• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Basic Questions on Speaker Wires

zelig

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 16, 2020
Messages
129
Likes
149
I need to wire up my 5.1 system and will use loose wiring routed around the edge of the floor and under furniture. I have some basic questions...
  • What AWG is/are recommended?
  • Banana plugs (open/closed), soldered ends, or bare wires?
  • Solid copper stranded or copper coated aluminum stranded or ... ?
  • Simple twin wire or some sort of shielding/twist?
  • Should cables to each matched speaker pair be the same length (coiled for the shorter runs)?
I'm considering THIS CABLE with a bunch of THESE BANANAS.
 
Last edited:

AudioStudies

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
718
Likes
398
The gauge (AWG) required is dependent on the length of the speaker wire. In most cases you won't need to go below 16 AWG (smaller numbers are thicker) and even that may be overkill. There have been charts posted on ASR that show required gauge in comparison to length of speaker wire, but I don't know exactly where to direct you at the moment. Bare wires work well but are more subject to corrosion than banana plugs and therefore may need to be snipped and pushed back to clean copper every so often. Technically speaker cables should be of matched lengths but a few feet of difference may not be audible, especially in a long speaker wire run.
 

Inner Space

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
May 18, 2020
Messages
1,285
Likes
2,938
I need to wire up my 5.1 system and will use loose wiring routed around the edge of the floor and under furniture. I have some basic questions...
  • What AWG is/are recommended?
  • Banana plugs (open/closed), soldered ends, or bare wires?
  • Solid copper or copper coated aluminum or ... ?
  • Simple bi-wire or some sort of shielding/twist?
  • Should cables to each matched speaker pair be the same length (coiled for the shorter runs)?
14-gauge should be fine in real-world domestic situations - maybe even 16-gauge to the rears; locking bananas are safe and convenient and technically superior to most alternatives; solid copper; bi-wiring offers no audible difference and has shaky technical so-called reasons; star-quad 4-conductor twist offers theoretical protection against electromagnetically induced crosstalk, but for domestic lengths is probably overkill; length matching isn't audibly important unless the differences are huge. Best of luck and enjoy the system!
 

Webninja

Senior Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
419
Likes
468
Location
Los Angeles
I use Belden cables, bought bulk and ran my own in-wall 12awg. You can look at Blue Jean Cables, and Belden, Canare, and Mogami are all reputable brands.
 

Speedskater

Major Contributor
Joined
Mar 5, 2016
Messages
1,610
Likes
1,333
Location
Cleveland, Ohio USA
Rather than solid copper, let's make it 100% copper, as the conductor can be stranded or solid. But stranded may be easier to work with (or maybe not).
 
OP
Z

zelig

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 16, 2020
Messages
129
Likes
149
Updated OP to be clearer.
 

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,198
Likes
16,981
Location
Riverview FL
OP
Z

zelig

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 16, 2020
Messages
129
Likes
149
That wire is Copper Clad Aluminum.

Choose all-copper.
But that is "PREMINUM SPEAKER WIRE". :) Does it really matter if the lengths will be < 30 feet ?
 

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,198
Likes
16,981
Location
Riverview FL

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,198
Likes
16,981
Location
Riverview FL

MZKM

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 1, 2018
Messages
4,240
Likes
11,462
Location
Land O’ Lakes, FL
1595039340685.jpeg


Pure copper (OFC) is only a few bucks more typically, don’t cheap out on those.

I used the Monoprice open-screw bananas, and I don’t know if it’s oxidation, but they aren’t as nice as when I first got them.
 

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,198
Likes
16,981
Location
Riverview FL
I'm not seeing that, unless you're talking for a few feet. Looks like 14 gauge OFC is ~40c/ft vs ~15c/ft CCA. For 100 feet an equivalent one of the same brand but OFC is $40, vs $15 for the CCA.


If you compare copper and CCA wire, add two sizes to the CCA

14AWG copper = 12AWG CCA.

"Aluminum has 61 percent of the conductivity of copper"

"If aluminum is used in an application where copper was previously used, it is typically sufficient to use an aluminum conductor two AWG sizes larger than that of copper."
 
OP
Z

zelig

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 16, 2020
Messages
129
Likes
149

"For large coaxial cables, copper-clad aluminum wire can be used to take advantage of the conductivity of copper while gaining the weight savings of aluminum. "

I'm also reading that AC current flows along the surface of the wire which is why CCA can be used as an effective substitute for OFC. Obviously I don't know if this is true or not, but if I could get similar results with my $13 roll of wire vs $40 I'd be happy.
 
Last edited:

RayDunzl

Grand Contributor
Central Scrutinizer
Joined
Mar 9, 2016
Messages
13,198
Likes
16,981
Location
Riverview FL
"For large coaxial cables, copper-clad aluminum wire can be used to take advantage of the conductivity of copper while gaining the weight savings of aluminum. "


That may refer more to high (radio) frequency, where the signal rides the surface of the conductor.

See skin effect.
 

AudioStudies

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
718
Likes
398
"For large coaxial cables, copper-clad aluminum wire can be used to take advantage of the conductivity of copper while gaining the weight savings of aluminum. "
Well, I don't interpret that to mean that the conductivity will be equal to that of a copper wire (which it isn't), I take that to mean you can enhance the conductivity somewhat of aluminum wire with the copper clad. I favor copper, so you don't have to jump two AWG. I suspect (but can't demonstrate) that copper would have other advantages also.
 

AudioStudies

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
718
Likes
398
That may refer more to high (radio) frequency, where the signal rides the surface of the conductor.
Indeed. I think you would suffer signal loss in the lower frequencies. Go with copper - and never look back.
 
OP
Z

zelig

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Jun 16, 2020
Messages
129
Likes
149
That may refer more to high (radio) frequency, where the signal rides the surface of the conductor.

See skin effect.
The skin effect is greater at lower frequencies. That article clearly says so. [EDIT: no it doesn't]
 
Last edited:

AudioStudies

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
May 3, 2020
Messages
718
Likes
398
The skin effect is greater at lower frequencies. That article clearly says so.
It says the skin DEPTH is greater at lower frequencies. This would mean that more current would have to flow through more of the aluminum in the inferior wire; thus more resistance. The greater the depth, the less effect (percent of the total effect) on the surface where the copper is present. This is consistent with the need to go two gauges difference.
 
Top Bottom