# RCA patch cord wiring? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 6, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013 "2012-04-06T17:10:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/1 "2012-04-06T17:10:50Z")
I have a couple of small speakers that have bare wires to connect them to an amplifier (or whatever). I thought I might use them as external speakers for the TV, which requires RCA connectors. I thought about buying connectors and soldering them to the bare wires. Then I thought, ‘Hm. Why not just buy a patch cord, cut one end off, pull them apart (half for each speaker), and splice them to the speaker wires?’ What do these patch cords look like when you cut the ends off? Are there just two wires embedded in each half of the cord? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/2 "2012-04-06T17:16:53Z")
If memory serves, yes. Been a while, but I’m almost 100% certain that’s correct. Be careful to keep your + and - straight, though. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/3 "2012-04-06T17:22:46Z")
Those RCA connectors will output a line-level signal which will not be capable of driving speakers. You need an amplifier of some sort (a stereo receiver will work) to process the signal and drive the speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/4 "2012-04-06T17:24:45Z")
Thanks, guys. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/5 "2012-04-06T17:27:06Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Those RCA connectors will output a line-level signal which will not be capable of driving speakers. You need an amplifier of some sort (a stereo receiver will work) to process the signal and drive the speakers. :smack: I should have mentioned that when I made my own cables like this, it was to make extension cables from a stereo amplifier to the speakers. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/6 "2012-04-06T17:27:18Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > If memory serves, yes. Been a while, but I’m almost 100% certain that’s correct. > > Be careful to keep your + and - straight, though. …and your powder dry, and mind your Ps and Qs… I’ve done it. The RCA outs were on the back of a receiver, so the amplifier was there. Sound quality wasn’t important in the application (an exercise room with other noise), so I can’t say whether there was any degradation. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/7 "2012-04-06T17:30:06Z")
Each RCA connector should feed a center wire and a shield. You can treat the shield as a second wire, but you may have to tin it with solder to make it useful. It’s easier just to buy cables designed for this purpose. Try [www.monoprice.com](http://www.monoprice.com) The only reason you have to keep plus & minus straight is for phasing reasons. Nothing sparky or shorty will happen if you mix them, but you may lose bass and some separation. And yes, if your TV output is line level as RCA connectors usually indicate, it won’t drive speakers without a power amp. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/8 "2012-04-06T17:34:53Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Each RCA connector should feed a center wire and a shield. You can treat the shield as a second wire, but you may have to tin it with solder to make it useful. If that’s the way it is, I should probably just buy the connectors and solder them. Don’t really want to deal with ‘coax’. BTW: RCA connectors have a plug and an outer ring. Which is positive? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/9 "2012-04-06T17:35:31Z")
yes you need to go through an amplifier from the tv to go to speakers. on the physical putting RCA plugs on cords: patch cords can have some small delicate wires that are hard to work with. also you have to seal and strain relief them when joining to cords. kind of a mess. it is far easier to buy plugs and solder to your wires. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/10 "2012-04-06T17:36:32Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > BTW: RCA connectors have a plug and an outer ring. Which is positive? plug pin ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/11 "2012-04-06T17:43:13Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > If that’s the way it is, I should probably just buy the connectors and solder them. Don’t really want to deal with ‘coax’. > > BTW: RCA connectors have a plug and an outer ring. Which is positive? There’s really no such thing as “positive” – sound is an AC signal. If you’re concerned with phasing (and you should be), just connect the same one of each pair to the same terminal. Example: shield to red connector, both channels; center wire to black connector, both channels. You could reverse this, but you have to reverse both! OTOH – I’m confused if you are connecting a preamp to an amp or an amp to speakers – if you are connecting line levels, the shield is ground, and grounds should be common. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/12 "2012-04-06T18:44:03Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Those RCA connectors will output a line-level signal which will not be capable of driving speakers. You need an amplifier of some sort (a stereo receiver will work) to process the signal and drive the speakers. Not necessarily - my HP 50" plasma set uses RCA plugs to connect to its (included) external speakers. The OP should ensure that the jacks say “speaker out” instead of “line out”. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/13 "2012-04-06T20:35:18Z")
> [@Running\_with\_Scissors](#): > > Not necessarily - my HP 50" plasma set uses RCA plugs to connect to its (included) external speakers. The OP should ensure that the jacks say “speaker out” instead of “line out”. Are they powered speakers? ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/14 "2012-04-06T20:36:55Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Are they powered speakers? No, they’re passive. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/15 "2012-04-06T20:57:13Z")
RCA plugs/jacks are often used in places where they probably shouldn’t be, but there hasn’t been a standard speaker connection up to now AFAIK, probably because the connection is not critical and almost anything will do. Originally they were intended for inter-connnection between hifi components, where plugging in and out was not expected to be frequent, line levels were high for sound but low for voltage, and shielding desirable to reduce interference and crosstalk. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/16 "2012-04-06T21:09:34Z")
> [@Running\_with\_Scissors](#): > > No, they’re passive. Well, that’s fucked up. You should find whatever product engineer made that decision and give them a good thumping. How long before someone plugs that into an amp or receiver and blows up their gear? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/17 "2012-04-07T02:25:01Z")
Looks like we’re flipping the living room 180º this weekend, so I’m going to wait to do anything. ---
**Author:** ![Woodenspoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bc79bd/32.png) [@Woodenspoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woodenspoon)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rca-patch-cord-wiring/618013/18 "2012-04-08T00:16:31Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Well, that’s fucked up. You should find whatever product engineer made that decision and give them a good thumping. How long before someone plugs that into an amp or receiver and blows up their gear? Yea i’ve never heard of such a thing. rca too low guage to be serious speaker cable… and a powered speaker output from a tv? i don’t know about that, but since hp is computers, then its more likely its behaving as a monitor, and some of those might power a really cheap set of computer speakers, the kind not worth bothering with at all.