Speaker Cable

[CharleyBrown]

Well, I just went all over the place 'round here to pick up some speaker cable...was looking for 12 gauge but after finding out the local store was closed for the month, I had to journey to best buy or radio shack. I hate radio shack so I went into best buy and all they had was 16 gauge cable on a spool...its that Monster XPMS cable...I haven't opened it yet because y'all had suggested getting the 12 gauge cable..


Oh by the way, I am hooking up my Yorkville YSM-1s into my Alesis RA150 amp (ouch). Should I just hold off and buy some 12 gauge cable off e-bay? or do any of you know a dealer that sells them online? Or should I not bother and just use this monster cable (overpriced junk)...I'd like to hook up my speakers today but if the 12 gauge is that much better I can wait...any suggestions?

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

You can get 12-gauge electrical cable at your local hardware store.... avoid the 16-gauge stuff...

 

[TexRoadkill]

Or go to the grocery store and buy a couple of those cheapie brown extension chords with no ground plug. Cut off the ends and you have 12 gauge speaker cable.

 

[CharleyBrown]

whats the difference between the two?

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

The 12-gauge wire is MUCH thicker...

 

[CharleyBrown]

The 12-gauge wire is MUCH thicker...

is there a sound difference at all? Just curious...my set up is in my room with nothing that would be tampering with them or what not. Pretty much just set in a corner of my room. I'm probably going to return this cable tomorrow anyways...Im just curious. Also, do u recommend banana plug connectors? or just sliding the cables through the little holes and clamping them down? Thanks..


Shaun

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

is there a sound difference at all? Just curious...

Well, people can debate that point to death... *I* think it's better...

Also, do u recommend banana plug connectors? or just sliding the cables through the little holes and clamping them down? Thanks..

Banana plugs are real convenient and make for a solid contact, but either way is fine.........

 

[Sonixx]

12 or 14 or 16 or 18 is related to current carrying capacity.

here's a way figure the cable:

assume the cable has zero DC ohms, which for normal short runs is an Okay assumption. then the speaker load is all that the amp sees.

assume an 8 ohm load. load does vary with frequency, but 8 ohms is nominal.

Power = Load times Current Squared (i.e. P = R * I**2)

Assume 100 Watt amp. Note you won't drive 100 Watts to the speaker all the time.

Now

100 = 8 * I**2

I = sqroot (100 / 8) = 3.5 amps

Unless you have really long runs, 16 gauge will easily carry 3.5 amps all day long with little loss in the cable. you're not going to hear any difference in 12, 14, or 16 quality cable. While this calc is not 100%, it's good enough for determining this.

I'd put my money in better connectors and quality cable... 12 gauge may be overkill.

 

[CharleyBrown]

12 or 14 or 16 or 18 is related to current carrying capacity.

here's a way figure the cable:

assume the cable has zero DC ohms, which for normal short runs is an Okay assumption. then the speaker load is all that the amp sees.

assume an 8 ohm load. load does vary with frequency, but 8 ohms is nominal.

Power = Load times Current Squared (i.e. P = R * I**2)

Assume 100 Watt amp. Note you won't drive 100 Watts to the speaker all the time.

Now

100 = 8 * I**2

I = sqroot (100 / 8) = 3.5 amps

Unless you have really long runs, 16 gauge will easily carry 3.5 amps all day long with little loss in the cable. you're not going to hear any difference in 12, 14, or 16 quality cable. While this calc is not 100%, it's good enough for determining this.

I'd put my money in better connectors and quality cable... 12 gauge may be overkill.

do you know where I can get better connectors? online dealer? all they have around here is a bestbuy which sells monster connectors, I hate that company. Would a hardware store sell them as well?

 

[esun127]

I'm pretty sure you'll be fine with 16 gauge cable.

When I was working on my car audio setup, I installed a 600 watt amp for the bass amp/subwoofer. The power cable required 4-gauge due to the low voltage (12 volts from the battery) which is extremely thick. However, the output of the amp was high voltage and lower current, so I could run 12 gauge wire to the speakers.

My coaxial speakers are getting 100 watts each and are wired with 18 gauge cable. They sound just fine.

 

[CharleyBrown]

I'm pretty sure you'll be fine with 16 gauge cable.

When I was working on my car audio setup, I installed a 600 watt amp for the bass amp/subwoofer. The power cable required 4-gauge due to the low voltage (12 volts from the battery) which is extremely thick. However, the output of the amp was high voltage and lower current, so I could run 12 gauge wire to the speakers.

My coaxial speakers are getting 100 watts each and are wired with 18 gauge cable. They sound just fine.

okay thanks man u recommend any type of connectors? I got the cable on a spool so I guess I have to cut it myself and what not, but I've never worked with speaker cable, heh

 

[muttley]

I tin my wire ends, put in binding posts, a smaller amp may or maynot have binding posts.

TINNING= soldering the ends of multistrand to make solid. never use solid strand( one element wire) for sound.

Wires= 2 16ga= 12ga, 2 14ga=10ga. Knowing this you don"t have to buy that high priced stuff that doesn't do any better. ( cept lighten your wallet )


da MUTT

 

[muttley]

okay thanks man u recommend any type of connectors? I got the cable on a spool so I guess I have to cut it myself and what not, but I've never worked with speaker cable, heh

It's easy, make sure both wires are the same lenght, even though one speaker might real close, get some GOOD wire strippers/cutters, you won't regret buying quality.
Cut'em to lenght, tin, In tinning you will need soldering iron, 60watt would do, 50/50 lead/tin solder/ rosin core, not resin core.
strip back about an inch, heat with iron, heat the wire not the solder, when wire is hot, touch the solder to wire, should melt from heat on wire not other way round, get a good flow so as to cover the whole bare end completely.
Experiment alittle on some scrap wire, its easy to get the hang of it.
YOu'll be so damn proud of your self for saving tons of money!!!



da MUTT