Subwoofer Splice Into Rear Speakers? All Answers

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How do you wire a subwoofer to rear speakers?

Some (many) powered subs have high level inputs, so you can just tap into the rear speaker wires. If your car has a factory sub, use its speaker wire instead. If it doesn’t have high level inputs, you can use a basic line out converter that ties into the speaker wires and turns them into a rca output.

Can you connect speakers to a subwoofer?

If you are using your subwoofer with a stereo receiver that lacks a subwoofer output (and many of them do), you can connect the subwoofer using an extra set of speaker cables, as shown above—provided the subwoofer has speaker-level (speaker wire) connections, as the picks in our Best Budget Subwoofer guide do.

Is it OK to splice speaker wire?

Splicing your speaker cables can be an incredibly effective way to extend the length of your cable runs. If it’s done well, you really shouldn’t notice any difference in your audio playback. If it’s done poorly, however, it can lead to audio dropouts and even short circuits.

Can I hook up a subwoofer to my stock car stereo?

Adding a subwoofer to a factory stereo is an excellent method to boost your sound while retaining your factory controls. The nifty devices can produce bass and sub-bass sounds at low frequencies. Thankfully, it’s pretty simple to wire one into an existing car stereo system.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

Adding a subwoofer to a factory stereo is a great way to boost your sound while retaining your factory controls. The sophisticated devices can produce bass and sub-bass sounds at low frequencies. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to hook one up to an existing car stereo system. Note that subwoofers can consume a lot of energy. So remember to connect the device to your car battery as a stable power source. After connecting it to an amplifier, complete the wiring, and you should be well on your way to enjoying pristine sound quality through your car stereo speakers. In this article, we dive deep into the details of how to install a subwoofer in a factory stereo. Let’s give a complete overview of the process.

The steps to add a subwoofer to a factory stereo are quite easy to follow. There is no need to worry. You should be fine if you just go along with it.

Step 01: Gather all necessary equipment

Here is the list of equipment you will need to complete the process.

subwoofer box

basic tool

Loudspeakers for subwoofers

amplifier

Some speaker cables

Wiring Harness Kit

Step 02: Choose a speaker and an amplifier

A speaker or amplifier can only run at full power for about a minute before it burns out or overheats. You should consider the RMS rating of your subwoofers rather than the peak rating.

Step 03: Remove the battery from the vehicle

This is the most important task that you must carry out. Nothing will work properly if you ignore this problem. After all, your protection is at stake here.

Step 04: Disconnect the speaker cables

Simply disconnect your vehicle’s primary power source and turn it off, then physically unplug the wires from their respective ports or terminals.

Step 05: Identify the Relevant Connections

After you’ve set up all of the output ports, look for connections that might be important to this connection process. Make a connection between the LFE jack on the receiver and the output jack on the subwoofer cabinet. Simply connect the jack to the connector through the hole provided.

Step 06: Lay the cables

Begin by connecting the battery. Find a gap in the car’s firewall. Route most of the power cable through the firewall hole, leaving enough cable to reach the battery. At the end of the cable where the battery is placed, strip the insulation. Then connect the in-line fuse to this terminal. Route the remaining cable under the vehicle’s carpeting or through a cable duct, if equipped. You need to take this cable to the trunk.

Step 07: Reinforce the Connections

The next step is to strengthen the connections by connecting positive wires from the subwoofer to the left speaker marked (+). Connect the negative cables sourced from the sub box to the left speaker marked (-).

Step 08: Connect the speaker wire and plug in the battery.

Now carefully connect a speaker cable to the subwoofer. You should now have the standard stereo signal. Finally, reconnect the previously disconnected power cord.

How do I install a powered subwoofer on a factory stereo?

Step 01: Disconnect the battery

Of course, to protect yourself and your equipment during installation, you must disconnect the negative battery terminal before you begin electrical operation.

Step 02: Connect the power cables together

The power connection from the batteries to the powered subwoofer should go through the firewall separating the engine compartment from the rest of the cabin.

Step 03: Connect the power and signal cables

Then route the power and signal lines. You must use a line out converter as most OEM stereos do not have preamp outputs.

Step 04: Attach the ground wire

A screw should be used to attach the ground wire to the vehicle chassis. The bare metal must make contact with the ground wire connector.

Step 05: Make Cable Connections

The negative terminal of your vehicle’s battery should be reconnected. However, before you put your powered subwoofer to the test, make sure the gain of the built-in amplifier is turned down. Following these steps thoroughly will give you your answer on installing a subwoofer in a factory radio.

How do I add a subwoofer to a standard stereo system?

There are two ways to add a subwoofer to a stereo system:

Hi-low converter

It’s simply a small converter that plugs into your speaker cables and provides RCA inputs. The main problem is that you are not getting the authentic sound quality from your subwoofers.

Line out converter

A line out converter is similar to a hi-low converter but on a much larger scale. This simply means you get fantastic sound while retaining your existing stereo and controls.

last words

If you currently have a decent factory infotainment system but want to enhance your car audio experience, installing a subwoofer could be the ideal solution. And to do this, you need to know how to connect a subwoofer to a factory stereo. I hope this post has been helpful in teaching you the basics of the procedure.

Can I connect subwoofer without amp?

In nearly all cases, the answer is yes. Unless you have a system in your car or boat that is already powering a subwoofer, you’ll need to find an amplifier that will power your sub. Your head unit will typically provide a low-power signal (RCA output) that can be used for an amplifier to power your subwoofer.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

Whether you know it or not, every stereo has an amplifier. Your speakers, tweeters, and subwoofers (if you have them) all require power. Amplifiers power these components of your stereo system. Without them there would be no sound.

Let’s start by understanding an amplifier, what it does and why you need one. First of all, in any audio system (car, boat, home, RV, etc.), an amplifier is the component that takes a weaker signal and amplifies it. Think of a megaphone. There’s the input (your voice) hitting the amp (the mic + power) and the output (the speaker). In this scenario, it takes the weaker signal (your voice) and turns it into something louder and clearer using a microphone and power. Similarly, an amplifier in a car or boat takes a weaker signal and amplifies it into a stronger signal that can be used for things like speakers or a subwoofer.

Every audio system has one, whether it’s a standalone component that sits under your car seat or built into your car radio. If you’re looking to buy a car stereo you’ll find that every device has an output, typically around 4 x 50W peak. This means that the head unit amplifier has an output of 50 watts per channel times 4 channels.

Do you need an amplifier for your subwoofer?

In almost all cases, the answer is yes. Unless you have a system in your car or boat that already powers a subwoofer, you need to find an amplifier that will power your subwoofer. Your main unit will typically provide a low power signal (RCA output) that can be used for an amplifier to power your subwoofer. But without the amp, you basically have a 2 or 4 volt system (sometimes higher) and that’s nowhere near enough to power a subwoofer. Subwoofers use a lot of power and, depending on their size, may even require their own amplifier.

If you’re looking to add a subwoofer to your system, take a look at our article that breaks down what to look for in a subwoofer amplifier. If you already know what you’re looking for in terms of an amplifier, you can also check out our editors’ top picks for subwoofer amplifiers!

How do I connect my subwoofer to my main speakers?

Using a subwoofer cable (RCA cable), connect the subwoofer to the AV receiver by running the cable from the receiver’s subwoofer output to the subwoofer’s line input. Klipsch subwoofers can be connected via the LFE channel, the white RCA connection, or in a stereo pair by using both the white and red RCA connections.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

Your new, sweet, rumbling Klipsch subwoofer is here. You’ve found the perfect spot in your home to put it up.

But wait – how do you connect your Klipsch sub to the rest of your home theater system?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions about our world class subwoofers – how do you connect them? While the answers depend on what type of connection you’re working with, we’ll walk you through a few options for optimal performance.

How do I connect a Klipsch subwoofer to an A/V receiver?

Subwoofers are most commonly connected to an AV receiver as part of a larger system.

Power User Tip: Try Onkyo or Pioneer AV receivers for best-in-class performance with Klipsch speakers.

“The optimal connection is to use the RCA (phono) ‘sub’ or ‘woofer’ output on home theater receivers and preamps,” says Klipsch technical information coordinator Chad Charleston. “Some subwoofers provide high-level inputs (speaker wire connections), they are intended for use with a receiver or preamp without a sub-RCA connection. You don’t have to use both. In most cases it is not recommended.

“It’s best to experiment until it sounds just right for your listening style,” says Charleston.

Get tips on choosing the best amplifier or receiver for your speakers here.

“Sometimes you’ll find an RCA connector labeled LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) on a receiver or preamp; Normally, when you connect the LFE jacks, only bass special effects from a 5.1 encoded movie will be sent to the subwoofer. In this case, if music is playing on a two-channel source (such as a CD), the subwoofer may not be receiving any signal at all,” says Charleston. “In this situation, both the LFE jacks and the speaker jacks would need to be connected to a subwoofer to allow the subwoofer to produce bass from all sources. You need to set the main speakers to “large” in the receiver or preamp setup menu.

Charleston strongly recommends consulting your owner’s manual on how to connect both the LFE input and the speaker wire inputs. Some older subwoofers listed this as “optional” and it’s fine to connect to both; However, this is not recommended for most subwoofers today as it can damage the sub electronics. So check the manual or contact our tech support for any questions related to Klipsch subwoofers.

How do I connect a Klipsch subwoofer to Klipsch speakers?

