Suggestions for Speaker Cables

M

MacCali

Full Audioholic
@MacCali - I hope you are taking many of the responses with a grain of salt. It sometimes pains me to see how people like saying just the most random crap to newbies and dragging them through the mud instead of actually helping them. For some reason, they think that being uninformed is a good time to pull out their knowledge and treat others like stupid morons instead of getting them up to speed.

At the end of the day, if you got a good price on basic 12 or 14 gauge speaker cables, then that's fine.
You do want to KNOW the gauge (thickness) of the cables you are going to be using. The cable thickness combined with the length of the cable and the impedance of the speaker all matter for best sound quality.

The best links you got were the first few responses which just gave you real information on length/gauge/resistance.

At the end of the day, you should not be afraid of low-voltage (speaker) wiring. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of videos on YouTube about how to properly terminate your own speaker wires to banana plugs. But, you do want a decent wire stripper, which may be $15. It's a good skill to have.

I'm one of those people that often recommend in-wall rated (CL2/CL3) speaker cable for all speaker wiring as I like the cables to be bundled. But, what you get is entirely up to you. Banana plugs, speaker cable, etc. Terminate it yourself, or not, or whatever. You don't even need to terminate it at all. Just run the wire into your speakers. Whatever works for you.

Just realize that 50' of 12AWG speaker cable runs under 30 bucks. 100 feet is about 40 bucks. 4 pairs of banana plugs runs about 10 or 11 bucks.
So, all in, you are at about 50 bucks for 66' of 12AWG cable, terminated if you DiY. Spending less than that for 12AWG is a good deal. Spending a bit more for someone else to do it isn't a big deal. May even be completely worthwhile. Spending twice as much is a waste. It would be much better for you to learn to DiY and gain some knowledge rather than buy your answer. But, that's only if you are in a situation where you are spending much more than 50 bucks.

Please don't get discouraged by those who shoot out their sarcasm all the time in an attempt to lighten the mood, but really are just taking aim at the newbie. Some people just can't seem to avoid it.
Oh I got helpful comments at the beginning. People are just teasing and messing around now that all my questions were answered and I got some insight.

Audioholics had a great video on this with Gene. Not sure why they didn’t suggest that sooner. Found it on my own.

He too suggested blue jean. But not the one these guys said, the one above it. Probably didn’t need that specifically for my set up. But his comparison was it was better than most the basic Kimber cables.

I will eventually DIY. Just got to support my local busines, consider time, and it’s not that much money. I mean obviously I am getting ripped, but if I need 5 cables I would of went with DIY. Which is the plan when I get the rest of my speakers. Also considering delivery and all that crap, which is time delay.

My speakers were supposed to arrive Thursday Friday, now it says tomorrow. Cables are ready Thursday.

Trust me, I realize it’s a lot of overthinking. Positive or criticism, I appreciate everyone’s feedback. They are trying to help regardless of the approach.

I just see a lot of the time people give a response that would sound way more neutral if they provide reasoning behind the answer or opinion. Rather than just the answer alone or their opinion.
 
Teetertotter?

Teetertotter?

Senior Audioholic
I have been selling & installing audio equipment for 45 years- I have never heard a problem that was caused by halfway decent speaker wire. I did see a few cars that were wired using Bell wire, which is solid 24ga, but that's the worst. Even 18 gauge used to be considered adequate before the big, thick stuff became available and for short runs, that's fine, too. I wouldn't drive insensitive low impedance speakers with a powerful amplifier, but for low power, there's no appreciable resistance on 15' runs. I have measured it and someone I know has done TEF analysis- he said 16ga is fine up to 60', even at 150 Watts. That was real test equipment, not a handheld meter that costs $29.

Headphones and speakers create the sound we hear- anyone who says they're not important should be avoided like the plague. Amplifiers with very similar specs are all but indistinguishable but the pieces that transform the signal from electrical to acoustical energy are all-important.
Yup, my speaker wire is16ga, 2 Conductor twisted pair , 99.9%copper stranded, shielded, jacketed, made in the USA. It is for telecommunications purposes. It is good for 60 feet + more for my system. My son works for a very large industrial electrical and telecommunications contractor. Nuclear and Gas Power plants included.

You might want to stop in at an electrical contracting firm and ask if they will sell you a couple hundred feet or so. Do it in person. Sometimes they might have some end rolls or old inventory at a descent price. I have an extra 400 feet, in my case, that was old inventory. FREE in my case.
 
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lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Yup, my speaker wire is16ga, 2 Conductor twisted pair , 99.9%copper stranded, shielded, jacketed, made in the USA. It is for telecommunications purposes. It is good for 60 feet + more for my system. My son works for a very large industrial electrical and telecommunications contractor. Nuclear and Gas Power plants included.

You might want to stop in at an electrical contracting firm and ask if they will sell you a couple hundred feet or so. Do it in person. Sometimes they might have some end rolls or old inventory at a descent price. I have an extra 400 feet, in my case, that was old inventory. FREE in my case.
How do you figure 16g is good for 60 ft particularly? Did you use twisted for any particular cause?
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Yup, my speaker wire is16ga, 2 Conductor twisted pair , 99.9%copper stranded, shielded, jacketed, made in the USA. It is for telecommunications purposes. It is good for 60 feet + more for my system. My son works for a very large industrial electrical and telecommunications contractor. Nuclear and Gas Power plants included.

You might want to stop in at an electrical contracting firm and ask if they will sell you a couple hundred feet or so. Do it in person. Sometimes they might have some end rolls or old inventory at a descent price. I have an extra 400 feet, in my case, that was old inventory. FREE in my case.
Why should I do that? I'm in the AV business and buy from distributors for AV, not power.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
How do you figure 16g is good for 60 ft particularly? Did you use twisted for any particular cause?
As I mentioned, the guy I know used TEF analysis and said there were no issues to about 60' with 16ga. He not only has experience as an integrator, he has done live sound and studio engineering for over four decades.
 
