One more point about using long interconnect cables, such as the 8 to 10 meter length you referred to: If the output impedance of the component driving the cable is on the high side at mid and high frequencies, say something like 500 ohms or more, you would want to make a point of using cables having low capacitance per unit length (say around 60 pf/meter or less). Otherwise the interaction of the output impedance of the component with the capacitance of the total length of the cable may result in a perceivable rolloff of the upper treble, undesirable phase shifts of high frequencies, and the perception of sluggish transients and compromised dynamics, to at least a slight degree if not more.
Component output impedances are usually specifed at a mid frequency such as 1 kHz, but in most cases will not be greatly different than that value at high frequencies.
All of this applies regardless of whether the cables are balanced or unbalanced.
Unfortunately, though, there are many manufacturers who don’t specify the capacitance of their cables. If (as appears to be the case) a component in your system drives an analog line-level signal into a particularly long interconnect cable, such as 8 to 10 meters, and if the component has a highish output impedance as I described above, I would contact the manufacturer if necessary to determine the cable’s capacitance per unit length. If that information cannot be determined from either the manufacturer’s website or by contacting the manufacturer directly, I would look elsewhere in selecting the cable.
Regards,
-- Al
Component output impedances are usually specifed at a mid frequency such as 1 kHz, but in most cases will not be greatly different than that value at high frequencies.
All of this applies regardless of whether the cables are balanced or unbalanced.
Unfortunately, though, there are many manufacturers who don’t specify the capacitance of their cables. If (as appears to be the case) a component in your system drives an analog line-level signal into a particularly long interconnect cable, such as 8 to 10 meters, and if the component has a highish output impedance as I described above, I would contact the manufacturer if necessary to determine the cable’s capacitance per unit length. If that information cannot be determined from either the manufacturer’s website or by contacting the manufacturer directly, I would look elsewhere in selecting the cable.
Regards,
-- Al