Speaker cable lengths

Posted by: EBT on 02 January 2018

Evening all,

touched on this on previous post but wanted to get some expert opinions/advice.

I want to move one of my speakers further down my living room to better placed when sitting down. Current cable lengths are 5m each side. But would need 10m to move the left speaker. Cable being used is Naim. Would I lose much quality if lengths are different? Or if I joined the current cable to make longer?

Dealer has said they can join the cable or offer trade in on the 5m for the 10m.

Or do I trade both 5m in and get 10mx 2. Price wise we are talking an extra £250.

thoughts/advice appricated

cheers

scott

Posted on: 02 January 2018 by Tamarin

The physical length of the cable makes no difference. However, the side-effect of different lengths is that you'll be presenting different electrical characteristics to the left vs right amplifier channels (inductance, capacitance and resistance).

Is it audible? Who knows. But I wouldn't want to be wondering about it, so if it was me, I would get two new 10m lengths of cable.

Posted on: 02 January 2018 by joerand

I agree with Tamarin's response. Equal length of cables is something you do for your amp's health, not for SQ.

It's also Naim's recommendation, as stated here

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Simon-in-Suffolk

As long as the cable is above the minimum length, (and below max length) I can’t see how unequal lengths will affect the amps health at all, but it could present a slightly different sonic picture between left and right channels because of the different impedances... therefore it is recommended both channels be the same length.

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Japtimscarlet

I did what you are proposing for several years

I ran a 3 m length to one side and a 7 m length to the other side

It eventually bothered me so much I changed to two 7 m lengths... didn't really notice the difference but felt better about it ..and it's not THAT much money

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Dozey

Nothing wrong with different length cables.

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Well Naim recommend they are the same for best SQ performance.... and as Naim have designed their amps they should know......... on what grounds do you make your statement in preference to Naim’s guidelines? I’m sure they would be interested.

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by EBT

Thanks for the replies, you have pretty much answered what I was thinking. Even dealer said they have tested different lengths in the past and something just sounded off. For the sake of and extra £250 on a 7k plus system my mind would be more settled.

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Beachcomber

Dozey posted:
Nothing wrong with different length cables.

IWHT that was true - but years ago I had a system where the amplifier was to one side, and I ran different length cables. There was something odd about the sound which led me to use the same lengths each channel, and it was very obviously better. This was with a non-Naim setup. I've always used same-length runs since, but not really tested the difference since then either. I can't now remember what sounded wrong, but it was quite clearly off.

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by kaydee6

Does not sit well with my OCD!

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Allante93

Japtimscarlet posted:
I did what you are proposing for several years
I ran a 3 m length to one side and a 7 m length to the other side
It eventually bothered me so much I changed to two 7 m lengths... didn't really notice the difference but felt better about it ..and it's not THAT much money

Japtimscarlet, would you please stop it!

That makes to much sense, could it be the mind playing tricks on us?

Can the human ear really detect such minute differences at that level?

Well I conducted a A-B Blind test, with The Top Ten Audiophiles of the US, and the study was inconclusive....

Just Joking!

You get the point.

Allante93!

PS. Thanks JapTimScarlet, for keeping it Real!

BTW, the ignore button malfunctioned!

HNY To All!

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Klout10

An A-B Blind test, with The Top Ten Audiophiles of the US, are you serious? What are you talking about Allante93?

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Allante93

Allante93 posted:
Japtimscarlet posted:
I did what you are proposing for several years
I ran a 3 m length to one side and a 7 m length to the other side
It eventually bothered me so much I changed to two 7 m lengths... didn't really notice the difference but felt better about it ..and it's not THAT much money
Japtimscarlet, would you please stop it!
That makes to much sense, could it be the mind playing tricks on us?
Can the human ear really detect such minute differences at that level?
Well I conducted a A-B Blind test, with The Top Ten Audiophiles of the US, and the study was inconclusive....
{Just Joking!} *************
LOL......
You get the point.
Allante93!
PS. Thanks JapTimScarlet, for keeping it Real!
BTW, the ignore button malfunctioned!
HNY To All!

@ Klout, flattering to get your attention!

Just curious, any hands on experience with Linn's Klout Amps?

Allante93!

PS. I tried to exercise the ignore button, but I'm weak!

I love the Forum!

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by Klout10

@Allante93, indeed: long, long time ago, I used to own a full blown Linn system with Klout amplification.

Posted on: 03 January 2018 by MDS

In my experience the most important factor in speaker cable length is that each one reaches the speaker. Get that wrong and the system sounds very off somehow.