Audio guys: is there a limit to how long speaker cables can/should be?

[Fausto]

I'd like to run some wire through the attic to speakers I have mounted over the back patio. It's looking like 50-70 feet of wire per speaker......any reasons this might be a bad thing? Just curious.

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: Fausto1
I'd like to run some wire through the attic to speakers I have mounted over the back patio. It's looking like 50-70 feet of wire per speaker......any reasons this might be a bad thing? Just curious.

Yeah, it is bad and easily measurable. However, moving your head left or right 2" will have a greater effect on the sound. So, don't worry about it.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: glen

Originally posted by: Fausto1
I'd like to run some wire through the attic to speakers I have mounted over the back patio. It's looking like 50-70 feet of wire per speaker......any reasons this might be a bad thing? Just curious.

Yeah, it is bad and easily measurable. However, moving your head left or right 2" will have a greater effect on the sound. So, don't worry about it.

So it's only bad from a sound point of view? If that's the only thing then no worries since these are just cheapie outdoor speakers for parties and such.

 

[sohcrates]

just use at least 16 gauge wire and a run that length is fine

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: sohcrates
just use at least 16 gauge wire and a run that length is fine

What about lamp cord?

 

[amdskip]

Originally posted by: sohcrates
just use at least 16 gauge wire and a run that length is fine

Thats what I was thinking.

 

[Fausto]

Originally posted by: sohcrates
just use at least 16 gauge wire and a run that length is fine

Alrighty. I can handle that. I guess what I was most worried about was any extra load on my new receiver via the longer cables.

 

[ClueLis]

If you live in an area with a lot of radio stations, you may get some minor interference. It probably won't be much of an issue, but if it becomes one, you can get sheilding for the wire.

 

[Trygve]

Originally posted by: Fausto1

Originally posted by: sohcrates
just use at least 16 gauge wire and a run that length is fine

Alrighty. I can handle that. I guess what I was most worried about was any extra load on my new receiver via the longer cables.

150 feet (75 feet there, 75 feet back again) of 16 gauge copper wire has a resistance of about .7 ohms. If your speakers have an impedance of eight ohms, that means you'll need to supply about 9% more power from the amplifier to get the same volume out of the speakers. Not a big deal, and a straight length of wire is a very well-behaved load.

If you have 4 ohm speakers, the wire will eat up twice as much extra power.

 

[spidey07]

yep, 16 gauge only works to about 10 feet before it starts to degrade your performance.

12 gauge would be fine in your application. Keep away from any power lines and if you must cross do it at a right angle, never run parallel to power or any light fixtures.

 

[Mday]

12gauge, and shielded if you can.

wait, this is for an external application... shielded with the shield grounded to true ground.

i hope you're in one of the short buildings in the neighborhood (lightning)

 

[rahvin]

You should ask this question at the AVS forums, all the 16 year old "experts" will give you a ton of different respones.

From what I have seen in my cursory browsing while rewiring my homes low voltage you probably want 14/2 for clarity, but 16/2 should work fine.

Can anyone explain how ABUS audio works?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: rahvin
You should ask this question at the AVS forums, all the 16 year old "experts" will give you a ton of different respones.

From what I have seen in my cursory browsing while rewiring my homes low voltage you probably want 14/2 for clarity, but 16/2 should work fine.

Can anyone explain how ABUS audio works?

Actually AVSforum is full of people who think their denon and rockets speakers are the best ever. So take it for what its worth.

However, it is well known and proven that with 16 gauge speakerwire you will have attentuation at 50-70 feet depending on the impedance graph of the speaker.

With 12 gauge you can "practically" discard it.

It sure as heck can't hurt.

<---audiophile for 20 years.

 

[rahvin]

The question should be at what length does the interference become noticable enough to be annoying and why pay for 12 if 14 will work. 🙂

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: rahvin
The question should be at what length does the interference become noticable enough to be annoying and why pay for 12 if 14 will work. 🙂

Because impedance varies with frequency and hence the level of attentuation .1db or 2 db differs. For examply my speakers drop to 1 ohm and an extra .2 ohms of impdance or resistance is a big deal.

:beer:

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: rahvin
The question should be at what length does the interference become noticable enough to be annoying and why pay for 12 if 14 will work. 🙂

Because impedance varies with frequency and hence the level of attentuation .1db or 2 db differs. For examply my speakers drop to 1 ohm and an extra .2 ohms of impdance or resistance is a big deal.

:beer:

But couldn't we assume that with outdoor grade speakers the quality of the speakers will be less than stellar and the attenuation of the cables might not even be noticable? :beer:

 

[TheeeChosenOne]

AT least 12 gauge or lower.

 

[glen]

Originally posted by: rahvin

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: rahvin
The question should be at what length does the interference become noticable enough to be annoying and why pay for 12 if 14 will work. 🙂

Because impedance varies with frequency and hence the level of attentuation .1db or 2 db differs. For examply my speakers drop to 1 ohm and an extra .2 ohms of impdance or resistance is a big deal.

:beer:

But couldn't we assume that with outdoor grade speakers the quality of the speakers will be less than stellar and the attenuation of the cables might not even be noticable? :beer:

Even if speakers were "perfect" reproducing the sound EXACTLY as it was recorded, moving your head 2" would attenuate the high frequency more than any wires.