Correct speaker wire

[TankTop]

Not looking for snake oil but I am looking for the correct speaker wire for my application. I have some very difficult to drive speakers that have significant impedance dips at certain frequencies. It’s been suggested that I should power them with a 250 watt 4 ohm amp but I’m using a 100 watt 8 ohm amp with a moderate 4 ohm rating. I’m currently using off the shelf 16 gauge cables about 6’ long but I want to get some 12 gauge cables. Am I wrong to assume the 16 gauge wire is putting extra stress on the amp? Also I found Maze Audio cables, 6’ 12 gauge that are visually appealing and look well constructed for $80 a pair. Anyone have experience with that company or another suggestion in the sub $100 range and aesthetics are important second to build quality. I’m aware that I can get some 12 gauge cable for $40-$50 but if I’m spending the money let’s just a little bit more for something appealing?

 

[DonH56]

What speakers? What is their lowest impedance? What amplifier?

Using lower-gauge wire will actually put less stress on the amplifier by raising the load it is driving. It could cause slight changes in the speakers' frequency response and level, but 6' of 16 AWG cable is likely to be just fine since it is a very short run.

6' of 16 AWG = 0.0240 ohms = 24 m-ohms x 2 for two wires (+ and -, there and back again) = 48 m=ohms
6' of 12 AWG = 0.0064 ohms = 6.4 m-ohms x 2 = 12.8 m-ohms

If your amplifier has a damping factor of 100 at 8 ohms (guesstimate) then its output impedance is about 0.080 ohms = 80 m-ohms. Chances are you will not notice any difference going from 16 AWG to 12 AWG in your case but I do not know what amplifier or speakers you have.

You could halve the resistance by simply doubling up the 16 AWG wire (using twi in parallel).

I've no experience with Maze, sorry. If I was looking for good connectors I'd probably look at Blue Jeans Cable using Belden or Canare cable. I've used Amazon Basics and Mediabridge and a bunch of others besides Belden, Canare, and Mogami (common go-to cables for pro use). Any of them are fine. I tend to not use CCA (copper-clad aluminum) even though it is cheaper as it is higher resistance and I have had issues with it in the past. If you want a "dressier" look you can also buy sleeves for the cables to dress them up.

HTH - Don

 

[TankTop]

What speakers? What is their lowest impedance? What amplifier?

Using lower-gauge wire will actually put less stress on the amplifier by raising the load it is driving. It could cause slight changes in the speakers' frequency response and level, but 6' of 16 AWG cable is likely to be just fine since it is a very short run.

6' of 16 AWG = 0.0240 ohms = 24 m-ohms
6' of 12 AWG = 0.0064 ohms = 6.4 m-ohms

If your amplifier has a damping factor of 100 at 8 ohms (guesstimate) then its output impedance is about 0.080 ohms = 80 m-ohms. Chances are you will not notice any difference going from 16 AWG to 12 AWG in your case but I do not know what amplifier or speakers you have.

You could halve the resistance by simply doubling up the 16 AWG wire (using twi in parallel).

I've no experience with Maze, sorry. If I was looking for good connectors I'd probably look at Blue Jeans Cable using Belden or Canare cable. I've used Amazon Basics and Mediabridge and a bunch of others besides Belden, Canare, and Mogami (common go-to cables for pro use). Any of them are fine. I tend to not use CCA (copper-clad aluminum) even though it is cheaper as it is higher resistance and I have had issues with it in the past. If you want a "dressier" look you can also buy sleeves for the cables to dress them up.

HTH - Don

running a Marantz SR5014 to Dyn Special40’s. The amp is grossly underpowered. It sounds great at moderate levels but if I want to enjoy some music or an action movie the way it was meant to be listened to it runs out of gas and gets pretty hot to the touch. I plan on upgrading the receiver and getting a separate amplifier eventually but the wife has other priorities for my paycheck, until then I’m trying to squeeze out every last drop of performance for a reasonable price. What’s really got me sad is a local dealer has a Classe Amp2 open box/demo for $1,299!