You need either a receiver or a preamp and an amplifier. Connect the subwoofer to the AV receiver with a subwoofer cable (RCA cable) by running the cable from the subwoofer output of the receiver to the line input of the subwoofer. Klipsch subwoofers can be connected via the LFE channel, the white RCA connector, or in a stereo pair using both the white and red RCA connectors.

If you don’t have an AV receiver, most preamps have a subwoofer output. Connect your subwoofer the same way – connect the subwoofer by running the cable from the preamp output to the subwoofer line input.

For more subwoofer hookup tips, click here.

Why does a subwoofer have a left and right input?

Think of it like using a Y splitter to separate two different paths, but the opposite way around. This is done within the receiver. With the left and right signals now combined into a single channel, the appropriate sound can be directed to the subwoofer.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

Why do some subwoofers have left and right inputs?

When setting up your home theater, did you consider your subwoofer? Or maybe someone else set up the system for you? If you’re reading this, you’re probably looking down at your subwoofer and you might be scratching your head.

Most subwoofers connect to the receiver with a single cable. Some may even have their own special cable that is completely different from all other speakers. However, some subwoofers have left and right inputs.

In this article, I’ll answer the question, “Why do some subwoofers have left and right inputs?” to help you avoid further confusion.

single cable connections

A single cable used for a subwoofer is an LFE (Low Frequency Effects) cable. As the name suggests, a subwoofer in your home theater is solely responsible for delivering low frequency (bass) sounds.

These low-frequency audio waves transmitted to the subwoofer are recorded in stereo sound. This means there is both a left and right channel, although the sound is played through a single channel speaker.

How does the LFE cable work?

Essentially, the left and right channels are combined in one cable so that both channels can be distributed evenly. Imagine using a Y splitter to separate two different paths, but in reverse. This happens inside the receiver.

Now that the left and right signals are combined into a single channel, the appropriate sound can be directed to the subwoofer. An LFE cable can deliver effective and high-quality audio signals.

keeping things simple…

Your receiver takes on the task of separating the low-frequency signals and directing them to the subwoofer. These sounds are things like deep bass in music or movies, soft voices, or a train rolling by.

Once you understand how an LFE cable, output, and input are used, you can create a standardized connection. It makes it much easier to see which wires go where and keeps things simple. And most newer subwoofers and receivers use this connection method.

Replacing your LFE cable…

What if you lost or damaged your LFE subwoofer cable? Luckily, these quality cables come at an affordable price. The Mediabridge Ultra – LFE Subwoofer Cable is a highly recommended LFE cable when you need a replacement or replacement cable.

Measuring 182 cm (6 feet) in length, this Mediabridge LFE cable delivers a high quality audio signal. The conductor is shielded with gas-injected foam insulation; This is followed by an aluminum mylar shield, then a heavy duty braided copper shield.

Clever features such as a split tip center pin ensure that there is always high contact with both the input and output terminals. A special turbine grip ensures that the cable grips the terminal as tightly as possible. These two connectors are also gold plated to protect against corrosion and ensure maximum conductivity.

How do RCA cables work?

Look at both your subwoofer and your receiver. If there are two connections, one red and one white, then you have what is called an RCA connection. Red is the right channel and white is the left channel. So what is an RCA connection?

RCA stands for Radio Corporation of America and was originally manufactured in the 1930s to connect turntables to radio receivers. Cinch was originally developed for mono single-channel signals. When stereo became available, two separate left and right cables were introduced.

Splitting the signal…

While with LFE the receiver is responsible for converting the left and right channels into a single signal, with Cinch this happens in the subwoofer. So you might be asking, “Is RCA better than LFE?” This is a fairly simple process, so it doesn’t make all that much of a difference.

The main reason LFE cables are better is for convenience and easier identification. The audio quality between an LFE and an RCA cable is similar. The only real difference is that an extra connection needs to be made at each end.

Replacement RCA cable

Just like LFE cable, high-quality RCA cables are inexpensive and readily available. If you lose your cable or need replacement parts, this is my recommendation.

These high-quality two-channel cinch cables from KabelDirekt offer efficient transmission for a clear, high-quality audio signal. The wire itself is pure copper, which offers maximum performance and the lowest resistance.

Each of the connectors is plated with 24k gold to ensure high conductivity and prevent corrosion. Double shielding with aluminium/mylar foil and copper braid reduces the risk of outside interference.

Various receivers and subwoofers

Now that you can answer the question, “Why do some subwoofers have left and right inputs?” There are a few more things you should know. Not all receivers and subwoofers are created equal. Some may have both LFE and RCA connectors available. If an LFE connection is present, I recommend using it for sheer convenience.

But what if your receiver only has RCA outputs and your subwoofer has an LFE input? Or vice versa if your receiver has an LFE output and your subwoofer has RCA inputs? Don’t worry; There is a simple and inexpensive solution to this problem.

LFE to RCA cable

It doesn’t matter if your receiver or subwoofer has a different type of connector, as LFE to RCA cables work both ways. It’s simply a matter of connecting the single jack to the LFE connector and the dual jacks to the RCA ends.

The LFE connection converts the two channels into one within the receiver. Conversely, the RCA cable takes over the conversion in the subwoofer. Using an LFE to RCA cable completes this process externally. Here is one of those cables that I highly recommend that…

This 15 foot LFE to RCA cable from SHD uses 99.99% OFC (Oxygen Free Copper). This ensures a clean and clear signal between your receiver and subwoofer.

A double shield of aluminum/mylar foil followed by a copper braid protects against any interference. The links are all coated in 24k gold plating, and a 105P PVC jacket resists tangling and increases overall durability.

Using two subwoofers

Some home theater systems allow the use of two subwoofers. You may have noticed that speaker systems with a subwoofer use a number system. For example, a soundbar that represents a stereo output plus a subwoofer is a 2.1 system.

Most home theater systems are 5.1 systems. This typically consists of front left and right, rear left and right, and a stereo center speaker, making a total of five stereo speakers. Add the single channel subwoofer and you have 5.1 channel surround sound.

Point two…

Some home theater systems take it a step further by introducing even more speakers. You may have seen a 7.2 surround system. This adds left and right speakers as well as another subwoofer.

That makes a total of seven stereo speakers and two single-channel subwoofers. Normally, one subwoofer is placed in the front and the second in the back. Who doesn’t want more speakers, right?

Add two subwoofers…

Do you remember the LFE to RCA cable? Well, if you have subwoofers with LFE connectors, you can use the same cable to add another subwoofer to your system. And all this without having to do without a completely new, expensive 7.2-channel system.

By plugging the single jack into your receiver, you are then left with two remaining jacks to connect to either subwoofer. By adding another subwoofer, you can experience finer sound with an even broader “surround” effect.

Looking for great speakers?

Well, we can help you find exactly what you need, so check out our in-depth reviews of the best bookshelf speakers under $500, best powered speakers, best high-end home theater speakers, best 7.1 home theater system, the best in PA subwoofers and the best floorstanding speakers you can buy in 2022.

You might also be interested in our handy guides on connecting speakers to your TV, programming an Xfinity remote to a soundbar, bi-wiring and bi-amping explained, how surround sound differs from stereo, connecting a soundbar to a TVs without HDMI or Optical and Soundbar above or below the TV for more useful information.

Why do some subwoofers have left and right inputs? – Final thoughts

By now you should have a more thorough understanding of the different subwoofer connection types. However, it doesn’t matter what type of connection you use, as long as you can experience that low-pitched bass.

I may even have asked you to add an additional subwoofer to your existing system. Not everything related to home audio has to be expensive. The more you begin to learn and understand, the more you save by knowing exactly what components you need.

Enjoy your audio experience and happy listening!

5/5 – (6 votes)

Can I use passive speakers with an active sub?

That means you can just plug them into the sub, and set up a connection that way. A quick note: the speakers won’t be able to make a sound unless the sub is connected to an amp! This is a universal rule for all passive speakers – they can only be powered by an amplifier.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

So you have a set of passive speakers that literally cannot produce any sound on their own. But you also have an output amplifier that gives you all the power you need. But what about your active subwoofer, you might ask? Can it “join the club” and work with both the amp and the non-active speakers? Or maybe it needs an extra device to redirect everything?

I have good news: you don’t have to invest in expensive extras. No tools, equipment or gadgets to get this up and running. This can all be done via regular cables, and we’ll cover that in more detail later in this review. In addition, we will find out the difference between active and passive subwoofers, speakers, their advantages of each and more!

Difference between passive and active subwoofers

As the name suggests, active woofers are self-sufficient, meaning they don’t need a third party to power them. They have a built in audio amplifier and power supply that does the job. According to official statistics, most subwoofers on the market are active. First of all, it’s much easier and more convenient to carry around a powered subwoofer than to lug around an additional output device.

However, active systems are usually quite expensive, and subwoofers are no exception to this rule. And one more thing: while the sound quality will be more than decent, if you’re a true audiophile I bet you’ll like what a standalone amp brings to the table. Yes, with a passive subwoofer (which costs less than an active one) you’ll always have to pack an extra piece of equipment (the amp), but again, the premium audio quality is worth it.

Passive and Active Speakers – What’s the Deal?

Pretty much everything I just said about subwoofers applies to speakers too. Just like subs, the majority of speakers are active. Also, they usually come with a subwoofer in a 2+1 setup (two speakers and a woofer). The difference in price, audio quality, and flexibility is literally the same, with only minor exceptions. Well, I would like to say very quickly that if you are a professional DJ, passive speakers should be the obvious choice.