Verdinut

Verdinut

Audioholic Spartan
As I mentioned, the guy I know used TEF analysis and said there were no issues to about 60' with 16ga. He not only has experience as an integrator, he has done live sound and studio engineering for over four decades.
He probably never used those lengths with 4 ohms speakers though, in which case as you know, it would have definitely reduced an amplifier's damping factor.
 
M

MacCali

Full Audioholic
Guys this isn’t a cable battle, to each their own. You can use lamp cable and you’re good or you can invest 100’s per meter. Just depends on your budget.

This is a never ending cycle of going in circles.

nobody is right and nobody is wrong.

Talking about audio cable choices is like the presidential debate last night. Do what you like and go from there. Simple as that.

Gene DellaSala said it best, there shouldn’t be any issues no matter what cable you use unless the people who made them are morons.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
He probably never used those lengths with 4 ohms speakers though, in which case as you know, it would have definitely reduced an amplifier's damping factor.
And I doubt he would use it for an extremely high power installation because of several factors, but for low power, it's fine.

A formula exists for determining proper gauge and it's based in part on temperature, cross-sectional diameter, length, current and allowable voltage drop- I don't remember all of it.
 
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highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Guys this isn’t a cable battle, to each their own. You can use lamp cable and you’re good or you can invest 100’s per meter. Just depends on your budget.

This is a never ending cycle of going in circles.

nobody is right and nobody is wrong.

Talking about audio cable choices is like the presidential debate last night. Do what you like and go from there. Simple as that.

Gene DellaSala said it best, there shouldn’t be any issues no matter what cable you use unless the people who made them are morons.
Yes, some are right and some are wrong- correct wire gauge can be determined by using data- it's not unicorns and rainbows. When BS enters the conversation and the company doesn't want to voluntarily give cables for testing, there's a reason for resisting this. Saying "It's experiential" (which is something I have been told by a sales rep) when someone disputes the claims isn't an argument for anything- it's a way of surrendering because there's no good explanation.
 
Speedskater

Speedskater

Audioholic General
A formula exists for determining proper gauge and it's based in part on temperature, cross-sectional diameter, length, current and allowable voltage drop- I don't remember all of it.
Yes those are most of the items in the electrical code for determining AC power circuit wire size.
 
highfigh

highfigh

Seriously, I have no life.
Yes those are most of the items in the electrical code for determining AC power circuit wire size.
OK, but audio is AC, right? It's transient, but it's still AC. Compressed audio without level modulation is somewhat similar to a low current power application.

As I posted about people asking about the output of a receiver in Amps, it's not a large number, but some amplifiers are able to drive difficult loads, so overkill doesn't hurt anything. However, the mystique attached to cables is unfounded and the price for some of this stuff is shameful, IMO.

Maybe they could include a lapel pin with 'TPSBC' (The Poor Stupid Bastard Club) on it or an audio greeting card with 'Welcome to the Poor Stupid Bastard Club', preferably in Phil Harman's voice.
 
Speedskater

Speedskater

Audioholic General
But for AC power, it's a continuous 3 hours at full power! The high current heats the insulation and the insulation fails. Actually they add an almost 100% safety margin.
It has nothing to do with speaker cables playing music.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Guys this isn’t a cable battle, to each their own. You can use lamp cable and you’re good or you can invest 100’s per meter. Just depends on your budget.

This is a never ending cycle of going in circles.

nobody is right and nobody is wrong.

Talking about audio cable choices is like the presidential debate last night. Do what you like and go from there. Simple as that.

Gene DellaSala said it best, there shouldn’t be any issues no matter what cable you use unless the people who made them are morons.
It wouldn't be "investing" in cable that costs hundreds per meter....that would be wasting money. Unless it's really pretty and you just gotta have that aesthetic maybe but that's usually easily accomplished for much less too.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
As I mentioned, the guy I know used TEF analysis and said there were no issues to about 60' with 16ga. He not only has experience as an integrator, he has done live sound and studio engineering for over four decades.
Well, wasn't asking you but rather why teetertotter did particularly, what his circumstances were....
 
Teetertotter?

Teetertotter?

Senior Audioholic
If you look at my signature, and the equipment, 16ga is just fine. I did not see for any OVER KILL going to 14ga, for example. People can use whatever. My cable was FREE. Any 16ga, 2 Cond, stranded PURE copper wire would do, in MY application, IMO. I just had access to TELECOMMUNICATIONS quality wire, that's all. It is like buying HDMI cables. Knock yourself out their too, if you elect. Your $$$
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
If you look at my signature, and the equipment, 16ga is just fine. I did not see for any OVER KILL going to 14ga, for example. People can use whatever. My cable was FREE. Any 16ga, 2 Cond, stranded PURE copper wire would do, in MY application, IMO. I just had access to TELECOMMUNICATIONS quality wire, that's all. It is like buying HDMI cables. Knock yourself out their too, if you elect. Your $$$

Free works :) Was somewhat curious about the twisted pair thing, whether you had an issue that resolved.....and if you actually had 60 ft lengths involved.....
 
Teetertotter?

Teetertotter?

Senior Audioholic
Free works :) Was somewhat curious about the twisted pair thing, whether you had an issue that resolved.....and if you actually had 60 ft lengths involved.....
No Issues, I just asked my son if they had 16ga 2 conductor wire. They had this wire that they use in their install communications side of the business. He brought home a box of old inventory. Pretty nice.
 

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