Options for connecting 4x14AWG conductor speaker wire to 2x input receiver/amp

[saebel]

Hello all. Going down the rabbit hole and doing a major overhaul of my entire home theater system. I've got just about everything else figured out and am down to the wiring.

I've recommendations to go with 4x14 AWG conductor wire and to connect them in parallel. For example, let's say I'm going to connect the center channel speaker and I am using Monoprice Nimbus Series 14AWG 4-Conductor CMP-Rated Speaker Wire. Presumably, I would want the black/white wires (yin/yang) to connect to the negative input and the red/green wires (x-mas) to connect to the positive input.

I have a Denon AVR-X8500H which doesn't have terminals that appear to be spade friendly, so it looks like my options are:
A. One single banana plug with the paired wires twisted together (red/green)
B. Two stacked banana plugs with one wire in each (green stacked on red), or
C. A combo of one banana plug for one wire (red) for the standard input and the second wire bare (green) coming in from the side bare.

How have other folks who have a 4x14 AWG setup handled implementing this?

Thanks in advance!
p.s. I've seen recommendations for the "rubber pants" add-ons for a clean look and separation, so I'm going to look into those.
p.p.s. How are folks going about distinguishing wires? I'm doing a full 7.2.6 Atmos system and am going to be running lots of wire through walls. I'm probably going to have to run them one at a time and measure/tailor cut each one for suitable length. I've been using simple address labels, but they don't last very long. Are there color-coded jackets that are out there?

 

[lovinthehd]

Doubling up 14g would essentially give you 11g instead. How far away is the center speaker? Equipment closet and center far away?

Just keep your color wires consistent thru your install at each end for -/+ and you'll be fine, if you remember the yin/yang and x-mas thing that's a great way to go as long as you don't forget

Splice the wires before the plug would be what I do and then watch what plug you get as some may not accommodate or hold well. No stacking, that just gets silly and too much stress on terminals and all that, the heavier wire is already in that territory. Never wanted/tried spades (I'd just go bare wire as same hassle really) so I'm no help there but bananas are more about convenience for frequent connection/disconnection. Just get good fitting ones that secure wire well (I prefer dual set screw type) and it's good.

I simply label wires for channel using either colored electrical tape or labels on strips of tape. The memory trick for remembering color combos or just write it down and keep it with the manual or something.

Good source for general things speaker wire including a handy table for determining gauge/length for your use http://roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

 

[saebel]

I was just using the center as an example. It's one of the closest speakers (about three feet). I'm not 100% sure what the furthest speaker away will be when it comes to running the wires because I live in an old 1911 house which presents some challenges. The room length is 16.5 feet and the height from floor to where the terminals of the ceiling speakers will be around nine feet. If I can go the shortest route for all speakers, the longest distance will probably be around 30 feet. If I have to run them differently, it may be as much as 45. I'm estimating still and need to go up in the attic and figure out my options.

Thanks for the feedback on the plugs. I have some leftover 14 gauge speaker wire that I'm using for my current system. I'll buy some banana plugs of various kinds and do some tests. The compression style looks like it may be my best bet, so I'll start with those.

Thanks for the suggestions and the link!

 

[lovinthehd]

The better example would be the longest run. Centers tend to be shorter. Try the wire table in the link I provided. I just generally buy reels of 12g to cover a variety of lengths with my biggest room in mind....

 

[saebel]

I didn't mean to use the center channel as an example for the length of wire. I was just using it as an example for how to wire up the banana plug with a 4 conductor to 2 wire input. I picked it because I wanted to avoid confusion and not have people stuck on bi-amps or left/right speaker pairs. So much for avoiding confusion, lol.

 

[lovinthehd]

I didn't mean to use the center channel as an example for the length of wire. I was just using it as an example for how to wire up the banana plug with a 4 conductor to 2 wire input. I picked it because I wanted to avoid confusion and not have people stuck on bi-amps or left/right speaker pairs. So much for avoiding confusion, lol.

Don't even get me started on the silliness that passive bi-amping is.

