Speaker cable length

If you have a basement, consider doing what I did.  I put my amp in the basement to reduce hum in the listening room.  My preamp and its power supply are also in a room adjacent to the speakers, in an equipment cabinet, with balanced IC's running through the floor to the amp.  Thus, the speakers are the only equipment in the listening room.  The power supply/vacuum for my SOTA Star Sapphire TT are also in the basement.  I didn't want that vacuum unit anywhere near the rest of my equipment.

All of this physical separation is important.  And, yes, there are plenty of holes drilled in the floors.

All cable pairs are of equal length.  The rule I learned decades ago was to keep IC's short and worry less about speaker cable length.  But with your amp in the basement,  speaker cables can still be kept relatively short, saving money.

Other than convenience and tradition, I have never understood why folks spend so much on high quality equipment, then place it all so close together. 

@bkeske,

my main system has a pair of 22 foot Canare 4S11 speaker cables going to my speakers. There is no loss of current.  My 11 gauge speaker cables are good with no loss up to 50 feet away.  My speaker cables go under the floor as my rack is across the room in an alcove.  I would never run an interconnect under the floor as the signal is just a few volts.  I have had numerous systems over the years with this configuration and I have always gotten excellent results. 

My understanding too is that if i had to choose for the shortest cable that should be the speaker one. Now having xlr's for ic's helps a lot but still.

G

All my other IC’s are short to my pre. All I can tell you is everything sounds very good, and better than the old long cables/set-up. Of course, the speaker cables are better too. The cost of 15-16’ (length I would have needed) good biwire cables was going to be expensive vs. 8’ lengths, and a 10’ IC.

Yea, everyone has an opinion, but I do remember a video Paul McGowan put out on YouTube saying the same; keep your speaker cables short, and run a longer IC to your amp near the speakers. I always stored that video in my memory banks. Also recommended by a couple others I trust. Before, I just wanted everything, including my amp, on the rack. I change my mind with my recent speaker cable purchase.

I have a separate amp, so if you have an integrated amp, this may not be a good option for you.

@bkeske  interestingly, everything i've heard says the complete opposite - that the IC's should be kept as short as possible while speaker cables - which carry a very weak signal, can be much longer.

My rack has always been on the side, and recently purchased new speaker cables. I was told that I should keep the speaker wire short as possible, so, I moved my amp onto the floor between my speakers, thus allowing for shorter speaker cable runs. But, I then needed a longer IC from my amp to pre in the rack. I’ve read that if you have a choice, go with a longer IC cable vs speaker cables, and that’s what I did. Overall cheaper too, even as with the longer IC purchase.

@b4icu  - thanks for the amp update as well.

@hilde54   Thanks for the link. that was a fascinating video and explanation.

If you ever have cause to sell them, a pair of SCs of matching length will be much easier to move.

Also, if you reconfigure again, there's the possibility of halving them to creating bi-wires.

If you're going to purchase long cables, at whatever price point, Blue Jeans, Audio Envy, whatever, I wouldn't save the few bucks by skimping.

Here’s one discussion that will probably have divided reactions. https://youtu.be/WXPAjnmhK_g

So I did the measurements just now. The right speaker is going to need 18 to 20 ft. The less speaker is going to need maybe 8 ft at most. Because of my triangle ratio with my listening position, a specials are about 11 ft apart and that accounts for the big discrepancy in the speaker cable length if I do move everything off to the side.

II use Canare 4S11 speaker cable.  Left speaker has an 18 foot cable, right speaker has a 15 foot cable.  Can’t hear any difference.  Won’t set you back more than $200.00 total.  The bested a pair of cables that were $1500.00 each. 

If your line magnetic 518 is this:  https://www.stereophile.com/content/line-magnetic-audio-lm-518ia-integrated-amplifier-specifications
Than you should not be worried about the cablelength...just keep it with low C. The nature of Tube Amps is of low to very low DF. As so, cable's resistance is insignificant. 

It’s more important to keep your TT cable(s) short.

McIntosh guidance: for 18 awg: 4 ohm speakers:15 lf; 8 ohm 30 lf; 16 ohm 60 lf.

I finally made my new speaker cables (16 ohm speakers) two days ago, 16 lf each. I always keep speaker cables the same length. I needed to reach the further left side,

see 2nd photo here, system in background of ’cleaning’ photo

https://www.ebay.com/itm/133640511355

16lf gave me extra length at both ends: to leave them connected and pull my speakers forward, spin around, take the back off; and to pull the separate cabinet on the right side (with preamp and amp on it) forward, spin around.