The reason: With the right amplifier you are always in control of how your setup sounds. Also, unless the speakers are very expensive, no powered speaker pair can challenge a power amplifier in terms of fidelity. And remember, because powered speakers have built-in amplifiers, there’s little room left for the driver (the part responsible for creating sound). Bigger drivers mean brighter, better sound. Keep that in mind the next time you go shopping.

Started

As I mentioned in the beginning, you don’t need to buy any extra stuff to make this work. All you have to do is follow my instructions carefully and make sure you put the right wires/cables in the right inputs/ports. The following list contains the most reliable and tried and tested methods of getting a powered subwoofer to work along with a set of passive speakers. Let’s go ahead and check them all out.

Method 1: Using Stereo RCA Interface

Some people are a bit intimidated when dealing with cables and connections, but I assure you it’s not difficult. No need to call a professional or ask a friend to help you. Even if you get this wrong you won’t damage the gear, trust me on that. RCA connectors, also known as telephone connectors, have been around for quite some time. They were first introduced in the 30’s and are very reliable, durable and easy to use.

Incidentally, they can transmit both audio and video signals and are usually supplied in pairs. This allows them to produce a stereo signal (instead of mono). So you see paired RCA connectors on the powered subwoofer. RCA cables are cheap and have very decent audio quality. That means you can just plug them into the Sub and connect that way.

A quick note: the speakers cannot produce sound unless the sub is connected to an amplifier! This is a general rule for all passive speakers – they can only be powered by an amplifier.

Method #2: the LFE speaker output

LFE stands for Low Frequency Effects. It’s specifically designed to accurately transmit the low-frequency sounds from the subwoofer (makes sense since the woofer is responsible for the bass). Now you have to understand that while this isn’t a mono interface, you still don’t get the same wide stereo image as you can with RCA, for example. The LFE is a single cable, not a pair, and for bass (which is always mono) that’s more than enough.

As such, I would only recommend this method if you have no other options. This is because the audio quality of the passive speakers will be degraded when connected via LFE.

Method #3: XLRs

If both the speakers and the subwoofer support the jack cables, that’s a better solution. In fact, 3.5mm jacks (aka XLR cables) are even considered superior to RCA – they deliver better quality. But again, both devices must support this for this to work. Unless your gear is very old, I’ll bet it includes jack connectors and cables.

Why not route everything through the amp?

If the external amplifier has more than one input/output set, it may be better to connect the woofer and speakers to it separately. For example, you can leave the RCAs for the sub while connecting the passive speakers via the jacks. This way you don’t have to worry about stable connection, loss of audio quality and other things.

Some engineers even add a compressor or sound maximizer to the chain. The reason: the amplifier may not have enough inputs and outputs; or it has many connection options but not the ones you need. In this situation, you need to make sure that the additional devices or devices do not “color” the audio in any way.

Conclusion

And with that, my guide to the world of active subs and passive speakers ends! Once you figure out the difference between active/passive speakers and subwoofers, hooking them up will be a lot easier. There’s nothing difficult about this, especially if you follow my guide and don’t rush it. As we learned today, active subwoofers can actually be used in combination with non-active speakers.

In fact, there is more than one way to do this. So it’s actually up to you to decide how to do this. If you have any questions on the subject, please feel free to ask! I will get back to you as soon as possible. And if you are a seasoned pro and knowledgeable about audio equipment, please share your experiences and tips/tricks in the comments!

Can you add length to speaker wire?

Although lower gauge wire can theoretically be extended over long distances, it’s recommended that you don’t run any speaker wire longer than 50 feet. If you need to run a wire further than this, it is highly recommended that you use wiring that is 12 gauge or less.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

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So you have your speakers ready. You position them in perfect spots in your room to achieve that robust home theater sound. They’re all ready to hook them up when you spot them; Your speaker cable doesn’t reach as far as you need it to.

The most effective method is to strip the wire and use a wire cap. But before you do that, you need to consider wire gauge and speaker impedance. In particular, your connection type and cable cross-section determine which method you should use.

Ideally you want to use a single length of cable, as the convenience and cost can outweigh the slight loss in sound quality from using extended cables. However, some claim that the “drop” in sound quality is just a myth. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about extending your wire.

Wire strength

The first thing we need to look at when it comes to speaker wire is wire gauge. The gauge of a wire refers to its thickness. Gauge is expressed as a number, with higher gauge actually corresponding to thinner wire.

The thicker the wire, the more impedance or resistance the wire has. This is good if you are running the cable over longer distances, but you could lose the performance of your speaker as a result.

As such, you should generally use the heaviest gauge wire you can get for the distance you intend to run your speaker wire.

Although smaller gauge cable can theoretically be extended long distances, it is recommended that speaker cable be run no longer than 50 feet. If you need to run a cable further, it is highly recommended that you use cable that is 12 gauge or smaller.

In general, you want paired speakers to use the same length of cable to balance the impedance load between the speakers.

If you need to use different lengths of wire for paired speakers you may need to use different gauges of wire, but the calculation is complicated and is best left to a professional.

How far can I extend my speaker cable?

One reason for using the same gauge wire is so it’s possible to easily calculate how long you can extend your speaker wire. Speaker cables, like any conductor, have some resistance.

Resistance in lengths of wire results in energy loss in the form of heat. The longer the wire length that a current has to travel, the more energy is lost as heat.

Because of this, if you use longer cables, you lose power to your speakers. The recommended maximum depends on two variables: wire gauge and speaker impedance.

Impedance is a measure of the resistance in a speaker coil. This is usually marked on the back of the speaker.

Speaker impedance is measured in ohms, represented by the Greek letter omega, Ω. Loudspeakers typically have one of four levels of impedance: 2 Ω, 4 Ω, 6 Ω, or 8 Ω. The higher the impedance, the longer you can extend your cable.

The wire is measured in numerical gauges; The higher the thickness, the thinner the wire and the greater the resistance. Because of this, the higher the gauge, the shorter the distance you can extend your wire.

examples

At 2 Ω, a 22-gauge wire can be extended about a meter without signal loss; 20-gauge wire can be extended about five feet; 18 gauge wire can be extended seven feet; 16 gauge wire can be extended 11 feet; 14 gauge wire can be extended 13 feet; 12 gauge wire can be extended 29 feet, and 10 gauge wire can be extended 49 feet.

At 4 Ω, a 22-gauge wire can be extended about 5 feet without signal loss; 20 gauge wire can be extended about 9 feet; 18 gauge wire can be extended 15 feet; 16 gauge wire can be extended 23 feet; 14 gauge wire can be extended 39 feet; 12 gauge wire can be extended 59 feet, and 10 gauge wire can be extended 98 feet.

At 6 Ω, a 22-gauge wire can be extended about 8 feet without signal loss; 20 gauge wire can be extended about 14 feet; 18 gauge wire can be extended 23 feet; 16 gauge wire can be extended 35 feet; 14 gauge wire can be extended 59 feet; 12 gauge wire can be extended 89 feet, and 10 gauge wire can be extended 148 feet.

At 8 Ω, a 22-gauge cable can be extended about 11 feet without signal loss; 20 gauge wire can be extended about 19 feet; 18 gauge wire can be extended 31 feet; 16 gauge wire can be extended 48 feet; 14 gauge wire can be extended 79 feet; 12 gauge wire can be extended 118 feet, and 10 gauge wire can be extended 195 feet.

The maximums above are the maximums to ensure your cable resistance is less than 5% of your speaker impedance.

Keep in mind, while these are maximum estimated values, it is not recommended to extend your speaker cable more than 50 feet.

Can I mix wire gauges?

Some audio nerds will tell you that mixing wire gauges is a big no-go. There are a few reasons for this. For starters, mixing gauges of wire makes it extremely difficult to calculate impedance over the length of your combined wires.

This is bad when you need to accurately specify the impedance load difference between your amp and your speakers.

Unless you’re looking for a perfectly balanced sound system in terms of all electrical specs, splicing wires of different gauges isn’t that detrimental to your sound and most importantly, it shouldn’t damage your audio equipment.

So unless you’re trying to get your sound system to very specific electronic specs, you shouldn’t have to worry about mixing wire gauges. That means it should be avoided if possible.

splicing wires

There are a number of cases where a wire needs to be spliced ​​to extend speaker wire. Some examples are when you can only find spools of wire that are shorter than the length you need, or when the lengths of wire you have are shorter than the length you need.

In either case, you’ll need to splice the wire – a process that involves stripping and splicing the wires. There are a number of ways to achieve this, and they all achieve the same result.

Wire stripping

Regardless of the method you use to splice a wire, you will need to strip the wire of some of its rubber tubing to expose the bare wire. The easiest way to do this is with a wire stripper.

A wire stripper is a tool with bits for wires of different gauges. Simply insert the wire into the appropriate slot, clamp the wire stripper and pull, and the rubber tubing will be stripped from the wire.

If you don’t have wire strippers, wire cutters can also be used to strip a wire, although this method requires a finer touch. Set the wire cutters to the length you want to strip.

Pinch the wire lightly with the wire cutters and only cut through the tubing but not the wire underneath. Twist the wire cutters around the wire and peel off the tubing leaving the bare wire underneath.

Using a wire cap

One of the easiest ways to splice a wire is to use a twist-on wire cap. Simply place the two wires you wish to splice side by side in the same direction. Attach the cap to the ends of the wires and twist clockwise to pull the wires together.

After connecting the wires, use electrical tape to secure the wires to the cap. To disconnect the cables, simply twist the cap counter-clockwise.

Using a butt splice

A butt splice is a connector that allows the indirect connection of two wires through a conduit. For a butt splice you need a wire crimper. Insert a wire into the butt splice and crimp with the wire cutter.

