Newbie: extending speakers using extra cable

[Matt Shepherd]

Hi all,

I have a speaker setup that came with cable for a set distance for the rear
speakers. I want to extend said distance significantly (say, from 20 feet to
35). Should I buy more speaker wire of the same guage (3 mm), or should I
buy a "lighter" wire since the signal will have further to travel / lose
power?

Apologies for my ig'nance.

- Matt Shepherd

[Gary A. Edelstein]

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:26:17 -0400, "Matt Shepherd"
> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I have a speaker setup that came with cable for a set distance for the rear
>speakers. I want to extend said distance significantly (say, from 20 feet to
>35). Should I buy more speaker wire of the same guage (3 mm), or should I
>buy a "lighter" wire since the signal will have further to travel / lose
>power?
>
Over that distance it won't matter. Some additional general
suggestions:

- Get new lengths of wire for each speaker - don't bother to add to
the wire you have with a slice of some sort. For this length, the
wire is so cheap you shouldn't have to bother with the connection
point for splices. Those splice points are just one more potential
problem point.

- If you got very inexpensive 20 or higher gauge wire for all the
speakers, you might _consider_ replacing it all with something a bit
heavier, like 12 gauge simple electrical zip cord or similar gauge
speaker wire, if you can find it cheap enough. Don't bother with
expensive name brand wire like monster, it's not worth it. But, this
is only a suggestion; the likelihood is the very inexpensive wire will
work fine.

Gary E
--
|Gary A. Edelstein
(remove NO SPAM and .invalid to reply)
|"We have met the enemy and he is us." - Walt Kelly's Pogo

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article >,
says...
>Hi all,
>I have a speaker setup that came with cable for a set distance for the rear
>speakers. I want to extend said distance significantly (say, from 20 feet to
>35). Should I buy more speaker wire of the same guage (3 mm), or should I
>buy a "lighter" wire since the signal will have further to travel / lose
>power?

Buy a smaller number gauge, which means you get a thicker wire. 16 gauge
should work fine.
-------------
Alex

[Matt Shepherd]

"Gary A. Edelstein" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:26:17 -0400, "Matt Shepherd"
> > wrote:
>
>>Hi all,
>>
>>I have a speaker setup that came with cable for a set distance for the
>>rear
>>speakers. I want to extend said distance significantly (say, from 20 feet
>>to
>>35). Should I buy more speaker wire of the same guage (3 mm), or should I
>>buy a "lighter" wire since the signal will have further to travel / lose
>>power?
>>
> Over that distance it won't matter. Some additional general
> suggestions:
>
(snip)
>
> - If you got very inexpensive 20 or higher gauge wire for all the
> speakers, you might _consider_ replacing it all with something a bit
> heavier, like 12 gauge simple electrical zip cord or similar gauge
> speaker wire, if you can find it cheap enough. Don't bother with
> expensive name brand wire like monster, it's not worth it. But, this
> is only a suggestion; the likelihood is the very inexpensive wire will
> work fine.
>
I actually have a spool of speaker wire in a decent gauge (12, I think) from
a loooong time ago. I had a vague intention when I bought my house of
reading up on this stuff and wiring it up with speakers in every room, then
never followed through with the reading or the wiring.

Wouldn't thicker wire mean less power to the speakers? Or am I totally off
on how this works?

[Arny Krueger]

Matt Shepherd wrote:

> I actually have a spool of speaker wire in a decent gauge
(12, I
> think) from a loooong time ago. I had a vague intention
when I bought
> my house of reading up on this stuff and wiring it up with
speakers
> in every room, then never followed through with the
reading or the
> wiring.

Use it before it turns green!

> Wouldn't thicker wire mean less power to the speakers?

Nope.

Does a thicker extension cord deliver less power to your
appliances?

Of course not!

If you want to run power some distance, and minimize losses,
you use a thicker cable, right?

> Or am I totally off on how this works?

Seems like.

[[email protected]]

Well, when you put it like THAT... :-)

I was just figuring it was further to "push" the signal. I think my
understanding of basic conductivity is sorely lacking.

Thanks!

- Matt

[Robert Morein]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Well, when you put it like THAT... :-)
>
> I was just figuring it was further to "push" the signal. I think my
> understanding of basic conductivity is sorely lacking.
>
> Thanks!
>
> - Matt
>
Matt, the thicker the conductor, the less loss in the cable.
Always use thicker wire where possible.
Don't bother splicing; just make new runs.

[Robert Morein]

"Arny Krueger" > wrote in message
...
> Matt Shepherd wrote:
[snip]
>
> > Or am I totally off on how this works?
>
> Seems like.
>
Notice the gratuitous insult.
I have provided Matt with a polite answer further down this thread.
Arny, you are one RUDE due.

[[email protected]]

Robert "If Irony Killed" Morein said:

>Notice the gratuitous insult.

You're famous for them.

>I have provided Matt with a polite answer further down this thread.

But it contained no more information.

>Arny, you are one RUDE due.

And you'reas pure as the driven slush.

[Clyde Slick]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
> Robert "If Irony Killed" Morein said:
>
>>Notice the gratuitous insult.
>
> You're famous for them.
>
>>I have provided Matt with a polite answer further down this thread.
>
> But it contained no more information.
>
>>Arny, you are one RUDE due.
>
> And you'reas pure as the driven slush.
>

What brand of soap do you use to wipe off the stench
of a Kroopology?



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