Piggyback Audio Cables?

[evil_ash_xero]

I was wanting to have some stuff hooked up to two sets of speakers. I was thinking about getting these cables: https://www.amazon.com/RadioShack-6-Foo ... op?ie=UTF8

Will this reduce quality, or add any interference?

[Lawfer]

Those are analog audio cables, so if you care about quality you shouldn't get these cables.

Get these instead:

https://www.thecableco.com/Product/The- ... -Evolution

You do not want to skimp out on quality just to save a few measly pennies, do you?

[Thomago]

wut

[evil_ash_xero]

It's an analog set up tho.

[Lawfer]

It's an analog set up tho.

Yes and quality of the analog cables matter, unlike say HDMI cables which are digital.

[evil_ash_xero]

28,000 dollars, huh? OK....

[Lawfer]

But really you should at least get something decent, no need for something overly expensive, but you should look for something that is at least of good build quality, here:

https://www.thecableco.com/Catalog/Interconnects

Starting price is 20 bucks.

[Guspaz]

If you want to buy a well built cable, don't buy it from a company that is trying to scam people out of their money with pseudo-science bullshit. As soon as a company sells that sort of fake bullshit, their whole company is tainted and they have shown themselves to have no morals.

If you want to buy a real high-end cable, buy it from a company that actually specializes in REAL high-end cables, somebody like Blue Jean Cables.

[evil_ash_xero]

I usually get Belkin or Monster. But I can't find almost any name brands that make this particular type of cable.

I just went ahead and ordered them. If they suck, it's only 15 dollars.

[neorichieb1971]

I usually get Belkin or Monster. But I can't find almost any name brands that make this particular type of cable.

I just went ahead and ordered them. If they suck, it's only 15 dollars.

With glowing reviews of those on Amazon that you first posted I can't see that you would have been disappointed.

I can't really tell what they do though. Seems to be like a mixer cable that takes 2 L's and 2 R's and mixes them into one??

[Thomago]

Shouldn't this discussion actually be about whether piggiback audio cables in and of themselves reduce quality / add interference?

I mean... if the piggyback in and of itself is problematic, it won't make a difference if you buy a $10 or a $10.000 cable.

[evil_ash_xero]

Yeah, that was my original question. But I can't seem to get an answer on that.

[Thomago]

I wish I could help you - I've actually used constructions like that - but that was 10+ years ago and while everything worked, I can't claim with certainty there wasn't any audio degradation.

[neorichieb1971]

It must do what it says on the tin for everyone on amazon to give 5 stars.

[blizzz]

Yeah, that was my original question. But I can't seem to get an answer on that.

My guess is that it will lower the volume a bit since it goes into two devices at once. No idea if it adds any noise or hum to the audio.

[Lawfer]

I usually get Belkin or Monster. But I can't find almost any name brands that make this particular type of cable.

I just went ahead and ordered them. If they suck, it's only 15 dollars.

Belkin and Oelhbach are pretty good, I just bought a power cable from Oelbach myself for 15 bucks a few days ago.

Monster is the Alienware of cables.

[evil_ash_xero]

Monster are overpriced, but you can get the old RCA style cables for "normal" prices now, since there isn't much demand.

[FinalBaton]

I have no experience with piggybacking RCA cables nor do I have scientific evidence... but I don't trust them. I'm guessing that splitting the signal results in not only a loss of volume, but also a loss of gain/voltage received by the amp so the sound quality should suffer. I mean there's a reason why matrix switchers amplify the signal... plus there's the concern of those cable you linked maybe not even be quality to start with...
So I would go with a quality, proven matrix switcher and some quality, proven RCA cables myself. Without a doubt. This is like so worth it.

For the matrix switcher I would get any Extron or Kramer one with RCA/BNC nputs for audio(even if there are video connections, it doesn't matter). You KNOW you can trust these two brands, they're broadcast grade. Those can be picked for no more than $20 US, especially the Extron ones. Or you could get a "program selector" (this is what audio switchers where called in the 70s). The only affordable ones are the ones from DBX.

As far as the actual RCA cables, I'll recommend the Monoprice "premium"(this is what they're called) RCA cables everytime. They look like this :
.
They're the best because they hit the maximum performance ceiling that an RCA audio cable can achieve, all the while being fairly cheap (WAY cheaper than Monster cables. And just as good) : $2.35 for 1.5 feet, $2.98 for 3 feet, $3.70 for 6 feet, $5.21 for 12 feet, etc. So they are without the slightest doubt, the way to go. My entire place's AV setups are using these exclusively. I compared them to cheap, random thin leads you find everywhere in Walmart or wherever, and the sound was notably fuller with the Monoprice ones. And I tested the Monprice ones against Monster ones, and they both sounded exactly the same.

[Guspaz]

Well, the monoprice ones are just straight up coax cables (RG59U), so of course the cable itself is going to perform as good as any cable can.

The problem with the monoprice cables is that RG59U is very stiff, which can make routing it very difficult or impossible, and their connectors are also not very good. The cables are so stiff that the weight or tension of the cable will often pull one of the two plugs out from the socket, and the plugs are bulky enough that it can be difficult to plug them in side-by-side. I've got a bunch of the monoprice premium RCA cables, and they've been so difficult to work with that I would not buy them again.

[FinalBaton]

Well your loss then They're the best value out there

They don't give me any trouble, though I'll admit that they're not the thinnest nor the most flexible

[viletim]

I was wanting to have some stuff hooked up to two sets of speakers. I was thinking about getting these cables: https://www.amazon.com/RadioShack-6-Foo ... op?ie=UTF8

Will this reduce quality, or add any interference?

Connecting an audio line output to multiple line inputs is always ok as long as all equipment is switched on. Assuming Hi Fi high impedance inputs, not something like computer speakers that are supposed to connect to a headphone output. If one (input) amplifier is switched off it may cause distortion to the signal going to the other one (it's unlikely, but possible under the right conditions).

More expensive cables may make the sound quality better to your ears, but this works entirely on the placebo effect.

[evil_ash_xero]

I was wanting to have some stuff hooked up to two sets of speakers. I was thinking about getting these cables: https://www.amazon.com/RadioShack-6-Foo ... op?ie=UTF8

Will this reduce quality, or add any interference?

Connecting an audio line output to multiple line inputs is always ok as long as all equipment is switched on. Assuming Hi Fi high impedance inputs, not something like computer speakers that are supposed to connect to a headphone output. If one (input) amplifier is switched off it may cause distortion to the signal going to the other one (it's unlikely, but possible under the right conditions).

More expensive cables may make the sound quality better to your ears, but this works entirely on the placebo effect.

Thanks.