Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions Subwoofer cable question

I have searched these forums and simply want to clarify something. Can any cable that says "RCA" be used as subwoofer cable? What I mean is, you go to different sites and one says, "RCA subwoofer cable," the next says, "RCA audio cable," and the next says, "RCA video cable," and I just want to make sure any one of them could be used as a sub cable. The reason I ask is I will need a 50' sub cable and want one that is shielded. Parts Express does not carry a 50' Dayton sub cable or any 50' RCA cable. I found this 50' cable and want to make sure I can use it as a sub cable.

Also, I posted earlier about speaker wire outside here. Does anyone know if I would have any problems running the sub cable outside as well?

Pete,

Happened on your question a while ago, and didn't answer it because I didn't know if you could use a "video" cable for your subwoofer.

I just happened to be perusing the HSU web site, and I clicked on a link in the forum which took me to a page on the HSU Australian web site. There, completely by accident, I came across this:

"There are a lot of different cable choices. These are open to both personal choice and how much you want or are willing to spend. As a rule of thumb we "do not" recommend that you waste your money on those fancy looking audiophile type cables for the limited bandwidth needed by a subwoofer.....................Being an active speaker means these low level inputs are subject to the cable becoming like a giant antenna, so we like great shielding especially if running it over 2-3 metres. Video cables tend to have good shielding, so these are very usable in our opinion and will deliver good results."

If you want to verify, go here, scroll down the page about half way, and you'll find the above under the heading "Cable Choice."

http://www.hsuresearch.com.au/Hsuvsothers.htm#Radio_Shack_SPL_Meters

Pete, the answer is yes, as long as the shielding(if any)is adequate for the particular location. The job a sub cable does is about the easiest in all of audio, as long as it doesn't pick up EMI. "RCA" strictly speaking refers to a plug, not a cable, so a strand of spaghetti with an RCA on each end might be called an "RCA cable"(but don't use it). A coaxial cable is often suggested for the sub cable because of its heavy shielding. The cable in your link should be fine, but I believe that the description is incorrect, since another source(Cables America)describes it in terms which indicate that it's a 75 ohm coaxial cable. Incidentally, for a dollar or so you can get a little RCA plug coupler with sockets on each end so that two 24' cables can be joined. Since a sub cable carries no power, just signal, no special fire precautions have to be taken when running it behind a wall.

To both - thanks for the responses.

To John - so by the other website saying the cable is 75 ohm, is that good or bad? The cost would not be that much difference if I used two dayton 25' cables with an adapter in the middle relative to the 50' cable. Since the spot where the adapter would end up will be inside my siding, do you have any idea if using black electrical tape to seal the connection would be OK or should I be just fine with the 50' cable in my link above?

Pete, I took a look at the description at Cables to Go itself and since it coincides with the one at Cables America it's likely the correct one. 75ohm center conductor (rather than twisted pair)describes a coaxial cable, which should have better shielding than a twisted pair cable. So buying it at either Cables America($3 more)or the site you found should be fine, although the shielding on the Dayton cable might be even better, but there's no way to know that.

check out http://www.bluejeanscable.com/ . awesome cables, price, and service.

Check this out. I emailed both Cables America and Digitally Unique to ask if I could use the 50' Cables to Go RCA video cable as a sub cable. Here are the responses:

Cables America tech guy (who responded from a Cables to Go email address): "Yes, this cable should work fine in place of a subwoofer cable. It uses the same 75 ohm coaxial wire that a subwoofer cable uses."

Price for the 50' video cable at Cables America is $22.95 plus $8 shipping.

Digitally Unique tech guy: "Technically speaking, yes, you can use the 50' video cable. However, if you are true audiophile, you will want to keep looking for a sub-woofer interconnect cable. It has to do with impedance and noise. You might try Monster Cable. I think they max out at about 24 feet but they may build on for you."

Price at Digitally Unique is $19.95 plus $6 shipping.

What is interesting is John's observation that the description at Digitally Unique appears to be incorrect as it does not mention 75-ohm. The cables appear to be the same, however.

Any comments on the Digitally Unique response?

Were it I, I'd listen to the CablesAmerica guy. Monster is OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive, and it won't work any better than the other cable.

FYI, Cables-To-Go, and CablesAmerica are the same company, as far as I can tell. CablesAmerica seems to be Cables-To-Go's discount outlet. For the same, identical, cable CablesAmerica is almost always cheaper.

For example:

That cable, the one that Digitally Unique has for $19.95? At CablesAmerica, that same, identical cable with the same, identical part number (29105), is $22.55. At Cables-To-Go, part number 29105 is $38.99. Ya got me?

Ssssssnake oil. To be fair, the guy probably doesn't think he's lying to you. But he is.

One other idea you may want to look into - can you wield a soldering iron? If so, grab a 50' hank of "HDTV" (how I loathe that acronym that has already lost all meaning) coaxial (I think the rating on it's 5Hz - 2GHz and it's usually double shielded) and some strain relief ends and solder yourself up a sub cable.

Bren R.