I need to move a speaker further away from my amp and need to know if there are any recommendations in how to extend the length of the existing cable run that uses QED Silver Anniversary XT cable.
Many thanks
Many thanks
How to join together QED Silver Anniversary XT?
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chebby
Well-known member
[quote user="chebby"]
L & R cables should always be the same length.
[/quote]
IMO, this is one of the many myths peddled by cable manufacturers.
Im not saying it's a good idea to connect cable together as the OP wants to do, but L and R lengths do NOT have to be identical, or anywhere near. If someone's hifi is 5m away from the left speaker and 1m away from the right for example, it will make no difference (well apart from the addedprofits by your dealer as you buy 2 lots of 5m lengths!)
L & R cables should always be the same length.
[/quote]
IMO, this is one of the many myths peddled by cable manufacturers.
Im not saying it's a good idea to connect cable together as the OP wants to do, but L and R lengths do NOT have to be identical, or anywhere near. If someone's hifi is 5m away from the left speaker and 1m away from the right for example, it will make no difference (well apart from the addedprofits by your dealer as you buy 2 lots of 5m lengths!)
Whats the problem with coiling cables?
Ive had my speakers set up so that the wire is all straight out and with the cable coiled and its made no difference what so ever.
Ive had my speakers set up so that the wire is all straight out and with the cable coiled and its made no difference what so ever.
professorhat
Well-known member
[quote user="thfcwestlower"][quote user="chebby"]
L & R cables should always be the same length.
[/quote]
IMO, this is one of the many myths peddled by cable manufacturers.
Im not saying it's a good idea to connect cable together as the OP wants to do, but L and R lengths do NOT have to be identical, or anywhere near. If someone's hifi is 5m away from the left speaker and 1m away from the right for example, it will make no difference (well apart from the addedprofits by your dealer as you buy 2 lots of 5m lengths!)
[/quote]
Well, there is reasonable scientific theory behind this in terms of the resistance offered by the cables i.e. sound travelling down a longer line of cable will be subject to more resistance which could make an audible difference. See this post for a bit more info (and info on coiling as well). Of course if you have differing lengths and can't hear a difference, then there's no reason to worry!
L & R cables should always be the same length.
[/quote]
IMO, this is one of the many myths peddled by cable manufacturers.
Im not saying it's a good idea to connect cable together as the OP wants to do, but L and R lengths do NOT have to be identical, or anywhere near. If someone's hifi is 5m away from the left speaker and 1m away from the right for example, it will make no difference (well apart from the addedprofits by your dealer as you buy 2 lots of 5m lengths!)
[/quote]
Well, there is reasonable scientific theory behind this in terms of the resistance offered by the cables i.e. sound travelling down a longer line of cable will be subject to more resistance which could make an audible difference. See this post for a bit more info (and info on coiling as well). Of course if you have differing lengths and can't hear a difference, then there's no reason to worry!
chebby
Well-known member
Chalky,
No problem joining it using connector blocks (and a bit of insulation tape) - just keep an eye on it as the exposed cable may corrode over time giving a poorer connection, in which case you just trim it back a bit and renew the connection.
I'd ignore the different length and coiling advice unless you're running very sensitive (read 'mega-expensive') equipment!
Toby
No problem joining it using connector blocks (and a bit of insulation tape) - just keep an eye on it as the exposed cable may corrode over time giving a poorer connection, in which case you just trim it back a bit and renew the connection.
I'd ignore the different length and coiling advice unless you're running very sensitive (read 'mega-expensive') equipment!
Toby
chebby
Well-known member
Ah well, if we're going hypothetical . . . imagine you had more money than you knew what to do with, and you wanted, and could afford, the very best in every thing you could buy, would you be asking questions about what to do if you wanted to make some speaker cable longer? . . . Nope, didn't think so.
I apologise for giving some pratical advice and reassurance to someone who asked for it - obviously the wrong thing to do here!
Ones man's myth is another man's religion is another man's joke . . .
I apologise for giving some pratical advice and reassurance to someone who asked for it - obviously the wrong thing to do here!
Ones man's myth is another man's religion is another man's joke . . .
Hello chalkywhite,
I see that professorhat has already pointed you to a post with regards to speaker cable lengths and coiling so I shall not repeat any information.
With regards to joining your speaker cable using a connector block this would work but it is not ideal. I would suggest a different solution which would be to cut back the two cables to be joined removing the central tube leaving just the conductors. Then twist the conductors on one end and you should be able to overlap the other conductors over the top. Then solder the joint with silver solder. Finish the soldered joint with some heatshrink. This will give the best performance possible and the conductors will not degrade over time.
Hope this helps. Kind regards, Darren
I see that professorhat has already pointed you to a post with regards to speaker cable lengths and coiling so I shall not repeat any information.
