Short interconnect vs short speaker cable

[Thetwinmeister]

Did a bit of searching on Google and here, but it turns out this subject is really awkward to type into a search engine. Maybe its just me...

My question to you is this: When a long cable run is required, which is better?

Source >---Long interconnect---> Amp >-Short speaker cable run-> Speakers

Or

Source >-Short interconnect-> Amp >---Long speaker cable run---> Speakers

Applied application: Should I put the amp under the mixer or under the stage next to the speakers? If under the mixer, the speaker cable will have to make the long run parallel to other interconnects. Not sure if that matters.

Traditionally I've seen the amp next to the speakers, but I was wondering if there was any advantage signal-wise to put the amp close to the source, and have the amplified signal make the long run.

 

[TLS Guy]

Did a bit of searching on Google and here, but it turns out this subject is really awkward to type into a search engine. Maybe its just me...

My question to you is this: When a long cable run is required, which is better?

Source >---Long interconnect---> Amp >-Short speaker cable run-> Speakers

Or

Source >-Short interconnect-> Amp >---Long speaker cable run---> Speakers

Applied application: Should I put the amp under the mixer or under the stage next to the speakers? If under the mixer, the speaker cable will have to make the long run parallel to other interconnects. Not sure if that matters.

Traditionally I've seen the amp next to the speakers, but I was wondering if there was any advantage signal-wise to put the amp close to the source, and have the amplified signal make the long run.

If this is a commercial application, with very long distances, then the amps should be close to the speakers, and you absolutely need balanced interconnects to the amps.

 

[Thetwinmeister]

Its not commercial, but I'm defiantly using XLR cables. The distance is no more than 75ft.

Well, I should say normally I use XLR cables. I was considering the prospects of using a SE amp for various reasons, (Tight budget...) so that's why I bought this question up.

(Edit: Right now a very sad class D balanced amp is being used. I wanted to upgrade, and didn't want to use class D, but balanced amps cost much more than SE amps.)

 

[TLS Guy]

Its not commercial, but I'm defiantly using XLR cables. The distance is no more than 75ft.

Well, I should say normally I use XLR cables. I was considering the prospects of using a SE amp for various reasons, (Tight budget...) so that's why I bought this question up.

(Edit: Right now a very sad class D balanced amp is being used. I wanted to upgrade, and didn't want to use class D, but balanced amps cost much more than SE amps.)

For those distances, you must use balanced connection and have the amps close to the speakers. No way round it.

 

[highfigh]

Its not commercial, but I'm defiantly using XLR cables. The distance is no more than 75ft.

Well, I should say normally I use XLR cables. I was considering the prospects of using a SE amp for various reasons, (Tight budget...) so that's why I bought this question up.

(Edit: Right now a very sad class D balanced amp is being used. I wanted to upgrade, and didn't want to use class D, but balanced amps cost much more than SE amps.)

You want to use efficient amplification for this kind of application. Power amps with LowZ (Z, being the common symbol for impedance) balanced inputs are amazingly inexpensive- what have you looked at, so far?

BTW- it's the balanced/LowZ input that matters in a system like this. HighZ/unbalanced preamp signal loses far too much fidelity over long distances and long speaker cable runs cause their own problems.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Geez, what's this for?

We regularly run cables 100' plus in distrubted audio systems with no problems at all. Short cable to the amp, long speaker wire to the speakers. The speaker level signal does a very good job of rejecting noise compared to unbalanced line level audio.

Obviously, balanced audio can go a long way to the destination, then be amplified, but 75' really isn't very far and 14 or 12 gauge cabling will sound very good at those distances.

 

[Thetwinmeister]

You want to use efficient amplification for this kind of application. Power amps with LowZ (Z, being the common symbol for impedance) balanced inputs are amazingly inexpensive- what have you looked at, so far?

BTW- it's the balanced/LowZ input that matters in a system like this. HighZ/unbalanced preamp signal loses far too much fidelity over long distances and long speaker cable runs cause their own problems.

I see, I guess I've been looking at the wrong kind of amps. Do you have any recommendations?

Geez, what's this for?

We regularly run cables 100' plus in distrubted audio systems with no problems at all. Short cable to the amp, long speaker wire to the speakers. The speaker level signal does a very good job of rejecting noise compared to unbalanced line level audio.

Obviously, balanced audio can go a long way to the destination, then be amplified, but 75' really isn't very far and 14 or 12 gauge cabling will sound very good at those distances.

That's what I was thinking originally. I also have had some experience with audio distribution systems, but I think for sound reinforcement what highfigh is saying reflects what I've observed-- but never critically analyzed-- over the years. I only recently got into sound reinforcement and have just now had the opportunity to upgrade things.

Thanks for the feedback guys!