Max_Powers Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Anyone got any suggestions on which to get? Stupid question, I know, but I read it has to be unshielded... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crafty Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 Where did you read that? Just use a regular pro audio speaker cable with 1/4 plugs. I like Horizon cables myself, but just about anything will do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Powers Posted March 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 I meant we are not supposed to use shielded regular patch cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovekraft Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 It's not necessary to use shielded cable for speaker connections, since the impedance level is very low, and the signal level is quite high - however, provided the power level doesn't exceed the current handling capability of the cable and/or the connectors, there's no compelling reason (other than cost, and perhaps durability) not to use it. I use a cheap generic 14 gauge two-conductor lamp cord with sturdy rubber insulation, but have sub'd short shielded cables for speaker cables in emergencies with no issues. I'm sure there are some true-believer audiophile types who will disagree violently, but the only thing I worry about in speaker cable is current rating, so unless you're running 100 feet of cable or connecting several kilowatts of power to your speakers (or both), just about any sturdy cable should work with no audible difference. Now, let me get out of here quickly, before the "Silver Litz Wire and Oxygen-free Copper" crowd storm the castle with torches and pitchforks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max_Powers Posted March 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 I am trying to find where I read it from, but I definitely did see that it could be damaging to your head to use a shielded cable. I don't get any of this so don't ask me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gripper Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 (edited) Max, I believe that treatment of the issue (I read it too, somewhere) assumes you were going to use a microphone cable. It is concievable that the amp could burn up the center conductor and open the speaker circuit. May as well believe it and stay away from mic cables when hooking up your cabs. I use a type of round cable called 14-2SJO. The J is supposed to stand for Junior and it is very small for the given conductor size(14 ga.). A little hard to find and kinda pricey. Lovecraft has the right idea. Damn! Almost forgot again! Edited March 23, 2006 by gripper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewrathofraf Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 a regular old speaker cable works fine. i had a cheap one for a while but when i started playin at higher volumes i went out and got a 5" planet waves speaker cable. had that thing for a while...no problems. -RAF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott from _actual time_ Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 but I definitely did see that it could be damaging to your head to use a shielded cable. that is true. it's not the shielding itself that's the problem. like lovekraft said above, "...provided the power level doesn't exceed the current handling capability of the cable and/or the connectors...". almost all shielded instrument cables are much higher resistance than speaker cables, and they can't handle the current an amp puts out. a higher resistance cable makes your amp output push harder, and that can damage or blow your amp. so like folks are saying, you can use any low resistance, high capacity cable. any pro speaker cable will do. stereo speaker wire works fine too. lamp cord, like lovekraft said, will also work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeAArthur Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 There could be another, admittly secondary concern with using shielded cable - it also has more capacitance per foot than plain old zip cord. If you're using a long enough or cheap enough shielded cable, the capacitive loading could drive some power amps into instability. At any rate, the extra capacitance will interfere with the real load the power amp should be seeing from the speakers alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sulzer Posted March 23, 2006 Report Share Posted March 23, 2006 It's not necessary to use shielded cable for speaker connections, since the impedance level is very low, and the signal level is quite high - however, provided the power level doesn't exceed the current handling capability of the cable and/or the connectors, there's no compelling reason (other than cost, and perhaps durability) not to use it. I use a cheap generic 14 gauge two-conductor lamp cord with sturdy rubber insulation, but have sub'd short shielded cables for speaker cables in emergencies with no issues. I'm sure there are some true-believer audiophile types who will disagree violently, but the only thing I worry about in speaker cable is current rating, so unless you're running 100 feet of cable or connecting several kilowatts of power to your speakers (or both), just about any sturdy cable should work with no audible difference. Now, let me get out of here quickly, before the "Silver Litz Wire and Oxygen-free Copper" crowd storm the castle with torches and pitchforks! Good answer Lovekraft. I am an audiophile type, but as for cables, you have it right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.