16 gauge seems so small...

[mpompey]

I've read alot about the speaker wire snake oil and recommendations on the proper size of speaker wire for your speakers rated impedance and wire length.

According to everything I've read, for my 8 ohm speakers, with less than a 50 ft speaker wire run, 16 gauge is supposed to be sufficient.

I just received my spools of 16 guage from Parts Express, and I'm sorry to say, they look so dinky. At my last place I had 10 gauge runs to all my speaker locations. But I picked 10 gauge just from my experience with car audio builds, and using beefy wire there. I never checked any size/ gauge charts with my former install.

Before I start running this stuff behind my walls I just want to double check with you guys...

Will 16 gauge really be as good as my former install with 10 gauge?

 

[Tomorrow]

mpompey,

I have some 50+ foot cable runs in my HT. I've used 16 guage and can't tell any difference from the speaker performance from my short, 12 guage runs.

But then again, I'm old and ear-weary.

 

[jneutron]

I've read alot about the speaker wire snake oil and recommendations on the proper size of speaker wire for your speakers rated impedance and wire length.

According to everything I've read, for my 8 ohm speakers, with less than a 50 ft speaker wire run, 16 gauge is supposed to be sufficient.

I just received my spools of 16 guage from Parts Express, and I'm sorry to say, they look so dinky. At my last place I had 10 gauge runs to all my speaker locations. But I picked 10 gauge just from my experience with car audio builds, and using beefy wire there. I never checked any size/ gauge charts with my former install.

Before I start running this stuff behind my walls I just want to double check with you guys...

Will 16 gauge really be as good as my former install with 10 gauge?

Use 14 or 12. Buy the jacketed stuff, not zip. I got mine from HD, I'm sure some vendors here sell it.

You may not find the guage has any effect, but 16 is easier to damage if you have to do any other snaking.

Cheers, John

 

[jonnythan]

Consider the cable that your 1600 watt hair dryer and 1000 watt toaster use.

How many watts does one of your speakers pull?

 

[Sheep]

Mike sure your wire is rated for inwall use.

I had my whole stereo wried with 16ga. But I found cheap 12ga. so I just switched, because fat cables look sweet.

SheepStar

 

[mpompey]

Thanks for the posts guys.

I figured I'd post back some info regarding the wire install stage of my theater construction.

My wires are insulated/jacketed for in-wall use. I ordered two 100ft spools from Parts Express. In the past I've used speaker wire I've picked up from Home Depot. But over time I could see the copper cable turning green. Wire or the jacket I wasn't sure. So I swapped those out with speaker wire from Dayton Audio, that has held up well. However, with the new move that wire wasn't rated for in-wall use, which was what lead to me ordering new cable.

 

[jcrobso]

Even green wire still works.

I use 16ga for almost everything under 50'. I use 12ga for high powered PA systems. If you speakers were 4ohms then maybe 14ga might be a little better.
It's ratio of the speaker impedance in ohms to DC resistance of the wire that is the important factor. That's why 16ga works so well for 8ohm speakers up to 50'. John

 

[mpompey]

jcrobso, you're right. After I was all set and done, I still wasn't convinced. So I took a 3 ft length of 10 ga cable vs my 16 ga in wall run. I used my trusty RadioShack SPL Meter and measured a test tone at the same volume level between the two. The result: No difference.

Granted my ear and the SPL meter isn't as good as all of the experts and their $12K testing rigs, but it re-assured me that I hadn't wasted two weeks wiring my room with 16 ga for nothing.

Thanks for the info guys.

 

[audiofox]

If you want cheap AND large gauge, get a speaker snake from a pro audio store. I got a 6 conductor, 50 foot, 13 gauge/channel snake with a poly sleeve for less than $80-it works great for my 4 ohm inefficient Dynaudio Audience mains and center channel speakers and my Rotel RMB-1095 amp.

 

[Rob Babcock]

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I use Monster Cable. I was in a hurry and the only 4 conducter cable I could find was Monster. If I'd have had time to order it online I'd have bought 14/4 by Tributaries, but I needed something locally.

All of my speakers are biwirable, but I don't have all the shorting straps. So it's easier to biwire them than make jumpers for them all.

 

[no. 5]

I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I use Monster Cable.

,