Nowadays the use of Coaxial speaker cables is increasing because it’s easy to set up and install. One theory about them is that they can transmit sound without compromising quality and are immune to outside noise.
Additionally, they can be used to control a wide range of electronics, such as cable/satellite boxes, DVRs, HDTVs, Blu-ray/DVD players, audio systems, and game consoles.
High-quality digital audio signals can be transmitted without interruption using these wires. Most speaker cables have male RCA connections at each end of the coaxial section.
The ins and outs of coaxial speaker wires are laid out in-depth here. We’ll talk about how coaxial lines work, what problems they can cause, and the different types of coaxial cables out there.
What is Coaxial Speaker Cable?
A coaxial speaker cable is a specific kind of electrical fiber that is used to carry radio frequency (RF) data from one piece of equipment to another. The phrase “coaxial speaker cable” refers to this form of cable.
These connections are gaining popularity as a preferred means for guaranteeing that high-end home audio systems create sound of constant and high-quality, and as such, they are becoming increasingly popular.
There is a wide variety of possible radio frequencies, from 20 kHz all the way up to 300 GHz. A technical word that describes the inside construction of the cable is called “coaxial,” and it is known by this name.
Because the inner conductor, which is often referred to as the “core” of the cable, and the woven shielding, which is typically made of copper, both lie along the same axis, this particular design is used for cables.
A signal can be sent from a set of speakers to an amplifier by using a coaxial cable to make the connection. If you connect an amplifier to speakers via coaxial cable, there is a chance that there will be some loss of loudness as well as distortion, but it shouldn’t be too terrible. There is a remote chance that the amplifier and speakers in your system will be damaged.
Purpose of Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cables are used in a wide variety of wireless, telecommunication, and radio communication systems nowadays. They have a wide range of applications, including HDTV, cable, the internet, and the transmission of audio and video content.
There are many varieties of links and cables available, each one suited to a certain purpose. Lines and connections of type F are utilized frequently in cable TV, high-speed cable internet, and satellite TV transmissions. These lines include RG-6, RG-7, RG-11, and RG-60.
Types of Coaxial Speaker Cable
Flexible Coax:
Every flexible coaxial cable, which is also called the standard type of coaxial cable, has a conductor made of very small wires that are linked together. The braid gives the wire the right amount of flexibility. It does not protect you 100%, though. Because the rope has small holes, the RF waves can get through.
Coaxial Triaxial:
These cables, which are also known as Triax in some quarters, feature two exposed wires on the outside. In the gap between the two conductors, there is a layer of dielectric material.
One of the external conductors is in charge of conveying the signal ground, while the other is in charge of carrying the earth ground. As a result, the signal is more protected from interference and less susceptible to it.
Semi Rigid Coax:
Every semi-rigid coaxial cable has a metal outer conductor that is thick, tubular, and resembles a pipe in appearance. This conductor is made of metal. Due to the way these cables are constructed, the characteristic impedance that they exhibit is consistent throughout the entire set.
In addition to this, they provide an effective barrier. These benefits are communicated at the expense of the system’s adaptability.
Dual Coaxial:
These cables have two separate coaxial cables inside but they only have one outer jacket between them.
Components of Coaxial Speaker Cable
Coaxial lines are set up in the shape of a simple cylinder. Coaxial cables all have the same four parts, no matter how thick, bright, or well-made they are. This is always true, no matter how thick the wire is. Here are the four things that can change:
- Copper bases are common. This business uses copper stranding and steel that has been coated with copper.
- The center conductor is kept safe by the dielectric. This could be made of solid plastic, foam, or air with gaps.
- Shields are made of copper twisted wire. The braid may be covered in silver. Copper braiding and aluminum foil make up the two shields of high-quality wires. Four shielding layers can be made out of two layers of metal foil and two layers of braided copper wire. Adding more shielding reduces losses and helps performance, but it also makes the cable heavier and less flexible, which is not ideal.
- Most jackets are made of PVC, which stands for polyvinyl chloride. The jacket could be made of a material that doesn’t catch fire, doesn’t get wet, doesn’t rust, or doesn’t break down in the sun.
How to Hook Up a Set of Speakers to a Coaxial Line?
- At the end of the wire, there are coax connectors. The cable tip, which is often made of metal, holds the right connection to the wire in place. Even though the coax connectors can be taken off without any extra tools, care must be taken to keep the wire from getting damaged. You should be fine as long as you have a steady hand and a sharp knife.
- When the connectors on a coaxial line are taken off, you should be able to see the wire inside. To connect it to a sound system’s speakers, you’ll need to bring the wires out into the open. You should look at how your speakers are wired now to figure out the right length of wire. You don’t want any exposed wires to be too short. We should use an extra foot of wire just to be sure.
- It doesn’t take much work to remove the insulation until you can see the copper wire. Because it is close to the conductor wire, the clear insulator on the bottom is less visible. To get to it, you will have to untwist some copper wire. Be careful not to damage the conductor wire below the coaxial line, or it will no longer work.
- After removing any extra shielding, all that’s left to do is connect the coaxial cable directly to the speakers. To do this, find the speaker’s positive connector (it will be red) and plug in the appropriate cable.
Advantages of Coaxial Speaker Cable
- Affordability without compromising on the product’s quality.
- RFI or EMI wires are less likely to pick up noise or interference than twisted pair wires.
- support the sending of messages over a wide range of frequencies.
- stronger tensile properties to work well in a wide range of settings.
- Installation and growth options that are flexible.
- The music quality is excellent and getting better, and it’s good enough for professional use.
Disadvantages of Coaxial Speaker Cable
- Construction with a lot of bulk
- There is a loss of signal while traveling across great distances.
- At the link, there is some loss of the signal.
- When there is heavy use, there is a change in speed.
- It is more expensive to install over longer distances because of the material’s increased thickness and rigidity.
- The process of running and concealing the speaker cord takes some time.
- When there is a greater capacitance, there is a greater chance of instability, particularly when using lengthy lines.