Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cable

Silver Oval 2 Puts One Hollow Oval Inside Another

Analysis Plus starts Silver Oval 2 with pure silver layered over a stabilizer strand of high-purity copper. It weaves that into a 12-gauge hollow oval. Then it wraps a second 12-gauge hollow oval around the first.

Analysis Plus says the cable is especially open and detailed, but without the harshness often linked to silver cable. It builds its cables by hand in Flushing, Michigan, and offers Silver Oval 2 with banana or T1 spade connectors, plus a bi-wire version.

Other length & termination options are available. Call us to discuss your needs.

Why the Middle of the Wire Is Empty

At higher frequencies, current crowds toward the outer surface of a wire, Analysis Plus explains. The center carries little of the signal there, so the company leaves it out. A hollow conductor, it says, keeps resistance steadier as frequency rises, so current flows more evenly across the audio range.

Why Silver Oval 2 Wears a Shield

Unlike most speaker cables, Silver Oval 2 is shielded. Analysis Plus pairs it with what it calls a computer-matched dielectric. The shield guards against interference, the company says, for quiet, noise-free performance.

Analysis Plus weaves its Oval cables so every strand sits, on average, as close to the return current as any other. The company says the oval shape cuts current bunching, also called proximity effect. It adds that a woven build resists the cracks that constant flexing can cause in solid cable.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Victor Chavira reviewed Silver Oval 2 for Positive Feedback on December 8, 2015. He wrote that it "certainly rank among the finest cables I have heard in this context or any other in my experience."

Audiodrom, writing in its own English edition on March 6, 2013, concluded, "Fortunately the Silver Oval 2 proved to be a very competent speaker cable."

Who Is This Speaker Cable Best For?

• You want silver without an edgy sound — Analysis Plus built it to be open and detailed, without the harshness often linked to silver
• Your cables run near power cords — Silver Oval 2 is shielded against noise, which most speaker cables are not
• Your speakers have two pairs of binding posts — bi-wire versions let one run from the amplifier feed both pairs of posts
• You want a cable reviewers stand behind — The Absolute Sound lists it as an Editors' Choice in its Fall 2024 Buyer's Guide
• Your speakers have one pair of binding posts — order a standard listing, not a bi-wire one. Bi-wire versions need two pairs of posts on each speaker, so the standard cable is your fit

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Connect one end to your amplifier's speaker outputs and the other to your speaker's binding posts, red to red and black to black. Do the same for the second speaker. Keep the run away from tight bends at the connectors.

The Measuring Mistake That Leaves You Inches Short

Speaker cable is cut for one room. Measure the path the cable will really take, around furniture and along the baseboard. Then add a little slack. As Cardas puts it, "A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough." Keep the left and right runs the same length, as Cardas recommends, even when one speaker sits closer.

Which Connector Holds Up Best Over the Years?

Spades clamp under a binding post and hold tight. Bananas push straight in, so they connect fastest. Bare wire fits almost anything, but we suggest avoiding it. Bare copper oxidizes quickly, and Cardas notes that copper oxide is not a good conductor. If you use bare wire, re-strip the ends when the copper darkens.

Two Pairs of Binding Posts? Here's What That Means

A bi-wire cable has four connectors at the speaker end instead of two. It is made for speakers with two pairs of binding posts. Your speaker's manual shows which links to remove.

Tighten the connections, power up, and play something you know well.

When Is It Time to Upgrade?

Speaker cable often stays put for years, so it tends to be the last thing upgraded. Look again when something else changes. Moving from bookshelf speakers to floorstanders is the big one. In our experience, about nine in ten people who make that move keep their old speaker cable. A stronger amplifier, a longer run, or darkened ends are the other signs.

Pairs Well With

A speaker cable joins your amplifier to your speakers. These are the categories on either end of it.

• Floorstanding Speakers — the best time to rethink your speaker cable
• Bookshelf Speakers — the speaker end in a smaller room
• Integrated Amplifiers — the amplifier end in most stereo systems
• Stereo Amplifiers — the amplifier end when you run separates

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Silver Oval 2 come with connectors attached?

Yes. Every Silver Oval 2 listing we carry comes ready to connect. Its title names what is on each end.

Is Silver Oval 2 solid silver?

It is silver over copper. Analysis Plus layers pure silver over a stabilizer strand of high-purity copper, then weaves it into its hollow oval shape.

Is Silver Oval 2 shielded?

Yes. Analysis Plus shields it against interference, which most speaker cables are not.

Which end goes to the amplifier?

If the ends are marked for amplifier and speaker, connect them that way. If they are not marked, either end can go to either component.

Is there a step up?

Analysis Plus Silver APEX is the step up, which Analysis Plus calls its most advanced design: three 9 AWG conductors, nested hollow ovals, and a double shield.

Need a Different Length or Connector?

The most popular configurations are shown on this page. If your system requires a different length or termination, call our audio experts. We’ll help you choose the right configuration and arrange a custom cable for your system.

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Learn More

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