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Bi-Amp v. Uneven Speaker Cable Runs (Pass Labs B&W 802D)

Hello - I have a system in my living room where I can not center the equipment in-between the right and left channel (fireplace in the way). The equipment and amp are 5 feet away from the right channel, and about 20 feet away from the left channel. Right now I am running a 30 foot pair of low end Monster Cable to each speaker until I can figure out what I want to do long term. This 30 foot pair gives me about 4-5 feet to spare on the left channel, and 20-23 feet to spare (coiled up) on the right channel. Not ideal in many regards.

Equipment: Classe CP-800, Pass Labs XP-15 Phono, VPI Super Scoutmaster with Lyra Delos, Marantz NA-11S1, Pass Labs X-250.5, B&W 802D, Audio Sensibility Statement SE XLR and RCA cables. 

I am torn between the many options to deal with this, and could use any advice given (or other ideas of course):

Option 1: Pick up another Pass Labs X-250.5 and vertically bi-amp. Run a long XLR to the left channel (25 foot), and a shorter XLR to the right channel (5 foot), and get a shorter set of identical length speaker cables. Am I gaining anything from this? 

Option 2: Run non-identical length speaker cable, 28 foot to the left, and 6 foot to the right. Besides saving money on the right channel cable, I am not having to coil up (or deal with) a massive amount of unneeded extra cable. 

Thoughts?


maxlarson
Post removed 
xti16
1,525 posts
 
I would suggest going to Home depot and picking up 2 - 28ft runs of cable and 1 - 6ft run. That way you can compare 2 equal long runs of cable vs a long and a short runs. Even if you hear no difference you haven't spent a lot of money to answer you own question. Also never coil a cable because it acts too much like a coil choking off power. Instead run the cable in a zig zag pattern
68pete
1,003 posts
 
Having your speaker wire coiled up at either ends, is not ideal. Give Transparent cable a call. They have speaker cable from low to high price, and do custom lengths.

wolf_garcia
6,711 posts
 
My cable to the nearer speaker does one coil loop (both speaker cables are 10 feet) under the rack and it makes absolutely zero difference tonally. In a spiraled multi solid core (8) bundle of wire there is inherent noise rejection which works as described.
vtvmtodvm
66 posts
 

Loudspeaker Wiring and Connectors..

I recommend using AWG #12 stranded all-copper (not “CCA”, meaning copper- clad aluminum*) wire for power amplifier-to-loudspeaker cable runs. An excellent version is available from Belden. Their #8673 is a premium grade AWG 12 duplex primary cable that’s optimum for this use. It has superior insulation, also less tendency to kink than the #12 wire (CCA?) imported by local retailers. Buy Belden #8673 from Allied Wire & Cable: http://www.awcwire.com/mfg/belden/part/8673.

Despite what you hear to the contrary, it is neither necessary nor beneficial to maintain identical linear lengths for the left and right channel wiring runs. Given the speed that electrons travel, there will be no audible phase delay difference if one stereo side has a longer wiring run than the other side, nor will there be any difference in signal amplitude that might theoretically arise from niggling variance in series impedance. Just cut the wire to accommodate your physical requirements.

Do not consider any of the esoteric speaker cable that’s promoted within the hi-end audiophile community. There is nothing that will outperform basic Belden #8673. As noted by Peter Aczel, who founded The Audio Critic: “The transmission of electrical signals through a wire is governed by resistance, inductance, and capacitance (R, L, and C). That’s all, folks! (At least that’s all at audio frequencies. At radio frequencies the geometry of the cable begins to have certain effects.) An audio signal has no idea whether it is passing through expensive or inexpensive RLC. It retains its purity or impurity regardless.”

Assuming that both your power amplifier and your loudspeakers utilize dual banana jack posts (spaced 0.75 inch on-center apart), terminate your wire with compatible dual banana plug connectors. Some nice quality gold-plated dual banana plugs with side entry wire access (desirable), are available from Parts Express...

For red (right channel): http://www.parts-express.com/gold-dual-banana-plug- red--091-332

For black (left channel): http://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-gold-dual- banana-plug-black--091-334

My preference is to shorten the length of these dual banana plugs by discarding their knurled end posts and substituting #8-32 x 0.75 inch flat point set screws. Drive those set screws with a 5/64 inch Allen hex key wrench—or with a 5/64 inch hex bit (more elegant!) from Chapman; refer http://chapmanmfg.com/.


*Most “speaker wire” is now CCA; claims of “pure copper” refer only to the cladding layer.

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