Speaker Cable
Speaker Cable
US $39.99
What Is The Difference Between A Speaker Cable And An Instrument Cable?
What is the difference between a speaker cable and an instrument cable?
Instrument cables are designed to work in high-impedance environments. This means that it goes from a device with a high output impedance, such as electric guitars, into an amplifier or other device that has a high resistance. They generally move very little current and are usually constructed of a single center conductor and a shield. Instrument cables by nature are susceptible to electrical interference, but most use some sort of shielding to help keep noise out.
Speaker cables are designed to work in low-impedance environments - the opposite of instrument cables. This means that it connects a low impedance output of a device like an amplifier to a low impedance of a speaker. Shielding is not critical for a speaker cable because it is not very susceptible to noise because of low impedance, their general construction of twisted pair, and because of the higher levels of signal that they move.
To be as general as possible, instrument cables connect an instrument to an amplifier and speaker cables connect amplifiers to passive loudspeakers.
So, can I use an instrument cable as a speaker cable?
Although technically it could work, DON'T DO IT! Using an instrument cable in place of a speaker cable can severely and permanently damage your amplifier! It can burn up your amplifier, especially a tube amp! In addition to the risk of destroying your amp, you could also have significant signal loss due to smaller conductors in instrument cables. Instrument cables are typically 20 - 24 gauge conductors and speaker cables are generally 12 - 16 gauge (remember the higher the gauge, the thinner the wire). Thinner wire has more resistance adding more load to the amp and causing the wire to heat up and even "burn up" sometimes. Now, using a speaker cable as an instrument cable won't technically harm anything; However, it will almost always inject lots of noise and make your high impedance instrument sound horrible. I would strongly suggest not using a speaker cable as an instrument cable, and I would definitely recommend that you never use an instrument cable as a speaker cable. Use the cables for the application that they are intended!
Remember, just because a cable is more expensive doesn't necessarily make it a better cable! Some companies get greedy and don't have your best interest in mind and will sell you on reasons why their $50 cable is better than a $10 cable. More expensive doesn't always equal better!
About the Author
Seismic Audio Speakers has the most cost effective and quality pro audio speaker gear and accessories for your money on the web. Here you can find the most affordable PA/DJ Speakers, Floor Monitors, Sub Woofer Cabinets, Rack Cases, Snake Cables, PA Speaker Cables, Microphone Cables, Tripod Speaker and Microphone Stands, and pro audio accessories on the Internet. Sounding like a professional musician when you are on a budget is not always easy. With Seismic Audio Speakers you get high quality performing gear at rock bottom wholesale prices! Seismic Audio Blog is designed to be imforative about the music industry and give technical tips and solutions for problems that musicians and sound technitions run into everyday. You can check out Seismic Audio Blog at www.SeismicAudioBlog.com.
what tool I need to check if speaker cable are not crossed?
Have a 6 speaker wall plate number 1-6 and want to make sure the installer set the speakers to the right # before I make my final connections.from the receiver. He used a probe of some kind stuck the probe in first connection and a tone came from the speaker.
He was using a tone generator. You can use a flashlight battery. Just momentarily touch one pair of speaker wires to the 1.5 volt battery and note which speaker makes a "thump" noise. You can also verify the polarity. Remove the speaker grill cloth so you can see the woofer. When you momentarily touch the battery if the woofer cone moves forward then you have the (+) speaker wire on the (+) end of the battery. If the cone moves backwards then the (+) wire is on the (-) end of the battery.
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How To Build a Better Speaker Cable
