What Cable Gauge Do I Need for my Speakers?

[rotem]

I'm using a jbl spyro probably 8ohms and a PC. I need to extend both the cables to right and left and also the cable from the PC to the sub.

 

[markw]

I'm building an experiment with a 20kHz signal and I need the best cable with the least attenuation for around 50m or more. I couldn't find from the spec of some cable what is the attenuation per feet for a cretin frequency.
thanks
rotem

I'm using a jbl spyro probably 8ohms and a PC. I need to extend both the cables to right and left and also the cable from the PC to the sub.

And you want to extend that 50 meters? Dude, you need more than simple cables if you don't want signal loss at the far end, much less at the high end. Start thinking amplification.

Can those speakers even do 20 khz?

 

[rotem]

They can. and I can handle signal loss as long as I can predict it before.

 

[Speedskater]

At a length of 50 meters and a frequency of 20 kHz, cable self-inductance becomes more of an issue than cable resistance. What might work is if you can find a roll of Cat3 or Cat5 cable. You could parallel several cables. Connect all the solid colors to one terminal and the stripes to the other.

 

[Rickster71]

I'm using a jbl spyro probably 8ohms and a PC. I need to extend both the cables to right and left and also the cable from the PC to the sub.

Isn't the volume control on one of the speakers? So you'll have to extend that wire too.
How's that going to work, using the control 50m away?

 

[Speedskater]

Wait a minute! The JBL Spyro is a very, very tiny POWERED desk top speaker system. I'm not sure how it works/connected. Are you just going to cut the wires?

 

[markw]

Well, duh!

Wait a minute! The JBL Spyro is a very, very tiny POWERED desk top speaker system. I'm not sure how it works/connected. Are you just going to cut the wires?

You just realized this? As such, it's working off a signal designed to drive headphones, or self-powered computer speakers. IOW, little more than line-level.

 

[markw]

Are you sure?

They can. and I can handle signal loss as long as I can predict it before.

If these specs are what you're basing your experiment on, I'd rethink your plans. "Real" speaker specs include a decibel variation when they state a frequency range: (i.e: 40 -15 khz +/- 3 db) For all we know, they could be 15 decibels down from 1khz.

 

[rotem]

I'm not basing it on a spec. I've checked it. I'm trying to extend without cutting the speaker wire, with RCA connectors. I was thinking about a regular extender, power cable. with RCA at it's ends and I will check the attenuation. I'm not sure how to extend the volume wire. I'm planing to test it mono to start with.

 

[markw]

You do realize that you're obsessing over what grit polish to use on a turd, don't you?

 

[Zene]

Hi ... does the "Speaker Cable Gauge ... Recommendations" article apply to active tri and quad amped systems as well.
Seems as if the power and higher frequencies would figure into the sizes.
Thanks, Zene

 

[Irvrobinson]

Hi ... does the "Speaker Cable Gauge ... Recommendations" article apply to active tri and quad amped systems as well.
Seems as if the power and higher frequencies would figure into the sizes.
Thanks, Zene

My advice is, don't over-think this. Use 12ga or 10ga for every connection. Ignore marketing nonsense about skin effect or whatever affecting high frequencies.

 

[Zene]

irv ... Thanks for your input. but that's as much misconception as a mfg. I'm not about to just grab some cable and fly with it because everyone else does it. Been at the game too long not to delve into
what is really going on with the little electron buggers. For a tweeter 12 gauge makes little sense if it's crossed at a point where the impedance is quite high. The lower the cable resistance following is certainly not the answer. No offence to you personally. Zene

 

[Irvrobinson]

irv ... Thanks for your input. but that's as much misconception as a mfg. I'm not about to just grab some cable and fly with it because everyone else does it. Been at the game too long not to delve into
what is really going on with the little electron buggers. For a tweeter 12 gauge makes little sense if it's crossed at a point where the impedance is quite high. The lower the cable resistance following is certainly not the answer. No offence to you personally. Zene

Zene, you're lost. Have you read any of the cable articles on this site, under the AV Research tab? They're quite excellent.

 

[gene]

irv ... Thanks for your input. but that's as much misconception as a mfg. I'm not about to just grab some cable and fly with it because everyone else does it. Been at the game too long not to delve into
what is really going on with the little electron buggers. For a tweeter 12 gauge makes little sense if it's crossed at a point where the impedance is quite high. The lower the cable resistance following is certainly not the answer. No offence to you personally. Zene

Cable resistance is the single most important metric with speaker cables at audio frequencies. Everything else is secondary.

 

[Zene]

Irv ...reading like crazy and finding no scientific evidence other than personal speculation. Not good enough.

Gene .. Are you saying the lower the better? If so, I find that hard to believe, also.

Thanks guys, Zene

 

[markw]

Somehow, I think a brief detour to this thread might be appropiate at this time.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Irv ...reading like crazy and finding no scientific evidence other than personal speculation. Not good enough.

Gene .. Are you saying the lower the better? If so, I find that hard to believe, also.

Thanks guys, Zene

Zene, what the heck are you reading? Did you read any of the articles on this site? Properly designed speaker cables exceeding the minimum AWG for distance and load impedance do not materially affect frequency response or distortion. I don't know what you're reading, but that's not opinion, it's measured fact. You're sounding like a person who either has an agenda, or has already drawn a conclusion without any knowledge.

 

[jcl]

Roger Russell of McIntosh fame has an informative web page on speaker wire.

 

[gene]

Irv ...reading like crazy and finding no scientific evidence other than personal speculation. Not good enough.

Gene .. Are you saying the lower the better? If so, I find that hard to believe, also.

Thanks guys, Zene

Yes and the article I wrote about this clearly shows that:
Speaker Cable Gauge (AWG) Guidelines & Recommendations | Audioholics

High resistance has a much more profound effect on performance than capacitance or inductance for speaker cables, especially when dealing with low impedance speakers.