CAT 5 Cable for speakers?
SRWilson
Reg. Jul 2010
Posted 2011-03-27 11:55 AM (#132204)
Subject: CAT 5 Cable for speakers?


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Location: Washington DC		Does anyone have any experience with Cat 5 cable. I have a some left over from when my brother wired the phones in my house and was wondering if I could use this to hook up the speakers in and outside my DIY project. I know they carry sound via electric pulse just as they transfer data but wasn't sure if it would translate from a stereo. I can buy speaker wire but figured since I am trying to keep the cost down on this project and I have some just laying around, it can't hurt to ask.
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whinneyman
Reg. Oct 2007
Posted 2011-03-27 12:50 PM (#132206 - in reply to #132204)
Subject: RE: CAT 5 Cable for speakers?


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Location: Mi.		Cat5 has 4 twisted pair of 24 ga. wire each capable of carrying just over a half amp each. I suspect this would work by connecting the wires in parallel. The issue I see is breakage from vibration where the connections are made and the possibility of miswiring the pairs. I would just buy the proper wire, not that costly and sell the cat5 on Craigslist.
Whinneyman
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gard
Reg. Aug 2007
Posted 2011-03-27 1:56 PM (#132207 - in reply to #132204)
Subject: RE: CAT 5 Cable for speakers?


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Location: western PA

In an audio system, there are at least two concerns that dictate the awg of the speaker wire.

The first is the impedence of the speakers you are using. A 4 ohm speaker uses almost twice the power of an 8 ohm speaker and will need a larger awg wire over the same distance. The length of the wire is an important consideration. Going from a 10 to a 20 foot length will also require a larger awg wire.

Some generalities: An 8 ohm speaker needs at least an 18 awg wire to run aprox ten feet. The same wire feeding a 4 ohm speaker could only run 5 feet.

A 16 awg wire, feeding an 8 ohm speaker can run ~20', and again the 4 ohm would be half at ~10'

If you were to install 14 awg wiring, you could run your LQ with most speakers, for most of the installations within your lq. Your sound quality and volume would not be compromised wherever you placed your equipment.

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hosspuller
Reg. Oct 2003
Posted 2011-03-27 2:50 PM (#132209 - in reply to #132204)
Subject: RE: CAT 5 Cable for speakers?


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Location: North Carolina		Another part of your answer is the power of your stereo.  Using the cat5 will throttle the output of a good 100 watt / channel stereo.  Not so much a bedside radio...
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RWR
Reg. Nov 2009
Posted 2011-03-28 4:37 PM (#132275 - in reply to #132204)
Subject: RE: CAT 5 Cable for speakers?


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Posts: 23

Speaker wire is cheap. I would go with what was supposed to be used.
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SRWilson
Reg. Jul 2010
Posted 2011-03-29 5:12 PM (#132334 - in reply to #132204)
Subject: RE: CAT 5 Cable for speakers?


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Location: Washington DC		Thanks all, I have never gone wrong asking the forum questions even if I think they are stupid, I usually have my suspicions confirmed. No more shortcuts! I'll get the speaker wire.
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