What effect will diifferent cable lengths towards the sounds?

[kurnitb]

Hi guys, what effect will it have when I wire my right speaker using a longer cable when compared to the left speaker. Thank's.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Absolutely no difference at all, so long as the cable gauge is large enough to keep the resistance difference from being a factor. I run speaker cables of different lengths to my speakers, and it works just fine. The speed of conduction for electrical signals on copper wires is so fast compared to the speed of sound in the air that any differences in arrival times are completely irrelevant.

 

[3db]

The speed of which an electrical signal propagates through a conductor is very close to the speed light. The difference in speaker cable length would have to be many many kilometers in length before one would start hearing differences. Like Irv mentioned, just ensure that the speaker gauge is thick enough for the distance run.

Check out this link and near the bottom of the page is a table recommended speaker gauge vs distance.

Speaker Cable Gauge (AWG) Guidelines & Recommendations | Audioholics

 

[j_garcia]

You theoretically *could* have a difference in sound if one wire was significantly longer than the other, but for even 14AWG wire with an 8 Ohm nominal speaker we would be talking about something like over a 100ft difference between the two and even then the signal would simply start to become attenuated at the top end. So if we are talking a foot or two, you won't be able to tell any difference.

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

 

[fmw]

You theoretically *could* have a difference in sound if one wire was significantly longer than the other, but for even 14AWG wire with an 8 Ohm nominal speaker we would be talking about something like over a 100ft difference between the two and even then the signal would simply start to become attenuated at the top end. So if we are talking a foot or two, you won't be able to tell any difference.

Speaker Wire

"Theoretically" there will not be an audible difference. "Theoretically" moving your head an inch from one side to the other would have 1000's of times more effect. Remember sound is traveling several hundred miles per hour in air while electric current is travellinng at something around 186,000 miles per SECOND in wire. That means it can travel around the world more than 7 times in a second. If the difference in wire length were 10 miles, the delay would be about 5/100,000th of a second. Our neurons don't react that quickly. Hope that adds some perspective.

 

[3db]

You theoretically *could* have a difference in sound if one wire was significantly longer than the other, but for even 14AWG wire with an 8 Ohm nominal speaker we would be talking about something like over a 100ft difference between the two and even then the signal would simply start to become attenuated at the top end. So if we are talking a foot or two, you won't be able to tell any difference.

Speaker Wire

Its funny, I was looking at this with respect to phase and you were looking at this with respect to attenuation.

To the OP...

The attenuation of the signal in a speaker wire will play a more immediate role than phase delay of which I posted. If your speaker wire is sufficiently thick (look at the table in the link I provided you) then a couple of feet in cable length will not matter at all.

 

[katgrl]

As long as the wire is large enough to carry the wattage.... There is no appreciable difference in arrival time. A piece of newspaper held on one side would make a much larger difference...

 

[j_garcia]

"Theoretically" moving your head an inch from one side to the other would have 1000's of times more effect.

Been saying that for years. Speaker placement is far more important than most people seem to think, and very small changes can make a big difference. Far more than speaker wire.