OT: using an instrument cable as speaker cable

[DominicPerry]

To cut a long story short, I've bought a guitar amp attenuator (THD Hotplate) and forgotten to buy a second cable. I know I shouldn't use instrument cable as a speaker cable, but how can I tell if any of the instrument cables I have 'may' stand up to the job for one night only?
I have a single Evidence Audio speaker cable and loads of Evidence Lyric HG audio istrument cables, as well as tons of standard instruiment cables. Clearly I won't use one of my cheap flimsy patch cables but can I get away with one of the others?

Thanks

Dominic

[Craig Allen]

I wouldn't do it at all. Can you get a couple of 1/4" connectors and some zip cord and make you one real quick?

[DominicPerry]

Thanks Craig. I'll just have to be patient and wait until tomorrow and buy another cable. I have so many lying around that I always assume I' have everything I need, but it turns out I have exactly one speaker cable - all the other amps round here are combos and I sold the PA. Patience is, I'm told a virtue. Doesn't help when you want to play with new toys though:D .

Dominic

[jazzydaw]

There are many factors, amp damping, inductive reactance, capacitive reactance, speaker impedance, amp power and current capicity ect..
While there is a chance instrument cable would work in an emergency,
failures are always waiting to happen maybe all they need is a good excuse, Why give them one.
Do yourself a favor use lampcord or something similar.

James Murphree
JazzMedia

[mikebuzz]

Dom a good Instrument cable will work for 1 night !! Hell I've used them many times just open the 1/4" and see if it has a large dia. conductor if it does use it for now it should not be a problem , just keep it as short as possible !!

Later
Buzz

[Ian Alexander]

Depends on the amount of power you're sending to the speaker. The Lyric HG has a 20 ga. conductor. Decent speaker cables are 14 ga. and larger. If you have a chance to get the proper cable before the gig, it's one less thing to worry about. Then again, you could use only one speaker cabinet a few feet in front of the singer. Then the sound would appear to be coming from the singer, no matter where someone sits in the audience. :cool: With two cabs, anyone more than slightly off center hears the sound coming fromt the side of the stage. Weird, but standard these days, it seems.

[Craig Allen]

Yeah, a lot of power can burn up a 20ga guitar cable. I've done it at low volume, but wouldn't want to at high power. You could try it and see how warm the cable gets...

[AcousticGlue]

Can you use Monster Guitar cable for running unbalnced output from electronic drums set? Or should you use 'Line' cables? Will this work and is this what we're talking about? Thanks,

[Craig Allen]

Can you use Monster Guitar cable for running unbalnced output from electronic drums set? Or should you use 'Line' cables? Will this work and is this what we're talking about? Thanks,
Sure, that would work fine, but it's not what he's talking about. He's thinking of using a guitar cable to replace a speaker cable.

[Bill Park]

....Clearly I won't use one of my cheap flimsy patch cables but can I get away with one of the others?

Thanks

Dominic

Yes. Rock on.

Should you use thicker cable to pass this current? Sure. Will there be any damage to either part of the rig by using a thin cable? No.

Bill

[DominicPerry]

Thanks all. I tried with a short fat cable and discovered the THD Hotplate was broken anyway, so I've had to take it back. And I've stocked up on speaker cable now so I'll never be embarassed again (well, not by this anyway).
No fires and no broken amps so far today.

Dominic