Speaker Cable

[The Monkey]

Now for the dumb questions.

I've never built a speaker cable. I want to do something quick and easy to test my AE2 speakers to see if the stock cable is picking up RF. Can I just use two separate runs of Mogami, using all four conductors? I won't be terminating at this point, just twisting the strands. Is this basic premise correct?

[naamanf]

Are you talking about the speaker cable that goes from the right speaker to the left or the RCA cable that comes from the source?

[spritzer]

For a speaker cable you only need two wires to each but you can parallel connect conductors as you want. Just make sure you don't connect the wrong ones...

[The Monkey]

Are you talking about the speaker cable that goes from the right speaker to the left or the RCA cable that comes from the source?

The speaker cable that goes from right to left.

For a speaker cable you only need two wires to each but you can parallel connect conductors as you want. Just make sure you don't connect the wrong ones...

Makes sense. Thanks.

[Augsburger]

doubl post, slow connection.

[Augsburger]

Just to make sure, connect the L red off the amp to the L red off the speaker post. L Black off the amp to the L black off the speaker post etc.... like Spritzer said.

[naamanf]

Does it seem to pick up the signal better/worse when you move the speakers cable around? What about the RCAs? I would think there is a better chance of the RCAs being the culprit but I could be wrong.

[n_maher]

Does it seem to pick up the signal better/worse when you move the speakers cable around? What about the RCAs? I would think there is a better chance of the RCAs being the culprit but I could be wrong.

I'm with naaman on this one, especially since Vincent said that unshielded XLRs had been a problem in the past as well. Someone correct me if I'm wrong buy I think line level signals are much more prone to noise and that's why you hardly ever see shielded speaker cable.

Vincent, if you need some shielded RCA's I've got a spare pair kicking around I could send your way.

[The Monkey]

I also thought it was the RCA's, but they are shielded and do not introduce interference in other setups in the same location. Further, the noise is still present even when I remove the RCAs from the equation (i.e., everything is plugged in EXCEPT for the RCAs). I suppose it could be the power cable or a ground loop, but wouldn't that be in both speakers?

The noise does not seem to change when I move the speakers around, but I have not moved them into another room.

[The Monkey]

grrr...

So I used some Mogami to make another cable. I took a single length of star quad, stripped each of the 4 conductors and twisted two for each channel. Same noise out of the right speaker. I guess the speakers have to go back, which is a pain in the balls. Is there anything else I should try?

[n_maher]

I'd at least try a different location first to rule out local interference.

[The Monkey]

Nate, I'll do that.

In terms of shielding, would the mogami star quad with the copper sheath be shielded? Or is there a different way of shielding speaker cables?

[grawk]

if you use star quad for 1 channel, and ground the shield at 1 end, it should be shielded

[The Monkey]

Thanks Dan, I think I get it now. I did not ground the shield at one end.

One problem is where would I ground it if I'm not using terminations, just bare wire?

[Dusty Chalk]

Ground it to ground.

[The Monkey]

Ground it to ground.

Thanks.

The problem is I don't know where that should be. Do I tie the shield to one of the - binding posts? There is really nothing else to tie it to. Should it be tied to the chassis of the speaker containing the amp?

[n_maher]

Thanks.

The problem is I don't know where that should be. Do I tie the shield to one of the - binding posts? There is really nothing else to tie it to. Should it be tied to the chassis of the speaker containing the amp?

Yes, you can just tie the shield to one of the '-' binding posts at the speaker with the amp in it.

[grawk]

Or you can do a nate special, and use aligator clips and a jumper wire to connect it to bare metal on the chassis.

[n_maher]

Or you can do a nate special, and use aligator clips and a jumper wire to connect it to bare metal on the chassis.

That setup is commonly referred to as "meet conditions" grounding.

[The Monkey]

Awesome. Thanks for the help, guys, I'll try it tonight.

If it doesn't work, I'll just smash the speakers into little bits.

[grawk]

Nice Vincent. Pick up one of those flip video cams, and put it on youtube when you do it.

[Dusty Chalk]

Or you can do a nate special, and use aligator clips and a jumper wire to connect it to bare metal on the chassis.

That's what I was thinking (without knowing it had a name, or a preferred implementer).

[The Monkey]

I haven't had a chance to make the shielded cable yet, but I just noticed that the power supply is making a buzzing sound. That can't be good, right? Bad power supply?

[The Monkey]

almost like a ticking...

[naamanf]

almost like a ticking...

I am going to step out on a limb and say that is a bad thing. Can you return it for a new one?