AudiogoN Forums: Very short speaker cable length recommended?

Very short speaker cable length recommended?

Hi folks, I've read some article that a too short speaker cable could make the sound worse, is this true? The statement was btw from MIT. I've always thought a short speaker cable (less than three feet) could bring improvement to the sound, at least it wouldn't do any harm. What is your opinion regarding this issue?

Chris

Dazzdax (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

04-12-06

Responses (1-33 of 33)

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

04-12-06 After reading pierre sprey's (mapleshade) views on the subje ... Dopogue

04-12-06 I used to feel the same way and had been using a one metre l ... Lacee

04-12-06 Cable makers price their product by the foot. what would you ... Eldartford

04-12-06 Sean used to argue against the conventional wisdom of long i ... Drubin

04-12-06 Quaker state and pennzoil recommend oil changes every 3,000 ... Timrhu

04-13-06 Which arguments do some experts have for stating that a long ... Dazzdax

04-13-06 I once had a setup using cj monoblocks, wilson witts, and 4 ... Herman

04-13-06 I would say it depends on your amp. high feedback amps work ... Baddabob

04-13-06 No doubt, timru. i've witnessed major debates in car forums ... Gunbei

04-13-06 It is counter-intutive but i have two thoughts: (1) it is p ... Aktchi

04-13-06 Mapleshade actually claims that 8 ft is the optimal length n ... Jl35

04-13-06 Ji35 reminded me of when i first contemplated changing from ... Dopogue

07-14-06 There is a small on-line cable company that makes wonderful ... Anacrusis

07-14-06 Go 6.5 ft or longer(2.0m)speaker, its the more optimal range ... Undertow

07-14-06: Gregm

Even with interconnects it seems Half meter might be worse sounding than 1 meter standard in some scenarios as well

It has to do with the electrical properties of the cable at the specific length as it couples with/influences (i.e. enters the circuit) the stability and the impedance of the source loading (output stage) and the impedance and type of input of the load.
See Sean's recent post in "diy interconnects review".
Gregm (Threads | Answers | This Thread)

07-14-06 go 6.5 ft or longer(2.0m)speaker, its the more optimal range ... Audiofeil

07-14-06 Actually from my understanding if you go too short then the ... Undertow

07-14-06 i tried very short cables and it was bright and irritating. ... Herman

07-14-06 Undertow, you understand incorrectly. i've spoken at length ... Audiofeil

07-14-06 have you tried it yourself or just assuming? i believe the ... Audiofeil

07-14-06 Umm okay if you say so i believe you.. but sorry i have hear ... Undertow

07-14-06 yes, very wise. i would always go with the opinion of the i ... Herman

08-25-06 I am a dealer for mapleshade and pierre told me that the iss ... Piedpiper

08-25-06 This is only one person's opinion based on an anonymous ee. ... Audiofeil

08-25-06 Audiofiel, my conclusion is that you offer nothing but your ... Herman

08-25-06 Of course central to this debate would be that the listeners ... Sgr

08-26-06 Herman i think 40+ years in dozens of systems is enough expe ... Audiofeil

08-26-06 Audiofeil, i'll stick with my assessment. you dismiss me as ... Herman

08-26-06 If cable lengths between 6 inches and ten feet affect the so ... Eldartford

08-26-06 I never said you were an amateur. as a matter of fact most o ... Audiofeil

08-26-06 I have tried almost all lenghts in my system, i am using ve ... Jsadurni

08-26-06 Again which i stated above, the most important thing is to t ... Undertow

08-26-06 Ok audiofeil, we can leave it at that. i don't need to conta ... Herman