Speaker cable - Advice needed!!!!

MercilessKiller

Got a new home speaker system which uses standard speaker wire to connect the speakers to the amp.

THe problem is, the wire is too short for 3 speakers.. so, I need 3 extra wires, one 12meter, one 13meter and one 10meter...

All the manual says is that its standard "20 Gauge Speaker Wire".

I dont want to go to maplin electronics because it looks like i'd get charged about £70...

Can anyone tell me exactly what to look for though? When searching for speaker wire there are SO MANY Variations and I'm so stuck!

Really appreciate any help! Rather urgent ^-^

Little_John

20 gauge is the thin stuff, it doesnt really matter what you use as long as it will fit on the terminals it is better to buy thicker cable.

I would replace all your cable and use the same cable for your speakers and same lengths of cable for each pair of speakers so left front and right front get the same lenght and the 2 rears get the same length espeically if your using higher gauge wire you could try asda they have some what I beleive to be either 16 or 18 and they should fit your terminals I think it was packaged as phillips.

so how do they sound and can you connect everything to them?

MercilessKiller

they sound VERY nice indeed. Very crisp and clear. The problem is its a weird shaped set up. Not true 5.1 surround.

My pc is opposite end to the tv.. thus the sub and control center are at the pc end. The front left speaker is prob just to the left of where we sit. Center speakers all ok, but then rear right one is quite a bit further away..

So it already isnt true 5.1 but still a nice round sound.

As for cabling, how come you recommend same length? The cables that came had 2 7.5m adn 3 4.6 meters for front 2 and center.

2 of the 4.6 ones aren't long enough, and 1 of the 7.5 needs to be double.

The bits where the cable goes in aren't the biggest in the world.. but my current ones obviously fit in with easy. Thanks

Any recommendations specifically would be appreciated

ManAtHome

Richer Sounds are pretty good - they'll probably even snip a few inches of each type to see if they fit (or take one of the smaller speakers in with you).

http://www.richersounds.com/productlist.php?cda=productlist&sgroup=SPEAKERESSENTIALS2&sort=price

matty2767

the speaker cables are generally the same length for fronts and same fro rears because the sound needs to travel down the wire and hit the speaker at the same time. otherwise you will get the sound out of sync. some of the high end amps now set themselves up so that this isnt a problem and you can have different lengths of cable to each speaker.

the centre speaker should be in line with the fronts. which is why you have 3x 4.6m

elite_2

Just buy the cheapest speaker cable that will handle the power at your local diy store

You'd be surprised how many recording studios use cables that would be better suited to your door bell - don't be sucked into buying "deoxygenated, purple, superdooper cable" or whatever the latest marketing ploy is this week...

elite_2

matty2767 wrote: »

the speaker cables are generally the same length for fronts and same fro rears because the sound needs to travel down the wire and hit the speaker at the same time. otherwise you will get the sound out of sync. some of the high end amps now set themselves up so that this isnt a problem and you can have different lengths of cable to each speaker.

the centre speaker should be in line with the fronts. which is why you have 3x 4.6m

In an ideal setup yes, however in your typical home setup furnishings will have more of an effect (windows, curtains, tables, sofas etc)

Unless the room has been acoustically treated you won't notice the difference

Little_John

elite, using bell wire and un equal lengths are more likley to cause delays that you try to prevent by using thicker cable with less resistance over equal lengths. In the sytems that MK has bought your right that he won't really notice the difference but why risk making it worse by using odd ball lengths of cable. the cost isnt that much compaied to having to replace the lot if the problem does occur.

As for the layout, the sub can go anywhere, It isnt heard if you have it set correctly you just feel it. I would make the set up right for what you use the most, either DVD watching or using the PC Watching DVD's wth stuff out will really annoy you more than using the PC with the sound not comming from the right places. and dont forget you will be using the 360 on the TV not the PC.

elite_2

Little_John wrote: »

elite, using bell wire and un equal lengths are more likley to cause delays that you try to prevent by using thicker cable with less resistance over equal lengths. In the sytems that MK has bought your right that he won't really notice the difference but why risk making it worse by using odd ball lengths of cable. the cost isnt that much compaied to having to replace the lot if the problem does occur.

Sorry if i wasn't clear - I didn't mean to use bell wire as this really isn't suitable, I'm just frustrated when people think that buying £100 cable will improve the sound.

Surely the speed at which electricity travels one wire would have to be around a foot long and the other several miles to notice the difference - in fact the speed of sound would be more of an issue...

The speakers should of course be placed at equal distance to the listener (or this should be compensated for using the balance control or independant speaker volumes in a surround setup

Just my 2p...

MercilessKiller

Thanks for all the tips everyone...

Ok so provided by logitech was the 3 4.xm, and the 2 7.5m...

sooo what should i buy all togehter remembering that currently, 1 4.5m and 1 7.5m are the right length. The 2 other 4.5m need to be 10 and 12m, and the other rear one 13m.

Thanks again

Little_John

Buy 50m of cable. cut 2 peices to 12m and the other in to 2 at 13m each

You should have equal lengths for the rears and equal lengths for the 2 front

If you plan to use a 13 and a 12 for the rear then use 2 13's and coil 1m up behind the amp/receiver. in that case you need to addjust your amount to buy.

remember its always easier to cut some off but adding some on isnt as easy I know you could just twist them together but it isnt ideal.