Speakers & Hi-Fi

For most home network setups, the improvement from an audiophile ethernet cable is smaller than from speaker cable or interconnects — but it is consistent and measurable. Customers who have already upgraded their speaker cable and interconnects tend to hear a cleaner, more focused presentation. Start with speaker cables first.

The IEC connector type at the equipment end determines the cable. Most amplifiers use IEC C13 (the standard kettle-lead type). High-current amplifiers sometimes use IEC C19. Check the socket on the back of your amplifier — C13 is the most common, C15 (same shape as C13 but with an earth keyway) is sometimes used on equipment with earthed chassis. When in doubt, call us with your amplifier model.

Banana plugs give a more consistent, repeatable connection and are easier to switch between systems. High-quality banana plugs (like Chord Ohmic or AudioQuest SureGrip) are sonically equivalent to quality bare wire. The binding post type on your speaker and amp determines compatibility — some amplifiers only accept 4mm banana plugs.

RCA (phono) is an unbalanced connection — one signal wire, one ground. XLR is a balanced connection — two signal wires (one inverted) and one ground. Balanced connections reject common-mode noise, which is most beneficial over longer runs (2m+) or in electrically noisy environments. For a standard 0.5–1m interconnect in a typical room, the cable quality matters more than balanced vs unbalanced.