Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Technical Questions DIY sub cable.

I'm thinking about trying some other placements in my room to get better bass response from my 600. My current cable is only 20ft long and I'm limited. Instead of purchasing a new longer cable, can't I just make one myself, or would it be cheaper to just order one off monoprice or whatever?

I was thinking that some of you just use RG5 or RG6 with F-connectors on the end, and then buy the adapter to convert from an F-Connector to RCA?

Not sure how flexible these cables would be, might make more sense just to purchase on online...Randy

I've considered building my own cables, but the cost of the tools is somewhat prohibitive (unless you're good enough at soldering to do it yourself...)

seriously randy,

a 50 footer is like 10 bucks (for the premium too)! Unless you're doing this to "see if you can", rather than save money, its not even remotely close to being worth it financially.

Thanks guys, I think your correct. I'm trying to think if I can buy something like this around town at a home improvement store as I'd like to experiment this weekend. I don't think Monoprice or Blue Jeans would have it here by tomorrow.

Randy all you need to do is get an RCA female to female adapter from any Radio Shack or similar (maybe even Home Depot) store and connect any two or more lengths of subwoofer cable for the required run you'll need ... without the loss of any signal strength.

Thanks Rick,

However, I only have 1 subwoofer cable that is like 20ft, unless your saying hook a bunch of audio rca cables togethor (the thinner stuff) ?

It's audio, no?

I suppose for testing placement that would work, not sure how many RCA adapters I've got laying around, hmmmm.

Randall ...

Actually I was thinking that you could purchase another 20'er (or longer) sub cable and connect it to your current 20'er via the adapter, thereby implementing your current cable instead of replacing the cable. I believe a commercial non-expensive sub woofer cable would work better than run of the mill RG6 due *only* to it's flexibility.

Heck, you can just go to the hardware store and pick up a 50' RCA/RCA cable--it'll probably be a paired cable, but it'll be cheap. I got a 15' at Home Depot for $4.

Thanks Rick and Ken,

Rick, That is what I would do, however, locally I"m not sure where I can get a similar cable like my blue jeans sub cable for cheap.

I like Kens idea to just get a cheap RCA to RCA cable, I'll have to look around. It would not have the same thickness or insulation as my bluejeans cable, but should do a good job for testing to find the prime sub location in my room.

Can't wait to lift the 600 around. Actually, I may just put it in the prime location and just move my SPL meter around while using RoomEQ software to plot more graphs.

Seems to me that a Roomba plus RoomEQ plus a few scripts would be a great combination. Just put your sub on the Roomba, turn everything on, and go out for dinner. When you came back your sub would be in the optimum location, your carpet would be clean, and it would be time to recharge the Roomba.

I actualy thought of something like that years ago, I think I mentioned it in a post. It would be cool if it would move around until it found the ideal placement.

Randy, Rick's suggestion of using the coupler plus anything else should be fine. The Blue Jeans cable won't mind working with a stranger.

Randy,

Exactly what I did...RG6 with F-connectors and then F-connector to RCA...50 foot piece of cable at either Home Depot or Lowe's...

Real easy...and can be done over the weekend...

Sounds no different from the sub cable from an unnamed maker which I paid WAAYY too much for...

Figure out the prime location and then cut it down to that length if you want...or just roll it and put it under the rack.

Works great.

Give it a try.

WhatFurrer

WhatFurrer is this the type of connector you used.....


...if so, these can be somewhat difficult to find locally (was for me anyways) but here is the place I ordered mine from, Triangle Cables. I bought a whole heap of 'em without spending too much money at all.

Whenever we built our room I bought a 1000' spool of Tributaries RG6 and used the RG6 for all of the in-wall analog cabling to the TV on 40' runs as well as the 6 in-wall subwoofer runs to the different subwoofer locations, I then had all of the wall plates terminated with F connectors and used the above F to RCA connector adapters to connect the various components to the electronics cabinet.

RG6 can be used for just about anything...

Bob,

No, it was a screw on type F connector that I found at Home Depot or Lowe's. The F to RCA adapters I found at Radio Shack.

Both gold plated and rather inexpensive from what I can remember...it as been a couple of years though.

WhatFurrer

Oh OK, I missed the step where you terminated the bare RG6 with the screw on F connectors prior to the use of the adapter, I gotcha now.

The only reason I made a point that the RG6 can be used for just about anything is, if I am not mistaking and Randy correct me if I am wrong, but I believe some time back Randy was concerned about signal degradation with the use of various in line connectors and adapters for connecting, adding etc... various cables to the components?

Also, RG6 is not as flexible as my Blue Jeans or Monoprice cables.

Randy the *flexibility* issue is the only reason I suggested buying another 20 or more feet run of store bought subwoofer cable from Home Depot, Radio Shack or wherever and connect it via the above mentioned RCA female to female adapter...

....with your existing BlueJeans, Monoprice or whatever cable you have. The locally store bought subwoofer cable is just as flexible as the BlueJeans and Monoprice stuff, believe me, I have enough of it laying around to just about re-cable my whole house. It's good stuff.

I have found varying flexibilities of RG6...and RG5...Not really sure which I used now...

If you are passing by one of the mentioned stores, stop and look...they may have some that is very flexible.

The stuff I used is relatively flexible...

Worth a shot if you are wanting to do this over the weekend...

Would allow you to find the spot and then if you wanted, buy another cable from Blue Jeans or Monoprice at the right length and have cable for when you lose a cable drop somewhere on the house.

WhatFurrer

You can buy RG59F (F for flexible) that will fit the bill. That is what I used to make my own interconnects. RG59 will do just fine in just about all applications.