Can I use instrument cable to connect my powered studio monitor speakers?

KillrBuckeye · 09-01-2009, 10:29 AM

I have a pair of KRK Rokit 5 powered studio monitor speakers. When I purchased the speakers, I got a set of 14-gauge speaker cables with 1/4" connectors. These have worked perfectly fine so far, but one of the cables is a bit too short and I can't tuck it away neatly behind my desk. I want to get something longer, but I'm finding that a 20' run of speaker cable is $20+, which is a bit more than I want to spend for improved aesthetics of my recording desk.

Thinking about this some more, I'm questioning whether I really need a thick speaker cable for this run. Aren't heavy-duty speaker cables really intended to transmit the output of amplifiers to passive speaker systems? Since I'm just sending a line-level signal to a powered speaker, couldn't I just get by with an instrument cable? Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.

Milt · 09-01-2009, 02:52 PM

It would seem to me that an instrument cable would be the best thing to use. That's what I use on my powered Behringers, thats what my manual said to use.

pw3 · 09-01-2009, 06:35 PM

I agree - shielded (instrument) cables into powered speakers.

yhertogh · 09-02-2009, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillrBuckeye

I have a pair of KRK Rokit 5 powered studio monitor speakers. When I purchased the speakers, I got a set of 14-gauge speaker cables with 1/4" connectors. These have worked perfectly fine so far, but one of the cables is a bit too short and I can't tuck it away neatly behind my desk. I want to get something longer, but I'm finding that a 20' run of speaker cable is $20+, which is a bit more than I want to spend for improved aesthetics of my recording desk.

Thinking about this some more, I'm questioning whether I really need a thick speaker cable for this run. Aren't heavy-duty speaker cables really intended to transmit the output of amplifiers to passive speaker systems? Since I'm just sending a line-level signal to a powered speaker, couldn't I just get by with an instrument cable? Thanks in advance for any input you can provide.

You're right..instrument cable should do fine

Yves

Dstruct · 09-02-2009, 07:02 AM

Balanced cables would be better.

Bezmotivnik · 09-03-2009, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dstruct

Balanced cables would be better.

Depends on length of run.

With, say, 3'-4' runs to desk nearfields from a DAW or rack unit, there's zero (0) real advantage to using balanced cables.

25'? Yeah, go balanced.

KillrBuckeye · 09-03-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bezmotivnik

Depends on length of run.

With, say, 3'-4' runs to desk nearfields from a DAW or rack unit, there's zero (0) real advantage to using balanced cables.

25'? Yeah, go balanced.

Thanks for all the responses. Hmmm, I'm probably looking at 15-20 foot runs, so maybe I should stick with balanced cables. I guess it's still going to cost me a bit more than I wanted, because I'll have to buy two. (I read somewhere that you don't want cables of different length going to your two monitor speakers, because it can cause timing issues).

Graeme · 09-03-2009, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KillrBuckeye

I read somewhere that you don't want cables of different length going to your two monitor speakers, because it can cause timing issues.

Nonsense. If that was true, all your mic cable runs would have to be exactly the same

.

Electricity travels at the speed of light, I think you'd find it hard to hear any delays introduced by a few extra feet of cabling.