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Extending subwoofer speaker wires---is it ok?

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Old Jul 12, 2006 | 09:03 PM
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Extending subwoofer speaker wires---is it ok?

guys,

i got one of those q-logic boxes for cheap a few months back and now i am getting around to installing it. i will see if the quality of sound will be significantly less than my current sealed box and decide whether to keep it or not.

anyways, the current length of my speaker wire to my sealed box will not reach the rear passenger cargo area. thus, id like to know soldering and extending it will cause the sound quality to suck. i would hate to pull up the carpet again to rewire it. not that bad of a job but i'm feelin' lazy and pressed for time

bob
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Old Jul 12, 2006 | 10:22 PM
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I would say the sound quality wouldnt be as good. Now since you are soldering, it would be greater than someone who just connected the wires, but less than someone who re-ran wires.

I had the same dilema a while back and I was told to run new wires, so I did.

Hope this helps
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Old Jul 13, 2006 | 04:33 AM
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suck it up and re-run the wires. They is a good chance you will never notice a difference, but it will always be in the back of your head.
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Old Jul 13, 2006 | 05:38 AM
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How much length are you talking about adding? What gauge is the wire now? Is this a run from an amp to a sub or a preamp to an amp? If it's from the amp to the speaker, how much power are we talking about?


In general, you'll be fine; it definitely won't cause the sound quality to "suck" though you would be able to measure a capacitance difference between a straight run and one with a joint in it. The difference will be in the picoFarad range, which will tend to act like a low pass filter with a VERY high cutoff point which is an okay thing for a sub.

Keep the joint clean (i.e., no a cold joints), use the same (or greater) gauge wire, and insulate the joint with heat shrink or a good _individual_ wrap of electrical tape.
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Old Jul 16, 2006 | 01:26 AM
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I'd say no way would/could you hear a difference in sq considering the freq a subwoofer would play at especially since we are talking about a driver playing in a noisy truck, behind some seats, rattling everything it can .......
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Old Jul 16, 2006 | 02:41 PM
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just lengthen them, soldering is only way to go, as long as you are using correct guage wires for application, you will be fine
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 10:58 AM
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The more connections made, the more power lost. Rerun the wire.
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 11:03 AM
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guys,

i have some time this weekend, so im just going to rerun another section from front to back since i found my spool of wire.

bob
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Old Jul 20, 2006 | 07:51 PM
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Originally Posted by ricky
The more connections made, the more power lost. Rerun the wire.
not true depending on how you do it... any minute change with a meter will not be noticeable

but you're on the right track if you found more wire, re-run it to make it look cleaner, and even better fold up a foot or two under the carpet in an area where there is space to allow for further changes later
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Old Jul 28, 2006 | 10:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Bob_98SR5
anyways, the current length of my speaker wire to my sealed box will not reach the rear passenger cargo area. thus, id like to know soldering and extending it will cause the sound quality to suck. i would hate to pull up the carpet again to rewire it. not that bad of a job but i'm feelin' lazy and pressed for time

bob
Bob,

Not sure if you did this yet, but lengthening the speaker wires won't matter for the sub. Also if you can help it try not to have too much slack in the wire. Folding it over under the carpet is a bad habit and can cause interference if you ever decided to go bigger. Just use what you need.
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Old Jul 28, 2006 | 10:35 PM
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Originally Posted by NisAznMonk
Bob,

Not sure if you did this yet, but lengthening the speaker wires won't matter for the sub. Also if you can help it try not to have too much slack in the wire. Folding it over under the carpet is a bad habit and can cause interference if you ever decided to go bigger. Just use what you need.
i have not done it yet, so ill go with your recommendation. it'll save me a lot of time

bob
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