Speaker wire gauge question

I've been using 16 gauge wire from my receiver to my standard 8 ohm speakers. But I'm now in a house that has a basement with in-wall wiring from one two-speaker-jack panel in the front wall to two single-speaker-jack panels on the opposite wall. I'm using these for my surround sound speakers. The inwall wiring connecting them is 14 gauge. So I'm running about 5 ft. of 16 gauge from the receiver to the jack, then about 30-40 ft. in-wall through the 14 gauge to the back jacks, and back to another 5 ft. of 16 gauge to the rear speakers. Would it be better to change all my wire (including the 7 ft. I run to each front speaker) to 14 gauge to match or does it not really matter?

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Originally Posted by Lensman

I've been using 16 gauge wire from my receiver to my standard 8 ohm speakers. But I'm now in a house that has a basement with in-wall wiring from one two-speaker-jack panel in the front wall to two single-speaker-jack panels on the opposite wall. I'm using these for my surround sound speakers. The inwall wiring connecting them is 14 gauge. So I'm running about 5 ft. of 16 gauge from the receiver to the jack, then about 30-40 ft. in-wall through the 14 gauge to the back jacks, and back to another 5 ft. of 16 gauge to the rear speakers. Would it be better to change all my wire (including the 7 ft. I run to each front speaker) to 14 gauge to match or does it not really matter?

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Your main run of wire is the larger gauge. It's not too expensive to run larger gauge. I use a 10 gauge wire for my mains, 14 gauge for the surrounds.

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Originally Posted by Geoffcin

Your main run of wire is the larger gauge. It's not too expensive to run larger gauge. I use a 10 gauge wire for my mains, 14 gauge for the surrounds.

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Thanks for the reply. :)

As you pointed out, 14 gauge wire is pretty cheap, so I'm probably going to change out the 16 gauge just to make me feel better. I'm really curious though if there's any actual electrical reason to do so (such as a build-up in resistance at the point the wire goes from a larger size to a smaller one, etc.).

be careful with thoughs wall plates, if there cheapies they will sound like crap. i had cheapies on my back walls and later found out when they mean 30 watts rms they mean it. Anything over is distorted as hell and muffled down.

mine were the spring type, real cheap. gonna go to banana plugs.

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Originally Posted by uncooked

be careful with thoughs wall plates, if there cheapies they will sound like crap. i had cheapies on my back walls and later found out when they mean 30 watts rms they mean it. Anything over is distorted as hell and muffled down.

mine were the spring type, real cheap. gonna go to banana plugs.

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Thanks for the heads-up. The ones I have are the 5-way, gold-plated connector plates Radio Shack sells:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.as...%5Fid=40%2D983

Haven't had any problems with them so far. I've noticed Parts Express sells plates that look identical for for about half the price:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=261-354