Subwoofer cable recommendations

If you are referring to using the outputs of your power amplifier to drive a powered subwoofer which accepts speaker level inputs, you don't need heavy gauge speaker wire.  In that situation what you are driving is the very high input impedance of the sub's amplifier, not the very low impedance of the sub's driver.

In that situation pretty much any gauge that is heavy enough to not be excessively fragile will do, such as 22 gauge or even smaller.  The cable's resistance won't matter, because it will be negligible in relation to the sub's input impedance.  Inductance won't matter either, because if it has any effects they would only be on high frequencies that the sub won't reproduce.

I suspect that the sonic differences between cables that are likeliest to result in that kind of application, if any, would result from the effects on the amplifier of the capacitance of the cable, and/or any RFI/EMI/electrical noise which the cable may pick up and introduce into the feedback loop of the amplifier, if the amplifier has a feedback loop.  Such effects will be amplifier-dependent and setup-dependent and therefore won't have a great deal of predictability.

Also, if your amplifier has balanced or bridged outputs don't make the common mistake of connecting the sub's negative speaker level input terminal to the amp's negative output terminal.  Post back if you'd like further info on that.

Good luck.  Regards,
-- Al
  

I am considering using Vandersteen 2wq's with 3a sigs and the M5-HT crossover. So, according to Vandersteen, I will be connecting the sub and speakers to the amp output.

General findings

(1) No you don't have to go to the "best" ... Translated as the most expensive . If you have the multiple five-figure ATC subs then maybe,"WTF .. Why not?" For the rest of us, read on.

(2) However,  don't automatically go as cheapest-that-you-can-find 'em either and expect miracles. The better the subwoofer then a better cable follows intuitively.  99% of the popular AV subs are cheap build AV units with a chuffy and  wooly bass response that can pass for movie blasts and booms but they won't be saved for AUDIO purposes by any expensive cable ... Full stop.

 I had a NORDOST quality build subwoofer cable which was very good without a doubt, no complaints. it was not cheap.

BUT a dealer recommended a professionally terminated DIY subwoofer cable alternative that is a long-run  REGA COUPLE interconnect clone.

it shocked me  just how good it was -- it's a KLOTZ long-run IC cable terminated with NUETRIK Profit RCA connectors. Those Profis made a big difference.  It worked better than the NORDOST with my audiophile grade Vandersteen and Castle ( designed and rebranded ATC ) subs.... And it was  cheaper to boot.

My first AV sub was a Martin Logan Dynamo subwoofer that I used for movies with a low budget class priced TRIBUTARIES  brand cable . It worked okay for movies. That modestly cheap sub predicated a matched budget class cable with no basis to think anything more expensive would step up its performance.

TAKEAWAY

As with all audio gear, system synergy matters and the cables -- ALL cables -- are very system dependent.

I am considering using Vandersteen 2wq’s with 3a sigs and the M5-HT crossover. So, according to Vandersteen, I will be connecting the sub and speakers to the amp output.

The manual for the 2wq sub indicates that its input impedance is more than 100,000 ohms, resulting in it having "no discernible effect on the output of the main amplifier." The manual also recommends physically connecting both the sub and the main speakers directly to the amplifier, and therefore the amplifier-to-sub connections will not be in the path to the main speakers.

So what I said in my previous post is applicable.

Regards,
-- Al

Part of my concern is that I have a fairly long run to my subs (25 feet). I am using Transparent Plus cables to the speakers, so, as per the Vandersteen hook up, I probably need the same length for the subs.
With this in mind, can you recommend a brand that I could use that doesn't cost too much.
Another Agon'er suggested the KnuKoncepts cable. The price is right.