Question about Monster Cable

[us3rnotfound]

When I go to remove the insulation, and twist the copper strands, there is a white plastic tube strand that resides in the core of each tube, what is that? Am I supposed to tint the wire with soldering iron?

Thanks

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Is this speaker wire?

 

[us3rnotfound]

yes

 

[us3rnotfound]

actually, when I look closely, its clear strand

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I'm not quite sure what you're talking about with the white plastic tube at the core of each tube... do you have a picture of it or is it on monstercable's site?

I looked briefly at their site and nothing jumped out at me as what you were talking about.

 

[us3rnotfound]

DSC00675.JPG
DSC00672.JPG

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

My guess would be either something to change the flexibility characteristics of the wire or perhapse they coil their copper around that since the center portion of speaker wire doesn't really to much due to skin effect?

 

[us3rnotfound]

Yeah that's what I'm thinking. Then when I go to connect the wire to teh speaker, I have to twist the copper strands real good, exposing the plastic strand, so what do I do with that? Snip it off? Anyone else? I'm sure people here ahve worked with monstercable

 

[Zepper]

Yes, you will often find some kind of paper or synthetic fibers inside a stranded wire. When making connections (particularly if you plan to tin the wire), just clip the stuff off.

.bh.

 

[PurdueRy]

Its a dielectric, its put there to create better capacitance characteristics in the wire. It really doesn't matter, you can leave it there. Just wrap the copper wire around it

 

[alcoholbob]

Going off-topic a bit but,

Yoyo, I believe you have/had the Chaintech AV-710.

Is it true it comes with a 2m toslink cable bundled with it?

If so, any comments on the quality?

Thanks 🙂

 

[Tu13erhead]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
Going off-topic a bit but,

Yoyo, I believe you have/had the Chaintech AV-710.

Is it true it comes with a 2m toslink cable bundled with it?

If so, any comments on the quality?

Thanks 🙂

Way off topic. Either start a new thread, or PM him.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
Going off-topic a bit but,

Yoyo, I believe you have/had the Chaintech AV-710.

Is it true it comes with a 2m toslink cable bundled with it?

If so, any comments on the quality?

Thanks 🙂

Yeah, I'm using it for my DVD player to Receiver connection right now. Works just fine.

I'm not sure on the length, but 6ft sounds about right.

It's like the cheap ones pictured here.

Seems like it would be easy to snap it if you need to go around corners, but other than that it's perfectly fine. Cheap, but who cares as long as it just has to send a digital optical signal.

EDIT: oh, they even show it in the newegg pictures linky

If you're worried about it, partsexpress has some inexpensive optical cables that are of higher build quality.

There's a thread in hot deals right now and I linked to one in there (other suggestions there too from other people).

 

[alcoholbob]

Thanks for the response Yoyo : D

I was worried I'd have to goto Rat Shack and drop $20 (the price of the Chaintech!) for a toslink cable.

I was so totally thinking it was gonna be digial coaxial, and I didn't worry about it until I looked at a review and it said it was toslink. Argh I hate toslink cables, they get into trouble when they bend and they are bandwidth limited compared to coaxial cables.

Oh well, this is gonna be for a Panny XR-55 so yay for digital.

 

[Geomagick]

Back to the subject of speaker cable though, there is no need to worry about the thin clear strand. If you can use banana plugs to connect the cable to the amp and speakers. It's much neater and you'll spend a lot less time cursing if you ever end up moving house or moving the speakers.

You shouldn't solder the speaker cable. Either clamping into a banana plug or crimping is the best way to secure it.