Best speaker cables 2024: our editors' choice for every budget

As passive components that carry sound between system components, speaker cables can't make your system sound better than it actually is. But the best ones are those that degrade the audio signal the least and ensure that every last drop of performance makes its way from your amplifier to your speakers.

Sub-par cables are often a limiting factor within a system and can even make it sound worse than it really is, which is why we always recommend investing in the best cabling within your budget when buying or upgrading a system. 

The same goes for the interconnect audio cables between your electronics, so invest in wires that are best at the job all around. Whatever your opinion on the sensitive matter that is cables, it is undeniable that they make a difference.

So without further ado, here are the best speaker cables that our expert reviews team has thoroughly tested inside our state-of-the-art facilities, starting with the current What Hi-Fi? Award winner...

The quick list

Best speaker cable overall

The original Rumour was introduced way back in 1996, and at the time was only Chord’s second attempt at a speaker cable. This audiophile speaker cable has seen various iterations since then, with the previous five-star RumourX (2018) now superseded by the latest RumourX (2022) model.

It's incremental changes throughout, but all of these add up to a fine performance upgrade at this price.

Chord’s development work with high-end ranges such as ChordMusic and Sarum T showed significant improvements could be made to the Teflon dielectric material used. While the subsequent high-end solution of Taylon proved too expensive to use in products such as the RumourX, a more reasonably priced alternative XLPE (Cross-linked Polyethylene) was found instead in the 2018 model. Chord has introduced a new multi-metal alloy for the pug plating in the 2022 model (changed from previous silver), which claims to tarnish less over time and offers better connection quality.

With the Chord cable plumbed-in, our reference hi-fi system delivers a crisp, clean and dynamic presentation, just as before. But the bass performance is tauter, the top end is more refined and there's an ounce more subtlety. We’re impressed at the musically cohesive nature of the sound and the way our systems render subtle dynamic shifts with such finesse. It's not essential to upgrade if you already own the previous RumourX cables, but if they're looking a bit worn, the 2022 version will give your system a decent performance lift.

Read our full Chord Company RumourX (2022) review

Best budget speaker cable

Monetary savings are not necessarily accompanied by a reduced level of technology or care on Chord Company’s part. The C-Screen's specifications are similar to speaker wires further up the hierarchy.

Beneath its white outer jacket, the C-Screen features what Chord Company describes as multi-stranded oxygen-free copper conductors, insulated with low-density polyethylene and arranged in a twisted-pair configuration to reduce interference. The white outer covers a PVC casing designed to reduce mechanical noise and space the conductors correctly.

So what is all of that in today’s money? Essentially it translates to recognisable Chord Company performance, favouring your system's cohesion and musical performance over outright analysis.

Read our full Chord Company C-Screen review

Best mid-price speaker cable

AudioQuest’s Rocket 11 – at the budget end of its Rocket range – could just be the hi-fi speaker cable to give your system a new lease of life. We love it so much it's been a What Hi-Fi? Award winner several years running now, having batted off new competition to keep its crown for many moons.

AudioQuest has taken a lot of care with the configuration and quality of the conductors used inside the Rocket 11. It uses semi-solid true-concentric conductors and long-grain copper – all to improve performance and reduce any interference that might degrade the sound.

There’s a perceptible improvement in the way systems perform when the Rocket 11 is plugged in, compared with rival speaker cables. Music sounds crisp and clean, with a punchy sense of dynamism that's a joy to listen to.

Read our full AudioQuest Rocket 11 review

Best premium speaker cable

The Rocket 22 continues the fine work of its Award-winning sibling (above) and, in a suitably talented set-up, the difference in price between the two can be justified by the improvement in scale, detail and authority.

The design of this audiophile speaker cable mirrors that of the cheaper model but uses higher quality copper conductors with a polished outer surface that’s claimed to give a ‘sweeter’ high-frequency performance. The conductors use strands arranged in concentric layers, where each layer spirals in the opposite direction to the one below it.

The cable also uses AudioQuest’s Noise Dissipation System, which is essentially specially designed layers of shielding that reduce the impact of RF (Radio Frequency) interference and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference).

Read our full AudioQuest Rocket 22 review

How to choose the right speaker cables

If you're embarking on getting new speaker cables for your system, a starting point could be to get in touch with the manufacturer of your stereo speakers and ask if they recommend a particular brand or model of cable. After all, engineers will have spent hours experimenting during the development process and you might be given a valuable nugget of information that might make your job of finding something suitable more simple.

You could also speak to a dealer to see if they've tried different speaker cables during demos and have found any that work particularly well with your pair of speakers. First-hand advice is always valuable.

Do remember to budget for the lengths of speaker wire that you need (and the number of speakers you're wiring up if it's a surround system) and bear in mind that the cable prices we quote usually don't include the banana plugs that you'll see in the pictures – you can specify the lengths and termination during the buying process.

Banana plugs make connecting, unplugging and reconnecting easier, but they don't make the sound any better. In fact, many people believe a bare wire connection to be sonically superior, so choose what works for your system.

Otherwise, when it comes to picking the right speaker cables, a lot of your decision-making will revolve around price and your specific hi-fi system.

As a general rule of thumb, we'd recommend setting aside 10-15 per cent of the total cost of your system for all cables. In the case of a hi-fi set-up, you'll be looking at analogue interconnects, speaker cables and, potentially, a digital optical or coaxial cable depending on the sources you're using. So you'll want to dedicate a share of this to a pair of suitable speaker cables.

If you currently own an excellent entry-level set-up, you may not feel the need to spend big on cables, and that's totally fine. However, you might find that trying a new set of cables is an easy and effective way to upgrade your system's sound without spending big bucks. As you can see from our list below, there are some brilliant budget options available.

On the flip side, If you own a high-end set-up, we'd suggest looking at price-comparable cables to get the most performance out of your system.

One last piece of advice would be to not pick a cable option purely on the star rating. Read our reviews to help you understand the character of the cable and see if it matches the character of your audio system.

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