2. cables
  3. 998156238

How important are equal cable lengths?

I've got a 16' double run of Kimber 8TC and an 8' single run for my combined 2-channel/HT system. Because my equipment rack is located in the front left corner of the room, I'm using the 8' run for my left channel, and the 16' for the center and right.

Could this compromise my 2 ch performance using unequal cable lengths for the left/right? Also, do you think replacing the 16' with a 20' run would matter much? The 20' would allow me to run the right channel cable behind the TV instead of in front.

Thanks,
kenl
cornfedboy
1,645 posts
 
kenl: you might review this archived thread to see if it helps address your concerns:

http://audiogo5.iserver.net/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&963198021&read&keyw&zzcable=length

-kelly
kenl OP
131 posts
 
Thanks, Kelly. I'm heading for the the archived thread you mentioned.

Ken
sal
31 posts
 
There is a guy named Frank Gow over at Audio Classics, whose father was the president lof McIntosh for 7 years. I say this to give credit to my statement, which is that Frank is a VERY knowledgable guy in audio who told me that speaker cable DOES NOT have to be run in equal lenghts!
liguy
228 posts
 
At these low frequencies (audio range) it probably does not make too much of a difference because the wavelenghts are so long. The purists will probably disagree but my cables are not equal and I can not hear and discearnable difference.
detlof
1,899 posts
 
Theoretically you should not run unequal lengths, for all practical purposes I have NEVER discerend anything detrimental, when I did so. But then, I may be tin-eared
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