[GTALUG] Linux and Stereo Speaker Cables

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: James Knott <james.knott at rogers.com>

| Generally speaking, if a cable isn't falling apart, it's OK.  Premium
| cables from Monster, etc. are a waste of money.

I agree.  And cables from Best Buy or other electronics stores are 
generally a waste of money.

There might be some advantage to heavier gauge cables, especially for
longer runs.  You can get various gauges of lampcord at Canadian Tire
or similar stores (cheaper than at consumer electoronics stores).  If
I remember correctly, 16 gauge is good and 20 gauge is OK.

There is be some advantage to better connectors.  In the past, I found
that lampcord got a bit fuzzy at the exposed end and might not connect
perfectly with the post.  Tinning the end with solder seemed to help a
bit.  That might also cut down on oxide building up and interfering
with a good connection.  But that partly depends on the post mechanism
(there are several).

You need to connect your (two?) speakers in phase (otherwise the
sound is wrong, but in a way you might not figure out).  So you need a
way to tell the two conductors apart.  An asymmetric marking along the
length of the insulation is sufficient (I have some lampcord with
transparent insulation and differently-coloured conductors but that is
not necessary).

|   For low level audio, the
| plain shielded cables with "phono" plugs are all you need.

RCA connectors can be crappy.  Some dollar-store cables might not be
good enough.  Probably you can tell by feel if they are crappy.

For video signals, even cables with RCA plugs should be co-ax (as I
understand it).  I think that applies to digital audio cables too (I'm
not sure and I'm too lazy to google).  I don't know if co-ax cables
are better or worse for analogue audio but they are not what is
conventionally used.

One hint is colour.  Yellow means video, white and red mean audio.  I
don't actually know if there is a convention for digital audio.
Component video comes in three colours, usually as one bundle.