• 07-29-2004, 11:39 AM
    douglasbjordan
    Speaker Wire Gauge Question
    I just got a new set of surround speakers. Each speaker has a proprietary connector and the surround set came with adapters so that it could be wired with traditional wiring. Each adapter is essentially a 3 inch long speaker cable with a plug at one end to connect to the speaker's proprietary terminal and two holes at the other end with clamps for standard +/- speaker wire leads. So basically each speaker is connected to an adapter, which is connected to the speaker wire, and then the receiver. (This system is a bit overly complicated, but it stems from the fact that the U.K. version of this system comes with a number of lengths of cabling that already has the correct terminators at either end. The U.S. edition doesn't come with the cabling, just with the adapters.)

    Anyway, the 3 inch long speaker cable used for the adapter is 18 AWG. Would it benefit me at all to use anything thicker than 18 AWG for the speaker wire runs? (I'm shopping for speaker wire tomorrow.) I'm thinking it would not, because the adapter bottlenecks the thickness to 18 AWG anyway, but you all know a lot more about this than I do! Thanks in advance.
  • 07-29-2004, 12:16 PM
    skeptic
    Obviously the UK version has the wire already supplied because the manufacturer knows that the American customers are bigger suckers and will insist on buying expensive audiophile wire while the UK customers are more savvy and will save their money for something they can really use like drugs. The three inches of 18 gage wire is NOT a bottleneck. The total resistance of the wire is the resistivity of that particular wire times the length. Because that wire is so short, its resistance is negligable. If you are smart, you will Go To Home Depot, Go Directly To Home Depot, and you will not spend $200. You will buy 100 feet of 16 gage RCA speaker wire for about $20 to $25 and you will use as much as you need. You can use the leftover wire to hang yourself for wasting money on expensive wire for your main speakers. Or if you didn't, you can lend it to your neighbor who did.

    BTW, you can also buy 16 gage underground low voltage lighting wire there if you prefer that. They probably sell it by the foot. If you have any left over, you can light up the shrubs and walkway in front of your house at night. The money you saved on not buying fancy wire at the audio store will pay for a nice set of landscape lights at Home Depot.
  • 07-29-2004, 12:24 PM
    douglasbjordan
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by skeptic
    Obviously the UK version has the wire already supplied because the manufacturer knows that the American customers are bigger suckers and will insist on buying expensive audiophile wire while the UK customers are more savvy and will save their money for something they can really use like drugs. The three inches of 18 gage wire is NOT a bottleneck. The total resistance of the wire is the resistivity of that particular wire times the length. Because that wire is so short, its resistance is negligable. If you are smart, you will Go To Home Depot, Go Directly To Home Depot, and you will not spend $200. You will buy 100 feet of 16 gage RCA speaker wire for about $20 to $25 and you will use as much as you need. You can use the leftover wire to hang yourself for wasting money on expensive wire for your main speakers. Or if you didn't, you can lend it to your neighbor who did.
    Interesting... Thanks for the response. I shall do as you suggested.
  • 07-29-2004, 12:29 PM
    skeptic
    I am in a particular goofy mood today (owing to a large steak dinner and some excellent wine) so I hope I didn't offend anyone if they are American. It's just that you Yanks seem to think that spending more money is the answer to everything and you throw it around like it was water.
  • 07-29-2004, 12:56 PM
    mtrycraft
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by douglasbjordan
    Interesting... Thanks for the response. I shall do as you suggested.
    Skep get carried away at times :)
    He is correct about that 3" of wire not being a bottleneck. Buy the length of cable you need, plus a bit more just in case the measurement is off, and buy at least 16 ga, or thicker, without spending more.
  • 07-29-2004, 02:42 PM
    kexodusc
    Geez, Skeptic, I always thought you WERE American...where exactly are you from??? :)
    The wine explains it...your latest posts have been hilarious...you should drink more often.
  • 07-29-2004, 03:08 PM
    douglasbjordan
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by skeptic
    BTW, you can also buy 16 gage underground low voltage lighting wire there if you prefer that.
    What's the difference between this and RCA wire? Is the underground low voltage lighting wire stranded? Is it better to use stranded or non-stranded wire? The only upside I can think of for stranded wire is its flexibility, but its downside is that it's more of a pain to strip and connect to stuff... Any thoughts on this? Is there any resistance/quality difference?
  • 07-30-2004, 01:26 PM
    vr6ofpain
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by skeptic
    I am in a particular goofy mood today (owing to a large steak dinner and some excellent wine) so I hope I didn't offend anyone if they are American. It's just that you Yanks seem to think that spending more money is the answer to everything and you throw it around like it was water.
    that is about as fair as me saying you brits don't take showers and have never heard of a toothbrush...