Speaker Cable Questions
31 questions · Updated regularly by our specialist team
They work well across many systems, but higher-level cables tend to shine most in revealing setups.
Yes, unless stated, most of our speaker cables are sold as singles. This allows customers to order individual lengths for specific applications; for example, a cable for a centre speaker.
For a pair of speaker you should order a quantity of 2.
Yes. Cable buried in a wall or ceiling void has to meet the fire safety rating for that application, and standard interior speaker cable usually does not. Rated in-wall cable uses a jacket designed to limit flame spread. Check the requirements that apply to your building before ordering, particularly for runs passing between floors.
The longer the run, the thicker the conductor needs to be so you are not losing power in the cable itself. As a rough guide, runs up to around 10m are usually fine on 2.5mm cable, and longer runs or low impedance speakers benefit from 4mm or larger. Tell us the distances and the speakers and we will confirm.
Not usually. In-wall cable is rated for fire safety rather than for weather. Outdoor cable needs UV resistance and a moisture resistant jacket, and direct burial needs a further specification again. Use cable made for the environment it will actually sit in.
Run a string along the exact route the cable will take, following skirting boards, around furniture and up any stands, then add roughly half a metre of margin at each end. Measure both channels separately and order both at the longer figure.
Yes, keep them equal even if one speaker sits closer to the amplifier. Both runs should present the same electrical characteristics to the amplifier, so order both at the length of the longer run rather than cutting one short.
Burn-in runs a signal through new cable to settle it before use. We offer it free as an option in 24 hour increments up to 96 hours, on a Nordost Vidar. It is not compulsory, and cable will settle on its own in your system over the first few weeks. Choosing it simply means less waiting.
Whichever your equipment takes. Banana plugs are the UK standard and fit almost all binding posts. Spades give a larger contact area and suit posts that clamp down tightly, but they need clearance behind the equipment and will not fit shrouded binding posts. Check the back of your amplifier and speakers first.
BFA plugs are a 4mm connector found on Naim and some other British amplifiers, where the socket will not accept a standard banana. If your amplifier has that style of socket, a BFA plug is the correct fit. Send us a photo of the terminals if you are unsure.
Usually yes. The metal plates supplied with most speakers are a low cost part carrying the full signal between the bass and treble terminals. Replacing them with proper cable links is one of the cheapest changes you can make if you run a single-wire cable.