Long speaker wire or long RCAs?

[Hauger92]

I'll be taking delivery of a pair of Bubinga Spires pretty soon and I'm trying to setup my room for them. Currently I have my TV sitting on a stand with all the components underneath. I'm going to mount my TV and place my components elsewhere in the room because I don't want them between my Spires in an attempt to create better soundstage and no distractions.

Anyways, I can either keep my 2ch amp with my gear about 20-25ft away or put it on an amp stand between my Spires.

1. Amp near gear = 20-25ft speaker wire pair
or
2. Amp near speakers = 20-25 RCA(XLR) from preamp

Which would you do? Long RCAs or long speaker wire?

Thanks guys!

 

[Feltran]

I don't really have any hands on comparison experience on this subject, but I'll give my opinion anyway. If I was choosing between standard RCA and speaker wire, I'd get some good high quality long speaker wire, and have the attitude that it may change the sound, but probably won't "degrade" the sound.

However, if XLR is an option, I'd go with the long XLR instead of long speaker wire. I mean, long runs is literally what XLR is made for.

 

[timm]

Brian -- most awesome!!! Where did u get the spires ?
Does anyone around us have them on the floor? Tell us more about your system. I'm really geeked for you. Tim

 

[twich54]

Given your two choices..........I'd opt for the longer run of the Balanced XLR's

 

[tsv_1]

Completely agree... if you can run long XLR's, do it. The balanced configuration is based on the concept that a differential signal inherently rejects any common mode noise (i.e. high CMRR) in the signal path... common mode noise = bad.

You can get insanely low pricing on long XLR cables (including terminations) at monoprice.com... not the flashiest cable out there, but well built and solid performance, especially for the money.

I also agree with Feltran... if you can't use XLRs in your system, then go with long speaker cable runs (not long pre-amp RCA runs).

Cheers and good luck.

 

[Hauger92]

Tim - Nobody has them to demo around here, not even Alma's Hifi. I'm buying them through work on blind faith that they'll sound as good as everyone says they do. I've demoed Vantages and loved them, so I'm not worried about the Spires.

I have the fortune of temporarily using some of my father's equipment including:
- Legacy Audio 2ch Class A/AB amp
- Legacy Audio 5ch Class A/AB amp
- Theta Casa Nova
- Legacy Audio Silver Screen Center Channel

My equipment:
- Denon AVR3311
- Sony PS3
- Panamax PM5100 power conditioner
- Pioneer Elite PRO111 plasma (greatest TV ever)

Future Equipment:
- ML Stage
- Depth or Decent Sub
- McIntosh C2300 or ARC LS28(used)
- Not sure about an amp but maybe Mcintosh

 

[RichTeer]

Given your two choices..........I'd opt for the longer run of the Balanced XLR's

Agreed, although unbalanced is also an option (I use 6m unbalanced interconnects between my preamp and mono blocks, which are on the floor near my Spires).

 

[Dan Osib]

My CLS's are approximately 8 feet apart. I'm using 1.5 meter long speaker cables and 1 meter long RCA interconnects from my mono block power amps to my preamp. My monoblocks are on the floor right next to my speakers while my preamp is on the middle shelf of my equipment stand. My equipment stand is situated in between my speakers.

 

[Audioseduction]

However, if XLR is an option, I'd go with the long XLR instead of long speaker wire. I mean, long runs is literally what XLR is made for.

I would agree it to be your best bet.

 

[Bernard]

Agreed, although unbalanced is also an option (I use 6m unbalanced interconnects between my preamp and mono blocks, which are on the floor near my Spires).

I used unbalanced as well - 8m.

 

[zaphod]

before i made the call to ditch home theater and audio, i would run long interconnects (unbalanced) and use short speaker cables. I wall mount the amps for the surround speakers and put the monoblocks on the CLS electronics.

i worked with an engineer who had been designing analog cirbuits for a couple of decades and speakers before that. he would happily slam "audiofool beliefs" any day of the week with the exception of run lengths.

he insisted that long interconnect runs were better than long speaker runs.

 

[churchill]

I use 22 feet of balanced (XLR) from my xover (by my chair) to both my sub and the mono blocks (by speakers), no issues.

 

[zaphod]

i should probably mention that my long IC, while not balanced, were made from Canare star quad cable, which is two pair of twisted pair. i used one pair for signal, one pair for ground and then attached the braided sheath to the ground at one end.

dead quiet and that was in a house with horridly noisy electricity and cable based ground loop hums.

 

[Hauger92]

Thanks fellas. This helps a lot!

 

[RichTeer]

before i made the call to ditch home theater and audio, i would run long interconnects (unbalanced) and use short speaker cables. I wall mount the amps for the surround speakers and put the monoblocks on the CLS electronics.

Huh? Do I read you correctly, that you've decided not to pursue HT or audio any more as a hobby? Tell me I'm mistaken, for what could precipitate such a decision?!

 

[Speedskater]

Star-quad is great for balanced interconnects, and while I have used it for un-balanced interconnects in the past, now I would chose a co-ax with a heavy braided shield for un-balanced interconnects.

Sometimes running long un-balanced interconnects, means that the power amps are on a different AC power circuit than the rest of the equipment. This increases the possibility of hum!

Balanced interconnects don't suffer this problem.

 

[zaphod]

Huh? Do I read you correctly, that you've decided not to pursue HT or audio any more as a hobby? Tell me I'm mistaken, for what could precipitate such a decision?!

you got it right man, i'm on the forums still, so i'm still babbling but as far as actually turning that pile of boxes you saw into my HT .... well - it's not likely.

i've just hit the point in my life where i realize that what i did before (designing and building a room for one thing) i am no longer able to do. realizing the mess that will ensue, i'm calling it quits on a number of things, including the HT. such is life.

 

[zaphod]

Star-quad is great for balanced interconnects, and while I have used it for un-balanced interconnects in the past, now I would chose a co-ax with a heavy braided shield for un-balanced interconnects.

Sometimes running long un-balanced interconnects, means that the power amps are on a different AC power circuit than the rest of the equipment. This increases the possibility of hum!

Balanced interconnects don't suffer this problem.

yep, but my amps don't have balanced in... more and more do and in 10 years it might will be de facto standard. so anyone building a room now would be prudent to run both balanced and unbalanced for any "in wall" runs, or use a cable that supports both - the starquad does that while coax isn't as good for balanced.

i went canare end to end - wall sockets, rca ends and so on. i really drank their koolaid back in those days.

 

[RichTeer]

you got it right man, i'm on the forums still, so i'm still babbling but as far as actually turning that pile of boxes you saw into my HT .... well - it's not likely.

i've just hit the point in my life where i realize that what i did before (designing and building a room for one thing) i am no longer able to do. realizing the mess that will ensue, i'm calling it quits on a number of things, including the HT. such is life.

Bummer. Hopefully nothing too bad caused this...

Does that mean that your Oracle Delphi might never see the light of day? If so, I have a friend who might be interested in buying it if you're willing to part with it.

PS Glad to see that whatever happened didn't stop you from babbling. Now THAT would be bad!

 

[GDSA]

interconnect length

I had been running 7m XLR (silver over copper but not really audiophile) between two Krell units. Sounded fine, but the improvement when I shortened it to 1m and used very good interconnect was not subtle. What I was losing wasn't obvious until I got it back.Unless you are using something like the Krell Cast system, the shorter the better with both IC's and Speaker cables.
I agree with the others, that RCA over the distance you are talking would be VERY high loss.
Try a shortened (temporary) set up with the BEST cables you can borrow and hear the difference..it will have you rearranging your room for sure.