| What is the difference between a speaker cable | | | | Using an instrument cable in place of a speaker |
| and an instrument cable? | | | | cable can severely and permanently damage your |
| Instrument cables are designed to work in | | | | amplifier! It can burn up your amplifier, especially a |
| high-impedance environments. This means that it | | | | tube amp! In addition to the risk of destroying |
| goes from a device with a high output impedance, | | | | your amp, you could also have significant signal |
| such as electric guitars, into an amplifier or other | | | | loss due to smaller conductors in instrument |
| device that has a high resistance. They generally | | | | cables. Instrument cables are typically 20 - 24 |
| move very little current and are usually | | | | gauge conductors and speaker cables are |
| constructed of a single center conductor and a | | | | generally 12 - 16 gauge (remember the higher the |
| shield. Instrument cables by nature are susceptible | | | | gauge, the thinner the wire). Thinner wire has |
| to electrical interference, but most use some sort | | | | more resistance adding more load to the amp and |
| of shielding to help keep noise out. | | | | causing the wire to heat up and even "burn up" |
| Speaker cables are designed to work in | | | | sometimes. Now, using a speaker cable as an |
| low-impedance environments - the opposite of | | | | instrument cable won't technically harm anything; |
| instrument cables. This means that it connects a | | | | However, it will almost always inject lots of noise |
| low impedance output of a device like an amplifier | | | | and make your high impedance instrument sound |
| to a low impedance of a speaker. Shielding is not | | | | horrible. I would strongly suggest not using a |
| critical for a speaker cable because it is not very | | | | speaker cable as an instrument cable, and I would |
| susceptible to noise because of low impedance, | | | | definitely recommend that you never use an |
| their general construction of twisted pair, and | | | | instrument cable as a speaker cable. Use the |
| because of the higher levels of signal that they | | | | cables for the application that they are intended! |
| move. | | | | Remember, just because a cable is more |
| To be as general as possible, instrument cables | | | | expensive doesn't necessarily make it a better |
| connect an instrument to an amplifier and speaker | | | | cable! Some companies get greedy and don't |
| cables connect amplifiers to passive loudspeakers. | | | | have your best interest in mind and will sell you |
| So, can I use an instrument cable as a speaker | | | | on reasons why their $50 cable is better than a |
| cable? | | | | $10 cable. More expensive doesn't always equal |
| Although technically it could work, DON'T DO IT! | | | | better! |