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View Full Version : Best/Affordable Speaker Wire

bd997
03-01-2009, 06:46 PM
Can someone recommend a good but affordable IN-WALL speaker wire... I will be running about 40'-50' thanks!
CraigV
03-01-2009, 06:50 PM
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10239

Best to stick with the 12 gage
Matt34
03-01-2009, 06:51 PM
http://store.audioholics.com/product/531/116/impact-acoustics-100ft-12-2-cl2-in-wall-speaker-cable
bd997
03-01-2009, 06:54 PM
their out of stock... anyone else?
sgtpepper9
03-01-2009, 06:55 PM
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

I got the Belden 5T00UP (Gray jacket, 10 AWG) just to see what 10 awg was like.
griffinconst
03-01-2009, 07:04 PM
http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

I got the Belden 5T00UP (Gray jacket, 10 AWG) just to see what 10 awg was like.

Can you "really" tell a difference from 12 or 14 AGW?
bd997
03-01-2009, 07:05 PM
good question....
ParadigmDawg
03-01-2009, 07:40 PM
I use the 12awg CL3 stuff from Home Depot.
Funkmonkey
03-01-2009, 07:40 PM
Can you "really" tell a difference from 12 or 14 AGW?

depends on the length of the run. Short runs, probably not. Very long runs 12AWG would be a better choice.
Shock
03-01-2009, 08:06 PM
http://store.audioholics.com/product/531/116/impact-acoustics-100ft-12-2-cl2-in-wall-speaker-cable

Are you obligated to post the audioholics store?

lol.
greggp2
03-01-2009, 08:30 PM
You can't go wrong with BlueJeanscables.com. 12 gauge would be my recommendation. It's in the wall, so you won't see the thicker cable and as long as you don't mind the few extra bucks, it can't hurt having the thicker gauge.
bd997
03-01-2009, 08:38 PM
Are you obligated to post the audioholics store?

lol.

Is there a huge difference between CL2 and CL3 rated??
jamie2112
03-01-2009, 08:44 PM
www.bestdealcables.com is another great site great cable great prices
mike c
03-01-2009, 08:47 PM
Are you obligated to post the audioholics store?

lol.

no, but it's good logic to support the business that maintains this pool that we all swim in :)
MinusTheBear
03-01-2009, 08:57 PM
My vote would be to go with Monoprice or Blue Jeans Cable. They are also the most affordable.
Alex2507
03-01-2009, 09:03 PM
Are you obligated to post the audioholics store?

lol.

I was gonna give you a red chicklet but it said I had to spread some reputation around before giving it to you again.

lol
griffinconst
03-01-2009, 09:06 PM
Got mine at monoprice.
mike c
03-01-2009, 09:14 PM
the smaller the number gauge, the bigger the cable is

that said, 12 gauge is sufficient even for the bigger rooms (with long runs)

going 10 gauge would make you future proof ... another option is to go 12/4 gauge (4 wires of 12 gauge)
Shock
03-01-2009, 11:35 PM
Is there a huge difference between CL2 and CL3 rated??

Not a huge difference, CL2 is perfectly fine for in wall installation.

I would go with monoprice myself. They should have more in stock on the 15th. Unfortunetly for you, they're speaker wire is getting picked up faster than subs by Mike C.

I guess a lot of people have been referred to them.
j_garcia
03-02-2009, 02:15 PM
the smaller the number gauge, the bigger the cable is

that said, 12 gauge is sufficient even for the bigger rooms (with long runs)

going 10 gauge would make you future proof ... another option is to go 12/4 gauge (4 wires of 12 gauge)

I can only think of one system that might be able to make use of 10AWG wire and that was a $40K 2ch system :) 12 is already overkill, but if you were looking to be future proof, 12 would be sufficient. 14 is good to about 80ft with a typical 8 Ohm speaker.

