Electrical 10 sq mm (≈8 AWG) Wire vs. Audiophile Cables — Real-World Benefits?

[captkunalkapoor]

I have a quick technical query regarding speaker wire selection for my home theater setup.

Would it be technically feasible to use high-grade electrical wire — specifically a 10 sqmm 99.9% pure copper cable (approximately equivalent to 8 AWG) — as speaker wire?

I’m exploring whether this could potentially outperform or at least match the sonic performance of specialized cables like:
• Kordz One 12 AWG,
• AudioQuest X2, or
• QED XT40i 12 AWG.

Here’s the cost perspective:
• Audiophile-grade cables (as above): approx. $1000 + banana plugs
• Electrical wire (10 sqmm pure copper): approx. $200 + banana plugs

Home Theater & Music System Setup
Core Unit:
• Denon AVR-X3800H (9.4ch, 8K, Dirac-ready)

Speakers – Vienna Acoustics + SVS:
• Front L/R – Vienna Schönberg Towers → 3 m one-way (6 m loop)
• Centre – Vienna Webern LCR → 2 m one-way (4 m loop)
• Surround L/R – Vienna Berg → 16 m one-way (32 m loop)
• Subwoofer – SVS SB-4000 (active) → 5 m RCA/LFE cable

Proposed Speaker Wiring:
• 10 mm² (≈ 8 AWG) 99.9% pure copper wire throughout
• Total length ≈ 80 m
• Banana/Spade plugs rated for 8 AWG (Nakamichi / AudioQuest / Kordz)

From a theoretical standpoint, the lower resistance and higher conductivity of 8 AWG copper should translate into lower signal loss and tighter control over impedance, especially for longer runs.

Would appreciate your insight on whether this approach offers genuine performance benefits in real-world audio applications, or if the audiophile-grade cables still maintain an edge due to construction quality and dielectric properties.

 

[DVDdoug]

From a theoretical standpoint, the lower resistance and higher conductivity of 8 AWG copper should translate into lower signal loss and tighter control over impedance, especially for longer runs.

Only to a certain point. 12AWG should be fine for you.

Wire gauge and resistance.

The wire resistance should be low relative to speaker impedance. 1000 feet of 16AWG wire is 4-Ohms (8-Ohms round trip). That would be a problem! But at 100 feet and 8-Ohm speakers, it's only about a 10% loss, or about 1% with 10-feet.

Amplifiers also have output impedance (specified as damping factor if you get a spec) and the connectors add resistance so at some point the wire resistance isn't making any difference.

Regular copper wire is fine. Generally you should avoid CCA (copper clad aluminum) because it has sightly higher resistance, although you can compensate with lower gauge wire. Pure silver has lower resistance than copper but again you can just use lower gauge copper. (Silver plating or "silver content" doesn't change anything.)

 

[Devnull]

As soon as the manufacturer says audiophile grade cable run away! Amazon basics speaker wire is all that's really needed.

8AWG is overkill for speakers, unless you've already got it. Like DVDdoug said 12AWG should be fine.

There's charts floating around the web that have basic guidelines for wire size based on speaker impedance and length of run.

 

[Deleted member 89782]

10 sq mm is overkill. 2.5 or max. 4 sq mm is absolutely sufficient and more compatible with most interconnects.
I wouldn‘t want to use solid copper wire though (used for in-wall electrical installations), but rather the flexible type. This is for better and longer lasting good connection on screw type binding posts and bananas as well the crimp-on ones.

 

[dualazmak]

Just like in your audio setup, in my PC-DSP-based multichannel multi-SP-driver multi-amplifier fully active audio system, I too need so many rather long color-coded SP cables.

I have been using color-coded Multi-Core Vinyl Cabtyre AWG10 and AWG12 cables with very much affordable crimp-type tin-electroplated pure-copper connectors/terminals and heat-shrink insulator covers.
(- You should never solder the crimped spade terminals: #904)
Ref. #28, #895, #931, and #976 on my project thread.

These multicore Vinyl Cabtyre cables of AWG12ｘ8-core (5.24 Ohm/km) and AWG10 x 4-core (3.37 Ohm/km) are almost identical to CAT #09208 (AWG12 x 8-core) and CAT #09005 (AWG10 x 5-core), respectively, of ANACONDA Super Vu-TronR Multi-Conductor Type S00W (90 degreeC, 600 Volt, UL/CSA Portable Cord).
PDF catalog of "ANACONDA Mining Cable";
- https://na.prysmian.com/sites/na.pr...nts/INS-0044-R1014_Mining_Catalog_ENGLISH.pdf

 

[voodooless]

Would it be technically feasible to use high-grade electrical wire

Yes, it's fine. Just make sure you use a multistanded cable. And even then, these cables can be fairly stiff, which is not always an advantage. But there are loads of variants out there that you can choose from.

You just don't need 10 mm2, as others have pointed out.

As for sonic differences: there are none!

 

[kyuu]

If you're using more than a little bit, at 8ga you could use aluminum conductors and you'd be fine and save a bit of scratch. Just make sure your terminations are rated for it.

Or just be sensible and use 12ga or 14ga ordinary speaker wire.

 

[tmtomh]

As others have said, stay away from the overpriced "audiophile" wiring - no benefit, extra expanse.

Also agree with others about gauge and composition: with solid-core wire, and with any wire thicker than 12 gauge, you start to run into practical routing issues of stiffness and end-connections. These are not insurmountable - but they are needless complications and hassles with no performance benefit. (And with solid-core there's also the extra risk of the wire stressing/cracking where it's been bent during routing).

To me, this is analogous to how we tend to obsess over distortion when in many cases noise is the more practical audible problem. So too here, the resistance and capacitance of the wire is IMHO almost never an audible problem, while spotty or bad physical connections are the far more common problem in practice.

So I would not only say 12 gauge is enough in most cases - I'd go further and say it's preferable because it's easier to work with.

 

[captkunalkapoor]

Will go for a 6mmsq Multi Strand 99.9% Copper wire which is roughly 10 AWG.

Thanks you for the posts and clarifying my doubts.

 

[Philbo King]

AWG #8 would be extremely challenging to terminate with banana plugs. (I once had a job wiring 3 phase motor control cabiniets with wiring varying from #00 to #12 AWG. I'd go home every day with bloodied knuckles from wrestling with the stuff.)

If it's stranded, you could trim away enough strands to make it fit I suppose.