Shopping for RCA cables right now...how much of a noticeable difference will I hear between these $40 cables compared to the $8 cables?

Can I use home audio cables too?

 

Having been in audio for 19 years, this is what I recommend.

When shopping for autosound RCA's, these are the the three most important things IN ORDER:

1) Twisted pair (twisted tightly enough that noise is actually rejected). Some calbes are loosely twisted and still can pick up audiible noise.

2) high quality ends. Cast ends are better than stamped ends. The ends should have a firm connection over time, both on the center pin (split is best) and the outer ring (compression fit with a tightenable outer collar is good).

3) Any purported sonic improvements.

Given that you really can't do llistening tests in a car easily, it's hard to determine the differences in cable. Now, many car audio guys don't believe that you can hear differences in cable. I do believe that. However, I beleive that the differences are smaller than the gross differences with speakers, speaker instlalation, and even amp sound quality - so I believe that UNTIL a person has ll that other stuff where they want it, worrying about cables is not the best use of money.

Twisted pair for noise rejection, good ends for long term reliability, and then what you can afford.

Some calbes I've liked that are a bit surprising are the Directed Graphite and Expert series, the Ixos 500 series (non-Gamma Geometry), and the Directed Venom series for cheap stuff. Cable I've not liked has been some of the low-end Esoteric/Street Wires with a loose twist, and the Ixos 700 series is great sounding (test it on the board) but can still pick up noise in an electrically noisy car.

 

like this?

http://cgi.ebay.com/6-BEST-RCA-Signal-Cable-DIRECTED-66010-Expert_W0QQitemZ5726492522QQcategoryZ32809QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

Well, kind of... those are pics of Graphite series RCAs and description of Expert Series RCA's. Expert are nicer than Graphite.

No idea which they'll ship you.

 

Buy whatever cables your budget allows. Don't go too cheap but again, don't go out and buy monster cables. For your average listeners, you won't notice the difference given the equipment you are installing. In most real world situations, high end cables are a big hype. It's sometimes funny how people spend $40 on monster cable wires/cables to power $80 speakers. I find this site having reasonable prices that should match your needs.

 

http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDe...prodID=KRY2.2M

Has anyone else ordered from this place? I've never heard of them before.

 

They are the Elemental Designs of RCA cables.

I just hate the dorky name.

If you can get Monster MicroXLN at a good price those are good RCAs...

 

Well, as most will probably tell you, not much since the car is so damn noisey to begin with. However, there is a point of deminishing returns: It gets to a point where the more money you put in, you will get less and less in return. So, I say invest in some good cables since this most likely will be in your car for a long while. Don't go over board and get $100 cables but I say about $30-$40 cables will be just fine. I bought myself some Phoenix Gold Cables a while back from some outlet electronic store online and they are great (although a bit too long). Things too look for are strong barrels (tips), think cables (so they can hold up in the car environment, Shielded (modern cars have alot of electronics and can send EMF all over the place), usually each channel is one cable on its own (one calbe for left and one for the right, and not being "attached") and hopefully some twisted internal wires (again, to reduce interference). Really, if you are going to spend more then a few hundred on the amps alone, then you will need some good cables. Home cables are most likely 75 Ohms and should be ok. Car cables tend to be more shielded and the outer jacket (covering) will be more resistive to chemicals. I say stick with car cables.

 

If you buy good twisted pair cables, the sheilding is a waste of time in an audio application.

The purpose of twisting the cable is to prevent a straight-line wire from acting as a receiving antenna for the wrong frequencies.

Once you've twisted the pair, you're fine.

I wouldn't hesitate to take primary 20 gauge wire, twist it with a makita, and put it in any car without shielding, and just put good RCA ends on the end.

 

That would be a heck of a lot cheaper than buying actual RCA cables.

 

Time is money.

 

You can buy these Ixos for $22.99 which are very good quality. They've got others also if you want to spend more/less. I buy all of my cables there.

 

http://www.sjgreatdeals.com/dbdel20.html

I saw these...they look pretty decent, especially for the $$.

 

IMO Gamma Geometry Ixos are not twisted tight enough to reject inducted noise.

The ones at sjgreatdeals don't say if they are twisted pair.

 

I'm not enough of an audio guru to know if this is good or bad.