With regards to joining your speaker cable using a connector block this would work but it is not ideal. I would suggest a different solution which would be to cut back the two cables to be joined removing the central tube leaving just the conductors. Then twist the conductors on one end and you should be able to overlap the other conductors over the top. Then solder the joint with silver solder. Finish the soldered joint with some heatshrink. This will give the best performance possible and the conductors will not degrade over time.
Hope this helps. Kind regards, Darren
chebby
Well-known member
[quote user="chebby"]
Bad practice (connector blocks, insulating tape etc.) is bad practice full stop. I would apply the same logic with £99 Tannoys connected to a £150 amp. Nothing snobby about it (as implied by your "more money than you knew what to do with" remark) and apologies if that is the impression I gave.
I am only using fairly humble gear myself but I would not recommend re-moulded tyres on a Ferrari OR a Ford Escort and I would not recommend speaker cables with screw down connector blocks either. I would rather recommend cheaper cable - but well terminated with soldered 4mm plugs - than temporary 'botch' measures.
[/quote]
This has always intrigued me - I'm not being sarcastic or argumentitive, but I am genuinely interested what is wrong with, say, soldering (with silver solder if thats a concern) speaker cables together and heatshrinking?
I have a vested interest - got some Chord Rumour 4 to splice!
Bad practice (connector blocks, insulating tape etc.) is bad practice full stop. I would apply the same logic with £99 Tannoys connected to a £150 amp. Nothing snobby about it (as implied by your "more money than you knew what to do with" remark) and apologies if that is the impression I gave.
I am only using fairly humble gear myself but I would not recommend re-moulded tyres on a Ferrari OR a Ford Escort and I would not recommend speaker cables with screw down connector blocks either. I would rather recommend cheaper cable - but well terminated with soldered 4mm plugs - than temporary 'botch' measures.
[/quote]
This has always intrigued me - I'm not being sarcastic or argumentitive, but I am genuinely interested what is wrong with, say, soldering (with silver solder if thats a concern) speaker cables together and heatshrinking?
I have a vested interest - got some Chord Rumour 4 to splice!
chebby
Well-known member
I have to say I bought some 6mm copper speaker cable at about £60 for 4 lengths of 5m for biamping. Not a patch on QED SA XT
[quote user="chebby"]
Soldering and heat-shrinking sounds a much better idea. (If the OP has the required soldering iron and solder etc.) I was taking issue with connector blocks and insulating tape amongst other things.
I remember visiting a friend once and she was distraught that her boyfriend had 'broken' her Mordaunt Short speakers. (Her Hifi was her pride and joy.) I checked the fuses in the back of the speakers - they used to have them back then - and they were blown hence the sound only coming from the tweeters. Next day I turned up with a couple of the correct fuses and the speakers came back to life. Great. Well, actually not so great. The boyfriend was there and basically just laughed at the care I had taken to get the correct fuses and announced that next time he "blew the buggers" he would not bother with new fuses but would wrap tin foil around them! A few days later he had made good on his promise and baked the coils on the bass units for good whilst she was out at work.
Needless to say he never lived there again. Either she threw him out or he moved on to a new GF with bigger loudspeakers (or a couple of Marshall amps.)
That story sort of encapsulates what I think of temporary botches work-around solutions.
[/quote]
Thanks Chebby - always good to get another viewpoint. I agree that temporary work-arounds will inevitibly have some compromises that will catch you out in the end. As I often find.
Soldering and heat-shrinking sounds a much better idea. (If the OP has the required soldering iron and solder etc.) I was taking issue with connector blocks and insulating tape amongst other things.
I remember visiting a friend once and she was distraught that her boyfriend had 'broken' her Mordaunt Short speakers. (Her Hifi was her pride and joy.) I checked the fuses in the back of the speakers - they used to have them back then - and they were blown hence the sound only coming from the tweeters. Next day I turned up with a couple of the correct fuses and the speakers came back to life. Great. Well, actually not so great. The boyfriend was there and basically just laughed at the care I had taken to get the correct fuses and announced that next time he "blew the buggers" he would not bother with new fuses but would wrap tin foil around them! A few days later he had made good on his promise and baked the coils on the bass units for good whilst she was out at work.
Needless to say he never lived there again. Either she threw him out or he moved on to a new GF with bigger loudspeakers (or a couple of Marshall amps.)
That story sort of encapsulates what I think of temporary botches work-around solutions.
[/quote]
Thanks Chebby - always good to get another viewpoint. I agree that temporary work-arounds will inevitibly have some compromises that will catch you out in the end. As I often find.
Using a sturdy electrical block and carefully fitting the speaker cable is not a 'botch' job. There is nothing inherently special about speaker cable which defies or goes aganst the grain of standard electrical engineering principles.
chebby
Well-known member
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