Using video cables for audio interconnects?

[mikepinkerton]

Just bought a new amp and need 5 interconnects to connect my rcvr to the amp. I read a bunch on various boards about how you can use video cables for audio interconnects, but when I was at BB today looking at AR cables, the pictures on the back of the packages illustrated that the cables look like they're constructed differently.

It looks like:

two sets of RCA A/V cables < 2 sets of component video cables < 3 sets of stereo audio cables

This seems nonsensical to me. Are all these cables interchangable?

Help!
-Mike

 

[Rÿche 1]

I would not recommend using video cables for audio connections. And, if you're interested in A/R cables, I recommend you visit www.accessories4less.com. Much better prices than BB.

 

[Unregistered]

You will have absolutely no problem using video cables for audio. In fact there is an extremely high probability that audio and video cables from the same manufacturer are exactly the same. It is more cost effective to build all 75-ohm cables and just change the color of the connectors and label them 'audio' cables.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Just bought a new amp and need 5 interconnects to connect my rcvr to the amp. I read a bunch on various boards about how you can use video cables for audio interconnects, but when I was at BB today looking at AR cables, the pictures on the back of the packages illustrated that the cables look like they're constructed differently.

It looks like:

two sets of RCA A/V cables < 2 sets of component video cables < 3 sets of stereo audio cables

This seems nonsensical to me. Are all these cables interchangable?

Help!
-Mike

Other than a speaker cable run, video cables are a very good cable to use in the rest of the locations: video, digital, analog audio interconnects.

There is no different needs for the analog connection than low capacitance and the video cable has that too.

Audio is full of voodoo, urban legends, etc.

 

[mikepinkerton]

Other than a speaker cable run, video cables are a very good cable to use in the rest of the locations: video, digital, analog audio interconnects.

There is no different needs for the analog connection than low capacitance and the video cable has that too.

Audio is full of voodoo, urban legends, etc.

So if they're ok to be interchanged, why are there differences between the AR video and audio cables (according to the pictures on the back). Do these differences make them inappropriate for audio uses?

And why does Ryche say not to use video cables for audio purposes?

-Mike

 

[Unregistered]

So if they're ok to be interchanged, why are there differences between the AR video and audio cables (according to the pictures on the back). Do these differences make them inappropriate for audio uses?

What differences do the pictures show?

And why does Ryche say not to use video cables for audio purposes?

Because he is mistaken that cables labeled 'video' aren't suitable for audio use. Note that the video label simply means that it is a 75-ohm cable. It can be used for video, digital audio, or analog audio.

 

[mikepinkerton]

What differences do the pictures show?

The audio cables look like a twisted pair of wires, the video have a center wire with shielding like coax.

-Mike

 

[mtrycrafts]

The audio cables look like a twisted pair of wires, the video have a center wire with shielding like coax.

-Mike

Most likely because those twisted wires will work too It can be manufactured for less maybe?
But, getting back to cable electrical parameters needed for an analog audio interconnect is low capacitance. The twisting rejects noise but so will the video cable.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I would not recommend using video cables for audio connections.

We all want to know why this recommendation?

 

[markw]

The audio cables look like a twisted pair of wires, the video have a center wire with shielding like coax.

-Mike

These are not shielded cables. In a noise rich environment these could introduce noise into the system. Some people believe that these ushielded cables sound better than the run of the mill shielded cables but I don't buiy it. I'd rather have the shield and not need it than to need it and not have it.

 

[mikepinkerton]

These are not shielded cables.

Actually there is shielding over the twisted pair. I just left it out since i didn't have the drawing in front of me.

-Mike