Speaker cable life expectancy?

[cristphoto]

Is there a guideline for how long speaker cables will last? I was adding a component recently and got a close-up look at my speaker cables that are about 20-25 years old. They're 12 gauge with a clear jacket so I could see the strands and they appeared to have lost their bright copper color. The cables had a dull brown color. There wasn't any green corrosion color but I'm curious if there is an age limit. Thanks.

[Barry]

The discolouration is a surface effect. As long as the cable connections to the amplifier and speakers are tight (and by tight, I mean that the air is squeezed out, so the copper cannot oxidise), then the cables should last for years.

[Pharos]

Copper oxidises to copper 1+ and copper 2+, the former brown/black which you will see on bare plumming pipes which have aged a bit. In general oxide layers offer some protection form further oxidation, and copper not exposed to water, which will result in the green copper 2+ will remain stably brown.

The internal metal will be fine, and since speaker cables are not usually subject to frequent bending, they will not work harden, so they should last indefinitely, but cleaning up the terminals or re-termination may help every so often.

[cristphoto]

Thanks for the replies. The wires are run through my ceiling and walls except for about 6 feet at amp and speaker ends which are exposed. Spade tips at the speaker end and banana jacks at amp.

[archiesdad]

I remember being told it a good idea to chop a couple of inches off every few years and remake the ends if you cannot seal the connectors airtight.

[Paul-H]

My concern would be were has the copper oxidized, just at the ends is ok and just needs an inch or 2 chopped off, all tgec way through would indicate the outer plastic is not tight on the inner copper, letting oxodizing air into the full length.

In that case I would change to a different brand of cable.