Ceiling speaker cable
- Thread starter Deansplit
- Start date
Sponsored Links
This is just one of the many that came up on a google search http://www.ceiling-speakers.co.uk/?gclid=CK3dpb7m7aUCFQse4QodXlXzoQ
If its straight forward amp driven then speaker cable is simple multi strand
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Index/Speaker_and_Bell_Wire/index.html
42 strand is good general use, the 79 strand tends to be use for high end, wider frequency speakers (ie expensive ones).
If the speakers are multi room units controlled via a master unit with slave amps in the rooms you tend to use data cable (Cat 5 or 6) as the inter link.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Cable_Index/Speaker_and_Bell_Wire/index.html
42 strand is good general use, the 79 strand tends to be use for high end, wider frequency speakers (ie expensive ones).
If the speakers are multi room units controlled via a master unit with slave amps in the rooms you tend to use data cable (Cat 5 or 6) as the inter link.
The 42 strand (1.32mm²) cable should be adequate for any home installation. You only need the larger 79 strand (2.5mm²) for very high power speakers -I use 2.5mm² on a set of 800W subwoofers.
The current draw from ceiling speakers will be minimal. Assuming a max power of 100W into 8Ω speakers, the current will be I=sqrt(P/R)=sqrt(100/8)=3.54A, so the smaller cable is more than adequate.
(I know I haven't gone into the bass roll-off caused by using smaller cable, but with ceiling speakers it will not make a difference.)
Colin C
The current draw from ceiling speakers will be minimal. Assuming a max power of 100W into 8Ω speakers, the current will be I=sqrt(P/R)=sqrt(100/8)=3.54A, so the smaller cable is more than adequate.
(I know I haven't gone into the bass roll-off caused by using smaller cable, but with ceiling speakers it will not make a difference.)
Colin C
Sponsored Links
R
roberta1000
You're putting a resistor in series with a complex impedance so it's considerably more than bass roll-off that you're distorting. But I doubt that anyone using ceiling speakers would notice anyway.
By the way, your 2.5sqmm cable is seriously underrated if you even approach 800w. I use very considerably thicker on my biwired 801s!
You're putting a resistor in series with a complex impedance so it's considerably more than bass roll-off that you're distorting. But I doubt that anyone using ceiling speakers would notice anyway.
By the way, your 2.5sqmm cable is seriously underrated if you even approach 800w. I use very considerably thicker on my biwired 801s!
Funny thing is when you pull speakers apart- the majority of internal cabling is tepid sub 1mm stuff.
Monster cable = snake oil in the majority of cases, I bi amp via MF X ray pre and power amps with 1mm sq twin core cable. No issues with circa 300w (other than plates failing out the welsh dresser in the other room).
I used 1.5 mm t+e for my speakers and terminated into a speaker connection plate . i know all the hi fi buffs would frown on such a thing , but i think all the oxygen free stuff is just hype .
after all copper is copper ?
after all copper is copper ?
- Joined
- 27 Sep 2004
- Messages
- 1,300
- Reaction score
- 83
- Country
Yes, I too have just wired a very smart barn conversion and fitted 1mm 2 core flex for the surround sound wiring. Spending hundreds of pounds on 99.99999% oxygen free, gold terminal and all the rest of the stuff they say is a mugs game!!
Yup.
But it might be worth spending some of the money you save on screened power cords with plugs which were once very cold.
That must help.
But it might be worth spending some of the money you save on screened power cords with plugs which were once very cold.
That must help.
R
roberta1000
Yes I think the nonsense about gold plating and oxygen-free etc is just that - nonsense.
But the straightforwards issue of voltage loss is much easier to understand. Even a good speaker somewhere around 4 ohms is likely to vary in impedance by 50% over the frequency band so it's not too difficult to decide what level of distortion is introduced by any particular fixed series resistance. There's a bit of difference between a foot of 1sqmm and 10 yards of the stuff too.
For the erudite sparkie here ;o) what series resistance do you think would be acceptable to compare with the rated distortion level of the expensive amplifier you're using?
But the straightforwards issue of voltage loss is much easier to understand. Even a good speaker somewhere around 4 ohms is likely to vary in impedance by 50% over the frequency band so it's not too difficult to decide what level of distortion is introduced by any particular fixed series resistance. There's a bit of difference between a foot of 1sqmm and 10 yards of the stuff too.
For the erudite sparkie here ;o) what series resistance do you think would be acceptable to compare with the rated distortion level of the expensive amplifier you're using?
Silver Rock Signature Knob $480.00
That is $480 for a pair. not $480 each.
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/49718-32-audio-quackwatch-silver-rock-signature-knob
They appear to be no longer available.
That is $480 for a pair. not $480 each.
http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/49718-32-audio-quackwatch-silver-rock-signature-knob
They appear to be no longer available.
There is more to speaker cable than just the loss of signal due to it's impedence. A crucial issue is the Damping Factor*, which is defined by the Load Impedence (i.e. that of the loudspeaker) divided by the Source Impedence (i.e. that of the amplifier/cable combination). The higher this number, the better. Most amplifiers have a very low Source Impedence, in the order of tenths of Ohms or less, and any Impedence due to the speaker cable will only add to this and therefore reduce the Damping Factor.
*Damping Factor affects how accurately the Loudspeaker follows the signal, especially in the Bass region. We are not just talking about Bass Roll-Off here, but rather the undesirable movements of the loudspeaker around it's resonant frequency.
The higher the Damping Factor the better. A DF of 50 or more would be what you might be looking for in true HiFi circles, so a cable with total Impedence of 0.5 Ohm (that's 0.25 Ohm per wire) with a loudspeaker of 8 Ohms would make the DF 16, before taking into account the Amplifier Impedence.
It's one of the reasons professional monitor speakers have the Amplifiers built into them. But as has been mentioned, DF would not be such an issue with speakers in the ceiling.
*Damping Factor affects how accurately the Loudspeaker follows the signal, especially in the Bass region. We are not just talking about Bass Roll-Off here, but rather the undesirable movements of the loudspeaker around it's resonant frequency.
The higher the Damping Factor the better. A DF of 50 or more would be what you might be looking for in true HiFi circles, so a cable with total Impedence of 0.5 Ohm (that's 0.25 Ohm per wire) with a loudspeaker of 8 Ohms would make the DF 16, before taking into account the Amplifier Impedence.
It's one of the reasons professional monitor speakers have the Amplifiers built into them. But as has been mentioned, DF would not be such an issue with speakers in the ceiling.
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
