As it says, I've got about a 30'-40' run in wall to outlets then add 3'-5' rca patch cables at each end this is for powered subs in my home theater. I'm hoping to use standard 16 gauge speaker wire in wall and splice onto some cannibalized rca cable connectors. Is there any reason I shouldn't do this? Am I likely to run into severe signal loss?
NAY !!
50 foot RCA interconnects are problematic under the best of conditions, no chance for speaker cable to work as an RCA interconnect.
BUT you can convert it to balanced audio using a balun transformer then use the speaker wire as a Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) then another balun transformer to get it back to RCA.
Let me look for a link.
50 foot RCA interconnects are problematic under the best of conditions, no chance for speaker cable to work as an RCA interconnect.
BUT you can convert it to balanced audio using a balun transformer then use the speaker wire as a Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) then another balun transformer to get it back to RCA.
Let me look for a link.
not sure i understand. an rca cable is simply a connector with 2 wires. Main problem of rca is that the gauge is so small resistance would be really high and signal loss over distance etc. people use rg6 to make long rca runs all the time b/c of the shielding. So i don't get why shielded 16 gauge speaker wire wouldn't work. it's not be ideal for pro audio, but then again my sub is fairly basic. Prob retailed for $300-$500 tops when brand new. So better question is, will there really be an audible difference?
Your first post said standard speaker wire, which would most likely be read as untwisted, unshielded, parallel "lamp cord"
I've personally made unshielded RCA interconnects as long as about 15ft, but that's been with 90dg diagonal braided #24 not parallel #16 conductors.
There's nothing wrong with a good kludge, but if it's at all possible to pull new cabling in the wall, I'd switch it over to a single unspliced run of shielded mike cable, RG6 Coax or whatever.
I've personally made unshielded RCA interconnects as long as about 15ft, but that's been with 90dg diagonal braided #24 not parallel #16 conductors.
There's nothing wrong with a good kludge, but if it's at all possible to pull new cabling in the wall, I'd switch it over to a single unspliced run of shielded mike cable, RG6 Coax or whatever.
Assuming you're talking about a powered sub, there's no reason as such not to do it. The input impedance of the sub is probably 10kohms+, so the signal loss you're referring to is totally negligible....... even if it's twisted or braided in this or that fashion...
If you out to buy some cable, I'd absolutely second the idea of some good shielded mic cable, probably less tha 1$/ft..... more expensive only feeds your or other peoples beliefs...
If you out to buy some cable, I'd absolutely second the idea of some good shielded mic cable, probably less tha 1$/ft..... more expensive only feeds your or other peoples beliefs...
ok, so given there may be some interference, how would you test it's effect and what should I listen for? If I find it noticeable I can always try running rg6 for the subs down the road though the conduit is getting cramped....
Here's what the run looks like (the conduit is existing in dry wall ceiling and can't be changed since joists run perpendicular): I've got 2 pvc conduits running parallel about 8" apart. 1 has ac power running through it, the other has phone/cable line. We don't use home phone, and the cable run connects half the house's outlets even though we don't use any of them. Our cable service is internet only. There are also 2 lamp chord style runs of unshielded speaker wire about 1-2' away but not in any conduit. The house wiring including basement seems to be mostly in grounded metal conduit (except this ceiling pvc conduit). In the cable/phone conduit I have added a 4 conductor shielded 16# speaker wire, another unshielded lamp chord speaker wire, stp cat6 for internet, 3.5mm for IR extender. From these runs, I need to power my front 2 channels (altec 605s), center channel, and 1 powered sub for future upgrade (the center/sub are jamo, and nothing special). BTW this is in a dedicated theater room that might get 15% music listening (mostly classical). given that i'd prefer to avoid buying anything else right now and I have lots of unshielded 16#/2 speaker cable lamp wire and a limited supply of 16#/4 shielded speaker cable (might be able to eek out enough for 1 more run down the conduit, but it will be close considering the other runs i need), what would you guys do?
Here's what the run looks like (the conduit is existing in dry wall ceiling and can't be changed since joists run perpendicular): I've got 2 pvc conduits running parallel about 8" apart. 1 has ac power running through it, the other has phone/cable line. We don't use home phone, and the cable run connects half the house's outlets even though we don't use any of them. Our cable service is internet only. There are also 2 lamp chord style runs of unshielded speaker wire about 1-2' away but not in any conduit. The house wiring including basement seems to be mostly in grounded metal conduit (except this ceiling pvc conduit). In the cable/phone conduit I have added a 4 conductor shielded 16# speaker wire, another unshielded lamp chord speaker wire, stp cat6 for internet, 3.5mm for IR extender. From these runs, I need to power my front 2 channels (altec 605s), center channel, and 1 powered sub for future upgrade (the center/sub are jamo, and nothing special). BTW this is in a dedicated theater room that might get 15% music listening (mostly classical). given that i'd prefer to avoid buying anything else right now and I have lots of unshielded 16#/2 speaker cable lamp wire and a limited supply of 16#/4 shielded speaker cable (might be able to eek out enough for 1 more run down the conduit, but it will be close considering the other runs i need), what would you guys do?
What should you listen for interference wise? It's hard to say some is 24 by 7 continuous background noise, some is continuous background noise for minutes or hours some is random pops & noises.
Don't use the kind of RG6 coax that the cable TV company installs (RG6-Quad Shield) it's for TV station frequencies.
Don't use the kind of RG6 coax that the cable TV company installs (RG6-Quad Shield) it's for TV station frequencies.
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