Ideal Speaker Wire Gauge
- Thread starter LRVGTR
- Start date
RTally
Speaker addict
16 to 14 gage is common for 50' lengths, although you can buy 12 ga. You can even buy 18 ga. in 50' lengths.
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Speaker-Cables.gc
I just built some speaker cables with 1/4" connectors and I used 16 ga. It would have been a tight fit if I had wanted to use 14 gage.
RVT1K
Super Member
Does it? I wouldn’t think the torque would change based on the termination. I suppose bare wire leaves more room for error though.
I'm simply playing devil's advocate and highlighting that there are more sources of minuscule changes in resistance than are often considered.
What I should have said was inconsistency in torquing binding posts.
Roadrash
Super Member
I use banana plugs because 10ga wire won't fit the binding posts on my Allisons correctly, and I also use them at the amp end because I don't want a stray strand of wire wiping out a nearly irreplaceable amp. I also use OFC gold plated plugs because I don't see the point in terminating OFC cables with cheap brass based plugs.
To get back to the subject of wire gauge I believe Kimber claims that the 8TCs that were just taken out of my main system were 9ga.
JP
7480 74111110101115
Depends on frequency. Application specific info here: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...dio-cable-skin-effect-matter.7157/post-163500
twiiii
Lunatic Member
With a lot of 4 ohm speakers now days dipping down to 2 ohms for two or three octaves in the lower midrange and others dipping down in top octave I would stick with 12 guage. As one of my runs is 35 ft and the other 22 feet I bought 60 ft of 4 conductor 11 AWG stranded and paired up the conductors giving me some where between 9 and 8 gauge for my 4 ohm speakers. I had been using 12 gauge and the new wire made a discernible difference in the mid bass below 300 hz down to the very bottom below 25 hz. The speakers are flat down to almost 16 hz with them positioned properly and the use of an equalizer with no boost on the right channel and a 3 db boost here and there on the left channel using direct coupled amps. The difference isn't striking but after you have lived with the system for while you can easily hear the difference. It also cut down losses in the very top octave. Giving the speakers 2 db more out put at 16 KHZ 1/6 octave and 4 db more output at 20 KHZ.
Roadrash
Super Member
These are my favorites, and a necessity to be able to place the Allisons correctly and use big cable. Once tightened into the binding posts they're pretty much bulletproof.
Furutech FP-202G
Nice
I don't have issues with them falling out.
They are plenty tight.
I think they are made for laboratory/commercial use.
You would be hard pressed to ever break them.
With these-you solder and crimp.
A pain-but a one time deal.
But again-the 10 Gauge Belden is not super heavy.
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plugto
Well-Known Member
Great article Grey! I find it hard to agree that the high frequencies are more attenuated in dry air than humid air. Anyone ever had the effect of getting in the car on a crisp sunny day in the winter? The high frequencies are crystal clear to my ears. Rainy wet air days makes the transients duller to me. Then again we have the reason for the creation of polymer cones on speakers, that someone was trying to eliminate the absorption of the moisture by paper cones in humid weather.
This is why I am totally addicted to audio. So many mysteries, and so much science, you just can't get bored. Not to mention music.
And for Homebrew, I am definitely anal retentive with a touch of OCD LOL.
Have to admit it is a never ending fun journey and hobby that aggravates the wife so how can that be bad LOL
The wire inside the cabinets is generally not very substantial, nothing near 12 guage
I would think that the larger the wire, the less contact the binder will have, as large wire is very stiff and the weak springs of the binder hasn't a chance of actually deforming the wire.Does it? I wouldn’t think the torque would change based on the termination. I suppose bare wire leaves more room for error though.
BamaBilly
Motorcycles and Music
Springs? Didn’t consider those because none of my equipment uses them. Also there’s no torquing involved since it is what it is, no adjustment there unless I’ve missed something.
Roadrash
Super Member
That's because they're not usually much over a foot or two long.
