Extending speaker wire?


Hi all,

I have a set of speaker cables, unterminated, that are not quite long enough for the intended purpose. I have another, shorter set of the same cable lying around as well. Is it ok to simply braid or solder these cables together, creating a longer run of cable? It seems to good to be true, but I thought I'd ask the experts.

Thanks!
lousyreeds1
Thanks for the response. This is a 30-ft run of cable, and I'd rather not spend hundreds on a new set. This is a mid-fi setup, so perhaps I can worry a little less about the slightly degraded sound quality. Or might the difference be really significant? Anything wrong with just braiding the wires and forgetting about the solder?
In a mid-fi setup I can't imagine that you would hear the slightest degradation, IF you both braid and solder, properly (and then insulate, of course, using shrink tubing or at least electrical tape). If you just braid, even if you did it well enough to assure good contact over an adequate surface area, integrity of the contact would likely degrade over time due to oxidation.

Regards,
-- Al
i've braided and taped speaker cables together many times with no discernible effect. (i'm sure the purists will shudder).
I think Loomisjohnson hit on it. Try it. Determine for yourself if you like the sound. What an outrageous concept - trusting your own ears. You have nothing to lose by trying.