Speaker wire size

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smokinsmitty

Copper - Posts: 75

Joined: December 26, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: February 15, 2006 at 4:48 PM / IP Logged

What size speaker wire should I use inside my box and from my amp to my terminals on the back of my box? I have a Audiobahn A8002T amp and 2 12" Fusion PowerPlant subs

1 15" Memphis Mojo,

Memphis 16-mc1000D amp,

Audiopipe 4gauge mp kit, Pioneer DEH4700MP head unit.

2002 Yamaha 660R Raptor

Yamaha FZR600 crotch rocket

Sea Doo XP800

Sea Doo Spi

kfr01

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Joined: April 30, 2003

Posted: February 15, 2006 at 5:53 PM / IP Logged

16g would be fine if the box is close to the amp. You'll probably want 12 to impress your friends. ;-)

New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

kfr01

Gold - Posts: 2,121

Joined: April 30, 2003

Posted: February 15, 2006 at 6:03 PM / IP Logged

I now use Canare 4S11 for just about everything, home and car. It is tough as nails and can either be wired in 14g bi-amp or 11g when the 2 pairs are combined to form one.

Look here:

http://www.diycable.com/main/product_info.php?products_id=528

Diycable is great, but overpriced for this item. See Markertek.

New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

prophesybh

Copper - Posts: 78

Joined: July 04, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: February 15, 2006 at 6:11 PM / IP Logged

Most subs have a recommended gauge you should use. Like my speakers use an 8 gauge wire. so look in you manual or go to the manufactures website and find the recommended gauge to use

Don't Ask Questions When You Already Know The Answer!!!

kfr01

Gold - Posts: 2,121

Joined: April 30, 2003

Posted: February 15, 2006 at 7:14 PM / IP Logged

prophesybh wrote:

Most subs have a recommended gauge you should use. Like my speakers use an 8 gauge wire. so look in you manual or go to the manufactures website and find the recommended gauge to use.

Most subs recommend unnecessarily large gauge sizes. They usually do this to make their company and their subs look tougher than they really are.

A 12g wire will handle a 5 foot run of 1500w without any audible SPL loss.

8 gauge. That's funny as hell.

New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

prophesybh

Copper - Posts: 78

Joined: July 04, 2005

Location: United States

Posted: February 16, 2006 at 2:24 PM / IP Logged

I had a smaller gauge ran, then I re-installed the into a different box with 8 gauge wire and the sound quility is a bit better. I'm not saying it made all the difference in the world, but made some.

Don't Ask Questions When You Already Know The Answer!!!

kfr01

Gold - Posts: 2,121

Joined: April 30, 2003

Posted: February 16, 2006 at 9:46 PM / IP Logged

prophesybh wrote:

I had a smaller gauge ran, then I re-installed the into a different box with 8 gauge wire and the sound quility is a bit better. I'm not saying it made all the difference in the world, but made some.

8 Gauge speaker wire is totally laughable. If it made an audible difference, which I highly doubt, it was because your other wire had something wrong with it or was less than 14 gauge.

You simply could not have heard an audible difference between a 12 gauge wire and 8 gauge wire. I don't care how much power you're using or how long the run is.

At 2000 watts running a 1 ohm load 5 feet, the decibel loss will be less than 0.20 db. You can't here this loss. No one can. You're kidding yourself if you think you can hear a difference between 12 and 8 gauge speaker wire.

New Project: 2003 Pathfinder

stevdart

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Joined: January 24, 2004

Location: Pennsylvania, United States

Posted: February 16, 2006 at 9:59 PM / IP Logged

No, at the same time you installed the sub into a different box. That was the difference.

Build the box so that it performs well in the worst case scenario and, in return, it will reward you at all times.

Steven Kephart

Platinum - Posts: 1,737

Joined: November 06, 2003

Location: Oregon, United States

Posted: February 17, 2006 at 12:43 AM / IP Logged

prophesybh wrote:

I had a smaller gauge ran, then I re-installed the into a different box with 8 gauge wire and the sound quility is a bit better. I'm not saying it made all the difference in the world, but made some.

It's amazing how much psychoacoustics can effect your experiences. If you expect to hear a difference, you probably will. Here's an interesting link: http://www.bcae1.com/wire.htm It proves that even 18 awg wire ran 12 feet with even a kilowatt of power running through it has inaudible losses.

Search for other posts by Steven Kephart

ajctodd

Member - Posts: 3

Joined: February 17, 2006

Location: United States

Posted: February 17, 2006 at 2:07 AM / IP Logged

Question....

1.)What happens if let's say you lengthen your factory speaker wire that's 16 gauge to a 12 gauge wire running to your speakers? That's bad right?

2)I just bought a pair of rockford fosgate 6''1/2' component punch speakers and when i hooked them up to my jvc head unit, it sounded like crap when i turned it up, and i know these speakers a re made for loud play...What's going on?

Adam J. Todd

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