speaker cables

elavate7 · #1 03-11-2011, 11:32 PM

hey. i realized that people use very short speaker cables to connect thier heads and cabs to get better resaponse. this makes sence because theres less cable for the frequencies to go through. i have 2 6 foot cables running into both cabs (which is way too long). where can i find some in inches with 1/4 ends on both sides?

PhiDeck · #2 03-11-2011, 11:36 PM

If you only need a pair of 3 footers, cut one of your 6 foot cables in half and put a new plug on each half.

elavate7 · #3 03-11-2011, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiDeck

If you only need a pair of 3 footers, cut one of your 6 foot cables in half and put a new plug on each half.

i dont know how to do that.....but i want one thats about 4-5 inches and another that about a 1 foot

GrowlerBox · #4 03-12-2011, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elavate7

hey. i realized that people use very short speaker cables to connect thier heads and cabs to get better resaponse. this makes sence because theres less cable for the frequencies to go through. i have 2 6 foot cables running into both cabs (which is way too long). where can i find some in inches with 1/4 ends on both sides?

I use a short cable, but only so I don't trip on it. If you think you can hear the difference, you're fooling yourself. A 1000 foot speaker cable will result in something like a 5 microsecond delay compared to a very short cable at 20 kHz (apparently barely detectable by a young, trained ear in an anechoic chamber). There will be some power loss over long runs, depending on the gauge of your wire and the impedance of your cabinet(s), but we're still talking around 50 feet for 14-gauge wire and 2 ohm loads before it's significant.

Just don't use an instrument cable.

billfitzmaurice · #5 03-12-2011, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elavate7

hey. i realized that people use very short speaker cables to connect thier heads and cabs to get better resaponse. this makes sence because theres less cable for the frequencies to go through. i have 2 6 foot cables running into both cabs (which is way too long).

The difference between 6 inch and 6 foot cables is inaudible. You can learn why by using this:
http://www.bcae1.com/images/swfs/spe...rassistant.swf

BassmanPaul · #6 03-12-2011, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elavate7

i dont know how to do that.....but i want one thats about 4-5 inches and another that about a 1 foot

Just use the lengths you have. You'll notice no difference.

Unrepresented · #7 03-12-2011, 10:39 AM

I use a short cable, but only because it spends its downtime jammed in my rack case which is kinda cramped with a head and power conditioner, and tuner and compressor and all.

Selta · #8 03-12-2011, 11:12 AM

Where's the facepalm emote?

Bassviolence · #9 03-12-2011, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elavate7

hey. i realized that people use very short speaker cables to connect thier heads and cabs to get better resaponse. this makes sence because theres less cable for the frequencies to go through. i have 2 6 foot cables running into both cabs (which is way too long). where can i find some in inches with 1/4 ends on both sides?

Yeah dude, I think your just playing with yourself at that point if you can hear the difference between 3ft of cable and 1 foot of cable, or even 6 feet of cable.

What kind of music are you playing? and I can only imagine that a difference would matter in a studio situation, but it does not see as though you would use your whole rig in the studio. not that it does matter! haha

bassplayer8953 · #10 03-12-2011, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elavate7

i dont know how to do that.....but i want one thats about 4-5 inches and another that about a 1 foot

Learn how to solder. Not rocket science. Then you can have any length cable you want. Decent quality jacks are eaily available & affordable, as is good quality speaker cable. You can make whatever your heart desires. (Works great for PA speaker cables too)

billfitzmaurice · #11 03-12-2011, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Where's the facepalm emote?

I gave him a pass. This time.

But a word to the OP, wherever you came across the notion that 6 foot cables affect anything is a place you should not take advice from. Clueless they be.

Selta · #12 03-12-2011, 01:41 PM

If you even just think logically for a minute... the snake from the stage to FOH is how many feet long sometimes? The theatres my band plays at probably have snakes that are 50' at least. Since that same PA is what is actually presenting my sound to the house, I think I'd be more worried about that cable than the 10' one I'm using from my QSC to my 4x10

countrybass007 · #13 03-12-2011, 08:48 PM

Somewhere inthe past 48 years of playing someone convinced me the actual guage of the cable was more importants than the length. Probably the guy that sold me the super heavy guage speaker cables I use to connect my speaker cabs.

GrowlerBox · #14 03-12-2011, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by countrybass007

Somewhere inthe past 48 years of playing someone convinced me the actual guage of the cable was more importants than the length. Probably the guy that sold me the super heavy guage speaker cables I use to connect my speaker cabs.

That guy was kind of right, although again, over the cable lengths we're talking about, there's no real difference. Once you're getting to 100 foot lengths, the increased resistance of narrow-gauge wire will result in insertion losses and damping sufficient to produce audible differences when compared with heavier stuff. Up to about 10 feet, anything that won't break if you cough on it is probably enough. However, there's little cost difference when you're looking at a few feet of cable, so the heavier gauge certainly doesn't hurt.

kawika5150 · #15 03-13-2011, 12:03 AM

What kind of speaker cables do all of you use? Any brand in particular over another? I see a huge variance in price differences.

Selta · #16 03-13-2011, 12:11 AM

I make my own speaker and instrument cables.

GrowlerBox · #17 03-13-2011, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kawika5150

What kind of speaker cables do all of you use? Any brand in particular over another? I see a huge variance in price differences.

Don't pay too much. Don't believe a word of hype about the magical properties of brand X ([cough]Monster[cough]) cables. As long as it's well put together, it'll be as good as any.

bassmeknik · #18 03-13-2011, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

I make my own speaker and instrument cables.

1+++++

bassmeknik · #19 03-13-2011, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrowlerBox

Don't pay too much. Don't believe a word of hype about the magical properties of brand X ([cough]Monster[cough]) cables. As long as it's well put together, it'll be as good as any.

1+++++

billfitzmaurice · #20 03-13-2011, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

If you even just think logically for a minute... the snake from the stage to FOH is how many feet long sometimes? The theatres my band plays at probably have snakes that are 50' at least.

The snake carries line level signals into a high impedance load, so runs of even 1,000 feet are possible. Speaker cables carry high voltage signals into low impedance loads, so 50 feet is as long as you want to go. For that reason PA amps are placed near the PA speakers, not in the FOH. Or they should be, anyway.