Topic: 10 AWG or 12 AWG speaker wire availability / cost in Metro Manila / Raon

[alibasbas]

I'm currently in the lookout for some 10 AWG or 12 AWG speaker wires as my 4-ohm rear speakers for my home theater are not being driven properly due to long cable length (I currently only have 18 AWG speaker wires over 10m length).

As Raon is probably the one-stop-shop for electronic/electrical needs of the Filipino in a budget, I would like to ask if anybody here knows the current price of 10 AWG or 12 AWG speaker wires within Raon.

I've tried visiting the hardware stores in malls such as Ace Hardware and Handyman but they only have 18 AWG speaker wires as the thickest available. That's where I got my 18 AWG speaker wires costing P11/meter on both stores. However, failure to make an informed decision made it too late for me to realize the insertion loss which is inherent in audio wiring (hence my need to buy a thicker speaker wires and rewire). The customer service representative (salesman) who assisted me didn't know any better as he also said that the 18 AWG speaker wires ought to be enough for my needs.

The speaker wire can be just ordinary and not necessarily oxygen-free (the more expensive variety).

Also, if you know places within Metro Manila that sells cheap 10 AWG or 12 AWG speaker wires, please do tell as well.

By the way, I tried to look for speaker wires in Sights & Sounds in Shangri-La Plaza Mall and they only have 18 AWG speaker wires costing P100+ per meter. I didn't bother asking if it is oxygen-free as the price is more than 10x of the regular 18 AWG speaker wires in Ace Hardware or Handyman.

[edwn1220]

Try to contact anya618 for his Monoprice speaker wires:

  http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,133291.msg2002807/topicseen.html#msg2002807

[alibasbas]

@edwn1220: Thanks for the input!

However, anya618's 50ft 12AWG Enhanced Loud Oxygen-Free Copper Speaker Wire Cable (MONOPRICE BRAND) costs P1,200 or around P78.75 per meter (still expensive for me since I'm on a shoestring budget).

I guess I only have the budget to buy the regular variety of speaker wires.

[disturbed]

ipon na lang sir or better yet benta mo speaker wires mo then dagdag mo sa budget mo

[luis]

@edwn1220: Thanks for the input!

However, anya618's 50ft 12AWG Enhanced Loud Oxygen-Free Copper Speaker Wire Cable (MONOPRICE BRAND) costs P1,200 or around P78.75 per meter (still expensive for me since I'm on a shoestring budget).

I guess I only have the budget to buy the regular variety of speaker wires.

ipon mode muna sir.  i learned that speaker wires can make a difference.  i was in the same boat when i started. 

or buy now upgrade later...   

[DTNS]

check out paolorenzo's 12 AWG speaker wire:
http://www.pinoydvd.com/index.php/topic,95498.720.html

[dana]

hi Alib...sa raon, Deeco...that size you mentioned can cost as low as P40( the red/black one type) to P120/m (saw some exotic OFC types as marked). btw, i was there last Sat. pala, just looking around...

[markcrenz]

... P78.75 per meter ...

very reasonanle na yan for monoprice cables. mas mura sigurado ang 12awg sa raon pero malamang undersized and low copper quality ang makuha mo. yun eh kung copper nga ang laman! but if you know what to look for you can get good wires din naman at great prices.

[markcrenz]

hi Alib...sa raon, Deeco...that size you mentioned can cost as low as P40( the red/black one type) to P120/m (saw some exotic OFC types as marked). btw, i was there last Sat. pala, just looking around...

yung P120/meter yata hindi 12awg, parang 16 lang

[edrel sison]

12 AWG belden royal cables worked for me, the one they used for power cords.

[catgreg2k2]

Bought 12AWG last year at Deeco Cubao for only 35php/m.

[alibasbas]

@catgreg2k2: Thanks for the input! I forgot that Deeco might also have this item. 

Anyway, how about in Raon? Baka kasi mas mura pa dun. Around 23m din kasi bibilhin ko.

[praktikal]

kung short sa budget, raon na nga ang bagsak mo. maraming mas mura kesa deeco. may nabili ako dati sa sidewalk lang at maalikabok na kaya mas mura pero mas mura kesa sa loob pero same brand, pagdating sa bahay nilinis ko at ayun looks new na.

kung talagang nagdududa ka sa sq ng branded at hindi o mamahalin sa mumurahin i suggest bili ka tig 1 metro then blind test mo then decide after if willing kang gumastos ng mas malaki o mapapangiti ka na malaki pala matitipid mo. ang presyo ng matatabang wires ay baka mas mura pa sa mas payat na famous brands.

critical listener ka ba? if not, those less than 50 pesoseses wires are for you.

spend wisely. be praktikal.

[armymanhaha]

Meron sa Listening Room Megamall 10 and 12 AWG Speaker cables. May solid core pa yung mga yun. Mura lang din benta nila kaso please call them muna for availaibilty.

[alibasbas]

@praktikal: I'm really not that maselan. Generic items is ok for me practical reasons. I can also visually inspect the copper inside the wires whether it is thick or thin and within the thickness it should be given the AWG rating.

But I can really hear the deterioration in sound quality on my rear speakers due to long cable length using only AWG 18 speaker wires given the fact that my front and rear speakers are identical so the sound quality should be the same.

Anyway, how much ba sa Raon ang AWG 10 at AWG 12 speaker wires? Medyo malayo din kasi ako sa Raon so gusto ko malaman kung worth nga ng matitipid ko ang pagsadya dun.

[praktikal]

^ sorry wala ako idea sa current price.

[alibasbas]

@armymanhaha: Thanks for the reply.

