What guage wire to use in crossover circuts?

[StarMover]

If the quality and guage of speaker cable is so important, then isn't the wire used in crossovers just as critical?

Doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose of using high-quality large guage speaker wire if your crossover is constructed with small guage wire? Also what about internal connections in the crossover circut. Do unsoldiered 'shoe and screw' connections add resistance as compared to soldiered connections?

I was building a crossover circut last night and thinking I should be using the same heavy guage wire and should also try to minimize the number of soldiered connections within the circut.

I'm interested in hearing some opinions on this topic. :scratch2:

 

[ferninando]

oh, transatlantic cable should work ok. Or, hey, what manufacture used!!!

 

[StarMover]

Then by this logic, soldier connections betweeen the crossover and transducers are more reliable than shoe connectors?

I was a little nervous about the little spring-loaded connector terminals on the JBL 123A woofers. Sounds like a wire could easily work it's way out. I think I'll add a little ball of soldier to the end of those wires so the connector has something to grab on to.

 

[needforspeed]

I followed Pioneer's lead, Stepped the size up, From 22 to 18, Mainly to get a good solder area on both ends. I did have a disconnect come loose, And it was probably cause by how hard I drive the speakers, So this time, All connections were soldered. All slack wire was clamped to the bracing, As was originally done, I just switched to those clamps that lock down. It's time consuming, But was worth it.

 

[StarMover]

I went ahead and tied a little loop knot in the wire leading from the xover to the woofer so any tugging in the wire would be restrained by the mounting board instead of the soldiered connection on the xover.

 

[Zilch]

18 Ga. tinned multi-strand, generally.

16 Ga. to big woofers, if I have it, and Cat5e to "Special" compression drivers.

Multi-wire cable goes to panel-mount L-Pads.

Wire and cable connections to boards are soldered, and get cable-tie strain reliefs or cable clamps, if they need them.

There's a flexure point where the wicked solder ends in multi-strand wire. Be aware of where that is, and stabilize it, as necessary.

There's an entire science of triboelectric effects components, wires, and cables; way too esoteric for me to fathom in detail. Bottom line: don't have wires and stuff flopping around inside the box.... :thumbsdn:

 

[needforspeed]

18 Ga. tinned multi-strand, generally.

16 Ga. to big woofers, if I have it, and Cat5e to "Special" compression drivers.

Multi-wire cable goes to panel-mount L-Pads.

Wire and cable connections to boards are soldered, and get cable-tie strain reliefs or cable clamps, if they need them.

There's a flexure point where the wicked solder ends in multi-strand wire. Be aware of where that is, and stabilize it, as necessary.

There's an entire science of triboelectric effects components, wires, and cables; way too esoteric for me to fathom in detail. Bottom line: don't have wires and stuff flopping around inside the box.... :thumbsdn:

Excellent help/reply...As always.

 

[kretinus]

I was a little nervous about the little spring-loaded connector terminals on the JBL 123A woofers. Sounds like a wire could easily work it's way out. I think I'll add a little ball of soldier to the end of those wires so the connector has something to grab on to.

I've worked with a lot of JBl pro drivers that have those spring loaded connectors, I never have seen one lose the wire.