 

[DonH56]

Speaker wire won't do anything to help that, sorry. I would look into adding a fan, maybe one of the little multifan coolers, to help cool the AVR. Something like one of these (or roll your own): https://www.amazon.com/s?k=avr+cooling+fan&crid=UBK63VLHH0MK&sprefix=avr+,aps,182&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_6_4

 

[Wes]

if you have line outs, you can add a more powerful amp

 

[Speedskater]

• Small or long speaker cables do not place any more stress on an amplifier.
• The amount of power wasted in your speaker cables is less than one watt.
• For any meaningful increase in loudness, you will have to double your amplifier's power.

 

[MZKM]

Dynaudio Special 40:

It doesn’t even dip to 4ohm and the phase isn’t bad either. the only difficult thing about your speakers is the ~84dB speaker sensitivity.

Are you using the extra surround channels to biamp? If not, try that out.

You aren’t even losing a 1/4 of a watt with 6ft of 16awg into 4ohm.

 

[mhardy6647]

Dynaudio Special 40:
View attachment 63057

It doesn’t even dip to 4ohm and the phase isn’t bad either. the only difficult thing about your speakers is the ~84dB speaker sensitivity.

Are you using the extra surround channels to biamp? If not, try that out.

You aren’t even losing a 1/4 of a watt with 6ft of 16awg into 4ohm.

Impedance & phase plot doesn't look too bad at all, actually -- especially given that so many modern loudspeakers seem purpose-built to abuse amplifiers!

 

[TankTop]

Thanks for all the responses, I was mostly concerned with the impedance dip of the speakers coupled with 16 gauge cable putting too much stress on an amplifier that’s already underpowered. Sounds like my concerns were unfounded.

 

[Alice of Old Vincennes]

I have always used generic 12 gauge. You can purchase by the foot at Lowe's. You will never find agreement on this topic.

 

[amirm]

6' of 16 AWG = 0.0240 ohms = 24 m-ohms
6' of 12 AWG = 0.0064 ohms = 6.4 m-ohms

You forgot to multiply by 2 Don since it is a roundtrip.

 

[amirm]

See this review of 12 gauge cables: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/when-12-gauge-wire-is-not-12-gauge.3/

For 6 foot run, there is not a difference to worry about. But in general, it is best to use 12 gauge wire as to not have any issues.

 

[Tks]

All these gauges remind me of my vape days..

Spoiler: For those that don't understand the meme

Vaping relies on usually hand wound coils with a moistened wick filled with "e-liquid" when vaporized turns into the vaper desired. The device sends a current through a the coil, and depending on the resistance, and such things like gauge, usually speaking, the more mass a coil has, the more vapor you can produce. Now a cloud comp, is a vaping competition where people do smoke tricks or try to produce the biggest amount of vapor. And you will usually see in such competitions, guys working on their coils. Hence the meme of trying to make the biggest coil in hopes of not shorting the device potentially or other factors while producing the biggest "cloud" of vapor.

 

[Koeitje]

You have pre-outs, so just slap a more powerful power amplifier on that. You can try getting something second hand to just see what kind of effect a lot more power has.

 

[mhardy6647]

All these gauges remind me of my vape days..

Spoiler: For those that don't understand the meme

Vaping relies on usually hand wound coils with a moistened wick filled with "e-liquid" when vaporized turns into the vaper desired. The device sends a current through a the coil, and depending on the resistance, and such things like gauge, usually speaking, the more mass a coil has, the more vapor you can produce. Now a cloud comp, is a vaping competition where people do smoke tricks or try to produce the biggest amount of vapor. And you will usually see in such competitions, guys working on their coils. Hence the meme of trying to make the biggest coil in hopes of not shorting the device potentially or other factors while producing the biggest "cloud" of vapor.

Or fish hooks.

As an on-point (heh) aside: I had no idea how vape technology worked. I figured it was sort of Far Side-esque.

Ohm's Law really is everywhere, ain't it?

 

[Tks]

LOL!

 

[pjug]

Goldilocks uses 14 AWG.

 

[DonH56]

You forgot to multiply by 2 Don since it is a roundtrip.

Duh. I just figured it was a one-way trip this time...

 

[TankTop]

You forgot to multiply by 2 Don since it is a roundtrip.

Duh. I just figured it was a one-way trip this time...

All joking aside I don’t really understand, can someone give me the caveman version?

 

[amirm]

All joking aside I don’t really understand, can someone give me the caveman version?

Wire goes to speaker and then comes back. So the total length/resistance is twice as much or 12 feet.