Amp Interconnect Length vs Speaker Cable Length?

skrol

My present receiver is about 30' from my speakers (ie. 30' of 12awg speaker cable / ch). Diving into separates, which is better:

1) short length interconnect between the pre and amp and stick with the longer run of speaker cable?
or
2) longer length between pre and amp and shorten the speaker cable length?

Thanks
Stan

Speedskater

RCA unbalanced interconnects or XLR balanced interconnects?

tonyb

No. 1

skrol

They are RCA unbalanced.

jeremymarcinko

I think a long run of a quality 10ga speaker cable would be the better than a long run of quality interconnect cable. I think of it this way any noise picked up by a cable placed before the amp will get amplified. Therefore a short interconnect is more ideal, speaker cables are not shielded (at least mine), because the larger gauge and voltages are not susceptible to rfi, emi, or ground noise. So a larger gauge speaker cable is all that is needed to eliminate the added impedance.

skrol

Good point. Sounds like the answer is pretty clear, go with short interconnect and longer speaker cable.
Thanks
Stan

CoolJazz

30ft is pushing the margins for unbalanced inconnects, but normally I think long interconnects and short speaker cables are the way to go.

Noise is usually not a problem. Routing is important and a better shielded cable would be called for. But interconnects are a voltage transfer interface. By having greater than a 10:1 difference in impedance, you are safely within the rule of thumb for voltage transfer. The penalty for longer runs is that the capacitive load starts to intrude and you have a decreasing high frequency roll off point. With a low capacitance and well shielded cable you are likely to have no problem with the extreme top end starting to soften.

However with long runs of speaker cable, you are almost certain to have changed things. The amp to speaker interface is a much higher current situation with the speaker being a motor and back EMF also having a great effect on the outcome. Long speaker cable isn't a freq response concern, it more of dynamics, impact, bass control thing. It would also become much greater likely to have the bass notes have effects on the mids via modulating them via the lessed impedance of the long cables.

My personal experiences are that I'd never run longer speaker cables. I'd get the interconnect length as short as physically possible and go that direction. FWIW....

CJ

mantis

Depending on load of the speaker and the wattage of the amp , usually 10 or 12g wire is not needed. In 30 foot runs, 14g is plenty for most systems.

Looking at your sig, looks like 14g would suit you just fine of high quality wire.
Un balanced cables I do not like to run long. Balanced can be any length you need them and they work excellent.

F1nut

No. 1

Glen B

skrol wrote: »

My present receiver is about 30' from my speakers (ie. 30' of 12awg speaker cable / ch). Diving into separates, which is better:

1) short length interconnect between the pre and amp and stick with the longer run of speaker cable?
or
2) longer length between pre and amp and shorten the speaker cable length?

Thanks
Stan

Choice #1. The minimum wire size should be 12AWG for 30 foot runs. That is particularly important if the impedance of one's speakers falls well below 4 ohms. I have always needed 25ft speaker cable runs for my main system. I've used cables with aggregate size between 13AWG and 7AWG with no problems.