I called Listening Room in Megamall and the thickest wire they have on stock is AWG 12 Bandridge brand (oxygen-free) costing P200 per meter. Mahal...

[Nelson de Leon]

Have not tried royal cord? Or have you considered semi-stranded electrical house hold wires? Malaking kamurahan yan especially when your not critical.
Have you also considered using a pair of #14 flat cord for a single pole, and another for the horror.te pole. Or have you tried twisting or braiding your #18 wires?

[praktikal]

Have not tried royal cord? Or have you considered semi-stranded electrical house hold wires? Malaking kamurahan yan especially when your not critical.
Have you also considered using a pair of #14 flat cord for a single pole, and another for the horror.te pole. Or have you tried twisting or braiding your #18 wires?

ayun oh! daming options from the master... ako nga yet to try pa the royal cord kung pang royal blood nga.

[Nelson de Leon]

ayun oh! daming options from the master... ako nga yet to try pa the royal cord kung pang royal blood nga.

Shemps magastos ang HT wiring for a dedicated room kaya nga in your words, "maging praktikal".
Pero kapag maselan, goodbye praktical, welcome upgrade itch!

[armymanhaha]

@alibasbas

Ngek! Nagmahal na pala sila ng benta

[mbtorn]

Sent you pm.

[Nelson de Leon]

Ano kaya ang speaker for surround ng TS? Parang ang laki ata ng #10.

[ndotcom]

Kung sakin ang pinakamura ay gamitin existing cables, combine or twist lang both para maging isa cable lagay sa positive/red side ng speaker tapos bili ng gauge 14 na electrical wire sa suking hardware na tigisang run para sa negative/black na terminal ng speakers.

[markcrenz]

Ano kaya ang speaker for surround ng TS? Parang ang laki ata ng #10.

4 ohms daw kasi at 10m, tapos baka mababa pa ang damping factor ng amp. pero overkill talaga 10awg.

yung iba naman gumagamit ng 8awg power cord sa 20W cd player. overkill din.

but as a wise man once said....









walang basagan ng trip! 

[jackryan]

@praktikal: I'm really not that maselan. Generic items is ok for me practical reasons. I can also visually inspect the copper inside the wires whether it is thick or thin and within the thickness it should be given the AWG rating.

But I can really hear the deterioration in sound quality on my rear speakers due to long cable length using only AWG 18 speaker wires given the fact that my front and rear speakers are identical so the sound quality should be the same.

Anyway, how much ba sa Raon ang AWG 10 at AWG 12 speaker wires? Medyo malayo din kasi ako sa Raon so gusto ko malaman kung worth nga ng matitipid ko ang pagsadya dun.

bro, out of curiosity and for my own education, how can you tell that the speakers output quality is compromised by the distance and wire gauge size?

TIA!

[HasBro™]

very reasonanle na yan for monoprice cables. mas mura sigurado ang 12awg sa raon pero malamang undersized and low copper quality ang makuha mo. yun eh kung copper nga ang laman! but if you know what to look for you can get good wires din naman at great prices.

Tama!
I think wala sa taba yan. 12 awg na raon( o mumurahin)di naman pure copper compared sa 14awg na pure copper naman. depende sa copper content. Malaki deferrence talaga. nag try ako mumurahin sa handyman yung 12awg compared the chord silver screen manipis yung tunog ng nabili ko sa handyman at naka stress

[alibasbas]

bro, out of curiosity and for my own education, how can you tell that the speakers output quality is compromised by the distance and wire gauge size?

TIA!

In my LG HTIB, my front speakers are the same with the rear speakers and you can interchange them.

By playing music in stereo mode, the sound quality becomes different and is inferior on the speakers with the long cable length. Basically, I tried removing the wires of my front speakers and made the rear speakers as LF & RF. Iba ang tunog nung sa mahabang cable.

[alibasbas]

By the way, I just checked in Deeco Farmers Plaza in Cubao. The thickest cable they have available is 12 AWG. The red/black wire costs P30/meter while the transparent wire costs P40/meter.

Since nandun na rin naman ako, I decided to buy the P30/meter red/black variety. I decided not to go to Raon anymore since medyo malayo. Medyo alanganin din kasi ang kalakaran dun (alam niyo naman na maraming kawatan sa lugar na yun). I think I might have saved P5/meter if I went to Raon but I didn't have the time anymore as I am working during the weekdays. Buying in Deeco is the best compromise I can do and probably the cheapest available in a store located in an airconditioned/mall environment.

Anyway, I have already replaced the cables for my rear speakers with the 12 gauge one. Sobrang kapal pala ng copper ng 12 AWG. Due to the very thick copper inside, I wasn't able to insert it to the speaker terminals (hindi magkasya sa sobrang kapal). I had to strip 1/3-1/4 of the copper just to make it fit into the terminals.

Overkill nga talaga ang 10 AWG since dun sa 12 AWG ay hindi na magkasya sa terminal. What more yung mas makalap na 10 AWG.

Given my 10m cable length requirement, 14 AWG would have sufficed. But the P5 difference between the P30/meter 12 AWG and P25/meter 14 AWG available in Deeco, I decided to just go with the thicker one.

[markcrenz]

In my LG HTIB, my front speakers are the same with the rear speakers and you can interchange them.

By playing music in stereo mode, the sound quality becomes different and is inferior on the speakers with the long cable length. Basically, I tried removing the wires of my front speakers and made the rear speakers as LF & RF. Iba ang tunog nung sa mahabang cable.

kahit identical sigurado iba tunog ng nasa rear kasi iba ang placement at iba rin syempre ang room effect. kahit yung fronts mo idikit at ilayo mo sa walls mag-iiba ang tunog.