Please explain the construction of the Planet Waves Speaker Cable

Big Lug · February 10th, 2008, 12:44 PM

Just bought a Planet Waves speaker cable. 5' in length, 12 gauge, with 1/4" ends. Going to cut it down in size so that I can plug one of the stock PW ends into my DRRI and attach the "cut" end to connectors which will then be attached to the speaker terminals.

Hope I explain this next part well enough to be understood.

What I noticed when I sliced the cable was that the copper strands are wound around a thin plastic "tube" that has a single copper wire in it.

What is the function of this plastic-encased copper wire? Is it "hooked up" to anything at the plug end?

Thanks for your help.

Slow Reflexes · February 10th, 2008, 01:48 PM

Sounds like coaxial wire to me - center wire is the conductor, with a braided shield.

Wally · February 11th, 2008, 12:39 PM

As Slow REflexes notes, this sounds like coaxial cable and is not advisable for speaker cable. If your description is accurate, it sounds as if you have a 5' guitar/instrument cable. Speaker cable will have two equal conductors, and usually the conductors are larger gauge than coaxial center conductors.

Slow Reflexes · February 11th, 2008, 04:17 PM

That company does actually have some speaker cables that they use coax for, but if you're cutting off the connectors it kinda defeats the purpose.

Not trying to harsh your mellow or anything, but if you are just going to slice up the wires anyway you'd likely be best served by going to Home Depot and buying some good quality wire off the spool for cents per foot.

Big Lug · February 11th, 2008, 05:14 PM

Thanks guys. If I had paid more attention in High School electronics--and just about everything else--I would have known the answer to my question. Damn those hormones.

It is definitely a Planet Waves speaker cable. I should have noted that there are 2 such cable strands in the cable, each with a conductor, not just one as I alluded to in my description.

Yes, I could simply go to Home Depot or some other hardware store and pick up some less expensive cable, but damn, I love experimenting with the inconsequential and it was relatively inexpensive.

Who knows, I may hear a difference and be inspired to play better.

February 10th, 2008, 12:44 PM	#1 (permalink)
Big Lug Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Lower Mainland, the Great White North Posts: 609	Please explain the construction of the Planet Waves Speaker Cable Just bought a Planet Waves speaker cable. 5' in length, 12 gauge, with 1/4" ends. Going to cut it down in size so that I can plug one of the stock PW ends into my DRRI and attach the "cut" end to connectors which will then be attached to the speaker terminals. Hope I explain this next part well enough to be understood. What I noticed when I sliced the cable was that the copper strands are wound around a thin plastic "tube" that has a single copper wire in it. What is the function of this plastic-encased copper wire? Is it "hooked up" to anything at the plug end? Thanks for your help. __________________ "Set my compass North I've got winter in my blood." Robbie Robertson

February 11th, 2008, 05:14 PM	#5 (permalink)
Big Lug Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Lower Mainland, the Great White North Posts: 609	Thanks guys. If I had paid more attention in High School electronics--and just about everything else--I would have known the answer to my question. Damn those hormones. It is definitely a Planet Waves speaker cable. I should have noted that there are 2 such cable strands in the cable, each with a conductor, not just one as I alluded to in my description. Yes, I could simply go to Home Depot or some other hardware store and pick up some less expensive cable, but damn, I love experimenting with the inconsequential and it was relatively inexpensive. Who knows, I may hear a difference and be inspired to play better. __________________ "Set my compass North I've got winter in my blood." Robbie Robertson

February 10th, 2008, 01:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Slow Reflexes Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Willamette and Columbia Posts: 528	Sounds like coaxial wire to me - center wire is the conductor, with a braided shield.

February 11th, 2008, 12:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
Wally Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lubbock, TX Posts: 3,988	As Slow REflexes notes, this sounds like coaxial cable and is not advisable for speaker cable. If your description is accurate, it sounds as if you have a 5' guitar/instrument cable. Speaker cable will have two equal conductors, and usually the conductors are larger gauge than coaxial center conductors.

February 11th, 2008, 04:17 PM	#4 (permalink)
Slow Reflexes Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Willamette and Columbia Posts: 528	That company does actually have some speaker cables that they use coax for, but if you're cutting off the connectors it kinda defeats the purpose. Not trying to harsh your mellow or anything, but if you are just going to slice up the wires anyway you'd likely be best served by going to Home Depot and buying some good quality wire off the spool for cents per foot.