What cable for Line level audio to outbuilding?

[longwood]

I want to run a line level audio line to an outbuilding that will have
its own amp and system. (we currently have speaker on the back deck
and we want the ability to have the same music playing). The run will
be a total of 175 feet, with about 100 feet underground. The options I
see are

1) a shielded 16/2 or 18/2 wire. Problem is I can't find any that is
rated for exterior use and even in a conduit I am sure it would get
wet. I used this wire well in the past for interior use.
http://www.generalcable.com/NR/rdonlyres/879E734E-36FB-4997-8D19-8AF9A8B24090/0/Pg99_MltiCondShldRiser.pdf

2) Two rg6 coax cables with rca connectors on the ends.

3) A cat5 solution with baluns

Any recommendations or input as to the best way to do it as well as
sources for the cable would be appreciated.

[Bob Vaughan]

In article <1157861326.965631.210100@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups. com>,
longwood <BillShopping@gmail.com> wrote:
>I want to run a line level audio line to an outbuilding that will have
>its own amp and system. (we currently have speaker on the back deck
>and we want the ability to have the same music playing). The run will
>be a total of 175 feet, with about 100 feet underground. The options I
>see are
>
>1) a shielded 16/2 or 18/2 wire. Problem is I can't find any that is
>rated for exterior use and even in a conduit I am sure it would get
>wet. I used this wire well in the past for interior use.
>http://www.generalcable.com/NR/rdonlyres/879E734E-36FB-4997-8D19-8AF9A8B24090/0/Pg99_MltiCondShldRiser.pdf


16/2 or 18/2 is overkill for line level audio.. 24/2 or 22/2 is plenty.

I have sent line level audio across telephone grade cabling for distances
of 2500' or more. It does require some equalization to offset line losses
at the higher frequencies, but at 175' it should not be an issue.

You will want transformers or balanced line drivers and recievers at the
ends, assuming you want a clean signal, free of hum, buzz, and EMI.

>
>2) Two rg6 coax cables with rca connectors on the ends.

Don't do this.. at 175', you definitely do not want to be running
unbalanced audio, unless you like hum and buzz...

>
>3) A cat5 solution with baluns

This is probably the easiest and cheapest to implement.


>
>Any recommendations or input as to the best way to do it as well as
>sources for the cable would be appreciated.
>


--
-- Welcome My Son, Welcome To The Machine --
Bob Vaughan | techie @ tantivy.net |
| P.O. Box 19792, Stanford, Ca 94309 |
-- I am Me, I am only Me, And no one else is Me, What could be simpler? --

[L. M. Rappaport]

On 9 Sep 2006 21:08:47 -0700, "longwood" <BillShopping@gmail.com>
wrote (with possible editing):

>I want to run a line level audio line to an outbuilding that will have
>its own amp and system. (we currently have speaker on the back deck
>and we want the ability to have the same music playing). The run will
>be a total of 175 feet, with about 100 feet underground. The options I
>see are
>
>1) a shielded 16/2 or 18/2 wire. Problem is I can't find any that is
>rated for exterior use and even in a conduit I am sure it would get
>wet. I used this wire well in the past for interior use.
>http://www.generalcable.com/NR/rdonlyres/879E734E-36FB-4997-8D19-8AF9A8B24090/0/Pg99_MltiCondShldRiser.pdf
>
>2) Two rg6 coax cables with rca connectors on the ends.
>
>3) A cat5 solution with baluns
>
>Any recommendations or input as to the best way to do it as well as
>sources for the cable would be appreciated.

The ideal cable would be flooded and shielded twisted pair. I believe
Belden makes it, but you'll have to order it from Allied, Mouser, or
one like those. ($expensive) 22 - 24 ga would be fine and only ONE
end should be grounded. At the distance you're going you're likely to
have different ground potentials, so if the wire you use is shielded,
only ground ONE end. The reason for twisted pair is that you really
need to use a balanced line which means transformers. However, you
can try telephone wire or even regular shielded cable both of which
are easily obtainable in buryable (flooded) form. If the hum isn't
too bad, you're only risk is tying together different grounds.
Ideally, you could use fiber, but the terminator boards would be quite
expensive.


--

Larry
Email to rapp at lmr dot com