Flat speaker wire.

[timetohunt]

I got some FLAT 14 gauge speaker wire from a friend who had some leftover from a project (actually he never used it all, otherwise I would be asking him the questions). I would like to try to use it for my surrounds which are A. on long runs of 30+ ft each and B. using 16 gauge wire that is about 15+ years old. Why I did not run new wire for these when I had everything opened up is beyond me, I think I was tired of driving 45minutes to lowes after I ran out of my last spool of new wire and found the old stuff.

Has anyone had any experience with the flat wire? Anything I should know?

My main question is will it easily be able to use with my wallplate terminals and banana plugs? I mean do you just twist it up into a round shape at the ends like other wire?

 

[Johnd]

I got some FLAT 14 gauge speaker wire from a friend who had some leftover from a project (actually he never used it all, otherwise I would be asking him the questions). I would like to try to use it for my surrounds which are A. on long runs of 30+ ft each and B. using 16 gauge wire that is about 15+ years old. Why I did not run new wire for these when I had everything opened up is beyond me, I think I was tired of driving 45minutes to lowes after I ran out of my last spool of new wire and found the old stuff.

Has anyone had any experience with the flat wire? Anything I should know?

My main question is will it easily be able to use with my wallplate terminals and banana plugs? I mean do you just twist it up into a round shape at the ends like other wire?

It depends on its' construction. The type I have is braided...you really got to wrestle it into a circular shape. And then I soldered it. But it can be done without too much grief.

 

[dilznoofus]

A 30 foot run with 14 ga wire is right at the limit of okay for an 8 ohm speaker. If they are 6 ohm or 4 ohm, you really need to go with 12 ga or 10 ga.

 

[timetohunt]

A 30 foot run with 14 ga wire is right at the limit of okay for an 8 ohm speaker. If they are 6 ohm or 4 ohm, you really need to go with 12 ga or 10 ga.

How is that determined? Are you sure about that? Mine are not 6 or 4 ohm.

 

[tomd51]

If they are 14 AWG, then regardless of whether they're flat or not, they should be good up an approximate 50ft. run. I've been using a run of 14 AWG flat wire of about 40ft. to my rear surrounds that have been powered by my Yamaha RX-V2500's internal amp and they do just fine.

The real question I guess would be why do you want to replace the existing wiring? Unless you're experiencing any issues (receiver/amp triggering auto-shutoff, audible compression/distortion at higher volumes, etc.) or the existing wiring is beginning to show visible signs of oxidization, I'm not sure you'll get much benefit out of the change... -TD

 

[dilznoofus]

How is that determined? Are you sure about that? Mine are not 6 or 4 ohm.

http://www.audioholics.com/education/cables/speaker-cable-gauge

 

[Hi Ho]

I hate flat wire. All flat wire I have used was braided in such a way that it made it next to impossible to get it into a binding post, especially on a cramped receiver. It doesn't matter if your current wire is 15+ years old. If it's not corroded then it's fine. Wire doesn't wear out.