In sound reproduction systems powered by electricity, components are connected by wires that transmit current. But not every wire will be able to transmit the sound signal reliably. Special speaker cables are used for this purpose. What are their features, what are the main parameters, how to choose and connect the cable - read in this article.
Contents
The main features of acoustic wires
Acoustic speaker cable consists of two or more electrically identical wires covered with a layer of insulation. Structural strength and reduction of distorting electromagnetic interference are achieved through laying of natural textile materials and shielding, while the quality of sound transmission depends on the properties of the materials from which the cable is made.
What is a bottle neck
The metaphor of "bottle-neck", which has become ingrained in the terminology of the computer industry and electronics, management, psychology, and other areas of human knowledge and activity, refers to an element that slows down the entire system, regardless of the quality of its components.
A speaker cable can also be a bottle-neck: the wrong or low-quality cable reduces system performance and distorts the sound because it can't properly pass the frequencies coming from the amplifier.
So, what features should you consider when choosing a conductor?
Wire resistance
The most important parameter of an acoustic cable is its resistance. It is the ability of matter to counteract the movement of electrons. The higher this property, the lower the carrying capacity of the conductor.
The resistance of a wire depends on its length, cross-sectional area, and the resistivity of the core material.
TIP: A conductive wire with a larger cross-section has less resistance and provides powerful and clean transmission. Simply put, a thin and long wire will distort the sound because of its high resistance, while a thick and short one will transmit the signal qualitatively.
Key electrical characteristics depend on the conductor material. The most common conductive metal used in the manufacture of acoustic cables is copper of three basic types:
- TPC - coarse grade for budget acoustics with low sound quality requirements;
- OFC - oxygen-free for middle class systems with good technical indicators;
- RSOSS - pure copper obtained as a result of melt extraction.
Elite equipment and concert equipment can be equipped with wires made of silver: noble metals transmit current much better, and Ag among them is relatively inexpensive.
Improvements in technology have led to the emergence of composite (made of several metals) and component (made of copper and carbon conductors) cables, products with an increased crystal lattice, which have an additional impact on the quality of sound transmission.
IMPORTANT: When selecting speaker cable pay attention to the marking: on each meter must contain a marking of the cable intended use (acoustic), its cross-section and the name of the manufacturer.
On sale you can find cables with wires made of copper-plated aluminum with a distinctive silver cut. The properties of this metal do not allow for quality sound transmission, and its only advantage is the low cost.
Other factors
When selecting an acoustic cable, it is worth considering the characteristics of the wire insulation material, as it also affects the effectiveness of the cable. The most common are polyvinyl chloride, plastisol, polypropylene and polyurethane. Cotton is sometimes used as an insulating material to suppress resonances as much as possible.
The best performance is given by Teflon insulation, especially foamed or low density, while polychlorvinyl, which has a charge accumulation effect, on the contrary, has a negative effect on sound.
Wire construction, standard inputs and connections
To navigate in the variety of available options and choose the most appropriate cable for connecting the speakers will help knowledge about the structure of acoustic wires, terminals and connectors, as well as ready-made solutions offered by manufacturers and not requiring rework.
Types of speaker wires
Wires for transmitting audio signals can consist of one or more wires. The high stiffness of single-core wires makes their use in compact audio systems problematic, but they have the greatest bandwidth, which certainly has a positive effect on the quality of sound transmission.
Multi-core speaker wires can be bundled, concentric and rope, giving the cable a certain flexibility.
In the typology of speaker cables, the most well-known varieties are:
- symmetrical (most often microphone) - two stranded conductors in a conductive shield;
- asymmetrical (for home appliances, computer equipment and musical instruments) - with shielded central core;
- parallel - two insulated stranded conductors;
- coaxial (for use with power wires) - with enhanced protection against external interference.
Twisted Pair Acoustic Cable
Twisted or twisted pair cable is a special type of speaker cable. It incorporates a variety of interlacing options for both solid and stranded conductors. Some twisted-pair models are equipped with sophisticated shielding to greatly improve signal quality.
WARNING Even well shielded and insulated wires are susceptible to extraneous noise, therefore, when laying on metal structures, it is recommended to place them in a corrugation to absorb resonance.
Terminals and Connectors
The combination of connectors and terminals depends on the purpose of the system. For the installation of car audio systems, U-shaped terminal with an insulating cover for protection is most often used, on low-frequency speakers and home Hi-Fi equipment - screw terminals designed for bare wire connection, and professional speakers and sound recording systems are equipped with screw terminals.
If you choose a speaker cable without crimping and lugs, you can leave the wire bare or select connectors: pins (needle), spade type, single or double banana.
Speakers are usually equipped with one of two types of connectors - spring clips or screw terminals.
Spring clips are the easiest to use: press the clip, insert the speaker wire and release - the mechanism holds the wire in place.
Screw terminals provide a very strong connection. The cable is connected through the stem of the terminal, there is a hole under the nut for the bare wire and a male connector.
Prefabricated Solutions
If the sound system is equipped with closed sockets instead of terminals, you will need a ready-made acoustic cable, the choice of which is quite wide on the market.
TIP! Factory-soldered cables are protected against oxidation of the conductors and provide uniform signal flow. It is almost impossible to connect a cable with connectors properly at home.
Many systems are equipped with tulip jacks, a convenient, reliable connection. A mini-jack to tulip cable is used to connect to your computer's sound card.
Ready audio systems factory marked with numbers "2.0", "2.1", "5.1", "7.1", indicating the number and type of speakers: the first number indicates how many high and medium-frequency outputs has an amplifier, the second indicates the presence of a subwoofer for low-frequency playback.
Connecting Your Speakers
Connecting the speakers to the audio system is not difficult: it is enough to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, observing the sequence and matching the components in terms of polarity.
WARNING! The amplifier and speaker terminals are marked red by default, and the corresponding wire is marked with a colored band or hidden in the red insulation. Minus terminals and wires are most often not marked at all, their color is black.
Wiring diagrams for speakers:
- monowiring (two-wire) - serial switching of the connecting cable to the treble and bass connectors;
- bi-wiring (four-wire) - connection of two speakers to one amplifier by separate cables;
- bi-amping (to two amplifiers) - connection of separate power amplifiers for low-frequency and high-frequency signals.
For each type of amplifier unit a certain number of speakers can be connected, which are selected in accordance with the accompanying diagram, which clearly shows all the wiring leads. Compliance with all recommendations guarantees a quality result.
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