Feed the butt splice and wire through a piece of shrink tubing, then connect the other wire to the other end of the butt splice as above.

After crimping the second wire, pull the heat shrink tubing over the butt splice and heat it with a hair dryer so the tubing covers the butt splice and a little bit of each wire.

With a soldering iron

A soldering iron uses a low-melting alloy called solder, usually based on lead or tin, to fuse wires together. This provides the most direct and secure connection for wire splicing.

To splice a wire with a soldering iron, first run one end of the wire through heat shrink tubing. Twist the two bare ends of the wire together and touch them with the heated soldering iron.

Apply solder so that it drips onto the twisted junction between the wires. After connecting the wires, pull the shrink tubing over the connection point and heat it up with a hair dryer.

You can do it

With a little time and maybe a little money, there’s no reason why you can’t put your speakers exactly where you want them.

Whether you’re trying to create more distance between your speakers or weaving your speaker cable across the room to conceal them, even a novice A/V technician can extend speaker cable to the required length.

Can you add on to speaker wire?

You’ll need a little extra slack in the wire, since too much tension could damage the connection on your speakers or amp or cause the wire to pull free. Then, use wire cutters to cut the extra speaker wire to that length.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

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5

You can also use heat shrink tubing to insulate the wires. Attach the tubing to the wire before splicing the ends together, but keep it away from the heat of the soldering iron. Once the solder has cooled, slide the tubing over the splice and shrink it around the bare wire using a heat gun or hair dryer.[27]

Even though the wire is coated with solder, it still needs to be insulated – the solder is conductive, so if the positive and negative sides touch, the wire will short out. Wrap the entire splice in electrical tape, going from one end of the insulation to the other. Do this for both the positive and negative sides of the wire. You can then press the positive and negative sides together for a cleaner look and then wrap the whole thing in electrical tape as well.

Do speaker wires have voltage?

The voltage on a speaker wire depends on amplifier power; for a 100-watt-per-channel amplifier, the voltage will be about 30 volts RMS. At such voltage, a 1 percent loss will occur at 3,000 ohms or less of capacitive reactance.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

electronic component

2 conductor copper speaker cable

Speaker cables are used to make the electrical connection between speakers and audio amplifiers. Modern speaker cables consist of two or more electrical conductors that are individually insulated with plastic (e.g. PVC, PE or Teflon) or, more rarely, with rubber. The two wires are electrically identical but are labeled to identify the correct polarity of the audio signal. Most commonly, speaker cords come in the form of zip cords.

The effect of speaker wire on the transmitted signal is a much debated topic in the audiophile and high fidelity world. The accuracy of many advertising claims on these points has been contested by experienced engineers, who emphasize that simple electrical resistance is by far the most important property of speaker cable.

history [edit]

Early speaker wire was typically made of stranded copper wire insulated with cloth tape, waxed paper, or rubber. Traditional lamp cord was used for portable applications, twisted in pairs for mechanical reasons. Cables were often soldered at one end. Other connections were binding posts, terminal blocks and cable lugs for crimp connections. In the 1920s and 1930s, two-conductor, ¼-inch telephone jacks were used as convenient terminations.[1]

Some early speaker cable designs included another pair of rectified DC wires to power an electromagnet in the speaker.[2] Essentially all loudspeakers manufactured today use permanent magnets, a practice that supplanted field electromagnet loudspeakers in the 1940s and 1950s.

explanation[edit]

Speaker cable is a passive electrical component that is described by its electrical impedance Z. Impedance can be broken down into three properties that determine its performance: the real part of impedance, or resistance, and the imaginary part of impedance: capacitance, or inductance. The ideal speaker cable has no resistance, capacitance or inductance. The shorter and thicker a wire, the lower its resistance, since the electrical resistance of a wire is proportional to its length and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area (except for superconductors). The resistance of the wire has the greatest impact on its performance.[3][4] The capacitance and inductance of the cable have less influence as they are insignificant in relation to the capacitance and inductance of the speaker. As long as the speaker wire resistance is kept to less than 5 percent of the speaker impedance, the conductor is fine for home use.[4]

Speaker cables are selected based on price, build quality, aesthetic purpose, and convenience. Stranded wire is more flexible than solid wire and is suitable for moving equipment. For a wire that is exposed and not routed in walls, under flooring, or behind trim (e.g. in a house), appearance can be an advantage, but is irrelevant to electrical properties. A better jacket may be thicker or more robust, less chemically reactive with the conductor, less likely to tangle and be easier to pull through a group of other wires, or incorporate a variety of non-residential shielding techniques.

resistance [edit]

Resistance is by far the most important specification of speaker cable.[4] Low resistance speaker wire allows more of the amplifier’s power to power the speaker’s voice coil. The performance of a conductor such as speaker wire is therefore optimized by limiting its length and maximizing its cross-sectional area. Depending on the listener’s hearing ability, this resistance begins to be audible when the resistance exceeds 5 percent of the speaker’s impedance.[4]

The impedance of a speaker wire takes into account the resistance of the wire, the path of the wire, and the dielectric properties of local insulators. The latter two factors also determine the frequency response of the wire. The lower the speaker impedance, the greater the importance of speaker wire resistance.

Where large buildings have long cable runs connecting speakers and amplifiers, a constant voltage speaker system can be used to reduce cabling losses.

wire gauge [ edit ]

Thicker wires reduce resistance. The resistance of 16 gauge or heavier speaker interconnect wire has no demonstrable effect on standard household speaker connections for a typical 8 ohm speaker at lengths of 15 meters (50 feet) or less.[4] As speaker impedance decreases, a thinner (heavier) cable is needed to prevent degradation of the damping factor – a measure of the amplifier’s control over voice coil position.

Insulation thickness or type also has no audible effect as long as the insulation is of good quality and does not chemically react with the wire itself (poor quality insulation has occasionally been found to accelerate the oxidation of the copper conductor and increase resistance over time) . [citation needed] High performance in-car audio systems with 2 ohm speaker circuits require thicker cables than 4 to 8 ohm home audio applications.

Most consumer applications use two conductor wires. As a rule of thumb, speaker wire resistance should not exceed 5 percent of the system’s nominal impedance. The table below shows recommended lengths based on this guideline:

Maximum cable lengths for two-conductor copper cables[4] Cable size 2 Ω load 4 Ω load 6 Ω load 8 Ω load 22 AWG (0.326 mm2) 3 ft (0.9 m) 6 ft (1.8 m) 9 ft (2, 7 m) 12 ft (3.6 m) 20 AWG (0.518 mm2) 5 ft (1.5 m) 10 ft (3 m) 15 ft (4.5 m) 20 ft (6 m) 18 AWG (0.823 mm2). ) 8 ft (2.4 m) 16 ft (4.9 m) 24 ft (7.3 m) 32 ft (9.7 m) 16 AWG (1.31 mm2) 12 ft (3.6 m) 24 ft (7.3 m) 36 ft (11 m) 48 ft (15 m) 14 AWG (2.08 mm2). ) 20 ft (6.1 m) 40 ft (12 m) 60 ft (18 m)* 80 ft (24 m)* 12 AWG (3.31 mm2) 30 ft (9.1 m) 60 ft (18 m )* 90 ft (27 m)* 120 ft (36 m)* 10 AWG (5.26 mm2) 50 ft (15 m) 100 ft (30 m)* 150 ft (46 m)* 200 ft (61 m) *

* While thicker cables can theoretically run longer, recommended household audio lengths should not exceed 15 m (50 feet).[4]

The gauge numbers in SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) and AWG (American Wire Gauge) decrease as the wire gets larger. Outside the US, sizes are usually measured in square millimeters. Suppliers and manufacturers often specify their cables in terms of the number of strands. A wire with 189 strands has a cross-sectional area of ​​1.5 mm2, which corresponds to 126.7 strands per mm2.[5]

Wire material [ edit ]

The use of copper or copper clad aluminum (CCA) is more or less universal for speaker wire. Copper has a low resistance compared to most other suitable materials. CCA is cheaper and lighter, at the expense of slightly higher resistance (about the same as copper two AWG sizes higher). Copper and aluminum both oxidize, but oxides of copper are conductive while those of aluminum are insulating. Also offered is Oxygen Free Copper (OFC) which is sold in several grades. The various grades are marketed as having better conductivity and durability, but have no significant advantage in audio applications.[4] Commonly available C11000 Electrolytic-Tough-Pitch (ETP) copper wire is identical to the more expensive C10200 Oxygen-Free (OF) copper wire in speaker wire applications. The much more expensive C10100, a highly refined copper that has had silver impurities removed and oxygen reduced to 0.0005 percent, has only a 1 percent higher conductivity, which is irrelevant in audio applications.[4]

Silver has a slightly lower resistivity than copper, which allows a thinner wire to have the same resistance. Silver is expensive, so a copper wire of the same resistance costs significantly less. Silver tarnishes and forms a thin surface layer of silver sulphide.

Gold has a higher resistivity than copper or silver, but pure gold does not oxidize, so it can be used to plate wire ends.

Capacitance and inductance[edit]

Capacity [ edit ]

Capacitance occurs between any two conductors separated by an insulator. In an audio cable, capacitance occurs between the two conductors of the cable; the resulting losses are called “dielectric losses” or “dielectric absorption”. Capacitance also occurs between the conductors of the cable and any nearby conductive objects, including house wiring and damp foundation concrete; this is referred to as “stray capacitance”.

Parallel capacitances add up, and so both dielectric loss and stray capacitance loss add up to a net capacitance.