 

[Mark E. Long]

I didn't mean to use the center channel as an example for the length of wire. I was just using it as an example for how to wire up the banana plug with a 4 conductor to 2 wire input. I picked it because I wanted to avoid confusion and not have people stuck on bi-amps or left/right speaker pairs. So much for avoiding confusion, lol.

Ram Electronics has nice crimp on ferrules that accommodate doubled up 14 gage wire I recently used them on own home build wires I used canare cable . they worked very well on the speaker posts but I used nice Bannas on the amp side . There relative cheap in the bigger picture of the build . They are gold plated too . If time is taken and heat shrink wrap is used it makes for a nice finished look too .

 

[saebel]

So I've ordered Monoprice Nimbus 14 AWG x4 conductor wire and Mediabridge compression bananaplugs. Next up is trying to figure out finishing touches. I'm thinking twisting black/white together (negative pair) and red/green together (positive pair) and then using heat shrink tubing for each pair, color coded for which speaker (positive pair) and black (negative pair). Then slip on some rubber cable pants (size?). Then I can split the ends and add the banana plugs.

What I'm not sure about is the size I would need for the rubber pants to fit the cables. I've searched the heck out of the forums and elsewhere and haven't really found anything specific to my speaker wire design plan.

 

[Verdinut]

So I've ordered Monoprice Nimbus 14 AWG x4 conductor wire and Mediabridge compression bananaplugs. Next up is trying to figure out finishing touches. I'm thinking twisting black/white together (negative pair) and red/green together (positive pair) and then using heat shrink tubing for each pair, color coded for which speaker (positive pair) and black (negative pair). Then slip on some rubber cable pants (size?). Then I can split the ends and add the banana plugs.

What I'm not sure about is the size I would need for the rubber pants to fit the cables. I've searched the heck out of the forums and elsewhere and haven't really found anything specific to my speaker wire design plan.

Why bother about rubber pants? They won't be showing when connected to the back of your amps.

 

[saebel]

Honestly, to reduce the chance of snagging and splitting where the wires separate at the base. It's a problem I've run into before. It's rare, but annoying when it happens. I also prefer the cleaner look, even if no one else will see them.

After researching my options out there, I'm switching tactics and I think I'm just going to use clear heat shrink tubing for everything so that the twisted paired colors show through. I'll think of something else for identifying which cable goes where. The Denon actually comes with sticker labels (which I'd forgotten about), so I may just use those.

 

[highfigh]

DO NOT stack banana plugs- pressing/pulling sideways on the end is like putting a long pipe on a wrench to increase torque. Keep the connection at the binding posts as short as possible, to prevent stressing the posts, which CAN break. Use banana lugs that have a hole in the side, where the wire enters- that is the best type WRT stress on the binding posts.

Why use 14-4 when you could just as easily use 12 ga and be done with it?

 

[saebel]

DO NOT stack banana plugs- pressing/pulling sideways on the end is like putting a long pipe on a wrench to increase torque. Keep the connection at the binding posts as short as possible, to prevent stressing the posts, which CAN break. Use banana lugs that have a hole in the side, where the wire enters- that is the best type WRT stress on the binding posts.

Why use 14-4 when you could just as easily use 12 ga and be done with it?

Thanks for the tip on not-stacking. Will avoid that.

I acknowledge your point about the 12AWG. And believe me, I went back and forth on this quite a bit. Ultimately I decided to go with recommendations where the 14-4 speaker cable is a little more easier to work with when it comes to running the wires through the house/in-wall than the 12-2. My house is tricky, so I don't mind the extra work with the connectors if it means less problems running the cables through the walls.

 

[highfigh]

Thanks for the tip on not-stacking. Will avoid that.

I acknowledge your point about the 12AWG. And believe me, I went back and forth on this quite a bit. Ultimately I decided to go with recommendations where the 14-4 speaker cable is a little more easier to work with when it comes to running the wires through the house/in-wall than the 12-2. My house is tricky, so I don't mind the extra work with the connectors if it means less problems running the cables through the walls.

The gauge is just not so critical that anyone needs to obsess about it.