An alternative to speaker wire???

[SnidelyWhiplash]

I was in a pinch a couple of years back & hard wired a speaker to my 6G2 combo amp. I used less than a foot of tv power cord because I didn't have any speaker cable. I soldered the wire to a Switchcraft 1/4" mono plug. It works fine, but i thought that perhaps I should reconsider???

The speaker is a 12" Rola, 8 ohm.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[trev333]

2 core lamp/lighting cable works for speakers....

 

[elpico]

I was in a pinch a couple of years back & hard wired a speaker to my 6G2 combo amp. I used less than a foot of tv power cord because I didn't have any speaker cable. I soldered the wire to a Switchcraft 1/4" mono plug. It works fine, but i thought that perhaps I should reconsider???

The speaker is a 12" Rola, 8 ohm.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

That'll work well. Unless you don't like the look of it there's no need to change.

 

[clydethecat]

People have used zip cord for speaker wires for decades. I suppose it works well enough, it won't damage the amplifier and sound comes out.

It doesn't look "right" on a vintage amp, it's up to you to decide if that matters.

 

[Caffiend]

I've seen 3 core 13 amp flex used for guitar speaker cable before without problems. It's maybe not 'right' but it's not going to cause problems and it's much better than trying to get away with guitar cord...

 

[Peegoo]

For short runs in combo amps and head-cab connections, lamp wire is perfect. It's 18 gauge stuff, sold as '18-2' (18 gauge, two conductors). It handles the speaker signal's AC voltage and current just fine.
Larger wire will work, but it won't make your amp sound better.

Take a look at the braided silver "tinsel" leads that connect the speaker's terminal board to the voice coil through the cone: they are really small conductors.

 

[loudboy]

People have used zip cord for speaker wires for decades. I suppose it works well enough, it won't damage the amplifier and sound comes out.

Depending upon whether or not you're an audiophile, it's indistiguishable from "designer" cables, in pretty much every objective way.

 

[Engine Swap]

You’re going to start getting commercials

 

[SnidelyWhiplash]

Sorry, it's not a vintage 6G2. It's a clone. No one can see it & as long as it works, I'm cool with it.

 

[beep.click]

Back in the day, if you bought a speaker cord pre-made — it was TV power cord. Or “lamp cord,” as they called it. I still have some of those.

 

[trev333]

just made a new speaker cable for my bin. 2 core lamp cable... and found a tidy way to use a pancake plug under the back board so it won't pull out...

I use the same cable for longer speaker cables as well, the white cord separates them from instrument cables on the floor...and you can write on them to mark the ends, etc...

 

[Jasonpatrick]

I mean,

 

[King Fan]

This thread is unanimous? Really? We need to encase it in Lucite and put it on display in the TDPRI museum lobby…

 

[schmee]

Any non shielded wire is fine for speakers.

If you are in the "monsta cable crowd" then battery jumper cables!

 

[cyclopean]

some sort of blood sacrifice?

 

[Bill Ashton]

This thread is unanimous? Really? We need to encase it in Lucite and put it on display in the TDPRI museum lobby…

Good thing this isn't an audio board, there would be fistfights over gauge, how much resistance per foot, CCA vs. OFC, ad nauseum LOL

 

[Alamo]

Good thing this isn't an audio board, there would be fistfights over gauge, how much resistance per foot, CCA vs. OFC, ad nauseum LOL

...and is it bi-directional or only one way?

I had some old broken computer power supplies kickin' about.
cut the wires off and now there's plenty left over for all sorts of projects.

 

[NHFlyCaster]

I just did a couple of lamp cords with spade connectors a few months back. It sounds fine although it's a bit ugly being white

 

[sammy1974]

BUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR TV

 

[Peegoo]

Whenever I see an old vacuum cleaner sitting on the curb with someone's trash, I clip off the power cable and that goes into my wire stash. It's recycling.

It's GREEN!

I'm reducing my carbon footprints!