Audio signals are alternating current and are therefore attenuated by such capacitances. Attenuation occurs inversely with frequency: higher frequency faces less resistance and can more easily leak through a given capacitance. The amount of attenuation can be calculated for any given frequency; The result is called capacitive reactance, which is an effective resistance measured in ohms:

X c = 1 2 π f C {\displaystyle X_{c}={\frac {1}{2\pi fC}}}

Where:

f {\displaystyle f}

C {\displaystyle C} farads.

This table shows the capacitive reactance in ohms (higher means lower loss) for different frequencies and capacitances; Highlighted lines represent greater than 1% loss at 30 volts RMS:

Capacitance 100 Hz 200 Hz 500 Hz 1,000 Hz 2,000 Hz 5,000 Hz 10,000 Hz 20,000 Hz 50,000 Hz 100 pF (0.1 nF) 15,915,508 7,957,754 3,183,102 1,591,551 795,775 318,310 159,155 79,578 31,831 200 pF (0.2 nF) 7,957,754 3,978,877 1,591,551 795,775 397,888 159,155 79,578 39,789 15,916 500 pF (0.5 nF) 3,183,102 1,591,551 636,620 318,310 159,155 63,662 31,831 15,916 6,366 1,000 pF (1 nF) 1,591,551 795,775 318,310 159,155 79,578 31,831 15,916 7,958 3,183 2,000 pF (2 nF) 795,775 397,888 159,155 79,578 39,789 15,916 7,958 3,979 1,592 5,000 pF (5 nF) 318,310 159,155 63,662 31,831 15,916 6,366 3,183 1,592 637 10,000 pF (10 nF) 159,155 79,578 31,831 15,916 7,958 3,183 1,592 796 318 20,000 pF (20 nF) 79,578 39,789 15,916 7,958 3,979 1,592 796 398 159 50,000 pF (50 nF) 31,831 15,916 6,366 3,183 1,592 637 318 159 64 100,000 PF (100 NF) 15.958 3.183 1.592 798 159 80 32 200,000 PF (200 NF) 7.958 796 398 159 80 16 500,000 PF (500 NF) 3.183 1.592 637 Pf (500 NF) 3.183 1.592 637 PF (500 NF ) 3.183 1.592 637 Pf (500 NF) 3.183 318 64 36 32, 32.183 1.592 637 318 64 36 32, 32, 3,183 318 64 36 32, 32, 3.187 318 64 32, 32, 32 1,592 637 318 68PF)

The voltage on a speaker cable depends on the amplifier power; For a 100 watt per channel amplifier, the voltage is about 30 volts RMS. At such a voltage, there is a 1 percent loss at 3,000 ohms or less of capacitive reactance. Therefore, to keep audible losses (up to 20,000 Hz) below 1 percent, the total capacitance in the cabling must be kept below about 2,700 pF.

A typical lamp cord has a capacitance of 10-20 pF per foot plus a few picofarads of stray capacitance, so a 50-foot run (100 feet of conductor) has less than 1 percent capacitive loss in the audible range. Some premium speaker wire has higher capacitance to have lower inductance; 100-300 pF is typical, in which case the capacitive loss exceeds 1 percent for runs longer than about 5 feet (10 feet conductors).

Inductance [ edit ]

All conductors have inductance, resulting in inherent resistance to changes in current. This resistance is called inductive reactance and is measured in ohms. Inductive reactance depends on how fast the current changes: fast current changes (i.e. high frequencies) encounter a higher inductive reactance than slow changes (low frequencies). Inductive reactance is calculated using this formula:

X i = 2 π f L {\displaystyle X_{i}=2\pi fL}

Where:

f {\displaystyle f}

L {\displaystyle L} Henrys.

Audio signals are alternating current and are therefore dampened by inductance. The table below shows the inductive reactance in ohms (lower means lower loss) for typical cable inductances at various audio frequencies; Highlighted lines represent greater than 1% loss at 30 volts RMS:

Inductance (μH) 100 Hz 200 Hz 1,000 Hz 2,000 Hz 5.000 Hz 20,000 Hz 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.6 5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.6 1.6 10 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.3 3.1 20 0.0 0.1 0.3 0.6 2.5 6.3 50 0.0 0.3 0.6 1.6 3.1 6.7 100 0.1 0.3 0.6 1.3 12.6 31.4 200 0.6 1.3 2.5 62.6 25.1 62.8 500 0.6 3.1 6.7 31.4 62.8 1577.1

The voltage on a speaker cable depends on the amplifier power; For a 100 watt per channel amplifier, the voltage is about 30 volts RMS. At such a voltage, there is a 1% loss at 0.3 ohms or more of inductive reactance. Therefore, to keep audible losses (up to 20,000 Hz) below 1%, the total inductance in the cabling must be kept below about 2 μH.

Ordinary lamp cord has an inductance of 0.1–0.2 μH/ft, as does shielded cord,[6] so a run of up to about 5 feet (10 feet of conductors total) has less than 1% inductive loss in the audible range . Some high quality speaker wire has lower inductance at the expense of higher capacitance; 0.02-0.05 μH/ft is typical, in which case a run of up to about 25 feet (50 feet of conductor) has less than 1% inductive loss.

Skin effect[edit]

The skin effect in audio cables is the tendency of high-frequency signals to propagate more on the surface than in the center of the conductor, as if the conductor were a hollow metal tube.[3] This tendency, caused by self-induction, makes the cable more resilient at higher frequencies and reduces its ability to carry high frequencies with as much power as low frequencies. As the cable conductors increase in diameter, they have a lower overall resistance but an increased skin effect. The choice of metals in the conductor also makes a difference: silver has a stronger skin effect than copper; Aluminum has less effect. Skin effect is a significant problem at radio frequencies or over long distances such as miles and kilometers of high voltage electric power lines, but not at audio frequencies transmitted over short distances in feet and meters. Speaker wire is typically stranded conductors, but bare metal strands in contact with each other do not mitigate the skin effect. The bundle of strands acts as a conductor at audio frequencies. Stranded wire — individually insulated strands held in a specific pattern — is a type of high-end speaker wire said to reduce skin effect. Another solution that has been tried is to plate the copper strands with silver, which has a lower resistance.[8]

Despite marketing claims, the skin effect has an inaudible and therefore negligible effect in typical inexpensive speaker or other audio signal cables.[9] The increase in resistance is less than 3% for signals with 20,000 Hz, in the range of a few milliohms for the usual home stereo system; an insignificant and inaudible degree of attenuation.[7][10][11]

Cancellations[ edit ]

Speaker wire connectors make it easy to connect speaker wire to the amplifier and speakers. Examples of connectors are soldered or crimped pin or spade lugs, banana plugs, and 2-pin DIN connectors. A commercial speaker wire connector from Neutrik (namely, Speakon) has a few advantages: it doesn’t release easily, doesn’t make partial contact when made or broken (1/4 male and female connectors do this inherently), and offers multiple circuits in some versions . The type of actual electrical contact (i.e. termination) is determined by the connectors on the devices at each end of the cable. Some connectors are gold plated.

Many speakers and electronics have five-way flexible terminals that can be screwed or spring-held in place to accept bare or soldered wires and pins or spring-loaded banana plugs (through a hole in the outward-facing side of the column).

Quality debate[ edit ]

There is a debate among audiophiles about the impact that high-end cables are having on audio systems, with the audibility of the changes at the heart of the discussion. While some speaker cable marketers claim an audible improvement through design or exotic materials, skeptics say that a few yards of speaker cable from the power amplifier to the speaker terminals may not make much of an impact, since complex crossover circuitry has a greater impact in most speakers and especially the speaker driver voice coils, which are several feet of very thin wire. To justify claims of improved audio quality, many high-end speaker cable marketers cite electrical properties such as skin effect, characteristic impedance, or resonance; Properties that are generally poorly understood by consumers. None of these have a measurable effect at audio frequencies, although each is important at radio frequencies.[12] Industry experts have refuted the higher quality claims by measuring the sound systems and by double-blind ABX tests of listeners.[4][13] However, there is a consensus that the total resistance of the speaker cable should not be too high.[4] In addition, observed speaker wire quality issues are greatest for speakers with passive crossovers typical of home stereo systems.[14]

As a guide, the lead resistance should not exceed 5% of the total circuit. For a given material, resistance is a function of length and thickness (specifically, length to cross-sectional area ratio). Because of this, lower impedance speakers require lower resistance speaker wire.[4] Longer cable runs must be even thicker.[15] Once the 5% guideline is reached, using heavier gauge wire will no longer improve.[4]

Roger Russell – a former engineer and speaker designer for McIntosh Labs – describes in his online essay entitled “Speaker Wire – A History” how expensive branded speaker wire marketing misinforms consumers. He writes, “The industry has now reached the point where [cable] resistance and audio quality are no longer the issues, although listening claims can still be made…Part of the strategy in selling these products is to target those who.” want to impress others with something unique and precious.”[4]

See also[edit]

How do you hook up a subwoofer to a 2 channel system?

Some subwoofers have left and right inputs. If your preamp has left and right outputs, use two RCA cables for these. The subwoofer combines the channels inside. If your preamp has left and right outputs but there’s only one on the sub, use a Y combiner adapter.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

Long considered the bastard child of stereo, subwoofers have almost universally been derided for “one-tone” bass due to experience with poor home theater setups. While this is 99% correct, it’s not because adding a subwoofer is in and of itself a bad idea, but because most subwoofers just suck.

