• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Cable Orientation Guides

MaxBuck

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 22, 2021
Messages
1,515
Likes
2,116
Location
SoCal, Baby!
As I understand it, my speaker cables ideally should cross my amplifier (balanced) input cables and power cables at a 90-degree angle. Is this correct? And if so, is anyone aware of any manufactured guides (plastic or whatever) to help maintain that orientation?
 

egellings

Major Contributor
Joined
Feb 6, 2020
Messages
4,004
Likes
3,244
Unless you live in an area with huge amounts of RF pollution, cable orientation makes not a whit of technical difference.
 

Frgirard

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 2, 2021
Messages
1,737
Likes
1,040
As I understand it, my speaker cables ideally should cross my amplifier (balanced) input cables and power cables at a 90-degree angle. Is this correct? And if so, is anyone aware of any manufactured guides (plastic or whatever) to help maintain that orientation?
Is it a joke?
 

Doodski

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
20,745
Likes
20,757
Location
Canada
Unless you live in an area with huge amounts of RF pollution, cable orientation makes not a whit of technical difference.
That and winding the loose system cables up into a nice inductor. I had a customer with a 12 foot C band satellite dish, surround sound system and a big screen TV. He wound up all the cables into one coil and zipped tied them together nice and tight/neat. Things did not operate as they should. Mind you there was a fair amount of conductors in the coil of wires and the RF was veryyy sensitive because the LNB amplifier on the feedhorn is very low level power output. He called me up, complained about the picture quality and wanted immediate service. So I commuted over to his home and unwound his nice coil and voila everything worked properly and I had a happy customer.

Just leave the wires loose and in a random manner and all should be okidoki.
 

Vini darko

Major Contributor
Joined
Jun 1, 2020
Messages
2,280
Likes
3,395
Location
Dorset England
As I understand it, my speaker cables ideally should cross my amplifier (balanced) input cables and power cables at a 90-degree angle. Is this correct? And if so, is anyone aware of any manufactured guides (plastic or whatever) to help maintain that orientation?
Yes it helps stop induction from one wire to another. Speaker and line level aren't worth worrying about to much as they carry the same signal. Mains and line level are worth paying most attention to as they are vunrable to having 50/60hz inducted. Though as you are using xlr it's much less of a concern due to the common mode rejection.
 

tomtoo

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 20, 2019
Messages
3,607
Likes
4,514
Location
Germany
traffic-sign-isolated-dangerous-crossing-black-130528742.jpg
Caution!!

If you cross cables you need some 'dangerous crossing' signs.


So the electrons can adjust there speed. That minders turbulences.

If they are in parallel lines you need some overtaking prohibited signs.

As long you follow this rules, there is no problem. ;)
 

tomtoo

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 20, 2019
Messages
3,607
Likes
4,514
Location
Germany
Would be a interesting video for @amirm.
Take a AC cord and a speaker cord, cross it or parallel it over a normal shilded audio cable and look for the differences in the AP.
 

tomtoo

Major Contributor
Joined
Nov 20, 2019
Messages
3,607
Likes
4,514
Location
Germany
Sort of but it but would be the way around. How much does a normal shildet audio cable picks up from a ac cable or a speaker cable.
I mean my opinion is clear about that, but showing it at the AP would make it more clear to others.
 
OP
MaxBuck

MaxBuck

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 22, 2021
Messages
1,515
Likes
2,116
Location
SoCal, Baby!
Let me just say that, as a chemical engineer, my understanding of amplifier design, circuits more generally and measurement of system performance are all substandard and I leave it to others here who are better informed to tell me what's up. But I've done enough experimentation using data collection transducers to know how much havoc EMI (and to a much lesser extent RFI) can cause in a typical 4-20 mA instrumentation or control system; noise can overwhelm the signal if shielding isn't sufficient. So excuse me if I take snide commentary about my question as reflective not so much of wisdom as of ignorance. (And I'm not accusing Amir of any such thing; I simply don't believe his video above answers my questions entirely.)

Amplifier manufacturers are the source of my question: several such providers recommend that speaker cabling cross mains supply at about a 90-degree angle. Just trying to minimize the potential for adverse influences. If you have something actually useful to provide, please advise.
 

