coiling speaker cable

[henrylrjr]

Hi al,

I couldn't find a section related to cable so any putting my quwstion hear. Hope that OK.

I have a pair of XLO ultra 6 cables that are longer than needed. They have XLO spades on each end and one end has pigtails with XLO spades for myspeakers that have two sets of binding posts. I really don't want to shorten the cable so I was going to coil the extra length behind each speaker.

If you not familiar with the cable, it is made of many very small. separate. strands of OFHC copper in PTFE coating. Each group in covered with PTFE. Is there a problem coiling about 5 feet in about a 1 foot diameter coil? The cables won't be near any other cables or AC power cords.
Thanks,
henrylrjr

 

[eriksquires]

Personally I go by feel. It should be easy. If you feel like you are forcing it into that shape I'd avoid doing so. As for inductance, listen to them. If you hear a loss of treble, very unlikely, then you coiled them too tightly.

Best,

Erik

 

[henrylrjr]

Thanks eriksquires. They are pretty flexible and a 1 foot diameter is extremely easy. I have room to lay it out uncoiled, but that won't look good at all and it could be stepped on, so I will try both ways and listen closley.

Thanks,
henrylrjr

 

[Ron E]

Hi al,

Is there a problem coiling about 5 feet in about a 1 foot diameter coil? The cables won't be near any other cables or AC power cords.

Who is al?

Well, likely even al probably knows that a turn and a half of wire isn't going to make an inductor of any consequence. He also probably knows that speaker wire should NEVER touch the floor. The true speaker wire purists elevate their wires with some sort of dielectric props to remove them from the dirty influence of the floor which can make your music sound dusty or static-y... You might even dangle your wire from the ceiling with little strands of ptfe insulated precious metal upocc cable which suddenly became available...

 

[Ron E]

Did you read why the audiophile was late for work?
He couldn't decide on whether his car would get better fuel economy if he filled it with fuel while facing north or south.

 

[rayma]

Is there a problem coiling about 5 feet in about a 1 foot diameter coil?
The cables won't be near any other cables or AC power cords.

I've measured a substantial increase in speaker wire inductance, depending on how the speaker wires are coiled.
With only 5 feet (about 2 turns) it shouldn't be a problem. Keep the coils away from steel objects.

 

[Don Hills]

A few turns aren't going to matter. If you have a significant length in excess, your biggest problem is going to be the resistance of the excess length. But if you still want to coil them, you can do it non-inductively.
- Find the mid-point of the part of the cable that you want to coil.
- Double the wire at that point (fold it back on itself at the smallest radius that it will fold without stress).
- Coil the doubled cable.

 

[davidsrsb]

If the two wires are close to each other, making a loop has negligible inductance as it cancels. Notice how you can coil a video cable with no effect at all, much higher frequencies

 

[chrisb]

Did you read why the audiophile was late for work?
He couldn't decide on whether his car would get better fuel economy if he filled it with fuel while facing north or south.

directional cabling indeed - I like the one about elevating your SET amps so the electrons have an easier trip downhill

 

[henrylrjr]

IMHO so much snake oil and BS is generated by manufacturers and dealers. Lets take wall outlets as an example. Most in my house are 20 to 40 years old and everything connected to them works fine. Washer, dryer soldering iron, on and on. I firmly believe Hi-end sockets are an outstanding example of the BS we are fed. Directionality of electrons in cables run a close second and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[Pano]

You could do an "over/under" wrap if you're worried.

When we have a lot of power feeder cable left over, we make a figure 8. Supposed to kill induction or radiation. You don't have that much cable, tho.

 

[cliffforrest]

Pano,

that also eliminates the tangle when the coil is "uncoiled"!

 

[Speedskater]

If the two wires are close to each other, making a loop has negligible inductance as it cancels. Notice how you can coil a video cable with no effect at all, much higher frequencies

Exactly. If the cable is a twisted pair, the field of the Send conductor, cancels the opposite field of the Return conductor.
However if the cable is a spaced pair (like old TV 300 ohm Twin-lead). Aligned coiling may not cancel the fields.

 

[Soldermizer]

If you come upon a coiled speaker cable, move away slowly, otherwise it may strike at you

Sent from my NV570P using Tapatalk

 

[henrylrjr]

This hobby can be fun just by reading the mags and most reviewer BS. I dis-believe most manufacturer's and dealer's hyperbole, especially Stereophile and most mags that just perpetuate the BS.

I might have mentioned about my complete disbelief in"HI-END ac receptacles. Most in my home are 20 to 40 years old, but "amazingly" my toaster, washer, dryer and soldering iron, ect. work fine. "i'm so surprised they haven't stopped working".

 

[davidsrsb]

I dis-believe most manufacturer's and dealer's hyperbole, especially Stereophile and most mags that just perpetuate the BS.

Stereophile is one of the lesser offenders as JAs technical tests have a habit of exposing the worst designs, that by sounding different MUST be better

 

[henrylrjr]

Great observation. Does that put TAS in 2nd place?