Let’s look at what a subwoofer is supposed to do and what it typically does. Almost no speakers are full range speakers as they don’t produce much bass below say 60 or even 100 Hz. This creates the feeling of size and power in the music. In home theaters, where speakers are often small for aesthetic reasons, these speakers may not even produce bass below 150 Hz, which includes the lower notes of a piano or male voice. A subwoofer is necessary to fill in the missing information from these smaller, bass-limited speakers. The idea is simple: take the big driver out of the main speaker boxes and put it in a discreet place out of sight in the form of a subwoofer.

What actually happens is that the subwoofer becomes an afterthought in the quality of the overall sound because you’re not looking at it, and it’s really an “extra” piece that can’t be readily evaluated unless you examine it independently of the main speakers. The net effect is that manufacturers try to save as much money as possible on subwoofers, and as long as they produce some sort of bass note, they’ll fool people in a demo long enough to make a sale. It is a sad state of affairs that most products thoroughly fail the accuracy test.

Well, as should be evident over the last decade, we don’t shy away from controversy or going against the grain when we think doing so can benefit our customers’ listening pleasure. That’s why we confidently proclaim that subwoofers can be used effectively in both home theater and the highest quality 2-channel systems without detraction and will only enhance the listening experience. The trick is – it’s extraordinarily difficult to do. Nonetheless, this article will provide you with the tools to best select a sub and integrate it into your system.

Let’s isolate a few factors that determine whether a sub will help or hurt a system, and then look at what you need to do to ensure success in each case. These are:

quality of the subwoofer

Size of the subwoofer compared to the room

placement in the room

Rolloff, volume and integration with main speakers

quality of the subwoofer

As mentioned above, most subwoofers are just rubbish. This is due to two main factors. The first is the driver used. Most often these are large (especially larger than 10 inches) with either weak cones, insufficient stroke, poor magnet design, or forces and materials that inherently ring. A quick way to tell if a subwoofer is producing sounds above where it should (overtones) is to tap on the cone. Does it sound like a thud or does it sound like a paper cup? If it sounds like a paper cup, then you are hearing frequency overtones that are far higher than the fundamental bass frequencies produced by the subwoofer. It should sound dead. Remember that subs should only produce deep bass, not mids! When they produce those mid-tones, they color your main speakers badly. A good woofer has a strong magnet, a long throw and a relatively stiff and sluggish membrane. This results in a linear frequency response. Next, look at the quality of the amplifier used. Most use dirt cheap Class D amplifiers. Basically, there is nothing wrong with a Class D amplifier for a subwoofer, since it has a high output and the usual disadvantages such as high-frequency distortion in the low frequencies of a subwoofer are not heard anyway. However, some of these amplifiers are so cheap that they are both unreliable and unable to accurately control the driver. A quick test is to turn the sub all the way up and see if the rider moves. You can actually hear noise on some of the worst subs because the amp has such high distortion. The crossover and volume pots also play a role here. Some volume controls are so bad that they actively equalize the bass when used at their lower levels. Finally, a subwoofer’s box and overall driver configuration makes a big difference. Subwoofer boxes are usually made as cheaply as possible and the resonance of the cabinet can be clearly heard. Test a subwoofer alone with no speakers playing and see if you can hear midrange out of the subwoofer. If you do, there is likely a problem in all components of the design. In general, whether a sub is ported, sealed, or uses a passive driver greatly affects bass linearity, however, any design style can be styled effectively. Sealed subs tend to have the least problems but the least performance. Ported subs tend to have the most problems but the highest performance. Passive radiators usually offer the best of both worlds (but cost more). Also, for physical reasons, small subwoofers are easier to manufacture accurately. There are smaller panels in the box to counter vibrate, and smaller woofers have less flex and distortion. Of course, these have lower power, but consider whether you actually need more!

Here are our current favorite subwoofers in different price ranges:

Size of the subwoofer compared to the room

For anyone who’s read our article on choosing a speaker, or visited us in a store, we’re really keen to make sure people are choosing the speaker that’s the right size for their room. This is because bass quality is determined almost entirely by the room itself, not the speaker. With subwoofers, this is amplified enormously. The short answer is: choose a small sub for a small room, a medium for a medium, a large for a large, etc. Don’t try to put a large sub in a small room. The energy the sub creates is amplified by the room modes in such a way that it usually massively reduces your bass performance. Some overtone bass tones that are canceled out by your room modes actually get quieter the harder the subwoofer pushes down on the fundamental, while the others that the room emphasizes get much louder. It’s a wider spread of low-to-high modes that makes the subjective bass even more uneven. Also, small rooms generally can’t produce long bass notes anyway, so using a large subwoofer is overkill, and since small subwoofers are generally easier to manufacture accurately, the frequency errors of a larger subwoofer in a small room can otherwise ruin a good pair of speakers.

placement in the room

As with speakers, placement in the room will determine exactly which bass tones are boosted or cut based on the dimensions of your room. You can check a room mode calculator to see this. The advantage of a subwoofer over a pair of large speakers is that it can be moved almost anywhere in the room while remaining visually acceptable. Speakers can’t do that. This allows subwoofer placement to work much more sympathetically with your room modes to give you the most consistent bass response in your listening position. In all but the largest of rooms, it is almost always preferable to choose a small, accurate speaker and small, accurate sub rather than a large, accurate speaker, as the tuning available by moving and adjusting the sub in isolation will always provide better bass than that larger speakers which is locked into limited placements. Don’t be surprised if you place the subwoofer near your chair or in a corner opposite the speaker, which sounds far better. This is because the length of the emphasized bass wave changes depending on where the sub is in relation to the walls, your listening position, and the main speakers. Sometimes a subwoofer in the perfect “anti-position” that is out of phase and pulling while your main speakers are pushing can create an averaging of the amplitude highs and lows of the bass modes. Experiment thoroughly with odd placements and you will be surprised how massive the difference in bass is. In fact, in all but large rooms, it’s almost always better to place the subwoofer away from the main speaker. Some customers ask if it isn’t better to have two subwoofers than one in order to preserve the stereo bass of the recordings. In almost 100% of cases this is not true. Two is better in theory when all factors are perfect, but in real life it’s almost never the case! First of all, the bass below 80 Hz is non-directional. Neither the recording nor the subwoofer has any stereo information to reproduce at these frequencies. Given the difficulties of placing a subwoofer, it is beyond the capabilities of the vast majority of ordinary people. Adding two subwoofers simply combines all of the above variables. Surely, using two large subs in a small space is just a nuisance. If you use two subs, always scale them down drastically.

Rolloff, volume and integration with main speakers

Experimenting with placement must be done simultaneously with adjusting the volume, phase, and slope of the subwoofer. Because the tones the sub affects change as it is moved around the room, both in frequency type and volume, you must dynamically weigh whether you should decrease or increase the sub volume at each test location. The best way is to have another person adjust these controls while moving the sub. For each test, listen to the same song or frequency sweep repeatedly. Too low a rolloff will create a bass gap between the sub and your speakers, making it sound artificially thunderous but lacking in warmth. Too high a rolloff creates a stuffy and bloated sound.

links

All subwoofers have at least one RCA input for line level connections from your preamp or variable output on your amplifier. Do not use the record or tape output! These are fixed and you’ll have maximum bass at all times, no matter what master volume you’re set to! Some subwoofers have left and right inputs. If your preamp has left and right outputs, use two RCA cables for those. The subwoofer combines the channels inside. If your preamp has left and right outputs but only one on the subwoofer, use a Y combiner adapter. These can be had for $5 or so. Finally, if you don’t have a subwoofer or preamp output on your amp or preamp, subwoofers like the RELs we sell have a dedicated high level input that derives from your amp’s speaker binding posts. This cable simply piggybacks onto your main speakers and draws no power from your amplifier. That way, whatever your system, there’s a sub for you.

The payout

Finally, how does a quality subwoofer, placed in the right spot with the right volume and crossover, do with your system? In short, it’s amazing! The simple fact is that most people’s speakers, because of their placement, don’t produce full-range bass or even good room bass. A subwoofer can work with your system to fix some of its problems, both in terms of omissions and bugs. The basic effect is a more confident sound, more energy, more punch and more liveliness. That elusive quality of “being there” or engagement can be massively increased. Ironically, getting the subwoofer setup on point can also improve soundstage definition and instrument placement. It does so in a way by cleaning up the Bass mode issues to relieve the lower midrange, but it also happens because of how the human brain works. When the overall soundstage is missing, the brain can’t really relax and accept it as real, but when you add that missing bass, all the tumblers fall into place and “click,” allowing your brain to jump to the next level of believability. This is particularly noticeable for listeners of classical music, but all genres of music can benefit.

Hopefully these points have cleared up some misconceptions about using subwoofers in 2-channel systems. When you’re ready to start the integration, talk to us specifically about the details of your system – room, speakers, amplifier, listening position, music style, current bass issues. It’s only with this kind of face-to-face conversation that we can begin to bring you the best bass a subwoofer can offer. We also set up at home. It’s worth the money.

how to install a loc – line output converter in 3 minutes

how to install a loc – line output converter in 3 minutes
how to install a loc – line output converter in 3 minutes


See some more details on the topic subwoofer splice into rear speakers here:

Splicing and wiring a sub into the existing system – Reddit

Taps into one of your rear speakers and then gives you RCA line level outputs to the amplifier. Ohms won’t matter, as long as you match the amp …

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Source: www.reddit.com

Date Published: 6/28/2022

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How do I go about installing a sub and amp Via the rear …

Some (many) powered subs have high level inputs, so you can just tap into the rear speaker wires. If your car has a factory sub, …

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Source: www.civicx.com

Date Published: 9/16/2022

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Sub Install fails, Splice not good to do to rear speakers!?!?

and he sa NO!! Because the amp already has a built in crossover, splicing would not give the best signal to the new amp and not produce the best sound. Plus …

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Source: shoforum.com

Date Published: 10/1/2021

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How to splice to wire sub? – Honda Civic Forum

1) Splice into the rear speakers and use speaker-level inputs … But my question is, how do I tap into or splice the rear speakers to feed my sub?

