Hi b4icu,I appreciate you helping us.
My amp DF is 210 and cable length is 9 ft. What size cable should I use? Thanks.
My amp DF is 210 and cable length is 9 ft. What size cable should I use? Thanks.
How to select a good Speaker Cable
Speaker cables do have a significant role in how our system sounds. Different cables sound different.
So which one is the right one for you?
The Speaker Cable is an extension of the Amp. and not an addition to the speaker's load. It shall have a certain resistance (low) not to spoil the Amp's DF figure. As so, it can be calculated and there is a formula to do it.
The higher the Amp's DF, the lower the Speaker Cable's resistance shall be. As today SS power Amp's get DFs of 400 and above (Digital Amps go by thousands) the cable of 10 ft (3m) long, gets as thick as 0 AWG.
I can see your eyebrows elevates, when that thick cable is to be deal with. Most Speaker Cable makers skip it because of that. So most cables on the market (regardless of the look or price) are of 14-12 AWG. Way less that supposed to be.
Worst! no Speaker Cable maker, dealer or seller knows the answer, of what is the correct cable for your system.
So most of us ended up, with a cables too thin for the task.
A conducted test, on this site, about a year ago as well as with some closer friends, shows a significant improvement with a calculated size cable over their previous cable. The results were all positive and preferred the calculated cable.
So, instead of asking: which of two brands, or two prices or two colors of Speaker Cable do I need, you should ask how thick of a Speaker Cable do I need.
I'll be happy to provide you the calculation, for who request it. All you need to provide is:
1). Length (Ft. or meter)
2). The Amp's DF figure.
Thanks
- ...
- 199 posts total
Mr.
madcow You need a #4 awg cable for 9 ft and Df=210. |
For All If you are into the path of implementing my advice, and getting into a DIY project, than please read this: 1. Use care when working with cutting tools and soldering. 2. make sure you turn your system off (not standby!) when you replace cables. 3. After you do an extensive listening to your music, with the new cable, please come back and share your impressions. 4. When you kindly do so, please provide the following info.: What # awg and length was your previous cable, What is the # awg and length of your new cable, What is the DF of your Amp. How much did the DIY project costs? Thanks you all, in advance. |
It is usually a given of the Amp of your choice. There are two ways to go: Low DF as common with Tube amps, tube like (with output transformers), like mcIntosh etc. Those have a different sound signature. High DF, common to SS high power amps, and they can go anywhere from 150 and up. PASS LABS is at 150 Emotiva is at 400 Luxman is at 700 Class D tend to go really high with DF to over 4000! When you try to understand DF with a power Amp, try to look at a car's engine: While the Amps' power is the HP of the engine, the DF equivalent is the torque. DF is of how much of control the Amp has over the speakers. So in this perspective, the higher the better. I do not think that the spec. of digital amplifications of 4000 is actual. I did't dig in, but the figure is just too good to be right. DF can be achieved by a meticulous design of the output power stage, Or with a feedback. If it's feedback, it's not as good. In the past, I used some Rotel amp with high DF (feedback) and is sounded bad. |
- 199 posts total