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Radio Corporation of America first designed the RCA connector in the early 1940s, and since then, it’s become common worldwide, establishing its legendary status as one of the oldest AV cables still in use today.
The reason why RCA cables are so good: they’re simple, effective and clearly marked for easy installation, often with both ends conveniently color-coded, with a red end for the right audio channel and a black or white one for the left. A composite-type cable will have these two, as well as a third yellow input for connecting video.
Since RCA cables carry analog signals, you won’t be able to plug it directly into a digital device such as a laptop, and will need a slightly adapted version designed to fit the proper port, such as having an XLR or HDMI input at one end.
And while the quality and build does indeed have an impact on the sound, an RCA cable doesn’t have to be super expensive to give you great audio. There are still a few things to look out for though.
What You Need to Know About RCA Cables
Shielding around the cable is important. Since the connection through an RCA cable is a low-voltage one, it’s prone to interference, and good shielding can cut down on that. Length also matters, since the signal weakens as soon as it leaves your device, and if it has to travel a longer distance to your sound output, you’ll be losing quality the farther it has to go.
An RCA cable should also be flexible too, especially if you’ll be weaving and winding it to reach its destination. Braided shielding will ensure that your cable can bend and twist without breaking the wires inside. A worn out or broken cable can become an unwanted “mono” cable over time and only play one channel, which is endlessly annoying.
But inside counts as well. Varying materials, like copper, nickel and silver, are what carry and protect the sound signal, dissipate unwanted noise like clicking and popping, and can make a difference in the resulting audio you hear. Some brands feature Oxygen-Free Copper (OFC) which claims to have better conductivity and therefore better sound, but it all comes down to a matter of preference.
These four options will help you start getting great sound out of any setup.