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Source: www.civicforums.com

Date Published: 7/4/2021

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splicing powered subwoofer to speakers

I want to install a powered subwoofer in my 2013 Silverado extended … head unit have a sub output or must I splice to the rear speakers?

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Source: www.silveradosierra.com

Date Published: 6/25/2021

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How to tap sub into rear speakers? – AudiForums.com

B5 Models – How to tap sub into rear speakers? – Hey so I am trying to install my old sub into my car and I have read about a couple …

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Source: www.audiforums.com

Date Published: 5/20/2022

View: 8032

Connecting sub / splicing speaker wires – Tacoma World

But in our trucks we have 6×9 up front and 6 1/2 in the back so I would opt to tap them into the front left and right speaker leads since it …

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Source: www.tacomaworld.com

Date Published: 7/14/2022

View: 1546

Powered Sub connected to rear speakers – Car Audio Forum

… does it have RCA outputs? you can split RCA outputs if necessary to your powered sub, you want to avo splicing into the rear speakers …

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Source: www.caraudio.com

Date Published: 3/12/2022

View: 1428

Can I splice into rear speakers for a subwoofer? – PeachParts

I have a small amplified subwoofer and would like to place it in the trunk of my C-230. Can I pick up signal from one of the rear speakers?

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Source: www.peachparts.com

Date Published: 8/11/2022

View: 3030

SOLVED: How to splice a sub-woofer to speakers – Fixya

Yes you can. cut the left speaker lead and splice a wire from it to your sub woofer. If its a powered woofer you may have too much gain going in …

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Source: www.fixya.com

Date Published: 11/14/2021

View: 5636

Splicing and wiring a sub into the existing system : CarAV

Is it possible to say splice a wire that goes to a rear speaker and put a sub across it and run them in parallel so the ohms don’t drop? or am I stupid XD?

The Five Cs of Subwoofer Setup

A subwoofer should sound what wasabi is to sushi. Use it carelessly and it will overwhelm everything else. But use it wisely, and it can make the whole experience that much more satisfying.

Subwoofers are far more complicated to connect and fine-tune than anything else in an audio system. The acoustics of your room will have a much greater impact on the performance of the subwoofer than your other speakers. Subwoofers often need to be plugged into different AC outlets than the other components in the system, and most audio systems don’t have dedicated subwoofer connectors. But millions of people have set up subwoofers to their satisfaction, and so can you.

We’ve simplified the process into five steps, each conveniently starting with a C: Connect, Control, Crawl, Combine, and Inspect. In almost 30 years of testing and measuring subwoofers, I’ve found that this method results in almost any subwoofer working well with almost any speaker system, no matter what other audio gear I use. It works with any of the tips in our best budget subwoofer guide – and any other conventional subwoofer too.

1. Connect

If you’re using your subwoofer with a home theater receiver, the connection is simple: just run an audio interconnect cable like this one from the receiver’s subwoofer output to the subwoofer’s line input (see image above). If the subwoofer has an input labeled LFE, use that. If it only has stereo left and right (line level) inputs, use one of them.

If you are using your subwoofer with a stereo receiver that does not have a subwoofer output (which many do) you can connect the subwoofer using an additional set of speaker cables as shown above – provided the subwoofer has speaker level (speaker cable) . ) connections, like the tips in our Best Budget Subwoofers guide do. Typically, you would run the left and right speaker cables from the receiver to the sub, and then from the sub to the speakers. The subwoofer manual will likely have diagrams clearly showing the connections.

The Best AV Receivers for Most People Sound quality is important when choosing an AV receiver, but finding one with the features you need is crucial, so we have several recommendations.

The Best Stereo Receiver The Sony STR-DH190 Stereo Receiver is a great way to start an affordable traditional stereo system, especially if you like vinyl.

If you are using your subwoofer with a computer speaker system, your speaker system may have a subwoofer output or a set of line outputs that can be connected to a subwoofer. If you don’t have either, get a Y-adapter like this one. Plug the Y-adapter into your computer’s audio out port, then connect one leg of the Y-adapter to your computer speakers with a 3.5mm cable like this one (most computer speakers include this cable) and connect the other leg of the Y Adapters Adapters to the line inputs of the subwoofer using a 3.5mm to RCA cable like this one.

Hum is a common problem with subwoofers because the subwoofer is often plugged into a different outlet from the rest of the audio/video system. if the two outputs are on different circuit breakers, a “ground loop” can occur, producing a 60 Hz hum. Sometimes humming can even occur when the Sub is plugged into the same outlet or power strip.

To troubleshoot a hum problem, first check the audio connection between the subwoofer and the receiver. A damaged or partially severed cable can generate hum. If the cord is in good condition, the connections are secure, and your subwoofer has a detachable power cord that you can plug into its jack on the subwoofer, try flipping the plug. If your subwoofer’s power cord is permanently attached or not reversible, and the subwoofer is plugged into a different outlet, try plugging the subwoofer into a power strip that is shared by the rest of the audio/video system. If this trick eliminates the hum, but keeping it connected this way isn’t practical for you, try using an isolation transformer on the cable going from the receiver to the subwoofer, or a wireless subwoofer transmitter.

2. Controls

Inexpensive subwoofers usually only have two controls that you need to adjust: volume and crossover frequency.

The crossover frequency determines the highest notes played by the subwoofer. If you turn the frequency up too high, Ariana Grande could sound like Vin Diesel because part of her voice comes out of the subwoofer. Setting it too low creates an acoustic “hole” between the subwoofer and the speakers, and Vin Diesel might sound a little like Ariana Grande.

The idea is that the subwoofer picks up where the speakers leave off. The lowest frequency that the speakers are rated for can generally be found in the data sheet on the manufacturer’s website or in the owner’s manual. For example, the spec sheet for the Q Acoustics 3020i that we tested for our guide to the best bookshelf speakers for most stereo systems shows that the speaker has a nominal frequency response of 64Hz to 30kHz. In this case you should set the crossover frequency of the subwoofer to 64 Hz or slightly higher.

If you turn the frequency up too high, Ariana Grande could sound like Vin Diesel because part of her voice comes out of the subwoofer.

Be forewarned though – some manufacturers are getting a little optimistic with these specs. For example, the spec sheet for the Audioengine HD3, which we tested for our best wireless bookshelf speakers and best computer speaker guides, rates its response at 65 Hz, even though the HD3 is much smaller than the Q Acoustics 3020i, at a tiny 2.75 -inch woofer. A best practice is to set the subwoofer’s crossover frequency to match the speaker’s power rating, and then adjust the frequency higher if you hear a “hole” between the subwoofer and the speakers – for example, when Vin Diesel’s voice is thin and sounds weak, or when the crashes and explosions in action movies don’t have the impact they probably should.

Note that if you are using your subwoofer with a home theater receiver, you should set the subwoofer’s crossover frequency control to maximum and use the receiver’s subwoofer crossover settings. The standard crossover frequency in home theater systems is 80Hz. If your speakers are small – with woofers measuring 4 inches or less – you might want to set the frequency closer to 120Hz; This relieves your speakers of the need to produce low frequencies, allowing them to play a little louder and the system to sound clearer. If you have larger speakers, e.g. B. Floorstanding speakers, you may prefer the way a 60 Hz crossover frequency sounds. There is no hard and fast rule in this case as the acoustics of your room will have a big impact on the results.

Now you need to adjust the level (or loudness) of the subwoofer relative to the other speakers. If you use a home theater receiver, it will have a built in test tone to help you set the level of the subwoofer. In this case, it’s usually best to leave the subwoofer’s volume control at about halfway and adjust the subwoofer’s volume using the controls on the receiver. If you turn the subwoofer’s volume halfway up to not give you enough volume, try turning it up to about three quarters and then fine tuning the level with the receiver’s subwoofer level control. If you need to crank the level on the subwoofer past halfway, don’t worry. Virtually all powered subwoofers have an internal limiter that protects the driver and amplifier. If you don’t hear heavy distortion, there’s no problem.

If you are using the subwoofer in a stereo or computer system, simply adjust the subwoofer volume so that it sounds best from the chair you normally sit in. The sound should neither be boomy nor thin. You can also change the subwoofer volume on the fly to match the music or movies you’re listening to. There are no rules here.

Most subwoofers also have a phase control — a switch or knob that slightly adjusts the timing of the bass so the subwoofer is more in sync with the main speakers. In some cases this can help the subwoofer blend better with the main speakers, but the setting of this control is not usually critical. Try different settings and see what sounds best to you; If you don’t hear a difference, don’t sweat it.

Note that most home theater receivers have automatic room correction technology that should theoretically balance your subwoofer with your main speakers and adjust the subwoofer’s sound for the best performance in your room. There’s no harm in trying this out or sticking with the results if you like the sound. However, this technology is notoriously unreliable and can even degrade the sound. Read our best AV receiver guide for more information.

