Thread: speaker wire question

I have heard that rg-6 cable can be used as speaker wire. Is this true and how good is it, compared to other speaker wire. Thanks!!!

I have never used it or heard anyone doing it, but at least I would think it would be a ridiculously more expensive option vs quality "traditional" type wire.

The center conductor of normal RG-6 has a steel core with a thin copper coating. It works well at radio frequencies used for A/V distribution, but I'd expect its resistance to be too great for use with speakers.

RG-6 with a solid copper center conductor is available. It should work just fine.

One of the dirtiest secrets in HT is that you can use lamp wire and it is indistinguasable from "oxygen free" expexsive speaker wire.

Originally Posted by Digital Dude

One of the dirtiest secrets in HT is that you can use lamp wire and it is indistinguasable from "oxygen free" expexsive speaker wire.

(you can get a Sharpie and write Monster on the cable if you feel like it) Lamp cord is all I have used for years look at your local home improvement center...

Yup, lamp cord should work just fine..........it's amazing the number of reviews I've read that swear up and down that better cables sound better........it's complete rubbish, you're only fooling yourself.........or that is, the marketing folks are fooling you.
I would stay away from RG-6 as speaker wire though, the conductor in the centre and the conductor on the outside are completely different, not to mention the impedance of RG-6 is specifically designed for RF signals.

Originally Posted by Inno

Yup, lamp cord should work just fine...

Lamp cord is available in various sizes, of course. The bigger the better.

Another disadvantage of any coaxial cable is its inflexibility. Lamp cord bends nicely.

I believe I saw- many, many years ago - some PA speakers or such hooked up by coax when I was in the Navy. I"m sure it was some oddball system and to be frank, I'm not absolutely sure I'm remembering correctly.

Anybody know if there was ever any such animal, even in the military?

One might think by looking that I'm using RG6 for speaker wires if they ever saw my setup. The best sounding speaker wire I've ever found is #6 AWG THHN stranded wire from Lowes (I suppose any home improvement store would carry it). It's about the same size as RG6 when you look at it, but it's obviously not coax. It doesn't come as a 2 conductor pair, so you have to run 2 conductors (twist about once every foot for best results). Great conductivity, and a fairly cheap tweak, especially when compared to the price of the wire that my Consonance dealer wanted to sell me. Flexibility tends to be an issue, though.