Speaker wire

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#1
I have to make some really long runs of speaker wire from the front of the shop to the rear. By the time I go from the source, up the wall, across the upstairs and back down the other wall each run will be approximately 80 feet. I am going to run 10 gauge and I am running a total of 4 speakers. Does anyone have any recommendations on good quality multi stranded wire that will not completely break me? I have priced some blue jeans speaker wire and also canare wire. One was .96 per foot and the other was .99 per foot. Surely there are some better prices somewhere? I don't mind spending the money but would prefer a more cost effective wire if possible. I think I remmber Lee staring the multi stranded wire is better and obviously the more strands the better. Any of you brilliant fellas have any ideas floating around in those big brains? Thanks for any recommendations, appreciate any and all advice.
Trevor
 

laatsch55

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#3
10-4 SO, or SJ is a pretty good choice, then split it off after you get to the other end. I have a LOT of it.
 

Lazarus Short

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#6
Whatever else you do, do NOT use copper-coated aluminum (CCA) wire. It looks like copper, but the light weight is the tipoff. It is high in resistance, and low in sound quality. I have two separate batches in my garage awaiting recycling. Burned twice.:angryfire::angryfire:
 
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#7
80ft per run seems awful long Trevor
Ron, no choice as I want speakers in the rear of the shop, the shop is 60x50. I really don't want wires hanging outside the walls, all of my speaker wires are run inside the walls so it is a clean install.
 
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#8
10-4 SO, or SJ is a pretty good choice, then split it off after you get to the other end. I have a LOT of it.
Lee,
the WOPL will be controlling 2 of the rear speakers, could you send me a picture of this wire you have when you get time
 
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#9
For an 80' run I wouldn't worry to much about paying for quality speaker wire. Keep it multi-strand, OF.
Whatever else you do, do NOT use copper-coated aluminum (CCA) wire. It looks like copper, but the light weight is the tipoff. It is high in resistance, and low in sound quality. I have two separate batches in my garage awaiting recycling. Burned twice.:angryfire::angryfire:
Fish and Laz thank you for the information. Laz I remember your thread about that speaker wire, I would have been a mad mofo as well. The people who sell that wire should be beaten with their own wire :violent1:
 

Billboard

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#10
Would it be possible to relocate the amp closer to the speakers and run a good quality low level wire to the amp. I think that is what Clair Brothers did when they hung the amp along with the speaker stacks to keep the speaker wire loss in control.
 
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#14
Would it be possible to relocate the amp closer to the speakers and run a good quality low level wire to the amp. I think that is what Clair Brothers did when they hung the amp along with the speaker stacks to keep the speaker wire loss in control.
It would be possible, however if I did this I would have to run RCA's from the pre the 80 feet. The other thing that would be a bit of a pain is walking to the back of the shop to turn on the amp every time I fired up the tunes (which is all the time) I was told that the amp needs to be turned on last and shut off first. It's not that I'm too lazy, just a efficient kind of person that would prefer not to have to walk back and forth if I don't have to. Forgive as I am not sure what you mean when you say low level wire to the amp, is this the RCA's from the preamp? This is my first separates set up so forgive my ignorance. It would be nice not to have to run the speaker wires from one end of the shop to the other. I will be running 4 speakers in the back so that means 4 long runs of wire, and not cheap wire either. Certainly open to other options. Thanks for the suggestion!
 

Billboard

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#17
I don't htink there will be a cheap way to do it, my theory was that two runs of RCAs would be cheaper than four runs of 10 gauge speaker wire. Turn on/turn off?? maybe a switched 120V outlet with the switch near your system.

Looks like you will need to spend some coin on speaker wire.
 
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#18
You need 4 -80 ft runs of 2 conductors??
I don't htink there will be a cheap way to do it, my theory was that two runs of RCAs would be cheaper than four runs of 10 gauge speaker wire. Turn on/turn off?? maybe a switched 120V outlet with the switch near your system.

Looks like you will need to spend some coin on speaker wire.
Lee,
Correct, 4 80 foot runs of 2 conductor wire. The wire will not be cheap but I think it will be cheaper than running RCA's from one end of the shop to the other and then running a remote turn on switch from one end of the shop to the other. Damn hobby is expensive, better then crack and cocaine... Maybe ;-)
 

orange

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#19
Whatever happened to that device that sent it through the AC line so you could plug in a corresponding receiver anywhere on the grid?

That one is old as the hills.
 

Northwinds

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#20
12AWG cheap spkr cable has about 3 MΩ of loop resistance per foot. .200uH/ft of Inductance and about 20pF/ft of capacitance. Longer cable lengths impart increased ratings, sure, but you will need to get into the hundreds of feet to get any drastic audible abnormalities...

12AWG 10ft length gives 0.088dB loss of 20k , ~2ns of group delay. 50ft length gives 0.745dB loss and 209ns group delay - peaking the limits of directional perception, so up to 100ft I'd say you're ok. 10AWG will change everything but not by that much
 
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