Length of speaker cable

[Calvert]

i read the following in another post "use the same length of cable to matching pairs of speakers (i.e. front left/right or surround left/right). Drastic differences in length can make a speaker pair not sound uniform.
-don't coil up excess speaker wire running to the amp."

A. I thought this was a myth.
B. If true, what constitutes a drastic difference in length? Especially in short runs.

 

[fmw]

It is a myth. I suppose if you had one wire 8 feet long and the other stretching around the planet then you might hear a difference between the two channels. Electric current travels at near the speed of light.

The concern about coiling the wire relates to introducing induction into the signal chain. If you were to take each wire and coil it tightly so it looks like a coiled telephone cord, you may be able to have some effect on the sound but not much. Probably none. But coiling it in the manner you mean won't affect anything audibly.

 

[Calvert]

Thank you fmw.

 

[markw]

Looking at the pictures of your system you've pictured in your other post, I cannot, for the life of me, see what you're obsessing about.

 

[Speedskater]

For reasonable cables and reasonable loudspeakers, a ten to one length relationship should be OK.
For very low impedance loudspeakers (less than 4 Ohms) I would try for less than 5 to 1.
Coiling a twisted pair cable will not increase inductance. The current in one of the wires will cancel the field in the other wire. However with a spaced pair cable, careful coiling might increase inductance.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

As long as your wire is thick enough there should not be any problems in your room. If you start to run cable around your house then there might be slight change if any. Also current receivers have room corrections that should take care of things like that.