Depends on the preamp and power amp. Also on which speaker wire and which RCA cable.
But you can't necessarily have either of them long, depending on your equipment.
A high power ss amplifier into a low impedance speaker should have short, heavy wires.
A typical tube preamp should have short, low capacitance RCA cables.
So if you are running a tube preamp, into a high power ss amp, into a low z speaker,
you might have a problem.
But you can't necessarily have either of them long, depending on your equipment.
A high power ss amplifier into a low impedance speaker should have short, heavy wires.
A typical tube preamp should have short, low capacitance RCA cables.
So if you are running a tube preamp, into a high power ss amp, into a low z speaker,
you might have a problem.
Last edited:
Yes, and the speaker. Of course it's measureable.
Edit: rayma, I liked your post before your most recent edit. I'd qualify that the speaker cable can in some cases affect speaker response smoothness when the small cable resistance interacts with speaker variations. Of course it can be EQed, it just needs to be taken into account in such extreme cases.
Edit: rayma, I liked your post before your most recent edit. I'd qualify that the speaker cable can in some cases affect speaker response smoothness when the small cable resistance interacts with speaker variations. Of course it can be EQed, it just needs to be taken into account in such extreme cases.
Last edited:
It's a can of worms. I situate all my equipment in between the speakers, no matter which speakers I use.
So, there are short RCA cables, and short speaker wires, and no worries.
I would go speaker cables 8 feet the most (I was told by a good friend into cables) and work down from there. The RCA wires I would go as short as possible with out putting strain on your RCA plugs and equipments RCA Plug ins.
(Also get a Good brand of speaker wires and RCA cables if your doing it diy. I would stick with all the same brand and work your way from there). Good luck. 👍 Jeff
(Also get a Good brand of speaker wires and RCA cables if your doing it diy. I would stick with all the same brand and work your way from there). Good luck. 👍 Jeff
Here is a bit more detail. My source and preamp on the are on the second flo0r. The preamp is connected to an amp on the first floor with RCA interconnects. The amp is connected to the first-floor speakers with about 8 foot long speaker cables. I would like to have all components on the second floor and that would require speakers cables about 15 feet long. Is there any downside to that setup?
Thanks
Thanks
The system on the second floor includes source components, an Audible Illusions M3A connected to a Neurochrome amp that powers a pair of B&W P6 speakers in the same room. The Audible M3A is also connected to an Aragon 8008BB amp on the first floor that powers a pair of B&W N803 spkrs. I prefer the sound of the Neurochrome so I would like to run 15 foot speakers cables from it to the N803s on the first floor. Is there any downside to that setup?
Thanks
Thanks
No downside to 15ft speaker cables as long as you don't use tiny gauge wire like ethernet or phone cable, there are definitely more potential downsides to long RCA cables.
I can identify with the OP's ideas; in my own experience long RCA cables often don't work quite so well in such a situation, even in a home environment. Partly due to electromagnetic interference and partly due to ground loops. If (as I understand it) you would like the power amp placed close to the pre-amp (both physically and electrically; i.e. sharing the same wall socket/outlet) then RCA connections IMO usually become fine.
Of course, the power-carrying wires going to the speakers would then be longer. For fifteen feet though, that isn't a big challenge at all; if the speaker wire is of sufficiently low impedance (which most vaguely decent speaker wire will be) the voltage drop/change between amp output and speaker/driver will still be quite tiny, and so make little difference.
Though that is only one solution. If you did want to keep the power amp closer to the speakers (e.g. for convenience) then one could do so by moving to either a balanced line or a digital format for the low-level signal. Though of course, that is very much dependent on what your hardware has available.
Of course, the power-carrying wires going to the speakers would then be longer. For fifteen feet though, that isn't a big challenge at all; if the speaker wire is of sufficiently low impedance (which most vaguely decent speaker wire will be) the voltage drop/change between amp output and speaker/driver will still be quite tiny, and so make little difference.
Though that is only one solution. If you did want to keep the power amp closer to the speakers (e.g. for convenience) then one could do so by moving to either a balanced line or a digital format for the low-level signal. Though of course, that is very much dependent on what your hardware has available.