Speaker wire lenght clarification -please

kc77

Hi all,
I'm getting mixed information and need clarification...please. I'm getting ready to install satellite speakers and have ordered 12 AWG wires. Since the speakers will be at different distances form the receiver, I'm confused as to the lenght of the wiring. Must the lenght be equal on all channels? Regardless of proximity to receiver? If so, then all speakers on the system must be equal to the most distant use?

Front spks to recv ~ 6 ft
Rear spks to rev ~ 20 ft

Your help is appreciated.

F1nut

Must the lenght be equal on all channels? Regardless of proximity to receiver?

No and no. Just use whatever lenght is required, you'll be fine.

olilugo

I actually believe keeping lenghts the same. for example keep the wire lenght for left, right and center the same at say 6ft or 8ft. keep the surround the same at say 20ft.
Last I think 12AWG will be just fine.

McLoki

You put speaker distances into your reciever when setting up your surround sound. I am sure the delay put in there is greater by far than any delay put into the system by speaker wires of unequal length. (and can be customized if needed)

i.e. - give yourself a few feet of wiggle room to move the final position of the speaker a bit for best sound - but make the length custom for each speaker.

Michael

EFW

olilugo wrote: »

I actually believe keeping lenghts the same. for example keep the wire lenght for left, right and center the same at say 6ft or 8ft. keep the surround the same at say 20ft.
Last I think 12AWG will be just fine.

+1

disneyjoe7

I'm in the same speaker length camp, but will say this.


In this example

From AVR

RF 7'

LF 12'

SR 25'

SL 20'


In this example I wouldn't use 25' to all speakers, but keep the lenght the same as in front or rear. So front I would use 12' cable the rear 25'. Well my 2 cents.

steveinaz

Your speakers would need to be hundreds of miles apart to make any timing difference. Your fine.

janmike

In my HT I keep the fronts the same, the rears the same and whatever I need for the centre channel. Cables are easier to sell if the pair is the same length.

Mine:
Front - 2 X 8 feet
Centre 1 X 6 feet
Rears - 2 X 30 feet

disneyjoe7

steveinaz wrote: »

Your speakers would need to be hundreds of miles apart to make any timing difference. Your fine.

I don't know why for sure but different wire length caused a feedback issue with a turntable once with me. I was young 12 and a bit stupid it wasn't until a salesperson at a Rat Shack asked about speaker cable and indeed was the problem. So ever since this I felt speaker cables need to be the same length.

That stuck with me so much so when I ran speaker cables around in the attic for HT and whole house audio every speaker pairs have the same length if more then I would coil up near the speaker jack. I feel that quad cable shouldn't be used for speakers due to the fact the length of speaker wire would be different if ran from one speaker to the next speaker.

In short caused me an issue before and isn't much work to make sure speaker pairs have the same length.

Sherardp

As said thats why you have delay settings in receiver, cut to desired length, install, dial in the speakers, sit back and enjoy. Long cables just mean more cable management, which then equals a pain in the a$$.

disneyjoe7

Well I hear that and see why newer AVR could fix that issue. But for me who listens to audio in a pure direct mode any AVR settings are out the door at this point.

My porch speakers are using an amp with pre delays aren't part of it's thinking ever.

Gaara

steveinaz wrote: »

Your speakers would need to be hundreds of miles apart to make any timing difference. Your fine.

I concur to a lesser degree. Talking HT I don't see speaker wire lengths causing any differences unless you are talking 100ft+ differences, or big disparities % wise like one cable is 5ft and one is 30ft (6x longer). Our ears can't pickup on the delays caused by varying speaker lengths below these levels since they are so insignificant.

I think that making a wire longer then need be would be more detrimental then varying lengths. Using a wire longer then needed you are bound to get more noise, especially if it is coiled up (coil of wire = antenna) as well as added resistance.

WilliamM2

Sherardp wrote: »

As said thats why you have delay settings in receiver, cut to desired length, install, dial in the speakers, sit back and enjoy. Long cables just mean more cable management, which then equals a pain in the a$$.

The delay settings are for the distance of the speakers from the listening position. They have absolutely nothing to do with speaker wire length.

McLoki

WilliamM2 wrote: »

The delay settings are for the distance of the speakers from the listening position. They have absolutely nothing to do with speaker wire length.

True, but that is because sound from your speakers travels at, well, the speed of sound. Not very quick compared to the near light speed that current travels in a wire. No need to set up a delay for that.

jakelm

McLoki wrote: »

True, but that is because sound from your speakers travels at, well, the speed of sound. Not very quick compared to the near light speed that current travels in a wire. No need to set up a delay for that.

Sound might differ, thus the channel level.

But realisticly.... Unless your going 100' with 24awg wire, you wont have a problem.

jakelm

Check this out..... Look at the Ohm specs on 1000'


http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm