Cat5 Speaker Cable

[cmb5286]

After hearing everything I've decided just to buy some canare 4S11 and terminate them myself with some locking plugs. Thanks for the input

 

[bandphan]

aside from the cool factor, there are several articles pointing out the pros and cons. If someone wants to make their own speaker cables great, is there any major benefit, no. The down side is if its not do correctly damage can occur. Go for it if you have the extra time.

 

[j_garcia]

Braiding is of no importance.

Each pair is 100 ohms. One cable will produce 25 ohms.

4 cables will be 6.25 ohms..

Cut 4 lengths, strip the ends, wire all the stripes together, and all the solids together.

You will have a 6.25 ohm cable.

Give it a try.

No idea if you'll hear anything different though..

Cheers, John

Based on the AH article, the cable's impedance will not influence anything. With interconnects, capacitance will, especially in longer lengths.

 

[unreal.freak]

Ok, I'll come out and say it: Using CAT5 for high current transmission is simply idiotic.

I wouldnt classify the amount of current it takes to drive a set of speakers "high"....LOL!!

I went to the link in the post by Haoleb, the cable that was shown there looked like ....butt crack... I wouldnt want anything like that showing in my set up. Thats just me, to each his own.


Peace,
Tommy

 

[jneutron]

Based on the AH article, the cable's impedance will not influence anything. With interconnects, capacitance will, especially in longer lengths.

As I stated, ""No idea if you'll hear anything different though.."".


However, the cable impedance will indeed influence the system. When the cable impedance is above that of the load, the cable will respond inductively overall. When the cable impedance is below the load, it will have a more capacitive nature.

The AH article does not go to the depth required to describe that influence, but the question of audibility would remain nonetheless.

Cheers, John

 

[mtrycrafts]

Each pair is 100 ohms.

Cheers, John

At audio frequencies? Or, at the RF frequencies cat 5 usually operates?

 

[mtrycrafts]

With interconnects, capacitance will, especially in longer lengths.

The input and output impedance of the component will have a determining factor on this too. One reason why passive preamps with high output impedance has a marked effect on FR., especially when it varies with volume control settings.

 

[jneutron]

At audio frequencies? Or, at the RF frequencies cat 5 usually operates?

All frequencies between DC and daylight.

Edit:

Remember, the formula for impedance is Z = sqr(L/C)

At DC as well as at any frequency, there is still inductance, and there is still capacitance.

When the cable Z is above the load Z, there is more inductive energy within the cable...this is typical of most speaker runs.

When the cable Z is below the load Z, there is more capacitive energy within the cable...this is typical of most IC's.


(E = 1/2 LI^2.......and E = 1/2 CV^2)


John

 

[jneutron]

Then, how is this different from characteristic impedance? I have seen those curves and it isn't flat from DC to light but a huge S curve or something at low frequencies.

It is characteristic impedance.

The curves you see at low frequencies are incorrect...the belden one comes to mind. They tend to use wavelength as part of the lf characteristics, so the cable's resistance begins to play a huge part.

Remember however, the curves provided by belden (et al) all use approximation theory. For practical use at "wavelengths", those curves will reasonably mimic reality.

For audio, "wavelengths" as they apply to cables, is a useless entity, unless you want to talk about the practical applications of superconductivity...my forte'...

Cheers, John

ps...hey, where'd your post go??