Wire shielding question

tryrrthg
tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
I went to Home Depot last night to get some heavy gauge speaker wire for my 4 ohm load speakers. I wanted something to get me by until I could afford a better set of cables. So I got some 12 gauge wire for 34 cents a foot. Anyway, I was looking at the spool and it says "not shielded." What does this mean and am I going to run into any problems?

I have Monster cable XP that it would be replacing. is this going to be a "better" cable and is it shielded?

Help! Thanks!
Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
Post edited by tryrrthg on

Comments

  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited January 2003
    I'll bet a six pack you don't have any problems and if you hear a radical difference I'll throw in another sixer.

    Slight changes don't count. ;)

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited January 2003
    HBombToo,

    I'll need that 12 pack when I sit down and listen to my Dynaudio 1.3mkII that will arrive tomorrow!! I can't wait any longer!!!!
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15
  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited January 2003
    Well the way today is going if we were close enough I'd bring a 30 pack!!!!

    You are in for some FUN!

    HBomb
    ***WAREMTAE***
  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited January 2003
    The shielding is just an outer conductive sleeve used mostly to block RF interference. You probably won't notice any difference w/wo it. If you wanted, you could always go to Radio Shack and pick up something like this. They should help in the unlikely event you need 'em.

    http://www.partsexpress.com//pe/showdetl.cfm?&User_ID=10704281&St=5243&St2=64544587&St3=42078703&DS_ID=3&Product_ID=3057&DID=7
    Make it Funky! :)
  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited January 2003
    Been running Home Depot 12 gauge bi-wire set-up for years... no problems in ~35' run... At $0.35 per foot consider bi-wiring if your run is of any length and/or your rig is high-powered.

    Good wiring guidelines include:
    - both runs the same length;
    - if source is off-set towards one speaker, don't coil the excess wire in the shorter run; and
    - avoid crossing 110V cords.
    Later two are anti-EMF measures. Former is based on resistance balancing (neglible unless you're wrapping one run around your house a couple times) and avoiding time-lag (in case your ears hear at light speed).

    As for shielding, the plate in my head picks up more RF than my speaker wires... ;)
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner

    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
  • tryrrthg
    tryrrthg Posts: 1,896
    edited January 2003
    Thanks for the help!

    gidrah, the link did not work. it wants me to log in again...

    The Home Depot wire seemed to do fine. The speakers are amazing, even when they're hooked to my $350 receiver... Yes, my speakers WAY outclass everything in my rig, but you gotta start somewhere, right?

    Also, you can't bi-wire Dynaudio's... I don't think they believe in it... I think they do a pretty damn good job with out it...
    Sony KDL-40V2500 HDTV, Rotel RSX-1067 Receiver, Sony BDP-S550 Blu-ray, Slim Devices Squeezebox, Polk RTi6, CSi3 & R15, DIY sub with Atlas 15