Does RCA cable brands matter much with bass amps?

[Lifted07Duramax 0]

I was told the only time I need to worry about getting a better grade RCA wire is if its for mids and highs. Is that true?

Im about to order RCAs for my sundown 1200 and just want to make sure I dont get too cheap of an RCA if I need something better than basic

[jcarter1885 995]

I was told the only time I need to worry about getting a better grade RCA wire is if its for mids and highs. Is that true?

Im about to order RCAs for my sundown 1200 and just want to make sure I dont get too cheap of an RCA if I need something better than basic

Sundowns were having problems with some expensive brands so Jacob recommends some cheap ones, I was using some from Autozone with no problems and then upgraded them to KnuKonceptz Klarity with no problems.

[Julian 641]

I was told the only time I need to worry about getting a better grade RCA wire is if its for mids and highs. Is that true?

Im about to order RCAs for my sundown 1200 and just want to make sure I dont get too cheap of an RCA if I need something better than basic

as long as they're shielded you should be okay, you may get an engine whine if they're lower quality.

for RCA's for an amp i would suggest the Knukonceptz product detail for KLARITY 2 CHANNEL RCA KABLE 5M they're GREAT and CHEAP. switched from some Scocshe which whined and buzzed to these and they fixed the problem

I was told the only time I need to worry about getting a better grade RCA wire is if its for mids and highs. Is that true?

Im about to order RCAs for my sundown 1200 and just want to make sure I dont get too cheap of an RCA if I need something better than basic

Sundowns were having problems with some expensive brands so Jacob recommends some cheap ones, I was using some from Autozone with no problems and then upgraded them to KnuKonceptz Klarity with no problems.

butt hole!

you beat me to it, mine was to long winded

hehe

and also im *preeety* sure that only applied to strapping amps between the two. i'm not quite sure though

Edited February 7, 2010 by Julian

[Impious 1,476]

I was told the only time I need to worry about getting a better grade RCA wire is if its for mids and highs. Is that true?

It's not true, because "better grade" (i.e. fancy and expensive) RCA's are unnecessary anywhere in the system.

[Julian 641]

I was told the only time I need to worry about getting a better grade RCA wire is if its for mids and highs. Is that true?

It's not true, because "better grade" (i.e. fancy and expensive) RCA's are unnecessary anywhere in the system.

I agree, but i know people who would object that opinion lol.

As long as you keep your RCA's away from your power wires you should be just fine.

[slim2fattycake 85]

If you're getting noise then maybe the conectors on your RCA may be problems or tears or rips in the RCA but buying expensive RCAs will do nothing for sound quality or performance.

[Thumpper 266]

your system is only as good as the weakest link.....

but there is no point in spending $100+ on a pair of RCA's unless the rest of the system

is up to the same level.............

you would be fine with a mid grade RCA , just make shure thay have good quality ends

and are OFC copper

[Impious 1,476]

I was told the only time I need to worry about getting a better grade RCA wire is if its for mids and highs. Is that true?

It's not true, because "better grade" (i.e. fancy and expensive) RCA's are unnecessary anywhere in the system.

I agree, but i know people who would object that opinion lol.

As long as you keep your RCA's away from your power wires you should be just fine.

They can object all they want.....they would still be wrong

And there's nothing wrong with RCA's next to the power wire. That's an old myth.

[bigrank916 72]

In my experience the expensive RCAs dont do shit. The cheap ones do the same job with the same performance. I get the cheapest possible and havent ever had a problem.

[Duran 387]

...And there's nothing wrong with RCA's next to the power wire. That's an old myth.

True

[bigrank916 72]

...And there's nothing wrong with RCA's next to the power wire. That's an old myth.

True

Thats why I love this place...Lots of useful info.

[Duran 387]

...And there's nothing wrong with RCA's next to the power wire. That's an old myth.

True

Thats why I love this place...Lots of useful info.

Ya know funny thing about that, back when I was installing part time my boss hired a guy that was gonna replace me, he was 26-27 and I was 17, I was diagnosing a noise problem in a vehicle, checking the grounds of course, and he was looking with me and said "Oh found it!" and held up the RCA's next to the power wire, I told him that wasn't the problem and he said it causes noise, I insisted it didn't and he got pissed and left. He came back after I regrounded the amp and the noise was gone, showed him, and that fucker had the balls to say"You moved the RCA's to the other side of the car didn't you!" I told him to prove that it causes noise. He never got back to me.

[Gioia69 30]

...And there's nothing wrong with RCA's next to the power wire. That's an old myth.

True

Thats why I love this place...Lots of useful info.

Ya know funny thing about that, back when I was installing part time my boss hired a guy that was gonna replace me, he was 26-27 and I was 17, I was diagnosing a noise problem in a vehicle, checking the grounds of course, and he was looking with me and said "Oh found it!" and held up the RCA's next to the power wire, I told him that wasn't the problem and he said it causes noise, I insisted it didn't and he got pissed and left. He came back after I regrounded the amp and the noise was gone, showed him, and that pucker had the balls to say"You moved the RCA's to the other side of the car didn't you!" I told him to prove that it causes noise. He never got back to me.

