Speaker Cable

[BobJ]

We need to replace two Amp/Speakers backstage with two passive speakers with the amps in the sound booth. We have about 300' of XLR cable from the mixer's L and R that went to the amps threaded through the auditorium. Now we want to attach the new amps to the new speakers using speaker cable.

QUESTION; Can we use the XLR cable (with different plugs) as speaker cables or would we be better off running real speaker cable and if so what type would you recommend? If the speakers and amps are 4 or 8 ohms then my learning says we should use 4 or 8 ohm impedance cable for the best power transfer, or at audio frequencies is it critical.

[TonyMitchell]

Microphone cable is not suitable for running amplified signals from a power amplifier to unpowered speakers. You don't have to use speaker cable, after all copper is copper, however it does need to be of suitable CSA (thickness) for the power and distance involved.

[jamesperrett]

For that sort of length of cable you probably need to look at 100V line systems rather than normal low impedance speakers because you'll lose an awful lot of power in the cable with low impedance speakers. Your existing setup is probably a much better way of doing things.

[themadhippy]

can we use the XLR cable (with different plugs) as speaker cables

you could,but the signal loses maybe be rather large

would we be better off running real speaker cable and if so what type would you recommend?

if youve money to waste then use real "speaker cable",however normal mains cable will work just as well and be cheaper

If the speakers and amps are 4 or 8 ohms then my learning says we should use 4 or 8 ohm impedance cable for the best power transfer,

only if you want to loose half the power in the cable as heat,you want a cable with a low resistance per meter

[Jivemaster]

How much amplifier power do you need to pass into the speakers? If you are sending lots of power then you need fatter cable. Be very careful that the cable you use is pure copper, Copper Clad Aluminium has higher resistance per length and loses more signal than copper for the same area.

 

Your installed line level wire will handle low power, maybe up to 10w so maybe it would do for paging, it certainly will not do for sound to be heard as part of a performance

[adam2]

Agree, that ample size copper cable is needed. No need for dedicated speaker cable, standard mains cable is fine and often cheaper. For a fixed install with no need for flexibility, d0m3stic twin with earth power cable is often the best value due to the vast amounts used.

 

 

 

 

 

[p.k.roberts]

It may not be possible (or desirable), but might it not be simpler to install the new amplifier nearer to the speakers, use the existing cables to feed signal to the amplifier and then shorter speaker cables?

[electronicsuk]

It may not be possible (or desirable), but might it not be simpler to install the new amplifier nearer to the speakers, use the existing cables to feed signal to the amplifier and then shorter speaker cables?

 

This really seems like the only sensible action. That or powered speakers.