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RG-6 for 35' Run From Pre-amp to Amplifier

post #1 of 7
1/3/13 at 10:04am
Thread Starter 
I am nearing the end of my home theater project and just got struck with the idea that I want to put my Emotiva 3 channel amplifier in the front of the room to feed my front three channels with the moderatley expensive speaker cables I have already purchased. My equipment rack is near the back of the room and it will require about a 35' run of cable from the preamp to the amplifier.The cable run will not be running over any electrical so it should be free of interference.So my questions are as follows:
-Can I use RCA terminated RG-6 cable to make this run?
-Could I use an RCA terminated RG-6 cable that is designated for component video(the specs seem the same as the audio cable)?
I appreciate your answer and help on this topic.
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post #2 of 7
1/3/13 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by golgi15 View Post

feed my front three channels with the moderatley expensive speaker cables I have already purchased.

Can you take them back and buy extremely inexpensive but just as good speaker wires that are the proper length?
Quote:
My equipment rack is near the back of the room and it will require about a 35' run of cable from the preamp to the amplifier.The cable run will not be running over any electrical so it should be free of interference.So my questions are as follows:
-Can I use RCA terminated RG-6 cable to make this run?
-Could I use an RCA terminated RG-6 cable that is designated for component video(the specs seem the same as the audio cable)?

If you believe that expensive speaker cables are improving the sound, why would you try to use a cheap cable solution for a long, very-low-voltage and signal-sensitive interconnect? confused.gif

But seriously, the pre-amp to amp interconnect is the most sensitive to noise in the whole chain. Yes, you can use RG6 for those, the component video cables may be fine (I'd have to look up the characteristics of the cable to know for sure). However, you're asking for trouble, IMO. Keep the amp in the stack and run long, heavy-gauge but inexpensive speaker wire instead.

Jeff
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post #3 of 7
1/3/13 at 12:05pm
Thread Starter 
The speaker cables I speak of are not off the charts expensive, maybe $250 spread across the three of them, so if I can not use them it is not the end of the world. What gauge wire would you recommend to run to the three front channels if I kept the amplifier in the equipment rack?
Also, are there any wireless solution that I could use for the link between preamp and amplifier?
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post #4 of 7
1/3/13 at 12:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by golgi15 View Post

The speaker cables I speak of are not off the charts expensive, maybe $250 spread across the three of them, so if I can not use them it is not the end of the world. What gauge wire would you recommend to run to the three front channels if I kept the amplifier in the equipment rack?

It's not that far for speaker wire, but regardless - use a 12-gauge wire. For $250 you can get a nice 100' spool of in-wall rated 12-gauge wire from Monoprice, and four $50 bottles of wine (or some very nice whiskey. whichever... biggrin.gif )

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239&cs_id=1023901&p_id=2817&seq=1&format=2

(if you can't take back $250 cables, yikes. Sell them on eBay then...)
Quote:
Also, are there any wireless solution that I could use for the link between preamp and amplifier?

No. You really like those speaker cables, don't you? tongue.gif

Jeff
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post #5 of 7
1/3/13 at 12:59pm
Thread Starter 
$50 of monoprice cable and four bottles of wine is going to win this battle. I appreciate the help in helping me to make a wise decision.
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post #6 of 7
1/4/13 at 3:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by golgi15 View Post

I am nearing the end of my home theater project and just got struck with the idea that I want to put my Emotiva 3 channel amplifier in the front of the room to feed my front three channels with the moderatley expensive speaker cables I have already purchased. My equipment rack is near the back of the room and it will require about a 35' run of cable from the preamp to the amplifier.The cable run will not be running over any electrical so it should be free of interference.So my questions are as follows:
-Can I use RCA terminated RG-6 cable to make this run?
-Could I use an RCA terminated RG-6 cable that is designated for component video(the specs seem the same as the audio cable)?
I appreciate your answer and help on this topic.

You'd be better off using the balanced inputs that your amp has. If your preamp doesn't have balanced outputs, then you could use Category cable with baluns at each end.

With the RG6, you may get some high frequency attenuation at that length. It depends on the output impedance of the pre-amp and the cable capacitance/foot. If your output impedance is 5,000 ohms or less, you should be fine. You want the lowest capacitance RG6 you can get.
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post #7 of 7
1/4/13 at 3:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pirspilane View Post

You want the lowest capacitance RG6 you can get.

These are the lowest capacitance cables I've heard of:
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/audio/index.htm
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