Poll... Speaker cable lengths... what do you carry?

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What 10 gauge cable length would you choose for passive subs?

  • 50 ft.

    Votes: 4 100.0%

  • 75 ft.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • 100 ft.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • more than 100 ft.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    4
Gaffle

Gaffle

DJ Extraordinaire
May 17, 2008
369
91
56
www.channelliveproductions.com
I'm trying to decide on what length of speaker cable to get for my passive subs. I'm debating on 50, 75 or 100 ft. The reason I'm asking is because the 100 ft. cables are pretty pricey at $130 each (10ga. w/ Neutrik connectors). I already have 10 and 25 ft cables.

Any advice? What went into play when you decided on cable length? THanx.
 
I have the following. I run two and also three way systems.
6 25' Cables 1/4" Phone Plug (Speaker End) to Dual Banana (Amplifier End)
6 50' Cables 1/4" Phone Plug (Speaker End) to Dual Banana (Amplifier End)
6 100' Cables 1/4" Phone Plug (Speaker End) to Female 1/4"
6 8 inch Pigtails to connect to the 100' Cables, 1/4" Phone Plug to Dual Banana (Amplifier End)

All these were made by me.
 
Gaffle said:
I'm trying to decide on what length of speaker cable to get for my passive subs. I'm debating on 50, 75 or 100 ft. The reason I'm asking is because the 100 ft. cables are pretty pricey at $130 each (10ga. w/ Neutrik connectors). I already have 10 and 25 ft cables.

Any advice? What went into play when you decided on cable length? THanx.
Click to expand...

The length of the cable will be dependent on where you intend to place it in the room the distance from your gear. If you are like most DJs that have everything setup within arms reach, :trirolleyes: you will only need 10'
 
My longest speaker cable is 25ft, all my speaker cables are 12ga. I tend to locate the amps near the speakers, and use balanced cable (e.g. xlr) for the signals. I have signal cables in various lengths up to 200ft.

It is common for me to have three stacks of speakers at a large event. Along the long side wall, I will have a pile in each corner and one pile in the middle. Amps are also in all three locations.

Personally, I would not use a 10ga cable longer than 50ft...and only then if it was driving an 8ohm load. For a 4ohm load (e.g. two speakers in parallel) I would use no more than 25ft of 10ga cable. The rule of thumb is to keep the speaker wire resistance under 5% of the nominal speaker load. BUT, even more of an issue than impedance is the capacitance and inductance of longer speaker cable runs.
 
I have (2) 50's, (4) 25's, and some others mixed in, both short and long. These are my newer cables.

I used to work as an AV manager at a convention center. When we bought a huge lot of new cables, I was able to keep the old ones. I also bought some from Ben... I have more cables than I could ever use. I like the older cables... they seem to be much more flexible.
 
I have cables anywhere from 3' to 100' it depends on how you are setting up!
 
The longest I have is 50ft.

I am concerned about the abundant use of ahoustondj's 1/4 connectors. You really should check into switching over to speakons!

The reason you should use speakons is because they have much more conducting surface to let the signal get to the speaker without as much resistance.

Take 2 butter knives. Lay one on the table, and take the point of the other one and touch it to the side of the blade of the one laying on the table. That tiny place of contact is all you have attaching your speaker cable to the cabinet! Trust me, it's not enough when you are pushing more than 50 watts even!

A friend of mine didn't think it mattered much. After a show when we shut the amps off, I had him go unplug the speaker within a couple minutes of shutting down. These were 12G cables with the large metal barrel type 1/4" connectors on them, and the ENTIRE plug was warm, while the tip was almost too hot to touch!

This is because the connctor got hot with such a small area of contact. Now, when the contact area gets hot, it increases the resistance of the connection, sort of creating an analog compressor. The hotter it gets, the less signal will get to your speaker.

that sucks. Get speakons and get more signal to your speakers, especially the subs!
 
I normally use 4 ten foot 10 gauge cables for my subs and 20 ft. of 10 gauge cable for my 4 or 6 tops depending which I decide to use. If the party needs to be moved somewhere else I have longer runs all in 10 gauge with Neutrik ends as well as cable backups if they decide to misbehave ;)
 
cclark65 said:
The longest I have is 50ft.

I am concerned about the abundant use of ahoustondj's 1/4 connectors. You really should check into switching over to speakons!

The reason you should use speakons is because they have much more conducting surface to let the signal get to the speaker without as much resistance.

Take 2 butter knives. Lay one on the table, and take the point of the other one and touch it to the side of the blade of the one laying on the table. That tiny place of contact is all you have attaching your speaker cable to the cabinet! Trust me, it's not enough when you are pushing more than 50 watts even!

