Subwoofer cable recommendations

I am considering using Vandersteen 2wq’s with 3a sigs and the M5-HT crossover. So, according to Vandersteen, I will be connecting the sub and speakers to the amp output.

The manual for the 2wq sub indicates that its input impedance is more than 100,000 ohms, resulting in it having "no discernible effect on the output of the main amplifier." The manual also recommends physically connecting both the sub and the main speakers directly to the amplifier, and therefore the amplifier-to-sub connections will not be in the path to the main speakers.

So what I said in my previous post is applicable.

Regards,
-- Al

If you are referring to using the outputs of your power amplifier to drive a powered subwoofer which accepts speaker level inputs, you don't need heavy gauge speaker wire.  In that situation what you are driving is the very high input impedance of the sub's amplifier, not the very low impedance of the sub's driver.

In that situation pretty much any gauge that is heavy enough to not be excessively fragile will do, such as 22 gauge or even smaller.  The cable's resistance won't matter, because it will be negligible in relation to the sub's input impedance.  Inductance won't matter either, because if it has any effects they would only be on high frequencies that the sub won't reproduce.

I suspect that the sonic differences between cables that are likeliest to result in that kind of application, if any, would result from the effects on the amplifier of the capacitance of the cable, and/or any RFI/EMI/electrical noise which the cable may pick up and introduce into the feedback loop of the amplifier, if the amplifier has a feedback loop.  Such effects will be amplifier-dependent and setup-dependent and therefore won't have a great deal of predictability.

Also, if your amplifier has balanced or bridged outputs don't make the common mistake of connecting the sub's negative speaker level input terminal to the amp's negative output terminal.  Post back if you'd like further info on that.

Good luck.  Regards,
-- Al
  

Gdnrbob, as I indicated earlier amplifier and system dependencies result in there being little predictability in this case (and in many others) as to the optimal cable choice. And I have no knowledge of the KnuKonceptz cables other than what appears at their website. But speaking from experience in a full-range application I doubt that you would be disappointed with this cable from Cable Solutions. Depending on your choice of the Vampire Wire terminations it is offered with, you would probably be spending a bit more than $100 for the two cables you need.

Although per my earlier comments they are much heavier gauge than necessary (12 gauge in this case), compared to many such cables they are visually unobtrusive and highly flexible.

BTW, when you said...

I am using Transparent Plus cables to the speakers, so, as per the Vandersteen hook up, I probably need the same length for the subs.

... I assume you meant that the same length would be needed in order to physically locate everything where you would want it. There is no technical reason why the sub cables and the cables to the main speakers should necessarily be the same length.

Good luck. Regards,
-- Al