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Speaker cable length for L/R channels critical?

I have a good system that utilizes some older discontinued speaker cable that I like a lot. It is 10 feet in length and I need that length to reach the left speaker. The amp is not (and cannot be) located center between the speakers.
The problem is I wish to biwire and have an opportunity to buy a 6 foot pair. The question is this: Can I run both 10 foot cables to the left speaker and run the 6 foot pair to right without any wierd effects like "ghosting" or have one channel be clearer or louder than the other? Any ideas? Thanx
ceb222
slappy
903 posts
 
OK, so here is a question.

What is better? To have a 4 foot and 10 foot run? or to have two 10 foot runs where the excess cable will end up spooled on the floor?
rgs92
958 posts
 
I would definitely have the 2 10-foot runs.
At one time I had a similar unequal run of Cardas Cross to my Aerial 10ts & it always sounded funny & flat & I always had to move my chair around. I switched to equal lenghts of Cardas Golden Ref (still have them--great, smooth cable, even in extra-long lengths) & everything clicked into place. I would never have an asymetric set of any cables--just bad karma.
pabelson
344 posts
 
Slappy: Neither. It's a horse apiece, as they used to say.
poolplayer
6 posts
 
All speaker cables have some flavor - complex reactance
Cables with less flavor will exhibit slight differences based upon the interactions with your specific components.
It's like comparing 10 licks of a chocolate ice cream bar to 6 licks. You are getting more "chocolate flavor" in the 10 ft set.

If you have well matched, very revealing high end components - I believe variations in speaker cable length should not exceed 25%. For most "good" systems - it will be hard to detect a difference.
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