3. Creep

The placement of the subwoofer and listening chair in your room will likely have a greater impact on the sound than the choice of subwoofer. Put it in the corner and it will boom. Put it somewhere else and some bass notes will be boosted while others will be muted a little. And the effects differ depending on where you sit. Luckily, your ears can’t tell where deep bass is coming from, which means you have a lot of flexibility when it comes to subwoofer placement.

If you want the best sound from your subwoofer, there is a tried and tested technique that will help you find the optimal spot for it. Place the subwoofer in the chair you sit in most when you listen (no, really) and play a tune with a melodic bassline, like Steely Dan’s “Aja”. Now crawl around the room with your head near the floor (yes, we still mean it) and find the spot where the bass line sounds the most consistent. This is where you want to place the subwoofer.

Unfortunately, this placement only delivers the most consistent bass for that one seat. For many audio enthusiasts, that’s fine because other people in the room with them might not be as picky. If giving everyone the best sound is important to you, go ahead and do the crawl, then listen to the bass line again from your primary listening spot and then from the other spots. Then move the subwoofer until you find the best compromise. Or better yet, continue to the next section of this article.

If sound isn’t as important but looks are, just place the subwoofer where it’s convenient. It should still sound pretty good regardless of location if properly tuned.

4. Combine

If it’s important to you how balanced the bass sounds from all seats in your room, there is a simple, albeit usually more expensive, solution: buy two subwoofers instead of one. Placing a subwoofer in the front left corner of your room and a matching subwoofer in the front right corner will give you smoother, more consistent bass response as you move from seat to seat. In a widely acclaimed research project (PDF), scientists from Harman International (parent company of JBL, Infinity, Revel, Mark Levinson and a variety of pro audio brands) found that placing four subwoofers in a room (one in each corner or one in the middle of each wall) produced the most consistent bass in the room. They also found that two subwoofers (in corners or in the middle of opposite walls) didn’t give quite as good a result, but was still much better than just one subwoofer – and obviously a far more realistic solution for most people. Considering the low prices of our top picks in our best budget subwoofer guide, buying two subwoofers can be a practical alternative for more serious listeners.

That’s not to say two subs is best for everyone. In a significantly less-heralded research project I conducted for Sound & Vision magazine, my audience and I (including Wirecutters Lauren Dragan and Geoffrey Morrison) corroborated Harman International’s findings when multiple seating positions were accounted for, but we found that for a lone listener (or a listener who doesn’t care what everyone else in the room is hearing), it’s generally wiser to spend your money on one large subwoofer than two smaller ones. This way you get more rock ’em/sock ’em bass for your buck.

Hardcore enthusiasts tend to use a subwoofer equalizer to adjust the sound of one of the two subwoofers to correct imperfections in the other’s response, but at this point you end up with a much more expensive system and (much more complicated facility) as we speak.

5. Check

When I was working at Dolby Laboratories – the company that has done more than any other to establish the technologies and standards for home theater sound – an audio journalist asked me how to achieve the most precise balance between a subwoofer and the main speakers. In Dolby’s huge, well-resourced research department, I found an engineer who was considered the company’s top subwoofer expert. “So what do you want me to tell you?” I asked after he described from memory the results of eight studies on the subject, some dating back decades. “Just tell them to set it by ear,” he replied.

As the Dolby engineer has indicated, the large number of variables in subwoofer setup—volume level, crossover frequency, main speaker characteristics, room acoustics, and the subwoofer’s own idiosyncrasies—make achieving a “perfect” setup virtually impossible. Many home theater enthusiasts get a little closer to perfection by using a measurement mic and USB interface (or a USB measurement mic) in conjunction with the free Room EQ Wizard computer application to tweak the subwoofer’s performance, and that’s what I do, when I test subwoofer for Wirecutter. But that’s a lot more serious than most casual listeners probably want to get.

A simpler, albeit much less accurate, alternative is to use the Real Time Analyzer (RTA) feature in a smartphone app such as AudioTool (for Android) or Audio Spectrum Analyzer dB RTA (for iOS). When you play pink noise (available from many sources, including YouTube) through your system, these apps show you how smooth the bass response is in your room and how well the subwoofer blends with your main speakers. Two caveats: choose an app with at least ⅙ octave resolution and do the measurements from your primary listening chair (or sofa).

Even if you have measuring equipment and the knowledge and patience to use it, the ultimate test of subwoofer configuration is whether you like the sound. So when you’re done, just sit back and listen to some of the movies and music you enjoy. The goal is to get your system to the point where women’s voices don’t sound bloated and men’s voices don’t sound thin. You should also be able to get a couch shake from explosions in action movies without the bass booming with lighter music like most pop and jazz music. Even when everything sounds great, you may find that you frequently adjust the subwoofer volume to best suit the movie or music you’re listening to.

And if it all seems like too much trouble, unplug the subwoofer for a minute or two and you’ll quickly see why it was worth the effort.

Does Splicing Speaker Wire Reduce the Overall Quality?

When it comes to speaker wire, there is a lot of discussion out there. Some people say one thing, others say something else. So what is the truth? Are some types of speaker wire better? Is splicing a good idea, and if you choose to do so, will it affect overall audio quality?

Properly performed splices should not cause any audio problems. Several methods can be performed to get the perfect splice. The easiest method is to clamp two wires together with a wire nut, but the most permanent method is to solder them. Just avoid gluing wires together as it can be risky.

If you’re interested in adding some extra length to your setup, splicing is a great choice. Of course, you can always replace the wire with a longer one, and for longer runs this might be the best idea. We’ll get into that later. So are you ready to learn about splicing? We have all the information you need. Read on to find out more.

How does splicing speaker wire affect overall sound quality?

When it comes to splicing your speaker cables, you’ll hear some conflicting opinions. The problems mostly depend on what people think about what sounds good. As you can imagine, this varies greatly from person to person. For an audiophile, splicing cables might be right. However, for more “sensible” audio enthusiasts, this doesn’t matter too much.

Splicing your speaker cables can be an incredibly effective way to increase the length of your cable runs. If done well, you really shouldn’t notice a difference in your audio playback. However, if done poorly, it can cause audio dropouts and even short circuits.

What do you need for splicing?

Fortunately, doing a correct splice is easy. You can splice using a few tools and hardware you may already have laying around your house.

Most importantly, you must use a quality speaker wire, like this Inst allGear Speaker Wire (on Amazon). This will ensure you get the highest quality result from your splice.

As a note, there are some issues that can arise with longer lengths. For lengths over 100 feet, you may need to source heavier gauge speaker wire. Look for 14 to 12 gauge wire for longer runs, even with splices.

How does speaker wire splicing work?

Splicing is actually pretty easy. When you connect the cores of two different wires, the electrical signal can go through the entire cable without much trouble.

There are several methods to achieve this and which one you choose is up to you. Anyone can provide a quality splice provided splicing best practices are followed.

You can perform a splice using:

The soldering process

The crimping process

Or the wire nut method

It’s worth noting that while you can get a quality splice using any of these methods, a soldered joint will likely last the longest. Soldering is the most laborious of these methods, however, and of course not everyone will own a soldering iron or know how to use one properly.

So for the easiest splice, choose either the wire nut or crimp method. We will guide you step by step through the wire nut method below.

The wire nut method:

Strip ½ inch of wire coating from one end of each wire.

Twist the pairs of wires together.

Insert the twisted wires into the opening using a wire nut (available on Amazon).

Turn the nut down until both wires are secure.

Wrap the newly spliced ​​wire in electrical tape (available on Amazon) for added protection.

If you’ve done it right, you shouldn’t have to worry about audio interference from the splice.

You might be tempted to strip the wires, twist them together, and then just wrap them in electrical tape. While this still splices the wires, it’s by no means a reliable way to do it. The worst case scenario for such a splice is an electrical short – which could completely ruin your system. So approach this splicing method with caution!

Does the speaker wire length affect the sound quality?

Put simply, yes it does. In most cases, however, this only becomes an issue when running longer lengths of cable. In most cases, speaker wire lengths of less than 100 feet should not cause any problems. After this length you may start to see some degradation in quality and interference.

In these situations, it is recommended to use a thicker wire. Regular 16 gauge wire will do for lengths up to 100 feet. But any length over 100 feet will require heavier gauge 14 or 12 gauge wire.

Is thicker wire better for speakers?

When it comes to using thicker speaker wire, this is another hotly contested debate. On the one hand you have the audiophiles who go out of their way to try anything that might limit interference.

For them it is a constant struggle for quality. Using a thicker cable is just part of ensuring you never hear anything other than the intended audio from the speakers.

For your average listener, heavier gauge wire, like this 12 AWG wire (on Amazon), just isn’t worth the hassle. Sure, it makes sense when you’re trying to wire speakers 300 feet apart, but there are a few other issues. For one, splices are much more difficult to achieve with a thicker wire.

In most cases you should only use heavier gauge wire if you have a long speaker run. Other times it’s just overkill and probably unnecessary.

What is the best speaker cable?

When it comes to speaker wire, there are many options on the market. It’s easy to get caught up in all the marketing jargon: gold plated this, conductive that. In the end, almost any speaker wire can transmit a signal to a destination without interference.

Sure, some are better than others. But overall you can even use cheap speaker wire with your setup and see no noticeable problems.

What you may run into problems with is interference. Since speaker cables are essentially antennas for RF signals, it’s easy to pick up any additional electromagnetic energy in the world. If you’ve ever heard someone talking through your speaker when it’s not in use, you’ve become a victim of RF interference. The only way to combat this is to use shielded speaker wire (found on Amazon).

You may still want to source a wire with a high build quality. When we say “any speaker wire will work,” we mean you don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money on “high quality” speaker wire.

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