A friend of mine didn't think it mattered much. After a show when we shut the amps off, I had him go unplug the speaker within a couple minutes of shutting down. These were 12G cables with the large metal barrel type 1/4" connectors on them, and the ENTIRE plug was warm, while the tip was almost too hot to touch!

This is because the connctor got hot with such a small area of contact. Now, when the contact area gets hot, it increases the resistance of the connection, sort of creating an analog compressor. The hotter it gets, the less signal will get to your speaker.

that sucks. Get speakons and get more signal to your speakers, especially the subs!
Click to expand...

I'll remember this and pass it on to some DJs I know with plenty of 1/4 cables.
 
I think you would be safe with a set of 50' 12 gauge. 10 gauge is more money with not much of a difference in sound. I have a set of 25' 12 gauge for my tops and I am currently looking into a custom made set of of 35 ft 12 gauge cables. Might have to call Bill up for this myself.
 
cclark65 said:
The longest I have is 50ft.

I am concerned about the abundant use of ahoustondj's 1/4 connectors. You really should check into switching over to speakons!

The reason you should use speakons is because they have much more conducting surface to let the signal get to the speaker without as much resistance.

Take 2 butter knives. Lay one on the table, and take the point of the other one and touch it to the side of the blade of the one laying on the table. That tiny place of contact is all you have attaching your speaker cable to the cabinet! Trust me, it's not enough when you are pushing more than 50 watts even!

A friend of mine didn't think it mattered much. After a show when we shut the amps off, I had him go unplug the speaker within a couple minutes of shutting down. These were 12G cables with the large metal barrel type 1/4" connectors on them, and the ENTIRE plug was warm, while the tip was almost too hot to touch!

This is because the connctor got hot with such a small area of contact. Now, when the contact area gets hot, it increases the resistance of the connection, sort of creating an analog compressor. The hotter it gets, the less signal will get to your speaker.

that sucks. Get speakons and get more signal to your speakers, especially the subs!
Click to expand...
I have been thinking of doing that. It will require rewiring My Bass bins as the terminal plates are screwed in from the inside. All you see is a round opening with two female 1/4" jacks.
The Bose I can't change.
The new cabinets Highs and Mids that I am presently designing will have speakons.
Those pigtails are hardly used unless it is an exact 100' run per side. Most instances call for 50' per side. Thanks for the advise.:triwink:
 
prodjay said:
I'm with everyone else here. Keep you cables as short as possible. I use 10 footers for the subs and 20's for the tops.
Click to expand...

My cables will only be as short as the placement of the speakers. Placement is my priority not the length of the cable.
 
DJ JohnThe1 said:
I think you would be safe with a set of 50' 12 gauge. 10 gauge is more money with not much of a difference in sound. I have a set of 25' 12 gauge for my tops and I am currently looking into a custom made set of of 35 ft 12 gauge cables. Might have to call Bill up for this myself.
Click to expand...

I've read that the gauge of the cable makes a difference in bass especially pertaining to dampening factor; thus, a more controlled bass sound.
 
Shortest run of cable possible, And i have them from 10 ft to 100 ft
And speakon barrels to connect cables together to get where i need to go.

But 50ft is normally the max.
 
cclark65 said:
The longest I have is 50ft.

I am concerned about the abundant use of ahoustondj's 1/4 connectors. You really should check into switching over to speakons!

The reason you should use speakons is because they have much more conducting surface to let the signal get to the speaker without as much resistance.

Take 2 butter knives. Lay one on the table, and take the point of the other one and touch it to the side of the blade of the one laying on the table. That tiny place of contact is all you have attaching your speaker cable to the cabinet! Trust me, it's not enough when you are pushing more than 50 watts even!

A friend of mine didn't think it mattered much. After a show when we shut the amps off, I had him go unplug the speaker within a couple minutes of shutting down. These were 12G cables with the large metal barrel type 1/4" connectors on them, and the ENTIRE plug was warm, while the tip was almost too hot to touch!

This is because the connctor got hot with such a small area of contact. Now, when the contact area gets hot, it increases the resistance of the connection, sort of creating an analog compressor. The hotter it gets, the less signal will get to your speaker.

that sucks. Get speakons and get more signal to your speakers, especially the subs!
Click to expand...

While all this is true I have never seen a 1/4 end fail I have seen Speakon fail though. In all reality it doesn't make all that much a difference

Gaffle said:
I've read that the gauge of the cable makes a difference in bass especially pertaining to dampening factor; thus, a more controlled bass sound.
Click to expand...

If you are measuring it it probably does but to the ear it's really hard to tell
 
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