Different lengths of interconnects ??????



Have you ever tried using a pair of interconnects in different lengths to connect preamp and mono block amps? Can it cause one channel delay or any phase problems?

My Preamp is placed on left side behind my active ATC speakers, but I always use a pair of interconnects in same length between my preamp and the built-in power amp of my speakers.

Now I have a chance to buy pair of Valhalla XLR interconnects in different lengths, one 1.7m and another 3.5m, from another city. They are just about the right length from my preamp to left and right channel of my speakers, and price is good. I am not sure if it is OK to use interconnects in this way. Anyone have this experience?

Many thanks!
zdeng
No issue. Electrical signals travel very close to the speed of light. You cannot possibly hear the difference. Since these are line level signals then the voltage drop will be negligeable too (your speaker should have very high input impedance something like 10 K Ohms).

Generally XLR cables are made from 22 or 24 AWG wire so you are looking at 16 to 25 Ohms resistance per THOUSAND feet. So on a 100 foot cable you are looking at a voltage drop of 2.5/10,000 = 0.00025 volts on your 2 Volt reference signal hardly worth bothering about... it in fact at extreme lengths it is cable inductance/capacitance that you may worry about.

Remember studios use microphone cable lengths of 50 feet all the time and a concert may involve 100's of feet of XLR cabling across a stage and to the control booth.

There is absolutely no need to be concerned over a few feet.

(BTW There is also no need to spend more then 20 bucks on an XLR microphone cable in my opinion...Mogami for example make nice cables and these may cost you $50 bucks...generally good cables last longer and have better shielding, however shielding is not likely to be an issue for short runs)
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The signal is traveling @ approx. the speed of light. Do the math, & figure out how many MILES of cable you'd have to run to hear any difference. Physics 101 pure & simple.
I do agree with Ghasley but although chances of hearing any differences will be extremely low, self-consciousness sometimes do take over. You see a pair of interconnect connecting the left speaker is so much shorter than the other one connecting the right speaker and you think you are hearing a time delay. This sometimes happens with us audio nuts. My advice is if you cannot handle the this, do not buy it. Since you mentioned the price on the Valhalla's is good, you can always try it out for yourself and see.
The reason the price is right is because he can't sell this odd pair. When you get ready to move on you'll be stuck with them too.

At the speed of light it would take the signal .000000005 seconds longer to travel down the longer cable. Sound travels about .00000045 inches in that time. However, if you believe that cables affect the sound, and evidently you do or you wouldn't buy such expensive cables, then it seems logical that a cable that is twice as long might sound slightly different than a shorter cable.

Since you will sit there wondering about it and you will be stuck with them I say pass.