Mono amps and different length speaker cables

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

12-11-13: Simao
Agreed with Mustang. You're talking 3 feet for signals traveling close to light speed.

I agree with Mustang also, as implied in the last line of my earlier post.

However, the fact you cited that signals propagate through wires at near light speed has nothing to do with it. Resistance, inductance, and capacitance, and their potential effects, are all directly proportional to length. Skin effect, dielectric absorption, antenna effects, impedance mismatch effects, effects related to purity of metals, and other such effects that some would argue can be audibly significant are also affected by length.

On another note, I would add to Mustang's comment that EVEN IF there is a difference (which I doubt), as explained in my earlier post there is no reason to necessarily expect that using two 3-meter cables would sound better than using one 3-meter cable and one 2-meter cable. It could just as easily sound worse.

Regards,
-- Al

12-13-13: Knghifi
Why take a chance and just use 2 same length cables.

Why assume that unequal lengths won't be better than equal lengths?

As I indicated earlier, I see no reason to make that assumption, at least in the biwire situation the OP appears to be describing. And a similar argument could probably be made for the more usual situation where the length difference would be between channels, rather than between the connections to high and low frequency drivers in each speaker.

Is it better to (a)have the two cables of equal length, so that their sonic effects are similar, or (b)to have one of the cables shorter, so that its sonic effects are reduced?

Either outcome is possible in any given system, as I see it, if in fact it makes any difference at all.

Regards,
-- Al