What guage speaker wire from amp to speaker selector

[Neatweak]

Hi I have a multi room settup and I am using an Adcom GFA 5400 and it runs into a niles 4 pair speaker selector. Does the guage of the wire make a difference in the amount of power that gets to the speakers. Right now I am using 16 guage wire from the amp to the selector and 16 guage from selector to the speakers. All of the speakers are on a 62.5 run. The The run from the amp to the selector is about 1.5 feet.

 

[highfigh]

Hi I have a multi room settup and I am using an Adcom GFA 5400 and it runs into a niles 4 pair speaker selector. Does the guage of the wire make a difference in the amount of power that gets to the speakers. Right now I am using 16 guage wire from the amp to the selector and 16 guage from selector to the speakers. All of the speakers are on a 62.5 run. The The run from the amp to the selector is about 1.5 feet.

The effect is directly proportional to its length, so anything from 16 ga larger is fine.

 

[Neatweak]

does that mean that for a short distance use a large guage wire?

 

[highfigh]

does that mean that for a short distance use a large guage wire?

No, it means that for a short section of wire, the gauge means less than a long one. However, you're still operating at a given power level, so using a 14ga or 12 ga wire won't hurt.

 

[m_vanmeter]

a good read on speaker wiring
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable

 

[Neatweak]

I actaully read that before I posted. lol it is very helpful. I think i was manly looking for any inside information, or if people hjad certain preferences. I think I might try going to a 12 or 14 guage wire. Thanks everyone you adivce is reallyt appreciated.

 

[M Code]

Hi I have a multi room settup and I am using an Adcom GFA 5400 and it runs into a niles 4 pair speaker selector. Does the guage of the wire make a difference in the amount of power that gets to the speakers. Right now I am using 16 guage wire from the amp to the selector and 16 guage from selector to the speakers. All of the speakers are on a 62.5 run. The The run from the amp to the selector is about 1.5 feet.

The wire guage size is pertinent, the longer the run the larger the guage..

However there are a couple of other areas you need to be concerned with.

1. Niles Speaker Switcher
The Niles switcher present a unique load to the driving amplifier, some are compatible and some are not. The Adcom amplifier is beefier than the amplifier stage within an AVR so you may be OK here.
2. Volume Attenuators Type
The next question is what type of level control are you using. Many people to save $ use the inexpensive L-pads which can be a fire hazard, they do a poor/unreliable job. The proper component is the rotary swtch attentuator such as available from SpeakerCraft. The use case you should try to avoid is not having the amplifier @ high levels while the attentuators are absorbing all of the amplifier's excess power. When we install/setup a similar system we try to set the amplifier @ about 50% gain and the attentuator @ about 50% gain, this then gives you some latitude to go up/down as required for that zone. The last point is to use high sensitivity loudspeakers a sthese are easier to drive.

Just my $0.01..

 

[waxey]

I just switched to 12 guage from 16 guage for my new speakers Paradigm Studio 100 v5s did surounds & center too found it did make a slight differance also biwired fronts & center.

 

[Neatweak]

Well I use a Pioneer VSX 815K as my pre amp which works really well.