LOL. PWNED MOTHA FUCKA

edit: i dont think the dancing smiley is really appropriate, but i laugh everytime i see it so i had to throw it in there

Edited February 8, 2010 by Gioia69

[mccleery3 166]

How dare you be younger and correct!! LMAO! Shielded and cheap ftw!

[///M5 2,833]

As long as you keep your RCA's away from your power wires you should be just fine.

Better not run them by your ground either :eek: Obviously neither matter.

I agree, but i know people who would object that opinion lol.

And all of those people know nothing about wire. If you can't measure an LCR difference you sure the hell can't hear it.

your system is only as good as the weakest link.....

but there is no point in spending $100+ on a pair of RCA's unless the rest of the system

is up to the same level.............

you would be fine with a mid grade RCA , just make shure thay have good quality ends

and are OFC copper

Actually super cheap copper would be fine and still wouldn't be the "weakest" link. Hell if you could shield a coat hanger, go for it. Any shielded RCA that was decently assembled will be more than fine.

[Mynameismcgyver 6]

I used some from AutoZone then switched to the lowest line of KnuKonceptz. Back to back comparison yielded a tighter bass and seemed to keep up with the fast double bass on a specific song.

That's with my amp and my setup.

$5 RCA'S FTL

[Impious 1,476]

Back to back comparison yielded a tighter bass and seemed to keep up with the fast double bass on a specific song.

Doubtful, unless one of the cables was physically damaged.

[slim2fattycake 85]

Seriously, I laughed out loud.

[audiolife 14]

I use Unshielded rcas.....

[Mynameismcgyver 6]

Yeah im lieing just for the hell of it. Or maybe you were there when I changed my rca and you know the real truth.

HAHAHAHAHAH

[Thumpper 266]

there are alot of different opinions on this subject....

I have access to a pair of 3A-M5 monitors powered by a VSP Labs amp and pre amp

fed by a seperate Transport and D/A convertor...the sound difference between some RCA's on this set up

is night and day...

BUT..you have to go to the pure OFC Directionals and the Silver Crystal content before it's worth it

BTW...Monster Cables were some of the worst we tested..

the $100 monster cables had no better performance than the $16 Stingers

these guys make the best RCA Cables I have ever had the

pleasure to play with.....both the Copper and Silver Crystal

are just phenominal

http://www.zzyuhui.com

[Impious 1,476]

there are alot of different opinions on this subject....

I have access to a pair of 3A-M5 monitors powered by a VSP Labs amp and pre amp

fed by a seperate Transport and D/A convertor...the sound difference between some RCA's on this set up

is night and day...

BUT..you have to go to the pure OFC Directionals and the Silver Crystal content before it's worth it

BTW...Monster Cables were some of the worst we tested..

the $100 monster cables had no better performance than the $16 Stingers

these guys make the best RCA Cables I have ever had the

pleasure to play with.....both the Copper and Silver Crystal

are just phenominal

http://www.zzyuhui.com

Opinions may differ, the laws of physics however do not. And ultimately that's what we are discussing; the laws of physics, not opinions. It doesn't matter how fancy the equipment connected to each end of the cable is. It doesn't matter how golden eared someone thinks they may be. The laws of physics dictates that the LCR properties of a cable will determine how that cable affects the signal. If there LCR properties of two cables are close enough as to not audibly alter the response, they will sound identical. The likelyhood of a non-damaged RCA cable having a significant enough difference in the LCR properties to affect the signal is remote unless an electric circuit is added to the wire to intentionally alter the response as some extremely high priced speaker wire manufacturers do. But at that point you are no longer comparing the wire itself and instead comparing wire to a passive equalizer.....that could be accomplished with cheap wire and the same passive elements. Although I'm not sure why anyone would ever want to purchase a wire that intentionally alters the signal, but they do.

And you do realize directional is only directional if there's a drain wire used for noise reduction, right? If directional cable is claimed to be directional because of "how the crystals in the wire are oriented" or "how the wire is drawn" or some other marketing bullshit it's exactly that; bullshit.

There is a saying I like from a pretty smart fella on another forum......

There are 3 great mysteries scientists are facing in modern physics;

1. A unified theory of gravity and sub-atomic particles, that finally comprehends and unites quantum mechanics and general relativity.

2. Dark matter and dark energy, that seem to be causing the rate of expansion of the universe to be increasing.

3. How the hell to pass a 20kHz audio signal through a cable.

[ChargerOn22s 2]

...And there's nothing wrong with RCA's next to the power wire. That's an old myth.

True

Thats why I love this place...Lots of useful info.

x20!!!!!

[///M5 2,833]

there are alot of different opinions on this subject....

I have access to a pair of 3A-M5 monitors powered by a VSP Labs amp and pre amp

fed by a seperate Transport and D/A convertor...the sound difference between some RCA's on this set up

is night and day...

Amusingly this topic is about a sub amp and that is absurd if you truly are so psycho-acoustically challenged that you think you can hear a difference. Of course I'd say the same about a highs amp in your car as well.

[ryan s 12]

Criterion for RCA cables:

Rejects noise

Has good ground jackets

After those 2 things, look for everything else you seek in quality wire like corrosion-resistant copper, thick insulation jacket if wear is a concern, and of course price

"Cable sound" is snake oil, unless one cable in a test is very poor.