RCA help

[Drowsy09]

Just like power and speaker wires (guages), DO RCA's get rated and if so, what do I need to run



Polk Audio 5” dB501 Coaxial Speakers
Power Handling (continuous) 45 w
Power Handling (peak) 135 w

Audiobahn 3.5” AS31Q Coaxial Speakers
Power Handling: 60 watts RMS

to a

1 Polk Audio C400.1 4/3/2 Channel Amp
100W x 4

[MacLeod]

RCA's dont get rated. They have some fancy features to some of them but basically all you need is a quality built set of UNSHIELDED RCA's and youre set. I usually prefer Streetwires Zero Noise 2 but any from Stinger, Tsunami, JL Audio or Knuconceptz will work just fine. Just remember - UNSHIELDED!

[audiobliss]

Why unshielded, Mac? I feel like a noob asking that question, but it seems counter-intuitive to me.

[exalted512]

All of knukonceptz RCAs have shielding. Some say the shielding actually induces noise, I disagree.
-Cody

[eloplayspolo]

if that was the case... EVERY company that makes RCAs wouldnt put shielding on them. i had my RCAs running next to my power cable for about a week untill i did everything correctly and i had no noise.... Monster 300 series ftw.

[MacLeod]

Shielding can act like an antenna and actually pick up noise that normally wouldnt be there. This doesnt happen everytime or in every application but it can happen. Why take a chance I say.

My old Ram had non shielded cables in there and no noise. I replaced them with a set of shielded cables once and had all kinds of noise. Took them out and stuck in a set of bulk non shielded cable from my local shop and was noise free again.

[exalted512]

What kind of RCAs?

[MacLeod]

Entry level Monster Cable at first and were noise free. Then when changing head units I got one hung and pulled the head off it. Since I cant stand for things not to match, I had to buy all new RCA's. I first tried some entry level Lightning Audio shielded and had all kinds of alternator whine and brake light pops. Slapped in some entry level JL Audio non shielded and I was back to quiet as a mouse.