Amazon Basics Speaker Wire - 14-Gauge, 99.9% Oxygen-Free Copper, 30,5 m

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Likewise, each AWG wire gauge has an electrical current capacity (how many amps it can handle, also called ampacity sometimes). This distance can be used to calculate the wire gauge required to get the best performance out of your speakers. audio chain for pursuing audiophile nirvana. Being an audiophile often means a bit of overkill on your part and that's ok. To get the same performance as true copper wire when buying CCA speaker wire, move up one gauge in size. For example, to replace 18 gauge copper wire, use a 16AWG or 14AWG CCA wire.

once you attach a real world amplifier (non zero output impedance) and loudspeaker (reactive load), the overall system There will be no discernible difference in the electrical signal at the speaker end. What is the best wire-to-wire for speakers? Power loss at 300W RMS: P = I In most cases for everyday listening at medium or low power levels (50W RMS or under), 18 gauge (18AWG) wire is what you need. You need to be aware that all available speaker wires are stranded. It contains 16 to 60 or even more fine copper conductors. On the other hand, a solid wire has one conductor larger than a smaller gauge; stranded wires employ more of them. In addition, standard wire is more flexible and less likely to break than solid wire.

Stranded wire has a big advantage over solid in that it’s very flexible and not prone to breaking under stress. It’s also easier to strip the insulation to bare wire with a wire stripper. It’s also easier to work with if using spade connectors or inserting it into a crimp connector. is a ratio of rated loudspeaker impedance (ZL) to the source impedance (Zs). In this case our source impedance is (Rcable When using 8-ohm speakers, it is recommended to use 16 AWG wire for runs of up to 48 feet and 10 or 12 AWG wire for routes of up to 200 feet. Problem: Calculate power loss for 16AWG stranded pure copper wire, 4 meters length, into a 4Ω speaker load with a maximum of 300W RMS power delivered. Determine if 16AWG stranded wire is acceptable. Long (100ft+) speaker runs or higher power applications such as high-power 2 or 4 ohm subwoofers with a short length.

Braided cables utilize multiple individually insulated conductors (usually 22-26AWG) twisted in a pattern that helps to reduce series mutual inductance but usually at the expense of increased capacitance. Remember anytime you bring conductors closer together, the inductance gets reduced but capacitance goes up. I do appreciate these type of cable designs if they aren't overly blown out of proportion with high capacitance needing a zobel network termination to prevent amplifier oscillation for long runs. Braided cables are a fine choice provided that you aren't sacrificing resistance for the design. Some of my favorite braided cables are the mid priced cables like the 8PR or 8TC from Kimber Kable. However, some of their more expensive cables like the Bifocals exhibit lots of capacitance and are not something I'd recommend for very long runs especially because they are quite cost prohibitive and NOT worth the expense for no sonic benefit, in my opinion. Buying & using speaker cable is definitely one of those cases where the old advice “better to have too much than not enough” applies! You don’t want to run out because you didn’t plan ahead. No, pure copper wire devoid of oxygen won't produce any audible or tangible improvements in power. More money shouldn't be spent on it. It's a fantastic marketing tool for merchants, but the research reveals that the performance difference is incredibly minor. Spending extra money is unnecessary. You'll be alright if you use the right gauge of high-quality wire. It’s a good compromise between price and power handling as it’s usually affordable and easy to find. How to find the correct size wire for ANY length or speaker system

1. InstallGear 14 Gauge

You might assume that you can buy any speaker wire and enjoy the best sound output. However, that’s not the case. There’s so much you need to know about speaker wire. Essentially, the role of a speaker wire is to connect a receiver to a speaker or an amplifier to a speaker. A speaker wire works by carrying an audio signal in the form of an electric current from a sound source to a speaker. Longer speaker runs for car & home stereo speakers or short runs under 20 ft for 75-100W. Moderate power subwoofers (under 225W) with short lengths.

It is possible to run 4-ohm speakers up to 24 feet using 16 AWG wire, while 10 or 12 AWG wire is advised for runs up to 100 feet. For lengths up to 36 feet with 6-ohm speakers, 16 AWG wire is advised, and for runs up to 150 feet with 10 or 12 AWG wire. You may have heard of the skin effect in some conductors which becomes more of an issue at higher frequencies but that’s well above the 20 to 20kHz audio range so it’s not something to worry about. Stranded speaker wire design Remember, never sacrifice low cable resistance for an elaborate exotic design that promises to solve a problem that doesn't exist. Many exotic cable vendors promise you the moon but deliver cheese. If you exceed the recommended distance for a specific speaker wire gauge and the corresponding speaker impedance rating, you’ll get reduced sound fidelity. Final Thoughts

Mark the length, then measure it. I like to add at least 1 foot of length for each wire section for home stereo use and 2 feet each for car stereo installations to play it safe. Figuring out how much wire to buy Unlike pure copper wire, copper-clad aluminum uses an aluminum wire core with a thin copper plating. From the outside, it misleadingly looks the same because of the plating.