Mono amps and different length speaker cables

C'mon guys, do you honestly think that the resistance differences between those short cables will make any difference? Only in your dreams...

-RW-

I doubt you will notice a difference, but why would you do that? Does that mean that you will have to buy a 2 meter pair AND a 3 meter pair of the same speaker cables, then only use half of each pair? It makes no sense to me, but to answer your question, no, you shouldn't hear a difference.

Agree, it's a weird question.

I for one don't see anything weird about the question. Not sure if it's clear to everyone that he is apparently referring to biwiring, with one length going to one section of each speaker and the other length going to the other section of each speaker. Presumably he already has one or both sets of cables on hand.

To address the question, if the longer cable behaves in an essentially neutral manner, which in part would mean that it has adequate gauge, and inductive reactance that is adequately low in relation to speaker impedance (which would usually be the case at these lengths, except perhaps to a slight degree with some electrostatic speakers), then the shorter cable will also behave in an essentially neutral manner. At least, that is, if the impedance characteristics of the two sections of the speaker are not considerably different.

If the longer cable does not behave in an essentially neutral manner, then there is no way to predict whether it would subjectively be better or worse to have both cables of equal length, and therefore probably behaving in a similarly non-neutral manner (depending on speaker impedance), or to have one of them in a shorter length, and therefore probably behaving closer to neutrality.

Also, if the two sections of the speaker do have considerably different impedance characteristics, having equal lengths will not assure that the two cables behave similarly.

Personally, at these lengths I would treat it as a non-issue.

Regards,
-- Al

Sometimes you're left with mismatched lengths of cable for a variety of reasons...it happens, and I've found that if it's good cable you can't hear any level differences between speakers. You simply can't. I have used differing cable lengths in the past, but find that same length cables are easier to sell when you upgrade.