Does speaker cable length really matter?

Of course length matters, but you won't hear a significant differnce with the lengths in question. The speed at which electricity propogates thru the conductors has less to do with what's going on....than does the cumulative insertion losses due to capacitance, resistance, and the various types of inductance and reactance. ALL OF THESE increase with longer runs of ANY cable (interconnect or speaker cable). This cannot be avoided, it's just basic physics. THERE'S NO GETTING AROUND INSERTION LOSSES, but the difference between 8 ft and 12 ft is nothing to worry about. The differences in "sound quality" would be radically less than, say the differences heard going from one manufacturer's cable, to another's.

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All speaker cable is bad, the shorter the better. Why would you want the extra cost and sound issues of 12ft cables? Most audiophiles have speakers set in "near field" position forming 6-9ft equilateral triangle with listening position. 8ft should be plenty, even 6ft can work, bi-amp systems can be even shorter. If you want equipment rack on side wall use long run of interconnect to amp which remains on floor centered between speakers....regards Sam

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Hi Carl, Sam, Thanks for your thoughts, they helped ease some tension I need to keep my rack on one side of my system for now, forcing me to use longer cables than I would normally use. I hadn't thought of longer interconnects with amp in center, hmmm... Going from an expensive 1 meter to a 3 meter interconnect seems a little impractical financially, and might that not create as many problems as it solves?