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Long IC/Short Speaker or Short IC/ Long Speaker

For monoblocks setup, would it it be better sonically to run long interconnects (from pre-amp to amp) and shorter speaker cables (from amp to speakers) or to run short interconnects and longer speaker cables? Does it make a difference? One thing I must note is that I can only run RCA connection IC. I do understand that the gain is more gain when using XLR IC. Thanks for your help.
3chihuahuas

Showing 2 responses by audioengr

audioengr
3,282 posts
 
One data point is my analysis on this subject at the Audio FAQ page at:

http://www.empiricalaudio.com

Depends entirely on the relative quality of your cables.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Zoya wrote:

If you're not using balanced IC, it should be as short as possible. Otherwise, it will act like antenna

Not exactly. Short is better for both balanced and unbalanced because they both have capacitance and the low-pass filtering effect is identical for both.

As for acting as an antenna, this can happen, but it is caused by the ground loops in the system (particularly large loop areas), not the interconnects themselves. Obviously, balanced IC's have common-mode rejection, so even if there are ground-loops and the associated noise, this will be cancelled out at the balanced receiver, unless it is really bad, then this won't even help.
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