Soundstage – Good soundstage breadth, height/layering not as good as the A+9, but A+9s don’t have the breadth of the Cat5
Clarity – Excellent clarity
Smooth – On a par with the 5Cs. Very listenable.
Look – Gotta like the DIY look. No way I would cover it up with Techflex
Inexpensive – A great audio bargainNegative:
Highs are not quite on the same level as the A+9s. A little rolled off to my ears.
Stiff and Heavy.Music I have used with all cables listed in this review:
Josh Groban, Phantom of the Opera, Harry Chapin, Anita Baker, Madonna, Morrissey, Pink Floyd, Depeche Mode, Pat Matheny, Enya, Tracy Chapman, Bob Marley (and others that don’t come to might just right now)
My system really likes these cables!
Product Weakness: Highs?, Stiff Product Strengths: Bass, Listenablilty, Clarity, Inexpensive, "Hey check out the cables I made" factor
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: Sim Audio I-5080 Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none Sources (CDP/Turntable): Modwright Pioneer DVD Speakers: GR Paradox 1 Cables/Interconnects: Audioquest Emerald, 27brCVH Cat5 Music Used (Genre/Selections): see review Room Size (LxWxH): 19 x 14 x 9 Room Comments/Treatments: Living room: Couch, carpet Time Period/Length of Audition: see review Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner Your System (if other than home audition): above
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Topic - REVIEW: DIY by Chris VenHaus Cat5 Speaker Cable Cable - calsaint 10:27:37 03/19/02 (2)
- DIY by Chris VenHaus Cat5 Speaker Cable Cable - chuso 19:29:58 03/20/02 (0)
- DIY by Chris VenHaus Cat5 Speaker Cable Cable - safenet 05:35:08 03/20/02 (0)
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