Are you confused about which RG you should get? RG6 or RG6Q? Generally speaking, both RG6 Quad Shield and RG6 Dual Shield are coaxial cables and can be considered as wires of the same family. However, they are not interchangeable as picking one over the other does make a difference when it comes to performance. They have minor physical differences as well.
RG6 Quad Shield Coaxial Cable VS RG6
Before heading to the differences between RG6 Quad Shield Coaxial Cable vs RG6 Coaxial Cable, let me show you a few similarities that can be expected between the two.
RG6 and RG6Q
Like most RGโs, these two wires also have a familiar structure. These coaxials have an insulated inner conductor material, usually made of copper or aluminum, that is shielded by a layer of braided foil and encased in white or black plastic material. The conductor in your wire is used to transmit signals while the shielding and outer layer act as insulation to prolong the life of your coax.
The Common Things in These Cables Include:
- 18 AWG Copper Clad Steel conductor of the same size.
- Aluminum braid layer, and
- A foil layer
However, there are a few physical and performance-based differences between the two.
RG6 Quad Shield Coaxial Cable vs RG6 Dual Shield Cable
Physical Differences:
- RG6Q as the name suggests has four layers of protection. The Aluminum braid, as well as the Polyester tape, are the two materials that form four layers of the shield in the RG6Q by repeating both layers twice.
- On the other hand, the RG6 Coaxial cable has two layers of protection namely the Aluminum braid and the polyester tape.
- This difference in the number of protection layers impacts the thickness of the wire, making the Quad Shielded one a bit bigger in terms of diameter.
- It also has an effect on the weight of the wire. However, there is not much of a difference with regards to handling both of them.
Performance Differences:
- As the RG6 cables have lesser protective layers they do underperform when compared to RG6Q. The Quad shielded ones have the ability to handle more voltages and hence provide a better connection.
- The RG6 dual shield is protected from outer interference but it canโt match the integrity of the signal to that of an RG6Q.
- Having extra layers of conductive protection in an RG6Q cable implies better protection and longer-lasting quality coax.
Final Thoughts
Knowing what cable to get for your entertainment system is important as you might not want to get stuck with the wrong one. You should consider a few things before picking a wire for yourself such as its length, expected interference, functionality, and voltage. These coaxials can be used for outdoor usages too owing to the high-quality outer jacket. Both RG6 and RG6Q cables can be used for setting up computer or data processing transmissions, home theatres, entertainment units, and others.
