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[Alex Courtney]

Which is generally better, running a longer line level cable run from the mixer to amps that are closer to the speakers or running a short line level from mixer to amps with the long run of speaker cable going to the speakers?

Additional info:
Mic snake runs from platform to mixer (approx. 75' of actual cable length not eyesight distance).  2 channels run back from mixer approx. 75' cable length to FOH amps at back corner of platform, then about 45' of speaker cable runs from amp to farthest FOH speaker cabinet.  So back to the question.  Would it be better to move amp from platform and place it close to mixer and run speaker cabling to the 2 mains?  The amplified speaker signal would be sharing close physical proximity with the mic snake as it would be routed back against the same route the mic snake took, would this make a difference?  The total speaker cable run from amp to farthest FOH main would be approx. 100'.  It wouldn't be 120'(75' + 45') speaker cable run because the run to the back corner of the platform would be eliminated.

[Andy Peters]

Alex Courtney wrote on Sun, 19 November 2006 12:21

Which is generally better, running a longer line level cable run from the mixer to amps that are closer to the speakers or running a short line level from mixer to amps with the long run of speaker cable going to the speakers?

Shorter speaker cable is ALWAYS preferred.

-a

[Brad Weber]

As it often is, it can depend on the situation.  Generally it is desirable to have shorter speaker runs.  However, there are situations when this is not true, for example if the cable has to be run without conduit and might be with or near potential sources of interference (powr, lights, etc.) then it might be better to make that run at speaker level.

You mentioned that the cabling would run with or adjacent to the mic snake signals, so you definitely would want to keep it as line level in your application.

[ProSoundWeb Community]