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Belden CLONE A23 Belden 9497 Speaker Cables I have been using Auditorium 23 speaker cables for some time now between both a 300B SET tube amp and a First Watt F8 connected to DeVore O96 speakers. As many of us are prone to do, I have been surfing the web checking out DIY speaker cables and came across this DIY A23 Clone build- and then curiosity got the better of me. 🤗 Now that I have had a play with these I am offering for sale. These are a 4.1 M pair tip to tip with cotton sheath. These will work best with SET Tube amps and Low Power SS Class A amps. There is much on the net about using Beld
A$325 is a strong bargain versus the used market: it sits far below the A$3,897 25th percentile and well under the A$5,024 median, so this is priced like a quick buy rather than a waiting game.
The upside here is straightforward: First Watt gear is admired for a very direct, high-current, “let the music through” presentation, and that pedigree usually keeps demand healthy among DIY and minimalist-amp fans. At this price, the key checks are basic and practical—confirm length, termination quality, and that the cables are truly the Belden 9497 build and not a vague clone with unknown wire. If they’re clean, correctly made, and the run suits your setup, this looks like an easy win.
Independent perspective — not a price guarantee. Always verify condition, accessories and provenance before purchase.
First Watt emerged from the visionary mind of Nelson Pass, the renowned American audio engineer and founder of Pass Labs, in the early 2000s. Established as a boutique extension of his primary enterprise, it was conceived not as a conventional company but as a personal laboratory for experimental amplifier designs. Pass launched First Watt to delve into unconventional territories overlooked by mainstream hi-fi, drawing on his decades of expertise in single-ended triode and solid-state innovations, much like the legendary early Marantz and VFET amplifiers that inspired him.
The brand specializes exclusively in low-power Class A solid-state power amplifiers, typically delivering 10 to 25 watts per channel into 8 ohms—modest outputs by modern standards. Models like the SIT4, F1, and F7 employ zero-feedback topologies, JFETs, Static Induction Transistors (SITs), and even current-source architectures that prioritize purity over brute force. These handcrafted units eschew preamps, phono stages, or speakers, focusing instead on driving efficient, high-sensitivity loudspeakers with exceptional transparency and musicality.
First Watt commands a cult following among high-end audiophiles as a niche boutique icon, revered for its heretical yet revelatory sound that challenges voltage-source norms. Positioned at the pinnacle of purist amplification, its amplifiers—often priced around $4,000—appeal to discerning buyers seeking "a handful of quality watts" over high-power generality, cementing Pass's legacy in the vanguard of innovative, speaker-specific hi-fi.
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