16 gauge for 50-ft distance?

[bellbound]

I bought some Monster Cable XPNW MS Navajo White (all that was available at the store) flat speaker wire and it doesn't even say what the gauge is, though I'm pretty sure it is 16. I need to run the cables about 50ft to get around the perimeter of my room. I also bought some Monster Cable Superflat Mini Ultra-Flexible, Compact, High Performance Cable, because it looks so flat, though I think this is 18 gauge and I will likely return this.

1. Is 16 gauge speaker wire ok for the rear speakers for 50-ft of distance?
2. What about for the front left, right and center at 50-ft of distance?

Thanks!

 

[fuzz092888]

I bought some Monster Cable XPNW MS Navajo White (all that was available at the store) flat speaker wire and it doesn't even say what the gauge is, though I'm pretty sure it is 16. I need to run the cables about 50ft to get around the perimeter of my room. I also bought some Monster Cable Superflat Mini Ultra-Flexible, Compact, High Performance Cable, because it looks so flat, though I think this is 18 gauge and I will likely return this.

1. Is 16 gauge speaker wire ok for the rear speakers for 50-ft of distance?
2. What about for the front left, right and center at 50-ft of distance?

Thanks!

First, for future purchases I would order something else for speaker wire. I use mono price wire and I don't believe that more expensive wire would make one iota of difference. Blue Jeans cable is also makes great stuff and they have great customer service as well (not that monoprice doesn't).

Are talking about 50ft for a single run? So two 50ft pieces, one for each surround? If so, for 50ft I would be looking for at least 12 gauge.

Speaker Cable Gauge (AWG) Guidelines & Recommendations — Reviews and News from Audioholics

If you are talking about 50ft total and asking if it is enough I would say definitely not. I didn't make nearly the runs you're talking about and I used up 100ft like nothing. How big is your room, that will help determine how much you need.

 

[bellbound]

I bought my HDMI cable from Monoprice, though they told me they did not sell speaker wire.

Each individual cable will need to run about 50 ft each, so each of the front speakers will each be 50ft away from the receiver.

Do the rears also need that thick of a cable? I was figuring that they might not have the same dynamic range?

Thanks.

 

[fuzz092888]

I bought my HDMI cable from Monoprice, though they told me they did not sell speaker wire.

Each individual cable will need to run about 50 ft each, so each of the front speakers will each be 50ft away from the receiver.

Do the rears also need that thick of a cable? I was figuring that they might not have the same dynamic range?

Thanks.

What??? Click on the link below to see monoprice's speaker wire.

HDMI Cable, Home Theater Accessories, HDMI Products, Cables, Adapters, Video/Audio Switch, Networking, USB, Firewire, Printer Toner, and more!

That's just a lie, or misinformation.

Yes, long runs need thick wire. If you watch movies a lot you'll be surprised at how much matieral is being sent to the surrounds in blu-rays nowadays.

Why in the heck do you need 50ft of wire to your front L/C/R each? How big is your room???

 

[bellbound]

wow...I was in a hurry trying to place an order with Monoprice in order to get things delivered in time, and I did the online chat with a person there and they told me they didn't sell it, otherwise, that would have made my life a bit easier. I was wondering if their chat was being outsourced somewhere to someone who didn't know what they carried...oh well.

I need that much speaker wire if I place the receiver behind my sofa so that it is hidden. I'm still not sure if I'm going to do that or not, though if I do, I will need that much wire.

 

[fuzz092888]

wow...I was in a hurry trying to place an order with Monoprice in order to get things delivered in time, and I did the online chat with a person there and they told me they didn't sell it, otherwise, that would have made my life a bit easier. I was wondering if their chat was being outsourced somewhere to someone who didn't know what they carried...oh well.

I need that much speaker wire if I place the receiver behind my sofa so that it is hidden. I'm still not sure if I'm going to do that or not, though if I do, I will need that much wire.

That make's more sense now. Are you going to put an RF transmitter somewhere as well?

 

[markw]

Does it have to be flat wire? That narrows the options greatly.

 

[bellbound]

Does it have to be flat wire? That narrows the options greatly.

So is it impossible to have a flat wire that is also 14 or 12 gauge?

 

[Adam]

Speaker Cable Gauge (AWG) Guidelines & Recommendations — Reviews and News from Audioholics

I'll have to give that a good read. I've always used the Roger Russell webpage for speaker wire sizing. I ran 16-gauge flat wire under my carpet about 25 feet, and add to that about 15 feet for the wires going to/from the wall plates. I think things sound just fine, but I honestly haven't done a lot of critical listening on my surround speakers.