I bought direct from Asia thru Wish, total 32lf for $215. delivered ($6.72/lf).

OFC Cat 8 S/FTP 22 ga, (8 strands equal 13 ga.) Pure Copper Spades, Pure Copper Connectors at Speakers.

My hands are a bit sore from stripping 64 strands, twisting, compressing the strands, attaching 8 spades with 2 set screws.

I recently bought new speakers, new speaker cables and changed the speakers location. I now need one 5meter speaker cable and one 7 meter speaker cable. Was concerned the length and also length mismatch would be an issue. Unfounded worries, sounds great, soundstaging is terrific.
Amp=Conrad Johnson MF2250A .. speakers Magico A3 .. cables Morrow SP4.

@b4icu. My amp is a line magnetic 518. My speakers are spatial audios M3 turbo s's. I would be doing the switch of the components off to the side purely for aesthetic purposes. I'm using a pretty narrow salamander rack and a low amplifier stand for the line magnetic, and my spatials are about 5 ft off the back wall, so I doubt the component stands are doing anything for the sound since they are way back behind the spatials. And I would definitely go with XLR, except the line magnetic only has RCA inputs.

Mr.  simao

Speaker cable is all about resistance.

R = (ro x L) S
When R is the cable's resistance in ohms.
ro is the material's constant conductivity figure.
L is the length in meters.
S is the cross section in mm2.

If we talk abou your system, that for some reason, is not specified, what makes or breaks the deal is your Amp's DF.
If you own a tube amp or a HT receiver, cables won't change much.
If you own a good power Amp and pre, it might have XLR (balanced) in/out. Use a balanced cable (as long as you wish, up to 500m, and place your Amp's (monoblocks) as close to the speakers (speaker cables can then be reduced to 1/2 meter!), and place your source and pre. where you like it. That's the optimum solution, if you look for one.

I moved my vertical rack to the side wall. I was using Purist Audio cables and changed to Canare 4S11. Both cables are 15ft. At this length nobody will hear the difference between same length and one long, one short.
I like them more than the $2500 Purist, and there's no noise or RFI being introduced.

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367
Nuff said.

I've heard and seen a lot of systems with equipment between the speakers. It shouldn't be stacked "between" the speakers. If you go low and against the front wall, there is nothing wrong with that.. HECK just low and streamline works perfect for me..

As far as between speakers one of the best setups I EVER heard was a 3 speaker Trainural analog system. It had a 3rd speaker dead center, and recommends an equal or BETTER speaker for the center..In other words BIGGER.

Like MC said the give away compared to gain, you've lost ground..
Move part of it to the side. Pre, TT and amps leave them by and between speakers, just LOW...

My monitors the lowest driver "used" is 18" off the ground. That make a BIG difference too. What exactly is being messed with when drivers are that high? Something above 18"? Use the 18" and below. No problems for me.. Folks have better ears than mine, for me it's maybe a change, but not an improvement in SQ.. There is always a work around.. Just fruit for thought..

Regards

I just swapped out my Benchmark speaker cable with SpeakOn termination for some Audience FrontRow also with SpeakON terminations (you can get any termination). I only need 1 meter lengths because I have monoblocks right beside each speaker. I use 15 or 25 foot of Benchmark XLR cables to connect my amps to my preamp. This way my rack is sitting beside me and nothing is in-between my speakers.

Comparing my FrontRow and Benchmark cables are an apples-2-apples comparison. One cost $200 and the other cost $3600.  The Audience is a bit better but I was very happy with the Benchmark prior to the FrontRow. I only bought the FrontRow because I had saved so much on my other gear that I had some extra cash in the stereo budget to splurge.

If you are going to use very long speaker cables I suggest you use some pro cables like the Benchmark so that you do not get killed by the cost. They are excellent.

The biggest issue with mismatched cables is resale as you swap them out, cuz in this game you will, just part of it. Resale is not going to happen unless someone has your specific configuration. If you do inexpensive, or DIY doesn’t matter.

Most people probably can’t hear the difference between two different lengths or is their system capable to reveal the difference. How long of a set are you needing? If it’s a fairly long stretch and you have to watch the budget I’d suggest Canare 4s11. It’s very affordable and extremely flexible. Used in pro audio and live settings so the geometry is designed for longer runs to not pick up noise. It’s a very good and a great cable to start with as it might be the end of your journey. Can be purchased online and even Amazon. Does take a lot of hours to burn or settle in so do not rush to judgment.

I would make them the same length.

The only thing to be aware of is it's gonna cost ya.

They do not have to be the same length. 

You are going to give up far more in sound quality due to crap wire than you will gain by marginally improved acoustics.