"Cable TV" coax cable as speaker wire? Anyone try this?

[js bach]

Anyone give this a try? I just did and it seems like it made the midrange and tweeter smoother than my old mit terminator 3 speaker cable?

Maybe its just my imagination???

 

[mhardy6647]

It'll work... but that 75 ohm (or 50 ohm,depending upon the cable type) unbalanced construction certainly doesn't seem optimal for speaker cabling.

 

[BinaryMike]

I've used dual coax runs for speakers, when I happened to have a lot of it lying around. I just tied all of the metal together at the end of each coax and then connected it to one of the amp/speaker terminals. That's enough copper for acceptable total resistance in a short hookup, but my opinion ends there.

 

[jazzmans]

yep, did it for years, but you have to be sure to strip the thin plastic coating off of the solid wire to ensure a good connection.

Coax is sheilded, twisted, makes great long runs, but it's super stiff, which is the main reason I stopped using it.

Ah, to live next door to the local cable installation company again, endless runs for virtually free.


jaz

 

[whoaru99]

It'll work... but that 75 ohm (or 50 ohm,depending upon the cable type) unbalanced construction certainly doesn't seem optimal for speaker cabling.

The characteristic impedance of coax is of no practical significance in this application.

 

[Jack the Re]

I have used coax to make audio jumpers, it is stiff though. Price was right, got at work. I recently started pulling extension or power cords 16 guage and larger for speaker wire.

When I get some 12/3 I will tie wrap a single 12 guage wire so I can run 2 speakers.
I just found some 12/4 wire that is perfect for running a front and rear speaker (right or left side). I have so much equipment I need a lot of wire.

 

[fly135]

Anyone give this a try? I just did and it seems like it made the midrange and tweeter smoother than my old mit terminator 3 speaker cable?

Maybe its just my imagination???

If the center conductor is thin enough and the run is long enough then perhaps some filtering could take affect. Coax should work somewhat like regular speaker wire of the same gauge as the center conductor.

 

[dewdude]

I always made the assumption that if coax is a 75 ohm line, then it'd be adding 75 ohms to the overall impedance.

My father did this for many years, and while one reciever did get ruined, perhaps it was the 3 6ohm speakers in parallel that did it.

 

[electroking]

The characteristic impedance of coax is of no practical significance in this application.

He meant the center conductor has more resistance than the shield...