Is it necessary to hook up my sub-woofer with a good cable??

Question

Is it necessary to hook up my sub-woofer with a good cable like for example, the monster cables? Or a normal $18 cable would actually do the job just as well?

Answer 1

An ordinary RCA cable works fine. I have even made 30 ft cables by buying pre-terminated CATV coax and putting "F-to-RCA-Male" adaptors.

However: there are 2 issues with subwoofer cables you should be aware of:

- Subs like tight RCA plugs. Monster has a reputation of having the "Turbine grip of death" RCA plugs. People have been afraid to pull them off because they are so tight. But the subwoofer connection seems to like having a very snug connection with lots of suface area.

- Ground Loop: special "Subwoofer" cables with arrows indicating the signal direction sometimes must be purchased. Adding a powered woofer sometimes causes a ground loop resulting in a 60 hz hum. One way to break the loop is to use a RCA cable where the shield is not connected at one end. This disconnects the ground in the sub from the receiver and stops the ground loop.

You can usually do this to any RCA cable by un-screwing the body of the RCA plug and carefully disconnecting the wire or foil mesh that attaches to the outer body. This leaves just the center-pin connected to the center wire.

Or - buy a subwoofer cable from PartsExpress.

Answer 2

Ah the old cable debate. Good old RG59 cable is fine- you'd have to terminate the ends yourself. Partsexpress.com has really economical (and good looking) subwoofer cable in various lenghts. DO NOT let anyone sell you some Paris Hilton million dollar cables claiming that your world will be changed forever if you buy their stuff- SCAM!! The home theater industry is a gold mine ( always has been ) and the vultures are always out there to take every red cent you have- BEWARE!

Answer 3

How can you answer a question with no empirical data? What sub? What receiver? What application? With out this data you will only have opinions on cable performance, an argument that needs no fomenting.

As always use my 10% rule as a guideline, but make sure to audition all cables to see if they make the diference you paid for worth it. Just a yes or no answer on what will make you feel better about a purchase discsion is not necisarry, and if you are unsure find out by judging for yourself.

Answer 4

THE TRUTH ABOUT MONSTER CABLE
Costs:
Monster Cable 2-meter $120 vs."Internet" 6ft $4.79
1) At short distances up to 6ft 2 meters you can pretty much get away with any cable. Monoprice,cheap, internet purchased, cables kicked butt at the 6 foot length that mostly everyone uses.
2) Only at longer distances, over 20 feet, does cheaper cable tends to choke up. Remember we're talking digital, 1's-0's. Either the signal is there or it isn't. Monster want you to believe that more $$ means better cable. BALONEY!