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What You Need to Know
What Is a Subwoofer Cable, and Why Use One Designed for the Job?
A subwoofer cable is an RCA interconnect — a single conductor with a shield around it and an RCA plug at each end. What makes a “subwoofer cable” different is what it has to put up with.
The signal it carries is the LFE channel — Low Frequency Effects, the dedicated low-frequency mono signal a home theater receiver, processor, or 2-channel preamp sends to a powered subwoofer. The run is usually long, and the path often passes close to AC power.
A cable engineered for that job uses heavier shielding and rugged connectors. Mechanically, the Greyhound can also be used as a regular RCA interconnect anywhere else in your system.
Where Does This Cable Belong in the AudioQuest Subwoofer Line?
The Greyhound sits one rung up from the Black Lab in AudioQuest’s dog-named subwoofer cable family — the line goes Black Lab, Greyhound, Irish Red, Boxer, Husky. Greyhound is for the customer who wants a clear step beyond the entry tier without yet moving up to the silver-plated, Carbon-shielded cables further up the line.
What’s Different About This One?
The Greyhound uses solid Long-Grain Copper conductors, the same conductor metal as the Black Lab. Long-Grain Copper (LGC) is copper drawn through a process that produces a longer, more uniform crystalline grain structure than standard OFC. Solid-core construction means a single piece of copper rather than many small strands — eliminating strand-to-strand interaction in the conductor.
What sets the Greyhound apart from the Black Lab is the termination and the shield. The RCA connectors are cold-welded — meaning the conductor is bonded to the connector contact under high pressure rather than soldered. No solder means no flux residue, no eutectic alloy in the signal path, and a mechanically stable joint that doesn’t relax over time.
The shield itself is improved relative to the Black Lab — important for a cable that may run many meters past AC and switch-mode power supplies. The dielectric (the insulation surrounding the copper) is foamed polyethylene.
Bill Low founded AudioQuest in 1980, and his “Do No Harm” philosophy still drives the line — the cable’s first job is to get out of the music’s way.
Where Does This Cable Belong in Your System?
The Greyhound is a strong match for mid-tier home theater systems and 2.1 setups where the Black Lab’s basic shield is starting to feel underspecified for the run length involved.
- Good fit: AV receiver sub-out to a mid-tier home theater subwoofer, processor LFE-out to a powered subwoofer, 2-channel preamp sub-out to a 2.1 subwoofer in a system with mid-tier electronics.
- Not ideal: reference systems with high-end processors and reference-grade subwoofers — those will be better matched by Boxer or Husky.
- Different configuration? If your subwoofer has two RCA inputs labeled L and R, you want the Greyhound Y-cable version instead.
Single Sub or Dual Subs? What About Subwoofers with Stereo Inputs?
Most home theater subwoofers have a single RCA input labeled “LFE.” A standard single-end subwoofer cable like this one connects directly. Some subs — particularly REL models and certain 2-channel-music-focused designs — have stereo L/R RCA inputs that internally sum to mono. For those, the Y-cable version is the natural choice.
Single-End or Y-Cable — Which One Do I Need?
The answer comes down to what’s on the back of your subwoofer. Most home theater subs have a single RCA input labeled “LFE” — single-end is what you want. Some subs (REL and certain 2-channel-music subwoofers) have stereo L/R RCA inputs that internally sum to mono — for those, the Y-cable version is the right choice.
Warranty: AudioQuest cables purchased from an authorized U.S. dealer carry a non-transferable, original-owner limited lifetime warranty. Audio Advisor is an authorized AudioQuest dealer.
Pairs Well With
Building your system? Here are some natural companions.
- Step up the line: The AudioQuest Irish Red — silver-plated cold-welded RCAs and Perfect-Surface Copper conductors.
- Step down the line: The AudioQuest Black Lab — same LGC conductor at a more accessible price.
- Different configuration: Greyhound Y-cable version for subs with stereo L/R inputs.
- Powered subwoofers: See our subwoofer collection.
- AV receivers: Browse AV receivers.
- Other AudioQuest cables: AudioQuest interconnects, speaker cables, and power cables.
Features & Specifications
Solid Long-Grain Copper conductors — A single piece of high-purity copper eliminates strand-to-strand interaction.
Cold-welded, gold-plated RCA connectors — High-pressure bonding removes solder, flux, and eutectic alloy from the signal path.
Coaxial geometry — Continuous shield around a single central conductor, optimized for long LFE runs.
Improved shielding — Better noise rejection than the entry-tier Black Lab for longer, busier cable routes.
Foamed polyethylene dielectric — Air pockets in the insulation lower dielectric absorption.
Direction-controlled conductors — Arrow on jacket marks preferred orientation (source → subwoofer).
Multiple lengths stocked at Audio Advisor
Limited lifetime warranty — Non-transferable, original-owner, authorized U.S. dealer.
Quick-Reference Specifications
| Conductor | Solid Long-Grain Copper (LGC) |
| Geometry | Coaxial |
| Dielectric | Foamed Polyethylene |
| Noise Dissipation | Improved shield |
| Connectors | RCA — cold-welded, gold-plated |
| Configuration | Single-end RCA-to-RCA |
| Direction Control | Yes |
| Available Lengths | Up to 12 feet |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime, original owner, authorized U.S. dealer |
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between the Greyhound and the Black Lab?
Same solid Long-Grain Copper conductor. The Greyhound upgrades the termination to cold-welded, gold-plated RCA connectors and adds an improved shield. Cold-welding removes solder from the signal path; the improved shield provides better noise rejection on longer runs.
What does a subwoofer cable do?
A subwoofer cable carries the LFE channel from your receiver/processor/preamp to a powered subwoofer. The dog-named line is engineered for long runs in noisy AV racks.
Can I use a regular RCA interconnect instead?
A well-built regular RCA will work mechanically. The Greyhound adds the shield, cold-welded connectors, and long lengths stocked specifically for subwoofer service.
Can I use this as a regular RCA interconnect?
Yes — it will pass any line-level analog signal. AudioQuest’s line-level analog interconnect series uses a different geometry tuned for shorter runs.
What length do I need?
Measure the actual route the cable will take, not the straight-line distance. Add a little slack. When in doubt, go one length up.
What if my sub has two RCA inputs (L and R)?
That’s a sub with stereo inputs that sum internally to mono. You want the Y-cable version of the Greyhound.
What’s the warranty?
Non-transferable, original-owner limited lifetime warranty when purchased from an authorized AudioQuest U.S. dealer. Audio Advisor is an authorized dealer.
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Want to learn more about subwoofer setup and room placement? Visit our Learning Center.
