Cat5 cable for audio connections

[Philipslewis]

Hello, I am trying a low tech - low cost way to play music throughout the house. Does anyone know if I can use cat5 cable to connect two audio receivers - tape out to tape in? This way, I can listen between rooms to the same music source, with seperate volume controls. Thanks. Philip.

[JamesO]

Yes you can.

You can take the low tech (cheap approach) and use just the twisted pair. The problem you may run into is hum and some level loss? but it never hurts to try (I have't). Keep pairs grouped per channel and make sure you group the grounds at each end. The problem is you may get a ground loop between the 2 sources which is why I provide the option below.

Or you spend a few bucks and get something the link below, this that actually give you audio and video over twisted pair with some level of expected performance.

http://www.hometech.com/audio/tpaudio.html

JamesO

[johnwill]

I'd use real shielded cable if it were my rig...

[Volt-Schwibe]

the best setup i have ever seen used coaxial cable. (the stuff you connect your tv with.)

coaxial cable is wonderful any time you want a clean clear, non-interfered signal. consisting of a single fat wire, (the positive) and a wrapped outer layer. (the negative)

building it this way keeps the interference away from the middle wire, suppressing any stray signals with the ground wrapping.

most a/v patch cables are coaxial. the better headphones are coaxial. if you want to send large amounts of power, in excess of 500 watts, you can purchase RG-8 coaxial cable, like they use with CB and HAM radios.

radio shack has both, and they both can be connected to nice faceplates.

if you do decide to go the route of cat5, you might notice bleed-over, or possibly even a humming sound.

although, with the low level outputs and inputs, you may not have any problems at all. whereas any amount of power, will most likely cause some bleed-over issues.

[JamesO]

I second Walt's suggetion of RG-59 or RG-6, I use it all the time for very unusual situations. I am sure the CAT-5 will work, just not sure if you will have hum. It might be worth a try. Before you actually string it in the walls, you might roll it out on the floor between the 2 pieces of equipment and connected to verify the results. Make sure you are happy with the performance before you go to all the trouble to install it.

Coax tends to be a bit more flexible as you can easily use it for Audio, Video, Antenna, Satellite, Speaker wire. Where the CAT5 cannot be used for antenna or satellite feeds! I suggest RG-6 over RG-59.

If you have to install cable, alway pull more than you need now. You never know what you may want to do next week!

If it was my house, I would put at least 3 CAT-5 and 3 coax cables to this location. Then you might never run out of ideas! Additonal computer connection, telephone connection, additional video feed, IR repeater, TIVO box, wireless router installation, MP3 streaming to new home theater pc. Oh, I was just dreaming.

Good luck.

JamesO

[johnwill]

Another thing to note, when you wire speakers, it's a whole different ballgame. The larger the wires, the better, because there is low voltage and lots of current.

[blackduck30]

I am currently looking at wiring up my house for computer,TV, phone and audio. I will go the heavy gauge monster cable for the audio but only because i am a tad fussy. I came accross this site while looking for cable you might find it interesting LOOK HERE

[Volt-Schwibe]

see johnwill, that is why for wires that will be carrying current, i use the RG-8 that is used with cb's.

the center core is made up of about 7 wires, all about 3 times as fat as the one on your tv cable. (the center strand on some is one solid strand, and it's fat as a coathanger.)

the cheap RG-8 that radio shack sells is rated (for antenna output) at 1300 watts. it's about 79 cents a foot.

so it's a seriously high load cable, large conductors means super low loss. and the shield makes it possible to run right past tv's, flourescent lights, fuse boxes, or any other source of interference.

if it's just for the line in/line out signal, then the garbage they do tv's with would be wonderful.

[MD_Willington]

Originally Posted by johnwill

Another thing to note, when you wire speakers, it's a whole different ballgame. The larger the wires, the better, because there is low voltage and lots of current.

Does skin effect comes into play on the conductor...the shield is great since it is stranded, but do you need the bigger center conductor because of skin effect.

[johnwill]

Skin effect is not an issue at audio frequencies, which is the thing you're referenced. I also wasn't suggesting shielded cable, though it can't hurt, speaker circuits are very low impedance. Obviously, running them in a bundle with your lamp cords isn't a good idea.

[MD_Willington]

That's cool I'm used to skin effect in this sense:



Yep..I'm in the power industry...

[johnwill]

Skin Effect at Audio Frequencies should tell the story. It also keeps me from reaching for my book and typing a lot of stuff in.

[JamesO]

It's hard to tell from the small picture, however, is that a lineman hanging out on the middle arm to the right??

And is there some rigging rope on the right as well?

Hope that guy gets hazard pay for that?

Almost a good as the guy I saw a few weeks ago lashing some fiber to a messanger guy about 100 feet above 10 lanes of freeway.

JamesO

[batty_professor]

In case anyone wonders...The lines at the very top of towers like these are for lightning control. They are there to carry strikes safely to ground, thereby protecting the conductors below.

[johnwill]

Naw, they're the spot for birds so they don't toast their little feet on the HV lines.