10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?

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bundee1

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Im in a 16ft by 20ft room with the stereo on the shorter 16ft wall. I really liked Synergistic Research Alpha speaker cables but I can only find them in 10ft lengths on usedcable.com. In the case I go with the 10ft SR cables they would have to be coiled because I can only put them 4ft away from the amp. Will this affect the sound? Should I go with a new or used 8ft cable from a different manufacturer? My budget is $100.

Can I snake the longer SR cable on the floor around my rack's legs or can I hang the excess on the wall?

markC

Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #1 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:00 pm »
Rather than coil the cables, I would lay them out in a serpentine shape, like a meandering stream. Back and forth in a sort of S shape. I do this with mine, as 1 cable needs to be a full 10' and the other only about 5'.

Steve

Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #2 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:03 pm »
Im in a 16ft by 20ft room with the stereo on the shorter 16ft wall. I really liked Synergistic Research Alpha speaker cables but I can only find them in 10ft lengths on usedcable.com. In the case I go with the 10ft SR cables they would have to be coiled because I can only put them 4ft away from the amp. Will this affect the sound? Should I go with a new or used 8ft cable from a different manufacturer? My budget is $100.

Can I snake the longer SR cable on the floor around my rack's legs or can I hang the excess on the wall?

Hi Bundee,

     I take it you mean snaked around and not wrapped up in a small coil? I would keep the cables away from metal if possible. A loop or two around the rack, with metal legs will certainly increase the inductance. Doesn't take much to affect the sound.

Hope this helps.  :)

bundee1

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #3 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:06 pm »
Its a wooden rack but the speaker stands are metal. It shouldn't touch anything metal?

bgewaudio

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #4 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:10 pm »
I agree with the other posters.

It would be most desireable to cut the excess off, but judging by your scenario these cables have already been properly terminated so this is not an option.

It is not desireable to coil speaker wire, given it's nature the conductors will be in close proximity with each layer of coil which will increase inductance and interaction between them may also induce other effects such as HF roll-off.

I would suggest like the others to make larger "S" turns to minimize this and other negative interaction patterns.

bundee1

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #5 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:16 pm »
Im trying to remember how I had them in my old system. I dont think I had them fully coiled because I had an idea/feeling of the negative effects of the wires touching. I think I tried to snake them as much as possible.

Steve

Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #6 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:23 pm »
Its a wooden rack but the speaker stands are metal. It shouldn't touch anything metal?

Yes, Bundee. The metal legs will increase the inductance if the cable is wrapped around them, or even close.

For example, at 1khz, if the speaker cable's inductance rises by only 10uh (10 microhenries), the reactance will increase by .063 ohms, at 5khz the inductance  increases by .314 ohms, at 10khz .628 ohms, and at 20khz by 1.25 ohms.

Pretty appreciable increase.  :)

bundee1

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #7 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:29 pm »
And this rise in inductance results in a loss of high frequency information, right? Rolled off highs?

Steve

Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #8 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:34 pm »
And this rise in inductance results in a loss of high frequency information, right? Rolled off highs?

Yes, and more, the timbre of instruments/voices. The harmonic structure of the instrument/voices will change.

bundee1

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #9 on: 2 Sep 2006, 02:42 pm »
Can I hang the excess on the wall in a curving s?

bgewaudio

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #10 on: 2 Sep 2006, 04:51 pm »
Quote
Can I hang the excess on the wall in a curving s?

If your wife/girlfriend would let you do such a thing :lol:, sure, better actually. By hanging them on the wall your increasing the distance from your AC cords which would further reduce EMI and RF interference.

bundee1

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #11 on: 3 Sep 2006, 03:26 am »


Quote
If your wife/girlfriend would let you do such a thing , sure, better actually.

They would be hung low and out of sight of course. :D :thumb:

MAC - SteveH

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Re: 10 ft used cable folded over itself or new/used 8 ft cable?
« Reply #12 on: 4 Sep 2006, 01:08 pm »
One more thing:

Keep the cable OFF the floor. Just one of those isolation issues. (cable risers - paper cups?)