Coax Cables for Subs

[Bryce_H]

Ok, in another thread that I posted too, I mentioned I had prewired coax for sub locations. Some one mentioned that a coax cable is the wrong cable to prewire for a sub. I thought it was fine. I'm using Quad-shielded RG6 and will be terminating in RCA plugs with a waterproof crimper from Parts Express.

What are people's thoughts??

I still have the oppertunity to run something else before I put up the drywall.

 

[TMASD2002]

Ok, in another thread that I posted too, I mentioned I had prewired coax for sub locations. Some one mentioned that a coax cable is the wrong cable to prewire for a sub. I thought it was fine. I'm using Quad-shielded RG6 and will be terminating in RCA plugs with a waterproof crimper from Parts Express.

What are people's thoughts??

I still have the oppertunity to run something else before I put up the drywall.

I would think that you would be fine using a COAX cable to use for your sub.

 

[Duffinator]

Coax is the way to go. You did it right.

 

[Shinerman]

I agree!

Shinerman

 

[Nomo]

I agree!

Shinerman

No Shinerman. Not here too!!!

 

[timfore]

I'm glad you asked this question. I used coaxial cable in wall and converted the coaxial connection to a rca connection at the wall plates. I used a sub cable to go to the wall plate from the sub and a audio cable from the receiver to the other wall plate. Now all I hear is a humming sound thru my sub. Can anyone give me some suggestions?

 

[mtrycrafts]

I'm glad you asked this question. I used coaxial cable in wall and converted the coaxial connection to a rca connection at the wall plates. I used a sub cable to go to the wall plate from the sub and a audio cable from the receiver to the other wall plate. Now all I hear is a humming sound thru my sub. Can anyone give me some suggestions?

You may have one of the lines not connected properly to one or more of the connectors. One side of the signal cable is not electrically connected.

 

[Sleestack]

I thought subs use regular analog audio connects. Don't they have a different impedance than a didgital coax cable? I use analog audio interconnects and they seem to work fine. I'm very confused.

 

[ruadmaa]

Coax for subs????

Ok, in another thread that I posted too, I mentioned I had prewired coax for sub locations. Some one mentioned that a coax cable is the wrong cable to prewire for a sub. I thought it was fine. I'm using Quad-shielded RG6 and will be terminating in RCA plugs with a waterproof crimper from Parts Express.

What are people's thoughts??

I still have the oppertunity to run something else before I put up the drywall.

To the very best of my knowledge, RG6 is for TELEVISION signals, not speakers. Why would you not have simply gotten some 12 gage cable from home depot???

 

[jaxvon]

Well, if you're running a line-level signal to a subwoofer that has an RCA output from the reciever, then you need a shielded coaxial cable (RG-6,RG-59, etc). Because these are video grade cables, they have no problems at all with audio frequencies.

 

[Bryce_H]

The reaosn I have not run speaker wire is there are no speaker wire jacks on my sub - all line level inputs.

 

[Shinerman]

I'm glad you asked this question. I used coaxial cable in wall and converted the coaxial connection to a rca connection at the wall plates. I used a sub cable to go to the wall plate from the sub and a audio cable from the receiver to the other wall plate. Now all I hear is a humming sound thru my sub. Can anyone give me some suggestions?

Like Mtrycrafts mentioned, something is not making good contact, somewhere. You need to go back and check all the connections and make sure when you put the RCA plugs on, you did it correctly. You need to make sure everything has a good solid contact.

Quad shielded RG6 should be absolutely fine for a sub cable.

Shinerman

 

[markw]

Crimp on RCA plugs? Where did you find these?

Ok, in another thread that I posted too, I mentioned I had prewired coax for sub locations. Some one mentioned that a coax cable is the wrong cable to prewire for a sub. I thought it was fine. I'm using Quad-shielded RG6 and will be terminating in RCA plugs with a waterproof crimper from Parts Express.

What are people's thoughts??

I still have the oppertunity to run something else before I put up the drywall.

The only ones I'm familiar with need solder to do the job.

Now, ""F connectors are another story. These are what's generally applied yt ote ends of RG type cables and require specializied crimp tools, which are available from RatShack and other places. They are well worth the investment if you intend to do any work at all with RG type cables.

They DO make adaptors to go from "F" connetors to RCA plugs and they don't cost a bundle. ...and they work great, too. If I were in your situation, that's what I would use.

 

[inmypjs]

Speaking of sub ICs, well I just got a REL Q108e demo sub from Magnolia AudioVideo that i'm testing with my system. My question is, is it ok to just use the skinny RCA sub cable that came with it or should I use a thicker cable from, say DH Labs pictured below?

 

[mtrycrafts]

Speaking of sub ICs, well I just got a REL Q108e demo sub from Magnolia AudioVideo that i'm testing with my system. My question is, is it ok to just use the skinny RCA sub cable that came with it or should I use a thicker cable from, say DH Labs pictured below?

The ones that came with it are just fine

 

[inmypjs]

Are you sure? I thought you need a thicker gauge (at least 18 AWG) for those low frequencies. According to River Cables "to ensure low capacitance and low resistance, while delivering super signal power from your amplifier to your active subwoofer" they use OFC 18 gauge cable plus it has to be densely shielded in order to reject hum and buzz (due to EMI & RFI signals).

The supplied REL phono cable is very thin, it's actually the same one pictured below:

Compare it to the thickness sold by Impact Acoustics which is quite a difference:

Incidentally, I was also demoing a Martin Logan Dynamo sub. When I used the same cable I could hear a hum whenever I turn off my receiver. However, it disappears when I turn the receiver back on.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Are you sure? I thought you need a thicker gauge (at least 18 AWG) for those low frequencies. According to River Cables "to ensure low capacitance and low resistance, while delivering super signal power from your amplifier to your active subwoofer" they use OFC 18 gauge cable plus it has to be densely shielded in order to reject hum and buzz (due to EMI & RFI signals).

The supplied REL phono cable is very thin, it's actually the same one pictured below:

Compare it to the thickness sold by Impact Acoustics which is quite a difference:

Incidentally, I was also demoing a Martin Logan Dynamo sub. When I used the same cable I could hear a hum whenever I turn off my receiver. However, it disappears when I turn the receiver back on.

Low frequencies are the easiest to transfer through the cables and least affected by capacitance. And, since IC cables are more of a voltage transmission cable, ga is not that important especially when you are amplifying it at the sub end

The hum may be grounding problems. What happens when you unplug the IC cable from the receiver, still a hum? Or when the amp is off and unplugged? Also try to unplug any cable TV to the receiver and see if that hum is still there. You could be getting ground loops from the cable/ sat TV even if the receiver is off.