 

[j_garcia]

Depends on the speakers 4 Ohm speakers, no way it is going to work. 8 Ohm speakers that are not dipping low in impedance and though it is pushing the limit, I think it would still be fine. I pretty much say just go 14AWG minimum for everything unless you have 4 Ohm speakers.

More specifically: http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable

 

[Adam]

So is it impossible to have a flat wire that is also 14 or 12 gauge?

Nope. This is the wire that I mentioned in your other thread about flat wire.

 

[markw]

So is it impossible to have a flat wire that is also 14 or 12 gauge?

I don't know if it was intended, but that post sure seemed confrontational, but I'll be nice for now.

Apparently, you chose to ignore Adam's previous helpful suggestion.

No, I'm merely stating the obvious since that little stipulation seems to have gotten lost with some of the initial responders. It sure narrowed down your choices, didn't it?

What else did you come up with? Did you even google "flat speaker wire" and check the results? ...I think not.

 

[Adam]

Depends on the speakers 4 Ohm speakers, no way it is going to work.

Well, it'll work - the percentage of total resistance might be higher than 5%, though. Whether it'll be audible is uncertain.

 

[j_garcia]

Well, it'll work - the percentage of total resistance might be higher than 5%, though. Whether it'll be audible is uncertain.

Still depends on the speaker - if it dips really low, it will most likely attenuate the highs. That's what you are trying to avoid by using his guideline. Yes, you will still get sound though. I've experienced this before with one of my first systems, I ran wire that was far too small because that's what I had on hand and the speakers didn't like it.

Ultimately, you want to accommodate being able to replace the speakers without having to run wire again.

 

[bellbound]

I don't know if it was intended, but that post sure seemed confrontational, but I'll be nice for now.

Apparently, you chose to ignore Adam's previous helpful suggestion.

No, I'm merely stating the obvious since that little stipulation seems to have gotten lost with some of the initial responders. It sure narrowed down your choices, didn't it?

What else did you come up with? Did you even google "flat speaker wire" and check the results? ...I think not.

Confrontational? Not at all? Asking questions and just making sure I'm making the best choice I can with having close to ZERO knowledge in this area. I have the carpet guys here as I'm typing this and I'm having them do this room tomorrow (hopefully) to provide a bit extra time to figure things out. And, I did google flat speaker wire and went through some results, though being able to ask questions at a place like this where clearly people I believe know what they are talking about seems more beneficial to me.

 

[jcl]

Too bad you didn't take my advice on your original flat speaker wire thread -
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/beginners-audiophytes/82459-flat-speaker-wire-recommendations.html

Monster Navajo isn't going to work well for that length of run. Roger Russell doesn't recommend running lines over 50'. Speaker Wire

Per his chart 12-14 guage wire for a 50' run.

To repeat myself, given the price of the really flat cable, you really may want to look at wireless options. They may in fact be cheaper than flat cable of that thickness.

 

[bellbound]

Any advice on options to look into for wireless?

Thanks.

 

[markw]

Yeah.

Any advice on options to look into for wireless?

Thanks.

Don't. It'll totally waste an otherwise fine system by sending the rears through:

a) A transmitter
b) A receiver
c) An amplifier that will be about equal to that in a boom box.

Roughly translated: It'll suck

Sometimes, ya gotta make do with watcha got.

As for your wanting to solicit advice, that's all well and good, but what I don't understand is that you were given good advice on these cables by at least two responders in your previous thread who are, in your own words, "clearly people I believe know what they are talking about " and yet you summarily chose to ignore them both. That totally puzzles me.

 

[j_garcia]

Don't. It'll totally waste an otherwise fine system by sending the rears through:

a) A transmitter
b) A receiver
c) An amplifier that will be about equal to that in a boom box.

Roughly translated: It'll suck

There are wireless systems that allow you to use your own amp, but you are still going through a transmitter/receiver.

 

[bellbound]

Just got overwhelmed with info, and prepping my house for replacement carpet, lack of sleep, who knows, and I just missed those responses unfortunately....

it actually, would not matter, as it turns out, the carpet installer is not removing the tack strip because he says it is too difficult to replace it on a concrete slab, so the space I have to work with between the concrete slab and the wall is just enough to fit the 16 gauge flat monster cable that I got. A larger cable would be a problem,. The only other option in the future will be to go under baseboards and maybe use wiremold for other areas, though that is more than is going to happen for now.

Thanks.