Subwoofer Cables at Blue Jeans Cable

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digital audio - stereo audio - multichannel audio - balanced audio - subwoofer - speaker

Subwoofer Cables

In some ways, the subwoofer interconnect cable is the least demanding application in home theatre. While HD video demands cables able to carry high-bandwidth signals, at tight impedance tolerances, the subwoofer cable has the relatively easy job of carrying a very low-frequency, very low-bandwidth signal. But a subwoofer cable has a critical job to do, and needs to do it well: keep out hum. Hum can come from ground loops (cable won't help you if that's the case, but see our isolation transformer below) or, often, from EMI (electro-magnetic interference). High-energy, low-frequency noise, like the 60-cycle hum from nearby mains cords, fluorescent lights, and other miscellaneous sources, is the hardest type of interference to shield against, and the best defense here is a dense and highly-conductive braid shield. Our recommended subwoofer interconnect cables have not one, but two, dense braid shields, and in our testing we've found these coaxes to outperform conventional single-braid, braid-and-foil, and unbalanced twisted-pair cables when it comes to hum rejection.

The Cable: Blue Jeans Cable LC-1 Analog Audio Cable

Our recommended subwoofer cable is our own proprietary design, the LC-1 low-capacitance audio cable. It has an extremely heavy double-braid shield layer for the best possible rejection of induced low-frequency hum, and extremely low capacitance for the flattest possible frequency response. It is thick -- about .305 inch in diameter -- but is more flexible than comparably-sized cables, and is therefore easy to route around corners and obstacles. Unlike most analog audio cables on the market, too, LC-1 is UL-listed and bears a CM rating under the National Electrical Code, so is suitable for in-wall installation in both residential and commercial environments. (CM is a superior rating to the more often-seen CL-2 and CL-3 ratings). For more information and specs on this cable, see our "Design Notes" article about LC-1.

The Connectors: Canare RCAPs

All that heavy shielding, of course, won't do as good a job of keeping hum out of your subwoofer if the shielding isn't continued through the connectors at the ends of the cable or if the connectors fail to make the best possible engagement with your equipment jacks. The Canare RCAP plugs we use on our subwoofer cables perform these jobs perfectly; they continue the coaxial geometry, and the shielding, all the way to the end of the connector, and their gold-plated "internal pressure contact fingers" provide a strong, tight and electrically sound connection to your equipment, without the excess tightness associated with some competing designs. View Canare's description and specs for the RCAP plugs.

We hand-cut and terminate each of these cables ourselves, using Canare tooling, so we know they're done right and tested before they go out. We think you'll be impressed with their performance; but we also offer a complete, unconditional return privilege. If for any reason--or for no reason--you're not completely, utterly satisfied, just return the cables within 30 days and we'll refund your purchase price in full.

Alternatives and Add-ons:

In addition to our standard BJC LC-1/Canare RCAP configuration, we can supply the following options:

Other cables:

In addition to our standard LC-1, we carry a variety of raw cables from which we can make subwoofer cables. A few are listed below; for a complete list, click here.

Canare LV-77S:

Prior to the arrival of our LC-1 cable, Canare LV-77S was our recommended subwoofer cable; it has the same shielding as the LC-1, but a larger center conductor and solid dielectric, which gives it higher capacitance. LV-77S is not UL-listed or rated for in-wall use. View Canare's description and technical specs for LV-77S.

Belden 1505F:

Belden 1505F, also a double-braid shielded cable, is both more flexible and less expensive than LC-1 or LV-77S; in many applications, where EMI noise is not extreme, it will work equally well. View the technical specs for Belden 1505F.

Belden 1695A Coax:

Belden 1695A is a Teflon-dielectric cable, fire-rated for use in a plenum (e.g., a dropped-ceiling space used as a ventilation return). Its braid/foil shielding provides excellent hum rejection, and 1695A is our best plenum cable for subwoofer use; if you don't need a plenum-rated cable, however, the hum rejection characteristics of both LV-77S and 1505F are superior. View Belden's specs for 1695A.

Calrad Isolation Transformer:

There are two primary reasons why an otherwise healthy subwoofer may hum, and cables can deal only with one of these: EMI. The other possibility, a ground loop, is something your cables can't fix, and has to do with differences in ground potential in your system's power wiring. Although the best and most permanent way to eliminate ground loop hum is by fixing the underlying grounding problem, another simpler way to resolve the problem is to insert an isolation transformer in your subwoofer line to break the ground connection between your source and your subwoofer. We carry a small isolation transformer for this purpose, from Calrad.

Y-adapters:

Some subwoofers function best with the signal fed not to one, but two, inputs--if you're in doubt about whether to feed signal to one or to two inputs, consult the manual for your subwoofer. We offer two different adapters to split the signal from a single output to more than one sub input; the most often-used type is our short Y cable, with one female end and two male ends, made for us by AVLink. This is a well-built, braid-and-foil shielded cable, about one foot long. Alternatively, we also carry a small plastic hardshell adapter with one male and two female connections; this is useful if you're daisy-chaining subs together or jumpering from one sub input to another, but necessitates using another cable to make the jumper connection.

Multiple Cable Colours:

Our BJC LC-1 and Canare LV-77S cables are available in black or white, and Belden 1505F is available in eight colours. The "cable colour" option below controls only the colour of the cable jacket itself; the strain relief boot on a subwoofer cable will be purple.

Shipping:

All cables ship from the U.S. by International Priority Mail, with average delivery time of 6-10 business days, and may be subject to VAT and customs charges on receipt; for more detail, see our shipping/taxes and duties page.

To Order:

Just fill in your cable length in metres in the appropriate form below, select any applicable options, and the price will display to the right. To purchase, click "add to basket." To view a list of sample prices of these cables in various lengths, see our Subwoofer Cable Price List.