Wes

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
3,843
Likes
3,788
Yes, cross them at 90o if feasible. No biggie in quantitative terms.

James Clerk Maxwell "addressed that idea" a century or so ago.
 
OP
MaxBuck

MaxBuck

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 22, 2021
Messages
1,515
Likes
2,116
Location
SoCal, Baby!
Yes, cross them at 90o if feasible. No biggie in quantitative terms.

James Clerk Maxwell "addressed that idea" a century or so ago.
Right. What I'm trying to find out is whether there are any commercially available products to help maintain that configuration. Apparently no one here is aware of any. So probably cable ties to arrange stuff in my cabinet is all I can do.
 

escape2

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Mar 8, 2019
Messages
883
Likes
944
Location
USA

Wes

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 5, 2019
Messages
3,843
Likes
3,788
or glue together pop-sickle sticks at 90o angles & wrap to those
 

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,198
Likes
16,981
Location
Riverview FL
As I understand it, my speaker cables ideally should cross my amplifier (balanced) input cables and power cables at a 90-degree angle. Is this correct? And if so, is anyone aware of any manufactured guides (plastic or whatever) to help maintain that orientation?


Hmmm...

Before trying to solve a (probable) non-problem, what if you try to make a problem with whatever you have on hand now?

disclaimer: Got a real rat's nest of wire and cable behind my rack here. Don't look if easily nauseated.
 

jsrtheta

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 20, 2018
Messages
936
Likes
991
Location
Colorado

Gregss

Active Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2021
Messages
160
Likes
208
I smell big bucks comin'! Paint 'em gold (or, better, platinum), call them "Quantum" somethings, and hike the unit price from $8.99 to, oh, $1399.00, and we'll make out like bandits!
Hello,

Yes those plastic separators are definitely too cheap. Need to be quantum aligned, cryro treated, directional and gold plated for best operation. And the price needs to reflect all this high tech. Otherwise their audiophile credentials will suffer. :)
 

iMickey503

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 19, 2021
Messages
405
Likes
659
Location
United States PDX
But I've done enough experimentation using data collection transducers to know how much havoc EMI (and to a much lesser extent RFI) can cause in a typical 4-20 mA instrumentation or control system; noise can overwhelm the signal if shielding isn't sufficient........

.......Just trying to minimize the potential for adverse influences. If you have something actually useful to provide, please advise.
Cool!

manufactured guides (plastic or whatever) to help maintain that orientation?

I think what you're looking for is something cool cable management and in fact that's part of what I do for a living so let me give you some items that actually work.

Btw? Velcro. Use this instead of zip ties. disciple oh actually has much more than just that but it's indeed design for serious cable management and that's exactly what they offer.
https://www.discount-low-voltage.com/Cable-Management


if you need to make a 90 degree angle on your cables, zip ties will work for this they can be hard mounted and if you need them floating they do work.
https://www.discount-low-voltage.com/Cable-Management/Cable-Tie-Mounts/HC-1-100

These work well and are easy to move your cables out of later
https://www.amazon.com/OHill-Organi...d49ce&pd_rd_wg=W2K5A&pd_rd_i=B071FXZBMV&psc=1
61fDkJWtxpL._AC_SL1200_.jpg


This kit is only $14 bucks and has all you need to accomplish what you would like to achieve.

When wall mounting, this is what I use, and its easy to make a criss cross 90' pattern.
https://www.amazon.com/Adhesive-Mou...1627243726&s=electronics&sr=1-20&ts_id=507844
71SIy9zrkbL._AC_SL1500_.jpg



all of these can be affixed with adhesive and do not require screws .
if you require an anchor I suggest the nylon screws as they were just fine. you will have to tap your screw holes for the nylon Fasteners but they should work just fine and basically hold up better than the adhesive in some cases and applications.


I have also use this before but and more home AV applications and they do make the cable management much easier and it looks stellar.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08YXCGCZ...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

you can also use Velcro with the tray like this to make your 90 degree angles on your tables
Electrical-Cable-Management-2.jpg



they make these metal backing plates specifically for home AV use and they also make them out of plastic and nylon I suggest you take a look at those if they are available and if that will work better for you in your A/V cabinet.


the above should match your needs or at least one of the products suggestions should meet your needs.
 
Top Bottom