speaker cables [message #21256] |
Mon, 25 August 2014 11:57 |
Iowa Boy
Messages: 767 Registered: June 2014
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What is suggested for wiring connecting amps to speaker cabinets? Everything I have read indicated that instruments to amp should be unbalanced and wiring to speakers either or. PA cabinets will have 50 ft lengths so before ordering the cables, I need to know what will work the best to reduce hum and outside noise.
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Re: speaker cables [message #21259 is a reply to message #21256] |
Mon, 25 August 2014 12:37 |
stevem
Messages: 4772 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
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Balanced cables ( three conductor , hot low, and shield) are only used to feed signal to a low impedance input, although you can unbalance a balanced cable for regular guitar use by soldering the low side to the shield at the opposite end from the guitar.
The high current carrying needs of powering a speaker should only be through a 18 ga or better two conductor or multi conductor cable with out a shield.
A 25 ft speaker cord that will carry a constant 200 watts of power should be made of a 12 ga wire!
[Updated on: Mon, 25 August 2014 12:38] Report message to a moderator
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Re: speaker cables [message #21260 is a reply to message #21256] |
Mon, 25 August 2014 12:40 |
chicagobill
Messages: 2006 Registered: April 2003
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Senior Member |
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I can't think of any time I've heard of speaker cables adding hum or noise to a signal. But then there are a lot of things that I haven't heard of.
The important thing to look at with long speaker cables is the size or gauge of the wires. Wire has a resistance factor that can add up with long lengths, so the larger the wire the less resistance it will add to the load seen by the amplifier.
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Re: speaker cables [message #21274 is a reply to message #21256] |
Tue, 26 August 2014 06:24 |
stevem
Messages: 4772 Registered: June 2004 Location: NY
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Senior Member |
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18 gauge is fine for the short 4 ft runs from amp head to cabinet.
You can use 16 ga for main PA runs over 25 ft and less than 50, but if you`ve got a 400 or 500 watts of power on each side and your using half that amount of power then the runs should really be 12 ga!
[Updated on: Tue, 26 August 2014 07:24] Report message to a moderator
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