Speaker wire lengths?

[Arpey]

Using the same gauge speaker wire for paired 8 ohm speakers at different distances from the power amp (MC7100); Do the lengths of wire have to be equal or can they diverge by up to 50% in measured length?

 

[whoaru99]

I keep mine equal just because, but, from a purely technical standpoint, the lengths can differ greatly before any effect becomes apparent.

 

[Arpey]

I keep mine equal just because, but, from a purely technical standpoint, the lengths can differ greatly before any effect becomes apparent.

What effect?
(I am more concerned about any untoward affects on the amps (eg. overheating, etc) rather than on the negligible audio differences.)

 

[gatorvrx]

What gauge wire are you using? Is this a long run?

 

[Art K.]

Keep them the same length, otherwise it'll drive me nuts and that's a short drive, my friend.

 

[whoaru99]

What effect?
(I am more concerned about any untoward affects on the amps (eg. overheating, etc) rather than on the negligible audio differences.)

Google is your friend. Search "Roger Russell speaker wire".

 

[Art K.]

Or better yet try AJ van den Hul, someone who actually knows something about cables.

 

[Hokieman]

No problem to have different lengths. It just seems to offend some folks sensibilities.

 

[DENNYDOG]

Unless you are using old corroded speaker wire different lengths won't make one bit of difference. It's been shown that electrons flow at very close to the speed of light.

 

[hbrocks]

Google is your friend. Search "Roger Russell speaker wire".

omg....love his "Logical Conclusions" section....

Logical Conclusions?

We have been told by advertising that the exotic speaker wires offer fabulous advantages over ordinary lamp cord. It would seem reasonable that using this same wire for lamps would also enhance their performance. In the same vein as wire literature, you can have your lamp reproduce light with the full spectrum color fidelity of natural daylight, finally allowing you see light the way it should be seen and bring out the natural performance of your lamp. It could offer greater warmth, detail, brilliance, definition and speed by providing wider bandwidth and reduced skin effect. It can provide a distortion free illumination that reduces eye strain, resulting in clearer vision and optimal color perception. It can allow you to work for longer periods of time with less visual distraction or fatigue. Just imagine what it might do for your electric razor or microwave, etc.!

 

[whoaru99]

Or better yet try AJ van den Hul, someone who actually knows something about cables.

Yeah, I suppose. I doubt Mr. Russell (or anyone else that would have been 25 years as Director of Acoustic Research for McIntosh) knows much about how wires/cables, amplifiers, and speakers work together

 

[Fisherdude]

Unless you are using old corroded speaker wire different lengths won't make one bit of difference. It's been shown that electrons flow at very close to the speed of light.

Actually, that's not correct. While it's true that electricity flows at almost "c", the speed of individual electrons is only a fraction of that.

 

[DENNYDOG]

Actually electrons flow very very slowly but I didn't want to get into great detail of why that is. I'm not sure if I could do so anyway.

Speed of light and electricity.

 

[DENNYDOG]

or this

Ask A Scientist©
Physics Archive

speed of electrons

Question: Exactly how fast do electrons travel?
------------------------------------------------
Answer: Electrons can have a wide range of speeds. A slow case: we know that
electrons move when there is a current flow in a wire, but the speed at
which the electrons themselves move in the wire -- the so-called electron
drift velocity -- surprises most people. For example, for a copper wire of
radius 1 mm carrying a steady current of 10 amps, the drift velocity is
only about 0.024 cm/sec ! On the fast side: the Bohr model of the hydrogen
atom has the (bound) electron zipping around the nucleus at about 2 million
meters/sec. And on the very fast side, some examples are: beta particles,
which are emitted by some radioactive materials; and the innermost elec-
trons of atoms of elements having large atomic number, such as uranium. In
these cases the electrons are traveling at very nearly the speed of light.
(about 300 million meters/sec).
Rcwinther

 

[Fisherdude]

Actually electrons flow very very slowly but I didn't want to get into great detail of why that is. I'm not sure if I could do so anyway.

Speed of light and electricity.

Yeah, that hopping from atom to atom is a lot of work.

 

[DENNYDOG]

or better yet...

speed of "electricity" by Bill Beaty

 

[Art K.]

Yeah, I suppose. I doubt Mr. Russell (or anyone else that would have been 25 years as Director of Acoustic Research for McIntosh) knows much about how wires/cables, amplifiers, and speakers work together

Sorry, Mr Russell is all wet as far as I'm concerned. It's really another of those ugly cable and so forth debates that has no business here. I'm not a fan of Russell's and you are and that's OK. I'll take AJ vdH as his products have made a siginificant difference in my audio life and had I followed Mr Russell I'd still be living in the dark and my system wouldn't sound nearly as good as it does...I know, I went that path most of my audio life.

 

[whoaru99]

If you believe VDH cables have improved your system, great. However, please spare me the "enlightenment" spiel.

 

[Art K.]

If you believe VDH cables have improved your system, great. However, please spare me the "enlightenment" spiel.

Still trying to find the word "enlightenment" in my post. Seems I said "significant difference". Kind of like Jay found with the Wally World IC's. I used a friends home brew IC's and Liberty speaker cable for years until I stumbled into other products. Spending lots of dough on cables was farthest from my mind and about the last thing I wanted to do. After years now of using different cables I find that I have to look at them like another component in my system. I'm always sorry that folks are offended by that. Stick with what you got and stick with Mr Russell, after all this hobby is about the system you (you being all of us) have to listen to.

 

[whoaru99]

Still trying to find the word "enlightenment" in my post. Seems I said "significant difference". ...

No, "significant difference" has nothing to do with it.

Had you said this

I'll take AJ vdH as his products have made a siginificant difference in my audio life.

I wouldn't have thought twice about another response.

However, with this added commentary

...had I followed Mr Russell I'd still be living in the dark and my system wouldn't sound nearly as good as it does...I know, I went that path most of my audio life.

it comes across as the "enlightenment spiel" to me.