J
Jakester
New member
I can't figure out how to tell the difference between the two. I always know that you arent supposed to use a speaker wire for a guitar cable...but, i cannot see any difference....help. thanks
gaffa
Recalcitrant Member
Guitar cable is shielded cable, which means that there is a core (hot) and a shield (common). Speaker cable, and I'm talking about speaker cable that is used for home stereo etc. is paired wires (in a figure 8 formation) and is unshielded.
The difference is that signal from a guitar is much weaker and more susceptible to interference, while the outputs of an amplifier produce a larger voltage which doesn't pick up as much interference.
But, often you will see speaker cable that is shielded cable like guitar line. I'm not sure if this is a bad thing - I've used shielded cable as outputs to PA bins before.
Short answer is don't use 'speaker' cable (the figure 8 stuff) as a guitar cable.
- gaffa
The difference is that signal from a guitar is much weaker and more susceptible to interference, while the outputs of an amplifier produce a larger voltage which doesn't pick up as much interference.
But, often you will see speaker cable that is shielded cable like guitar line. I'm not sure if this is a bad thing - I've used shielded cable as outputs to PA bins before.
Short answer is don't use 'speaker' cable (the figure 8 stuff) as a guitar cable.
- gaffa
J
Jakester
New member
ok...i know that speaker wire for my stereo is the figure 8 stuff...but I am talking about a speaker wire that goes from the head of my amp to my cabinet...i have had people tell me not to use specific chords because they are speaker cables, not guitar cables, but i cannot tell...cuz they look identical.
gaffa
Recalcitrant Member
Jakester
As far as I know (and I don't actually own an amp/cab setup - best I've got is a beaten up old 20W practice amp), The shielded cable (guitar type cable) will work without any problems for the line b/w amp and cab. There is no technical reason that I can think of - the volume is based on voltage variations, not current variations, so the cross section of the line is not an issue.
Basically, any cable that has the right connections at each enmd will work, although the oxygen free cables are the better quality ones. If you've got money to throw around, get a Monster cable to do the job - supposedly the highest quality cable available.
Just remember that I'm writing this from the technical point of view. There may be reasons out there that I don't know - I don't have a huge amount of experience in the area, but I do know that there are many myths propagated through the sound eng. and lighting communities, handed down through generation after generation, until nobody is quitre sure what is right.
- gaffa
As far as I know (and I don't actually own an amp/cab setup - best I've got is a beaten up old 20W practice amp), The shielded cable (guitar type cable) will work without any problems for the line b/w amp and cab. There is no technical reason that I can think of - the volume is based on voltage variations, not current variations, so the cross section of the line is not an issue.
Basically, any cable that has the right connections at each enmd will work, although the oxygen free cables are the better quality ones. If you've got money to throw around, get a Monster cable to do the job - supposedly the highest quality cable available.
Just remember that I'm writing this from the technical point of view. There may be reasons out there that I don't know - I don't have a huge amount of experience in the area, but I do know that there are many myths propagated through the sound eng. and lighting communities, handed down through generation after generation, until nobody is quitre sure what is right.
- gaffa
J
JB
New member
Using shielded cable between head and cab can sometimes cause a gross squealing sound if the amp is fairly powerful (100 W or more).
gaffa
Recalcitrant Member
Actually, JB is right - it's not a good thing to use speaker cable for amp out if the amp is loud - the line level can get pretty high and the shielded cable can't handle it properly. My experience with shielded lines have only been with small amps.
- gaffa
- gaffa