RCA as a speaker cable

[SNIRAVIV]

Hello,
Dose it make sense to use a RCA cable as a speaker cable ?

Can I use just one RCA to send power from an amp to a mono speakers or do I have to use two - one as the "+" and the other "-"?

 

[Ixnay]

Many years ago, RCA cables were used for some speaker connections. No special wiring needed. One per speaker. The wire gauge may be lacking though.

 

[tomchr]

Dose it make sense to use a RCA cable as a speaker cable ?

Not really but it can be done. Wire is wire after all... As pointed out above, cheap RCA cables have pretty small cross-sectional area, though. So they will add considerable resistance in series with the speakers, which will likely impact the sound quality. If the cable is short or you don't care about sound quality, that's no big deal. I seem to recall this being done quite a bit on PC speakers "back in the day".

If you do want to use the RCA cables, you can use a single RCA cable to connect a speaker. There's no need to use a pair for + and -.

If you're looking for a cheap speaker cable it would make more sense to buy 18 AWG (0.75 mm^2) lamp cord at your local home improvement warehouse.

Tom

 

[rayma]

Each RCA has two conductors, so just one RCA connector is needed per speaker.
This will be ok for low power, non-critical stuff, but watch out for shorts,
which could damage the amplifier.

 

[Cal Weldon]

Many years ago, RCA cables were used for some speaker connections.

Those were speaker cables with RCA connectors, not coax cable. At least I have not seen one that was.

 

[Ixnay]

Cal, come to think of it, that is correct. Either way, they were cheesy even for that time. You damned well somebody misconnected something somewhere and that was the end of that. Kind of like if a tube fits into a socket, it must be right one, right?

 

[tomchr]

Kind of like if a tube fits into a socket, it must be right one, right?

Or if an opamp fits into the socket it must be the right one. 🙂

Tom

 

[Ixnay]

Well now Tom, it has been reported that any IC can still fit into a socket if you don't mind a few pins sticking out over the edge. But never,,, never should too few pins be present. That would be a mistake.

 

[JMFahey]

Definitely cheesy, but apparently it was the cheapest Audio connector available and also very popular (even today) at signal level, were it is THE standard 😱 , so in the 50s 60s it was also pressed into low power speaker use.

Clearly remember the ubiquitous cheap Mono or Stereo record player, those sporting a single or two ECL82
or even 35W4-50C5-12AV6 ; IF an external speaker connector was offered, it was definitely an RCA, what else?
Same with table top radios and even TVs where you could add an external speaker.

Parlante exterior = external speaker = RCA 😉

 

[nigelwright7557]

I used to use jack guitar coiled leads on a mobile disco for the speakers.
They worked fine even with 225WRMS blasting through them.
Until one day I tripped over one and it came out shorting the ends.
Luckily the amp had an output fuse and that blew.
Quick fuse change and back up to 225WRMS.

 

[WhiteDragon]

Great memories.

I had stereo Alarm clock with radio / tape player.

And instead of waking to music from radio.
You could wake to music playing a tape.

Anyways... the speakers were separated.
It used RCA speaker connectors.
But the cords used, were heavier wire
not line level coaxial / shielded.

Had speaker on either side of the bed.
Great stereo image , would lay there till the tape ended
LOL

 

[SNIRAVIV]

Thank you all, very interesting stuff.

The reason I'm considering RCA is from the design point of view - one cable in a nice looking sleeve will look really good on my new book shelf stereo that I'm building.

 

[wg_ski]

Those were speaker cables with RCA connectors, not coax cable. At least I have not seen one that was.

I’ve seen the amp and speakers both have RCA jacks. Usually, you just used the 24 AWG zip cord with RCA’s on each end, but coax’s could be used.

Most of those old systems had 5 watts or less, and speakers with a Qtc of about 2. A little loss of damping wouldn’t be noticed.

 

[Cal Weldon]

Yes, I was going to say that the RCA speaker cables only seemed to be used on the lightweight systems. Anything worth its salt first had screw terminals and later on the spring loaded tabs before moving onto more modern terminals. There were also others in different parts of the world at the same time. The one that had a spade and a pin was popular in some parts.

 

[Galu]

The one that had a spade and a pin was popular in some parts.

You are thinking of the 2-pin DIN loudspeaker plug.

DIN as in Deutsches Institut für Normung - the German Institute for Standardisation.

 

[Cal Weldon]

Yes, I was trying to remember the catchy rhyming name. Thank you.

 

[Galu]

IF an external speaker connector was offered, it was definitely an RCA, what else?
Same with table top radios and even TVs where you could add an external speaker.

The RCA plugs used back in the day for that purpose had a longer central pin than the modern type in order to actuate a switch inside the socket that turned off the internal speaker. I still have a few of those in my collection - I believe they are now quite hard to come by.

 

[russc]

You wouldn't use the same RCA connector for line level in and speaker out.
Easily confused.
That would be like using a 1/4" jack for guitar/effects in and high power speaker out.
Oh.......
2.5 & 3.5 jacks have been used similarly on low powered equipment for line in and headphone / speaker out.

Speakon would be the way to go if you were being particular.

 

[wg_ski]

1/4” speaker jacks are still common. So are the resulting mishaps.

And nothing says CHEAP like “pro” equipment that doesnt have speakons.

 

[JMFahey]

ONE advantage of RCA is that they don´t short, contrary to plugs which do so by design every time you plug them in-out 😱