Best Mini-to-RCA & Speaker Cables for Vintage Setup

[bk95]

Hello!

 

I wanted to get people's opinions on equipment, specifically cabling, given my somewhat unique set-up. My rig at the moment is a pair of Boston Accoustic A-120s' (all original and near-perfect condition, save for some foam lining I replaced last year); powered by a Kenwood KA-8006 (also all original).

 

I love this setup, but for years I've been using cheap speaker wires and mini-rca cables (for connecting via 3.5mm jack), and I've begun to wonder whether I'm really missing out on something by not upgrading to more serious cabling.

 

Therefore, my question is the following:

 

IF it's the case that high-quality cabling is "worth it"... does anyone have suggestions for a 3.5mini-rca cable, and set of speaker wires to complement my current set up, all prefereably in the $50-$100 range?

 

I know the question itself is a bit vague, but it's a hard one to do real research on, as you run into so many useless arguments of people talking about whether or not it's worth it to spend a lot on this sort of thing, rather than assuming that it is and having a serious discussion about what you can/should get for about $100.

 

Thanks!

[Ralf11]

No, don't worry about spendy cables.  Just be sure the cables have good, clean connections and are large enough for the amps flowing to them.

 

Upgrades will help elsewhere so spend your $$ on that.

[marce]

Well there are two ways to look at cables, from an engineering viewpoint or an Audiophile viewpoint...?

For $50 - $100 you should be able to buy some perfectly adequate cables, I have a decent jack to RCA that I got for about £20 from Maplin I believe, 100% screen coverage, speaker cables I use probably cost a couple of quid a metre... decent gauge figure of 8 construction...

Others may differ in their view, I'm not a believer in magical cables.

[mansr]

41 minutes ago, marce said:

Well there are two ways to look at cables, from an engineering viewpoint or an Audiophile viewpoint...?

Ain't that the truth.

 

Quote

For $50 - $100 you should be able to buy some perfectly adequate cables, I have a decent jack to RCA that I got for about £20 from Maplin I believe, 100% screen coverage

The Maplin "pro" range were perfectly good cables at a reasonable price. The cheaper ones were a little flimsy.

 

Quote

speaker cables I use probably cost a couple of quid a metre... decent gauge figure of 8 construction...

Others may differ in their view, I'm not a believer in magical cables.

I see no reason to use cables more expensive than they use in recording studios. Or, in some cases, more expensive than a recording studio.

[gmgraves]

2 hours ago, bk95 said:

Hello!

 

I wanted to get people's opinions on equipment, specifically cabling, given my somewhat unique set-up. My rig at the moment is a pair of Boston Accoustic A-120s' (all original and near-perfect condition, save for some foam lining I replaced last year); powered by a Kenwood KA-8006 (also all original).

 

I love this setup, but for years I've been using cheap speaker wires and mini-rca cables (for connecting via 3.5mm jack), and I've begun to wonder whether I'm really missing out on something by not upgrading to more serious cabling.

 

Therefore, my question is the following:

 

IF it's the case that high-quality cabling is "worth it"... does anyone have suggestions for a 3.5mini-rca cable, and set of speaker wires to complement my current set up, all prefereably in the $50-$100 range?

 

I know the question itself is a bit vague, but it's a hard one to do real research on, as you run into so many useless arguments of people talking about whether or not it's worth it to spend a lot on this sort of thing, rather than assuming that it is and having a serious discussion about what you can/should get for about $100.

 

Thanks!

I have a $130 AudioQuest 3.5mm mini to RCA (It was sent to me along with a review sample of a Dragonfly Red. I didn't buy it) and I have a 6 Ft Part # FE-PR3RCA-06 from MyCablemart.com which cost me about six bucks.I've listened to them side by side. The only difference that I could detect was that the AudioQuest cable is real stiff and the MyCablemart cable is more flexible and easier to route. I found zero difference in in SQ. Don't waste your money! I find 3.5mm connectors to be the most unreliable connector in audio-dom. Especially if the female is mounted to a panel in a component where strain from the wire puts stress on the connector.  

[Hugo9000]

I have one of these from Monster Cable (lol), purchased many years ago to go from the computer I had at the time to a receiver.  That computer didn't have a digital output, and I found the mini to RCA at Target for 20 bucks or so.  It's worked reliably for years in various duties haha, and is flexible and attractive enough, and always makes a nice and secure connection. 

 

 

Poor old Monster Cable, they seem to have given up the fight after the way they were outsmarted by that Beats rapper guy or whoever he is!  I haven't seen any of their products in stores for years, and what little I saw in a brief internet search looked like total junk!

 

 

[Richard Dale]

4 hours ago, bk95 said:

Hello!

 

I wanted to get people's opinions on equipment, specifically cabling, given my somewhat unique set-up. My rig at the moment is a pair of Boston Accoustic A-120s' (all original and near-perfect condition, save for some foam lining I replaced last year); powered by a Kenwood KA-8006 (also all original).

 

I love this setup, but for years I've been using cheap speaker wires and mini-rca cables (for connecting via 3.5mm jack), and I've begun to wonder whether I'm really missing out on something by not upgrading to more serious cabling.

 

Therefore, my question is the following:

 

IF it's the case that high-quality cabling is "worth it"... does anyone have suggestions for a 3.5mini-rca cable, and set of speaker wires to complement my current set up, all prefereably in the $50-$100 range?

 

I know the question itself is a bit vague, but it's a hard one to do real research on, as you run into so many useless arguments of people talking about whether or not it's worth it to spend a lot on this sort of thing, rather than assuming that it is and having a serious discussion about what you can/should get for about $100.

 

Thanks!

I recommend Duelund cables and Switchcraft RCA and 3.5 mm jack connectors if you don't mind making up the 3.5 mm mini to RCA cable yourself. You can use Duelund DCA16GA for speaker wire is $10 per meter from Parts Connexion if you are in the USA, and the recommended way to connect to the amp and speakers is with bare wire connections. Use Duelund DCA20GA for the interconnect at $6.75 per meter. I used black Switchcraft jacks and Duelund DCA20GA for the cable in the picture, and I got them from HiFi Collective in the UK. Parts Connexion do Switchcraft plugs but not in black - I prefer the look of the black ones.