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Thread: Speaker Wire

  1. #1
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    Speaker Wire

    I was going to buy some speaker wire (16 gauge) for my new speakers/receiver and was wondering how you would tell which side is the + and which side is the - or are they the same? Do i just have to make sure the - on the speaker is gonna go into the - on the reciever? Also new receivers support banna plugs, will i have to buy them to use it? Or can i still plug the +/- wires into them? Thx

  2. #2
    Music Junkie E-Stat's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Z3r0
    I was going to buy some speaker wire (16 gauge) for my new speakers/receiver and was wondering how you would tell which side is the + and which side is the - or are they the same? Do i just have to make sure the - on the speaker is gonna go into the - on the reciever? Also new receivers support banna plugs, will i have to buy them to use it? Or can i still plug the +/- wires into them? Thx
    There are a number of ways to be able to identify at each end of the wire which conductor is which. With some wires, one conductor has ridges on it, the other not. Some have different colored jackets. Some may have markings imprinted on the jacket on one side. It should be pretty easy to tell one from another. It doesn't matter which of the two you choose to connect to the (+) lead vs. the (-), but be consistent with all your speakers.

    While it is most likely you don't have to use banana plugs, I would recommend them. I find that dense "forests" of speaker connectors as found on the back of HT receivers do benefit from using banana plugs and they don't have to be expensive. Otherwise, you need to be careful to not short any wire against any other one.

    rw

  3. #3
    DIY Dude poneal's Avatar
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    Just go to Home Depot and pickup some 2-14 or 2-16 security cable. The jackets are color coded red and black. Problem solved.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by E-Stat
    Otherwise, you need to be careful to not short any wire against any other one.
    rw
    How do you short a wire? Doesnt bare wire of 1 have to touch bare wire of another for it to short? Can the shielded part touch? Thx

  5. #5
    Suspended markw's Avatar
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    Basically. Just make sure that no bare wire ever touches another bare wire and you'll be fine.

  6. #6
    Forum Regular Thatch_Ear's Avatar
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    Anyone playing with audio gear ought to have at least a simple meter of some type. I bought a pocket sized digital meter at Radio Shack years ago and have used it hundreds of times since. It has a number of functions besides reading volts, one of which is Continuity. When in doubt take a few seconds to verify.
    The thing is also usefule in measring the impedence of speakers, resistance of wires, etc. Another usefull thing is that when set for resistance when you brush the probes across the binding posts of a speaker you can faintly hear it. This gives you the ability not only to make sure that there is a load when checking out a speaker but with an ear you can check out individual drivers. If you like to shop for audio bargains in garage sales this can save you from bad purchases or put you in a better bargaining position.
    Yea, and you can check cables with it too.
    David Thatcher

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