LFE cable / Digital coax questions...

[douglasbjordan]

I need a 20 ft digital coax cable and a 30 ft LFE subwoofer cable. My first question is: what on earth is a subwoofer LFE cable? Is that the same as a digital coax cable? (They look like that have the same RCA connector...) Some companies market them as different cables, so I wasn't sure.

The real question, though: any recommendations on these two cables? I'm not looking for anything super fancy... just something long enough that'll do the job adequately. =) At the local shops the longest they carry was 4 meters. =(

I'm currently using two lengths of really cheap speaker wire with a coupler in lieu of the 20 ft digital coax cable. It works but I'd like to avoid the couplers (those are bad, right? sorry I'm kinda new to all this cabling stuff...) and thought I might as well get something a little nicer than cheap speaker wire if I'm going to buy a new cable anyway.

Thanks for any help.

[mtrycraft]

I need a 20 ft digital coax cable

Try Radio Shack and ask for a RG6 type cable, same used for cable TV.

and a 30 ft LFE subwoofer cable. My first question is: what on earth is a subwoofer LFE cable? Is that the same as a digital coax cable? (They look like that have the same RCA connector...) Some companies market them as different cables, so I wasn't sure.

A sub cable is nothing more than an interconnect cable similar to the RCA analog cable but with the new and improved, more expensive words on it. Same cable, pay for the words on it.
Digital coax cable will do the job just as well but that cable is slightly different. A digital audio cable is the same as a video cable. So, that RG6 type can be used in all those applications :)

The real question, though: any recommendations on these two cables?

Radio Shack, www.partsexpress.com, Target, WalMart, local electronics parts store.

I'm not looking for anything super fancy... just something long enough that'll do the job adequately. =) At the local shops the longest they carry was 4 meters. =(

Oh, good. No need to pay for the expanded alphabet on the jacket :) or the designer name attached to it.

I'm currently using two lengths of really cheap speaker wire with a coupler in lieu of the 20 ft digital coax cable.

For the sub? In the RCA input or speaker hookup terminal?

It works but I'd like to avoid the couplers (those are bad, right? sorry I'm kinda new to all this cabling stuff...)

Not sure what you are calling couplers. It may not be a factor. Most likely not.


and thought I might as well get something a little nicer than cheap speaker wire if I'm going to buy a new cable anyway.

Thanks for any help.

'Nicer' is of course a good reason for a change.

[douglasbjordan]

Try Radio Shack and ask for a RG6 type cable, same used for cable TV.
Hmmm the terminating ends aren't RCA... how hard would it be to cut, crimp, and make my own terminators for specific lengths?

For the sub? In the RCA input or speaker hookup terminal?
I have the computer sound card digital output connected to the cheap speaker cable, followed by a coupler, then another cheap speaker cable. The sub isn't even hooked up at the moment because I didn't have enough cable left to reach across the room to it.

Here's what I mean by "coupler": http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=274-874

I *could* easily find short lengths of cable and use couplers to extend them, but I was under the impression that fewer connections along the way were better. This is the case, right? One longer cable is better than two shorter ones?

[mtrycraft]

Hmmm the terminating ends aren't RCA... how hard would it be to cut, crimp, and make my own terminators for specific lengths?

If you are handy, should not be a problem. How about pre terminated cable with F type connector, then you can get an adaptor from F to RCA.


I have the computer sound card digital output connected to the cheap speaker cable, followed by a coupler, then another cheap speaker cable.

From th elooks of the coupler, you are plugging in interconnects with RCA plugs, right? I am sure they are not speaker wires which is just 2 parallel wires like a lamp cord.




I *could* easily find short lengths of cable and use couplers to extend them, but I was under the impression that fewer connections along the way were better. This is the case, right? One longer cable is better than two shorter ones?

Yes, one long cable is better that two short ones. But I doubt you will have an audible difference. Is it less expensive for those short cables and connectors than one long one?