Micca 14 Gauge Pure Copper Speaker Wire, 12 Feet (4 Meters 13.1ft Actual), 2 Pack Pair, Gold Plated Banana Plugs, Soldered Construction, Slim Design, 245 Strands, for Stereo or Home Theater

I purchased these Micca speaker cables on the recommendation of Steve Huff, an on-line high-end audio equipment reviewer (also check out his Youtube channel). Steve said these particular Micca cables were the "best he had heard for under $1,000.00" (not a typo). So for $40 bucks (for the 12ft cables) I thought I'd give them a try.I'm a retired former Audio Store owner (for 37 years) and I now collect quality vintage audio equipment as a hobby. Currently, I am using a pair of 2005 edition B&W 705 Bookshelf speakers (as well as a pair of vintage Yamaha NS-20M Studio Monitor speakers), powered by a mid 1970s era Yamaha CA-1000 integrated amplifier (which has a "Class A" mode as well as Class A/B). Bass is augmented with a Klipsch R-120SW 12" powered sub (I also have a Sunfire Sub as well as several Paradigms). It sounds pretty decent. I am an "audio enthusiast," but not an audiophile (if I can get 80-90% of the performance for half the price of something "better," I'm happy with that).These Micca cables are well constructed and attractive. And having 245 strands of wire, they are VERY flexible even though they are double jacketed/insulated (the flexibility of a limp noodle comes to mind).One Amazon reviewer noted that his cables arrived with a sharp kink in each due to the way they were wound up in the package. Yep, mine had the kink(s) too. However, I was easily able to get the kink(s) out by using a hair dryer (set on High), putting a bit of tension on the cable(s), and passing the dryer over the kinked area (about 3"-4" in length in the middle of the cable) for a minute or two to make the cable relax and straighten out. Easy fix. No harm, no foul (but the manufacturer should take steps to eliminate this issue).I have always been skeptical that ultra-high priced speaker cables (which I personally consider to be ~$200 a pair, and over) are worth the money. Perhaps they do improve a $10,000-$20,000 + system, but I don't have that (and don't intend to). The speaker cables I had been using were commonly available 14 gauge Oxygen-Free Copper wire purchased on 100 ft. spools for around $40-$50 bucks, and I wasn't convinced these Micca cables would make any discernable difference in the sound. But I ordered a pair to give them a try.Well, after extended listening sessions to several dozen well-recorded vocals/instrumentals of various genres of music, the difference is subtle, but it's audible. Vocals seem to be a tad more "open," the sound stage appears to be a bit wider as well as having more depth, and the treble is slightly smoother. Was that worth $40 bucks? Well, my test has always been "would I buy this product again" (essentially, is it worth the money)?Regarding these Micca speaker cables, my answer is Yes. Highly recommended for the money._______A couple of notes:1) If your speakers have screw terminals rather than banana plug inputs, instead of cutting the banana plugs off on one end, I'd recommend purchasing a set of 4 banana-to-spade adapters. You might need the banana plugs for speakers you purchase at a later date (link below).https://www.amazon.com/Hi-end-Adapter-Speaker-Connector-Wy-yp01/dp/B00X9FET7I/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2RUWQ068FHBOT&keywords=banana+to+spade+adapter&qid=1675494175&sprefix=banana+to+spa%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-152) I wish Micca offered their speaker wire on spools so we could make our own custom lengths, if needed.

Very pleased with the speaker wire. Sound quality is great. Banana plugs insert easily into receiver and the back of speaker with no issues.

I've used a pair of Audioquest Robin Hood Zero speaker cables for years. However, they always sounded thin and on the bright side. Like other Audioquest products I own, the speaker cables also began to fall apart after one year; the banana connectors were loose and could not be tightened. They had cost $2,000 for a 10-foot pair and were too expensive to implement bi-wiring.Enter this speaker cable under review. For $80, I could bi-wire, which resulted in a more transparent midrange. Double-jacketed and lightweight, they were very easy to work with. The bananas are small, yet they fit tightly in every speaker post of my four amplifiers.I bought two pairs for $80 so I could bi-wire. The sound was amazingly and unexpectedly full throughout the audio spectrum, significantly better than the Audioquest Robin Hoods, which were over 20 times their price.If there is a deal to be had in audio, these speaker cables are it! Don't let the technobabble which often accompanies expensive speaker cables sway your confidence that these cables are superb. Try them and you'll never buy another pair of overhyped cables again.For me, these speaker cables are the equivalent of Blue Jeans interconnects. Great build quality and superb sound at fair prices.

3 starts for sound (compared to several thousand $ speakers cables). 5 starts for price. Definitely, good value. Look good as well and easy to handle.

I won't speak on behalf of every person that received these because different receivers, integrated amplifiers, power amplifiers and even the actual speakers themselves could and certainly will give different results. These cables have an initial characteristic before break-in period as soon as you plug them in. 15% more treble, 15% more midrange and 15% LESS bass.. This is going to start changing and the change can begin as quickly as 20-30 minutes. But the final result won't be known for 50-150 hours of playback. I use monster 3 way speakers and treble/midrange stay the same initially but they will improve further in time. The bass improves rather quickly. Most of it returned within a few songs. Speaker wires need heat to conduct. They expand and contract at the micro level over and over until settled. The sound is not bad immediately. If anything, more balanced than cheap wires. It is a smooth sound but clarity is not lacking. If you don't have patience and judge the start as the certain finish, you should learn how new cables operate. I'd imagine the finish of break in is going to result in near perfection at a bargain price. The cables feel solid and the terminations equally. If anything, anticipate nice reliability, no shorting out, no distortion or static(this is most important and where these are a bargain.) If you have problems upon installation, you have a bad set and should return them immediately, otherwise you should be very satisfied. I wish these came in lengths of 15' and 20' for larger rooms. I recommend playing a variety of genre and a variety of sources to get a faster break in. Playing nothing but gentle music probably will make the process incredibly tedious.