Speaker Cable

[Frosty_47]

Hello Ladies and Germs!

I always hear a lot of theories on how speaker cable plays a role in performance. Average Joe on the street understands that shielded cables are probably better because they are less prone to EMI. I have one theory on my mind and it’s been there for a while. Why not use COAXIAL Cable? I mean thicknet Coaxial cable has excellent shielding and can support very high bandwidth and its not that expensive when compared to "Monster Speaker Cable" (by the way, Monster Cable is international joke because Monster Cable doesn't even make cables! They just put their logo on already pre made cables!). It takes only a few minutes to change those Banana contacts into Coax jacks so why not use Coax?

 

[Gayan Soyza]

The speaker cable wont give any noise to the output but when the cable length increases the cable resistance which may stealing the sound from the output isn't it?

If you like you can use COAXIAL type ones.But I'm not using because it has less flexibility than the standard SPEAKER cables.
Also many amplifiers speaker output connectors are push type stereo speaker connectors or screw type connectors.

 

[Frosty_47]

True

That’s very true bout flexibility. Regarding Resistance, I think 10-12 Gauge solid core coaxial cable will have far less resistance than any stranded speaker wire. Also coaxial cables & jacks have very sturdy contacts vs. ordinary stranded speaker wires that always tend to get loose ( I almost threw away 2 speakers thinking that they were blown but as it turned out to be, there was poor contact between the wires and the terminals). Putting in coax terminals might cause problems with space though, because to replace my "push-pin" speaker terminals with a coax I will probably need to use two coaxial cables per speaker ( 1 for +ve and 1 for -ve ). This way I can ground the shielding on the coax making the cable almost invulnerable to EMI.

Lolz I wonder how many ppl think I am crazy with this idea...

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Lolz I wonder how many ppl think I am crazy with this idea...

Here's one that does!

It sounds a totally pointless thing to do, speaker leads aren't really susceptible to EMI.

 

[Frosty_47]

But I want to feel special

All I wanted was just to feel special by installing those COAX cables. I proly will still go ahead with the idea just for the hell of it besides, coax cable and connectors are cheap to buy unless you buy some crazy military grade coax cables than it will proly cost a fortune…

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

All I wanted was just to feel special by installing those COAX cables. I proly will still go ahead with the idea just for the hell of it besides, coax cable and connectors are cheap to buy unless you buy some crazy military grade coax cables than it will proly cost a fortune…

It's your life!, feel free to do what you want, if you want to use coaxial cable for speaker leads it's a free country!

 

[audioguru]

Solid and stranded wire with the same gauge number have exactly the same resistance. The stranded one is more flexible.

Shielded cable is used for inputs, not for speakers.

Many coax cables are STEEL (for strength), not copper so their resistance is higher than copper speaker cables. Your TV doesn't care about a few ohms but your speakers do.

 

[Frosty_47]

Ooooooooooooo Ic Ic

Ok I am convinced now that using coax cable for speaker inputs is bad idea. But how can I make connections sturdier? Is it possible to put on an RCA plug onto a relatively thick speaker wire (12 gauge or so)? Or should I just change my "spring type plugs" with banana jacks?

 

[audioguru]

My very old Scott stereo receiver and my very old Acousic research speakers have screw terminals for good connections.
My new Yamaha stereo receiver has good-quality spring clip connectors for speakers that work fine.

 

[Hardwire]

Aren't most coax cables designed with characteristic impedances that expect to be matched up with 50 ohm or 72 ohm equipment? I'm thinking it might not be the best result when using them with an 8 ohm device such as a speaker. Will this matter?

 

[Frosty_47]

Hmm maybe I should just go with thicker Audio Cable (using 22 AWG rite now, yes I know that’s sad). I ma try fitting in 16 AWG wire and see if that solves the problem. If not, than I will proly install those screw-in terminals.

Thanks for your help once again !

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Aren't most coax cables designed with characteristic impedances that expect to be matched up with 50 ohm or 72 ohm equipment?

Actually 75 ohm, not 72.

I'm thinking it might not be the best result when using them with an 8 ohm device such as a speaker. Will this matter?

No, the impedance of the cable is simply governed by the ratio of the size of the inner conductor and the outer screening - it has no effect at audio frequencies - but it will be pretty naff speaker cable!.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Hmm maybe I should just go with thicker Audio Cable (using 22 AWG rite now, yes I know that’s sad). I ma try fitting in 16 AWG wire and see if that solves the problem. If not, than I will proly install those screw-in terminals.

What 'problem' do you have?, you've never mentioned one.

 

[Frosty_47]

Bad contact between the cable and the terminals. Cable gets loose very easily. The spring loaded contacts are large and my cable is only 22 AWG so maybe thats the problem.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Bad contact between the cable and the terminals. Cable gets loose very easily. The spring loaded contacts are large and my cable is only 22 AWG so maybe thats the problem.

Try some sensible size cable then, the spring loaded contacts are usually VERY reliable.

 

[Hardwire]

Hardwire it. That is my solution to everything as is evidenced by my screen name

 

[Frosty_47]

Lolz True

Hardwiring eh? Maybe. Man, but where is your picture? I mean u no have a suitable picture showing any "hardwiring" so how can we trust ur opinion ?

J/K

Thanks for all your opinions!

 

[Hardwire]

Hardwiring eh? Maybe. Man, but where is your picture? I mean u no have a suitable picture showing any "hardwiring" so how can we trust ur opinion ?

J/K

I'll just have to find one then

 

[audioguru]

The speaker on my 1/2W clock radio is connected with 22 gauge solid wire.
My powerful stereos use 16 gauge stranded wire. I tin (solder) the ends before connecting them. They never come apart by themselves.

A guy made the world's most powerful audio amplifier with vacuum tubes from a powerful radio transmitter. He used railroad tracks for wires to the load. He blew the breaker for his whole city.

 

[things]

hahaha, that would have been very funny, and loud