I bought my in-wall wire from Monoprice as well.
Fredhizzle
03-02-2009, 02:25 PM
you can also go to your local homedepot and get bulk speaker wire for sheap too.
rnatalli
03-02-2009, 02:34 PM
NASA is getting into the speaker wire business. They're selling some for $100,000 per foot which will make you system sound Out-of-this-World.

Joking... Monoprice, BJC, Home Depot, Audioholics, Home Depot, Radio Shack are all fine.
Alex2507
03-02-2009, 02:53 PM
Oh yeah, I got a 250' spool of 14/2 CL rated speaker wire and a cable slicer from Parts Express for my sister's install. I think everything was around $100 and that's enough wire for her, her neighbors, her kids, me and some of my friends. Anyways, lots of wire, not a lot of money.
Sheep
03-02-2009, 04:28 PM
I can only think of one system that might be able to make use of 10AWG wire and that was a $40K 2ch system :) 12 is already overkill, but if you were looking to be future proof, 12 would be sufficient. 14 is good to about 80ft with a typical 8 Ohm speaker.

I bought my in-wall wire from Monoprice as well.

No it's not. The impedance isn't a fixed value, and will drop below 8 ohms, regardless if it is rated for 8.

12ga is good for 50 foot runs on 4 Ohm loads. This is where I would start.

SheepStar
j_garcia
03-02-2009, 05:28 PM
No it's not. The impedance isn't a fixed value, and will drop below 8 ohms, regardless if it is rated for 8.

12ga is good for 50 foot runs on 4 Ohm loads. This is where I would start.

SheepStar

Thanks Sheep, we all know that impedance varies with frequency, but that isn't what the recommendation was for. Just because a given speaker might drop below 8 on it's curve doesn't mean it will be a problem, since the frequencies being played back are constantly changing, thus the 8 Ohm *nominal* rating.
alphaiii
03-04-2009, 11:30 AM
HTD has some nice in-wall wire - if you're ok with 14 awg (2 or 4 conductor).
alphaiii
03-04-2009, 11:38 AM
Link to HTD speaker wire:

http://www.htd.com/speaker-cables-accessories/Speaker-and-Subwoofer-Cables
greggp2
03-04-2009, 11:48 AM
I bought bi-wires from these guys and am waiting for them to come in. Best deal I could find in 12 gauge with banana terminations that were professionally done. Saw a picture of them in PDawg's system. They look nice. Hoping they will be in today!!!

www.bestdealcables.com is another great site great cable great prices
mperfct
03-04-2009, 12:20 PM
I had some longer in wall runs using the Monoprice cable that CraigV recommended. Works well from what I can tell, and my house hasn't burned down. :p
DaleAV
03-04-2009, 12:27 PM
I had Canare 4S11 made up with terminations by BJC for my mains and center. (Bi-amped/bi-wired respetively).

http://bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

I use flat 16ga for my surrounds.
cl35m
03-04-2009, 01:19 PM
None of mine is in-wall but I use nothing but 10 ga solid core romex electrical wire. You could probably get away with 12 or 14 ga. If you are picky about SQ (sound quality), it would be best to buy some short lengths and do some side by side (left vs right) comparisons before routing your final choice in the wall.

If you like the romex then there is a commercial brand called anticables which I've never heard but they use single strand solid core of 12 ga I believe and is supposed to be much easier to work with than romex.
mtrycrafts
03-04-2009, 06:45 PM
Can you "really" tell a difference from 12 or 14 AGW?

YES.:D Much stiffer to work with;):D
santeini
03-05-2009, 12:41 AM
http://www.belden.com/07Markets/07_Enterprise/07_Enterprise_Enterprise_AV_Applications/Overview.cfm#speaker

Try them good and cheap.
DaleAV
03-05-2009, 11:26 AM
Nice simple & sensible advice!

How refereshing not hearing one 'intelligent adult' telling another to use brand X cable, because he will hear something better.
Totally disregarding the fact they have different electronic components thrown together in acoustically different environments, and listening with a different pair of ears.
I wonder what there will be to argue about if everything in the future goes wireless? Maybe air quality?:)