Lots of audio questions.

[Doofster]

Okay, first off, I'm a bit confused about the coaxial connection from my DVD player to my reciever, can i use regular audio cable with RCA connectors or can that not transfer digital signals? Is there a certain kind of cable i should buy? Secondly, in order to run the speakers to our reciever it will require 50-60 ft of wire per speaker. I understand that they will not sound correct unless they are the same length(resistance), so in that case what gauge wire should i use to run from the speakers to the reciever? Should it be shielded and how important is that? I'm sure I don't know half as much as a should about this(my parents are more clueless than me, therefore i have to do all this), so any tips are welcome.

Thanks

 

[Doofster]

by the way this is for a surround sound system

 

[daviddoria]

for general electronics applications dealing with only <> 50ft of wire shouldn't effectively change the resistance... i duno about you audio gurus, but i wouldn't image you could hear a difference?

 

[mikeinttx]

Doofster,

Wire run lengths are mostly a factor in THX certified theater rooms. They state that wire can only be of a certain length. For most everday surround speakers, run enough that you can route the wire away from potential noise problems (120v electrical wires, transformers) but keep the run as short as possible bearing the previous in mind. In most new house prewires i do, 14gauge copper speaker wire is used for the surround sound system.

Regular rca patch cable can only handle an analog signal. You can buy premade digital cable with an RCA jack at each end, or use RG6 coax cable, with RCA adaptors on it. Or if both components have an optical jack, you can buy a fiber optic cable. You won't have true Dolby Digiital or 5.1 without a digital connection

Hope this helps...
Mike Smith