![]() The rule of thumb for speaker wire length is: Buy at least a little bit more than your estimate. You can use this distance to determine the wire gauge necessary to get peak performance out of your speakers. This will give you very close to an exact distance and it works whether your speakers are indoors or outdoors. The easiest way to measure the distance of your cable run is to simply take a string from the source to your speakers. The length of the cable will also impact the gauge of wire you need to get an optimal performance out of your speaker. To get peak performance out of 4-ohm and 6-ohm speakers you’ll need more expensive 12AWG wire. 8-ohm and 16-ohm speakers will work perfectly fine with 16AWG wire. However, thicker speaker wire is also more expensive, so if you don’t have an audiophile’s ear it may not be necessary.įor an average listener, you may be able to get by with thinner wire depending on the impedance of your speakers. This means that a thicker wire will generally give a clearer signal to the speaker. So, what does the thickness of the cabling matter for speakers? To put it simply, the thicker the wire is, the easier electricity can flow through that wire. 12AWG is the thickest wire and 18AWG is the thinnest. Typical speaker wires come in 12AWG, 14AWG, 16AWG, or 18AWG options. The lower this number is, the thicker the wire is. Wire gauge refers to the thickness of the cable based on the American Wire Gauge (AWG) metric. Choosing The Right Speaker Wire Gaugeīefore we can discuss what gauge wire is appropriate for your speakers, you first need to understand what wire gauge even is. It is a lot of information to go through, but everything can be broken down into simple terms so you’ll know exactly which options are best for your circumstances. You need to consider the proper gauge that will deliver the best sound quality, how long of cabling you need, which type of cable you need, and what type of connectors are required by your speakers. It’s awkward to try to measure it precisely with a tape measure, but string allows you to get a much better idea visually and then you can just measure the string with your tape measure.Figuring out the best speaker wires can be a daunting task, especially for first time installers. With the main power wires in your car, it’s important to perform calculations involving the total distance and amperes, but for speakers and subs we’re safe to stick with a couple quick rules of thumb.īefore you start cutting wire, or even buying it for that matter, it’s a good idea to take some string and physically plot out your wire run in your vehicle. Having said that, it’s less of a concern with speaker and subwoofer wire than it would be for your amplifier’s power or ground wires. Beyond the physical size of the wire, it’s also important to keep in mind that pure copper wire will perform better than aluminum or copper-clad aluminum wire, so gauge doesn’t always tell the whole story. The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the wire is. The AmericanWire Gauge (AWG) standard measures the thickness of wires. ![]() Now back to the topic at hand, choosing the correct wires for your subwoofers and speakers.
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