weirdest problem

[sobranie]

pc sound card to amp and on to speakers with audio jacks ....... fine!!
Introduced good quality extension audio cables between amp and speakers ....... sound completely muffled, bassy and, well, rubbish to say the least.
I've set things up like this before with a similar system with no probs and I'm completely foxed with the what should be a simple procedure.
So, any ideas welcomed folks as I'm either senile or losing it.

[Rik]

Or both, Rick? 

My first thought would be there's a fault in the extensions making them act as low pass filters.

[Steve]

Not the answer but an interesting article.

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

[Rik]

It is, Steve. 

[Steve]

It's reminded me to clean my connectors

[Rik]

I do it every day. 

[Baz]

just a wild guess as I had it ages ago and just came back to mind when re-installing things today,does the PC have  sound utility that is over riding the windies one and it may be a setting in there

[pctech]

Depending on your card you may have bass and treble control.

In XP double-click the speaker icon on bottom right of screen, click Advanced under master volume or go to options and tick advanced controls and then Advanced.

[sobranie]

On win  7 btw.
Have ensured the following;
Device manager/sound/ati hd audio device and realtek hd audio (both disabled)/ Sound blaster extreme audio enabled.
It is noted that the system runs fine using the 3m leads between amp and speakers but when the 10mtr ext leads are introduced that's when the prob occurs.
Have a sneaking suspicion that you may be right Rik.  Am ringing 'cabling 4 less' tomorow and reporting the prob.
Will keep you posted folks and thanks for replies. 
Next step is to totally remove the software for the mobo sound card just in case that the prob lies there even tho. the card is disabled in device manager.

[pctech]

Don't have a Win 7 system at home so cant check but am in work early tomorrow so if you can hold tight until then I'll check for you unless Dorset or someone else with 7 can check.

Trouble with these things is its dictated by the hardware driver so it will appear on some configs and not others.

[sobranie]

Thanks pc

[pctech]

No prob.

do you know what sound hardware you are using on the PC, is it the onboard chip or did you go for a dedicated card like the X-FI

[sobranie]

Dedicated card  sound blaster x-fi extreme audio feeding an altec lansing active speaker system. Performing perfectly with short speaker leads.
Introduction of these;
http://www.cabling4less.co.uk/category.php?cat_id=181
2xphono (L/R) ext cable 10 mtrs 2RR310 gives me the big prob.
Note; have re-installed software from creative too but no difference.

[Steve]

It's the cable I have no doubt,

[Technical Ben]

Yep. Only other time I get this is when I break the socket. 
Did it on the headphone socket on the front of the pc, because it's on the front, and easily caught.
But as you have double checked with the old wire, it's probably the new one.
Also, I have no experience at this, but could 10m be too long? Sounds VERY long to me. I'd expect most devices could not cope with a room sized cable (5m?).

[sobranie]

Just rustled up a 5mtr ext cable & with the 2mtr leads on the amp to speakers it totals to 7mtrs and works fine.
So the 10 mtr cble with the 2mtr leads rounds up to 12 mtrs so I think it's a case of straw/camel back!!
Only prob is I need around 9mtrs!!!

[Gary]

Just rustled up a 5mtr ext cable & with the 2mtr leads on the amp to speakers it totals to 7mtrs and works fine.
So the 10 mtr cble with the 2mtr leads rounds up to 12 mtrs so I think it's a case of straw/camel back!!
Only prob is I need around 9mtrs!!!

I used to use 13 amp twin core mains cable as extensions, worked really well, then I got all flashy and bought special cable and bi-wired my speakers, NAD amp gear Tannoy floor standing speakers with that cost silly money, the 13ampcable sounded just as good though.

Have you tried using a length of smaller core cable that offers less resistance?

[sobranie]

I have a fair old length of QED 75 strand cable lying around in the loft. Might get some phono plugs & give it a go with the old soldering iron. There again perhaps cabling4less can come up with some 7 mtr leads for me to try out.

[Rik]

You might try silver cables, Rick.

[Gary]

I used to have OFC Star Quad speaker cable and Chord Cobra interconnects, these days I doubt I would hear any difference in fact I'm sure I convinced myself back then, Biwiring two speakers from the a and b terminals on the amp did sound better, but I think the price can be a placebo, as I said earlier the 13amp cable sounded good

[Technical Ben]

I used to use 13 amp twin core mains cable as extensions, worked really well, then I got all flashy and bought special cable and bi-wired my speakers, NAD amp gear Tannoy floor standing speakers with that cost silly money, the 13ampcable sounded just as good though.

Have you tried using a length of smaller core cable that offers less resistance?

Oh, I thought you needed thinker wire? I'm all confused. 

[Rik]

Smaller core is OK if you use silver rather than copper, Ben.

[sobranie]

Prob now solved by extending power lead to the active sub woofer, longer lead from pc to sound card and shifting the whole sheebang under the wife' bureau. Now awaiting the screams as she stubs her toe
Tks for all reples folks.

[Rik]

Now awaiting the screams as she stubs her toe

Your screams or hers, Rick? 

[sobranie]

Hers of course if she pulls any of the leads out .