Speaker wire length

[Darqman]

All my equipment (minus center stand) has been here a while but I was out of town on vacation last weekend and just now have some time to get all these new goodies hooked up. First step is to make the speaker wires.

 

My AV rack is in the back of the room in the corner. I know it's not ideal, but the room was once a sunroom and there literally is no closet or suitable area for it. I'll need about a 45' cable to reach the front left channel.  About a 40' cable to reach the center and about 35' to reach the front right.  

 

My question is, should I just make them all 45' or 50' and hide the extra behind the curtain? I've read on other forums where some say it doesn't matter and others say it makes a difference with the volume.  

 

If it matters, I'm using professional grade 12awg, 2 conductor wire, speaker pants with sewell deadbolt banana plugs. I plan on making these nice cables. Here's a link to the spool I bought, I think there will be plenty.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Spool-audio-Gauge-Conductor-Speaker/dp/B00UIBIR2O?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

 

Thanks.

Edited April 15, 2016 by Darqman

[babadono]

 

What length your speaker cables are, within reason if you need to go 50' so be it.

Edited April 15, 2016 by babadono

[Darqman]

Thanks babadono, I guess the question was more related to whether it makes a difference if the length is different between the various channels.  

[jason str]

5 feet difference will not matter.

[babadono]

Thanks babadono, I guess the question was more related to whether it makes a difference if the length is different between the various channels.  

Again it makes no difference within reason. I've also heard so called golden ear people say not to coil up excess wire. At audio frequencies this also is rubbish. Cuz electrons don't like to go in circles, c'mon

[Paducah Home Theater]

https://www.audioholics.com/audio-video-cables/speaker-cable-length-differences-do-they-matter

[Darqman]

Thanks for the link.  I only understood one sentence in the entire article. Everything else was greek.

 

"The associated electrical delay of a "long" cable vs a "short" cable is simply not a real issue to concern yourself with."

[Paducah Home Theater]

I've also heard so called golden ear people say not to coil up excess wire. At audio frequencies this also is rubbish. Cuz electrons don't like to go in circles, c'mon

Probably afraid you're going to inadvertently make a giant air-core pseudo-inductor.

[mustang guy]

That's some stout wire! The price looks pretty darn good too for copper instead of copper plated aluminum like you see everywhere for cheap.

 

With that wire a 100' run would be no problem at all.  

 

PS: Just make the speaker wires the length you need. You won't notice the difference and you will be glad not to be tripping over it.

Edited April 15, 2016 by mustang guy

[babadono]

Are we sure this is pure copper wire? Just curious.

[Darqman]

Thanks mustang guy, I think I'm convinced not to fret over length.

 

babadono, No, I am not sure, I just assumed.  I made one cable last night and the strands were soft.  How do I tell if it's pure copper?

[Darqman]

I notice the price has gone up $20 since I bought it last week.  Lucky me!

[JJkizak]

What about the time delay syndrome?

JJK

[derrickdj1]

Therefore, the speed of electricity in a 12-gauge copper wire is 299,792,458 meters per second x 0.951 or 285,102,627 meters per second. This is about 280,000,000 meters per second which is not very much different from the speed of electromagnetic waves (light) in vacuum.

 

From reading the above statement, I conclude a 2-3 ft. difference in wire length will cause smearing of the stereo image.

Edited April 16, 2016 by derrickdj1

[babadono]

OH NO TDS

[Darqman]

I'm convinced I need these instead of the ones I was going to build.

 

http://www.pearcable.com/sub_products_anjou_sc.htm

 

 

Just kidding of course. You'd have to have more money than sense to buy those.

[mustang guy]

Thanks mustang guy, I think I'm convinced not to fret over length.

 

babadono, No, I am not sure, I just assumed.  I made one cable last night and the strands were soft.  How do I tell if it's pure copper?

Easy. Cut the wire and look at the end. If it's silver it's aluminum. Also, there was a post in the reviews section that said it was pure copper. Of course, the guy could have been lying or just wrong.

 

What about the time delay syndrome?

JJK

 

Therefore, the speed of electricity in a 12-gauge copper wire is 299,792,458 meters per second x 0.951 or 285,102,627 meters per second. This is about 280,000,000 meters per second which is not very much different from the speed of electromagnetic waves (light) in vacuum.

 

From reading the above statement, I conclude a 2-3 ft. difference in wire length will cause smearing of the stereo image.

 

I'm convinced I need these instead of the ones I was going to build.

 

http://www.pearcable.com/sub_products_anjou_sc.htm

 

 

Just kidding of course. You'd have to have more money than sense to buy those.

 

You will fit right in here.  

[Fracchia23]

So im understanding that if i have to connect a speacker that is 50ft from my Onkyo ampli, i can use a 12awg wire right?

I was looking to an other kind of wire.... a SUPRA CLASSIC 2.5 ...have you ever heard about it?

[babadono]

12 awg 50', yep OK.

[derrickdj1]

As long as the Supra Classic is not to expensive, it will work.  Just some good wire will do the job and double insulated if for an in-wall install.