What are "subwoofer cables" and how are they different?

[Kal Rubinson]

Originally Posted by rnrmf1971

That's a baited question...

Yup.

I think that's up to the specific manufacturer to decide if certain parameters or design differences make their subwoofer cable better suited to be used for that purpose as opposed to their interconnect cables.

And I am asking what they could possibly do to accomplish this (other than just change the label).

Note that in all cases, the cables are connecting a preamp output to a power amp input. It's just that with a subwoofer, there's a speaker in the in the box with the amp.

[Mouse]

Originally Posted by rnrmf1971

I'm offering that if the original poster is purchasing from a brand that offers a subwoofer specific cable, which differs in some way, it may be worth an audition if they're so inclined and if such a comparison is possible.

I haven't decided which company I'm getting cables from. One company I'd like to try is limited to the basic important cables in the system and doesn't offer a subwoofer cable which is why I'm questioning it's importance. My OCDness is questioning if the subwoofer cableless brand is a good fit for me.

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson

Yup.

And I am asking what they could possibly do to accomplish this (other than just change the label).

The label could be quantum tunneled.

[rnrmf1971]

Originally Posted by Mouse

I haven't decided which company I'm getting cables from. One company I'd like to try is limited to the basic important cables in the system and doesn't offer a subwoofer cable which is why I'm questioning it's importance. My OCDness is questioning if the subwoofer cableless brand is a good fit for me.

I wouldn't be OCD about it, if you find interconnects that sound great to you, and that company that doesn't offer a subwoofer specific cable, it probably means the manufacturer doesn't see the need to make a particular cable with that label on it.

As Kal noted, both a subwoofer cable and an interconnect cable are used to send the signal from the preamp to an amplifier - the same purpose.

I wouldn't hesitate to use my interconnects as a subwoofer cable if I needed one. They sound good, in my system, at all frequencies.

There's no reason to choose a company that makes a subwoofer cable but if you do and you want to audition one, go for it.

[pweg]

I had my dealer get me a Siltech Abyss subwoofer cable and i must admit it is simply one of the most outstanding audio upgrades I've ever experienced.

I use a Marten sub in a HT setup, and prior to this i used Transparent and QED cables. When i switched to the Siltech the difference in sound was mesmerising. It was louder, deeper, sharper....... simply awesome.

I can't recommend strongly enough.

[SCAudiophile]

Personal experiences only between 7.1 HT and 2-channel systems as well as hybrids containing both, some of which parallel others' comments, advice and experience earlier on the thread;

- for subwoofers that take analog inputs, if a manufacturer makes a high-quality XLR or RCA with great handling of bass and sub-bass, there should be no need (stress this word) to have a separate 'subwoofer' cable. As a matter of choice though, if you choose a cable that does not emphasize silver or focus on use of silver exclusively for your full-range audio needs, you MAY want to consider having a different cable for your sub that uses higher concentrations of silver and/or different geometries to get extra speed /accuracy for your sub-bass playback...from my experience in both large HT installations, my own HT as well as 2-channel, this CAN make a difference you find desirable for your system...it's one thing to reproduce low frequencies, it's another to reproduce them with ultra-high accuracy w.r.t. frequency as well as timing and fall-off. When you have a system that does this right, you'll be able to hear the difference from one that just puts deep bass into the room (solely IMHO, based upon what I've heard first hand)....

- for subs, or their processors that take 75-ohm digital inputs, there is not separate 'subwoofer interconnect...', it's all marketing at that point. What you need is the most accurate 75-ohm digital cable you can get your hands on as with any other place in the system where a digital cable is called for...

- REL owners: for the longest time, the REL high-pass cable supplied by the factory with REL subs terminated with Neutrik SpeakOn connector at the subwoofer end and simple spade leads on the amp end was considered all you need....in practice I found that having one custom-built from a good interconnect that had superior speed and accuracy did make a difference in my subwoofer's performance. Attack, Roll-off and frequency accuracy was heard to be better by a number of people and me when we listened to both alternatives in my system. At the time, I favored an AQ Sky all-silver cable terminator for REL high-pass after trying several other cables. YMMV but I would imagine such a cable would still make a difference as REL's methods of routing off the amplifier's binding posts has not changed. This was a surprise to me (and somewhat expensive at that) as REL's theory says it should not make a difference but in practice, things were different, at least to my ears and several others who heard the variations in my system...

- in general, for long runs to subs of any kind, XLR is better for all the usual reasons

YMMV...