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18 gauge speaker wire for 100 watts?


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2011boostdwrx 
Member - Posts: 3
Member spacespace
Joined: November 10, 2010
Location: New Jersey, United States
Posted: November 10, 2010 at 2:19 PM / IP Logged  

I am installing my alpine pdx amp into my 2011 WRX and don not want to go through the hassel of running wiring through the doors like on my speed3.  I found the metra quick wire 18 gauge speaker wire bundle and want to run that from the PDX amp back to the original wiring behind the dash.  Here ia a pic.

18 gauge speaker wire for 100 watts? -- posted image.

Will this degrade the quality of the sound at all?

corrado007 
Copper - Posts: 60
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Joined: March 27, 2007
Location: California, United States
Posted: November 11, 2010 at 12:12 AM / IP Logged  
I'm pretty sure most speaker wire ranges in thickness from 12-gauge to 16-gauge. It depends on the quality of the wire, how long the wire needs to be etc... Longer runs of wire can cause power loss and then require a heavier wire.
kenwood_nut 
Stock Boy - Posts: 227
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Joined: April 10, 2009
Location: Washington, United States
Posted: December 05, 2010 at 9:33 PM / IP Logged  
Myself, I NEVER use anything besides 10g or 12g speaker wires in my cars unless I'm running speakers off the head unit. I wouldn't use less than 10g even if my amp was 25 watts per channel. After all, wire is cheap (sometimes) and the time and effort to replace it is not worth the hassle. Use a heavier gauge to start with and you wn't need to worry. But in case you want the formula that is suggested in the MECP Study Guide, here it is (in part, assuming you're not going to be running longer than 10 feet of speaker wire):
(Read down in sections divided by commas)
Total Amperage Draw of System: 0-20, 20-35, 35-50, 65-85
Up to 4 feet: 14g, 12g, 12g, 6g
4 to 7 feet: 12g, 10g, 8g, 6g
7 to 10 feet: 10g, 8g, 8g, 4g
I highly doubt your amp will draw anywhere near those amperage levels. But my suggestion would be to run either 12g or 10g from amp to speaker, NEVER 16g or 14g.
This post was based partly on my own experience and opinion AND what MECP suggests.
i am an idiot 
Platinum - Posts: 13,667
Platinum spaceThis member consistently provides reliable informationspace
Joined: September 21, 2006
Location: Louisiana, United States
Posted: December 05, 2010 at 10:10 PM / IP Logged  
With only 100 watts per channel, and the length of the run, even considering the oEM wiring, you will not be able to hear any degradation of your sound.
kenwood_nut 
Stock Boy - Posts: 227
Stock Boy spacespace
Joined: April 10, 2009
Location: Washington, United States
Posted: December 05, 2010 at 10:21 PM / IP Logged  
There ya go, OP, an "expert" answer straight from an idiot! LMAO! No, seriously, this last guy seems to really know his stuff. So if you don't take my advice, take his!

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