Any general 'maximums' with speaker cable?

[Toka]

Not interested in yet another pointless debate, but I was wondering if those in the know (Gene, et al) have any rough 'ceilings' when concerning inductance, capacitance, resistance in speaker cables...I know inductance is most important, but is a difference of say .16uH/ft vs. 13uH/ft worth it if the corresponding DC Loop resistance is 2 mohm/ft vs. 18.5 mohm/ft?

I'm not sure I really understand my own question, so sorry if it doesn't make sense...just looking for some basic guidelines/ratios/schooling.

EDIT: I suppose the same question could apply to interconnects as well...again, I don't want to get into a 'sound difference' discussion (cuz there ain't one), but more concerned with efficiency/technical jibber-jabber.

 

[Nick250]

Here ya go.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

 

[j_garcia]

Interconnects and wire are not carrying the same signal level, so no it isn't the same thing. Interconnects carry analog line level, speaker wires carry amplified signal.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Not interested in yet another pointless debate, but I was wondering if those in the know (Gene, et al) have any rough 'ceilings' when concerning inductance, capacitance, resistance in speaker cables...I know inductance is most important, but is a difference of say .16uH/ft vs. 13uH/ft worth it if the corresponding DC Loop resistance is 2 mohm/ft vs. 18.5 mohm/ft?

I'm not sure I really understand my own question, so sorry if it doesn't make sense...just looking for some basic guidelines/ratios/schooling.

EDIT: I suppose the same question could apply to interconnects as well...again, I don't want to get into a 'sound difference' discussion (cuz there ain't one), but more concerned with efficiency/technical jibber-jabber.

Speaker wire is where you are concerned with inductance and loop resistance. Capacitance only comes into the picture with a poorly designed amp that is sensitive to capacitance and will go into oscillation. Only a few out there, like Naim.

So, your approximate 10ga wire is certainly better than the approximate 20 ga wire by a long shot. The lower inductance is also better but not if you have to put up with more resistance and much higher capacitance if your amp is sensitive to it

 

[Toka]

Interconnects and wire are not carrying the same signal level, so no it isn't the same thing. Interconnects carry analog line level, speaker wires carry amplified signal.

Right with you on that, guess I could've worded it a little better. I've seen some interconnects with low capacitance, but is that the be-all-end-all? Does inductance even factor into it? As mtrycrafts pointed out (thanks!), getting lower inductance on speaker cable at the expense of much higher resistance isn't the best trade-off. Just curious more than anything.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Right with you on that, guess I could've worded it a little better. I've seen some interconnects with low capacitance, but is that the be-all-end-all? Does inductance even factor into it? .

Capacitance is the main factor in interconnect cables. However, component input and output impedance also has a major factor as to whether or not that capacitance will matter much. With low output impedance and high input impedance, capacitance will not degrade the signal in a meaningful way.
But, passive preamp tend to have a high or variable output impedance, then, capacitance will matter a lot as the high frequency will be attenuated enough to be audible with higher values of capacitance.

 

[Toka]

Cool, thanks again for the info!