Help me buy a 35' Subwoofer Cable (1 Viewer)

[Lanny_B]

I'm looking for good quality, but don't want to spend too much. I've been buying Monster because the dudes at the store keep peddling it to me.

I also need to get a spool of about 100' to do the rest of my speakers, and don't know where to look.

Thanks.

 

[CurtisSC]

for the sub cable, have a look at bluejeanscable.com

good stuff at reasonable prices.

 

[Lanny_B]

What should I expect to pay for a cable like the one I"m looking for? Most of it will be in wall, some may go under the carpet.

 

[Rick Ewing]

Buy a 100' foot spool of RG-6 coax cable wire that you'd usually use for cable TV. It works just as fine for subwoofer cables, and is suitable for in-wall applications. If you get pre-made cables that already have screw F-type connectors, you can get F-type to RCA adapters either at your local Radio Shack or from Parts Express.

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=090-369

Otherwise, buy a crimping tool and terminate the ends with RCA connectors yourself. Make sure to buy ones think enough to handle RG-6 cables.

 

[DanielKellmii]

Rick has the best idea. But if you want something really cheap just go to Radio Shack and buy the appropriate ends. Either screw type or solder type. Then take 35' of any old speaker wire and connect them. I did this when I was moving my sub around to find a location I wanted. This is not a great permanent solution, nor would I put it in a wall. I don't think it is dangerous, the just isn't that much current going through that wire, but I still wouldn't do it. It is great cheap alternative to buying 35' of cable to find out that your favorite position only requires 10' of cable.

10 dollars for the whole thing. 4 if you have some leftover wire.

 

[Lanny_B]

100' of sub wire? I think I'll only need about 35' of it for my sub.

I need 100' regular cable wire for the rest of my surround speakers.

 

[Lanny_B]

Well, for temporary, I have some old coax wire that left over from my cable TV. So all I need to do is go to Radio Shack and stick a couple RCA plugs on the ends?

I'm also a little confused about one thing. My subwoofer has two inputs on it, so the current cable has 2 plugs on the end of it. Am I supposed to split the coax cable into two ends somehow, or can I just pick one of the inputs to plug it into?

But all this is for temporary, right? Not for pre-wiring the walls with? Once I find the right length, what should I buy to run in the walls?

 

[Robert_J]

I used 12 guage speaker wire from home depot.

-Robert

 

[Rick Ewing]

First, old speaker wire probably won't adhere to the 75 ohm rating needed for a good subwoofer connection. It'll work, but it won't work well. And putting it into a wall is a really bad idea (fire codes, dealing with insurance companies if your house burns down, etc). RG-6 coax cable is 75 ohm wire and will work well and is building code friendly.

Most subwoofers out there have a left and right input, despite the fact that your receiver or amp only has a mono output. This is just fine. If you have a video splitter cable (also found at Radio Shack or Part Express), you can just add the splitter to the end to get both inputs. But it's really not necessary. You can just plug the single wire you have into one or the other input. Splitting the two into both ends will buy you a little extra gain (maybe +3 dbs), but it's certainly not required. There's nothing stopping you from doing the same effect by turning up the gain knob on your sub or boosting the gain on your receiver for the sub channel.

 

[ScottCarr]

I am with rick's idea. it works it is cheap and doesn't take too much time ot make.

 

[Arthur Vino]

Rhino and blue jeans are better cables for subs...

 

[John F. Palacio]

Rick Ewing says:

At audio frequencies the impedance of the connecting cables is a moot point, it does not matter. What matters is shielding and the integrity/construction of the cable and connectors.

Cable impedance becomes critical at video and R.F. Frequencies.

 

[Marvin E]

I use cable from AVCABLE.COM. The salesman told me that their regular PPC Precision Low Capacitance Audio Patch Cable is fine for subwoofers. The thickness of the cable has nothing to with the quality of bass...a subwoofer preamplified signal coming from a pre/pro or A/V receiver is just like any other channel...any cable marketed as subwoofer cable is nothing more than cable voodoo, IMHO.

 

[Keith Hyde]

Go to your local high end HT / Stereo shop and have them make you one - equally as good at half the price and you get exactly what you need.

Some have good luck at Radio Shack but the place makes me shivver. I have no trust in them.

 

[Lanny_B]

UPDATE:
I still haven't gotten one, because, honestly, I'm still pretty confused.
1. I don't really have tools to crimp ends and such so, unless it's really easy and there's a place online to get the tools, I'd rather buy one pre-made.
2. I don't want to pay a huge sum of money. I'd like to stay under $50.
3. I don't know how to look up what kind of cable I'm looking for.

Here's some things I've found. Are they even the right kind of cable?:

75 Ohm Coaxial Digital Audio Cable (RCA-RCA) ?
75' for $45.74, but this is probably the wrong kind of cable.

AR PRO II RCA SUBWOOFER CABLE 25' ?
$50 cable and only 25'. Maybe long enough, but not enough to move around the room to test locations.

I don't know of one in my area.

And finally, here's my room layout. I'd like to try the sub in the back corners also if possible, which is why the varying legths of cable. Plus I may get a second one an put it on the other side.

 

[Ralph B]

RG6 does work good.

if you bought an SVS sub you could have bought a bettercable cable really cheap through them.

 

[ScottCHI]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/AS...335047-6844612

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=090-282

the second link also sells spools of speaker wire

 

[Lanny_B]

Ok, So, in summary, I should buy:
1. A roll of RG6 cable
2. A crimping tool
3. Some kind of ends to terminate the cable

I'm having trouble locating these online. And I don't know how difficult it is to terminate the ends. I'd like to buy all this online from parts express or something, so here's my best guesses:

1. RG-59/U w/18 GA. 2 COND SIAMESE CABLE 100' SPOOL
2. Crimping tool?
3. RCA Plugs - 8.3mm or 6.3mm?

 

[ScottCHI]

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html...%5F=1081125505

get that. pull the 3 strands apart. connect 'em with 2 of those couplers in my post, above. voila! 36 feet of quality subwoofer cable. that it's video cable is a good thing, actually, so don't worry about that.

 

[Chester II]

Lanny dude,

Wow, that 4 inch drain for the water heater is sweet overkill. I'm impressed.

Dude,

Chester