what gauge wire

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  • rich0372
    Member
    • Jul 2004
    • 83

    what gauge wire

    I have 35' of wire to my surrounds is 14 guage wire enough or would 12 guage be better Thanks Rich
  • Phil Rose
    Senior Member
    • Aug 2000
    • 142

    #2
    14ga should be just fine and is probably easier to hide. 35ft isn't all that far to go but, if you have the opportunity, 12ga would be better.

    Comment

    • David Meek
      Moderator Emeritus
      • Aug 2000
      • 8938

      #3
      If you haven't already bought the wire, go with 12-guage. 14-guage probably would work, but why possibly restrict your system?
      .

      David - Trigger-happy HTGuide Admin

      Comment

      • Snap
        Super Senior Member
        • Feb 2005
        • 1295

        #4
        14awg is plenty good.
        The Bitterness of poor quality last longer than the joy of low prices.

        Comment

        • ht_addict
          Senior Member
          • Dec 2002
          • 508

          #5
          10awg :T

          Comment

          • Snap
            Super Senior Member
            • Feb 2005
            • 1295

            #6
            :laughat: that is 10awg in silver right HT? :lol: Some FAT wire!
            The Bitterness of poor quality last longer than the joy of low prices.

            Comment

            • ht_addict
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2002
              • 508

              #7
              Originally posted by Snap
              :laughat: that is 10awg in silver right HT? :lol: Some FAT wire!
              Its actually a combo copper/silver coated copper. Picked it up cheap. And too top it off I use it too bi-amp my fronts :E

              Comment

              • maddog
                Member
                • Oct 2003
                • 86

                #8
                I read a thread about this type of issue recently on another forum. The only advantage to the smaller 14 awg that one guy pointed out is that it is usually easier to pull through the PVC pipes (or whatever pipes are used) in an in-wall installation. That guy said he had a real tough time pulling the 12 awg through.

                Comment

                • Snap
                  Super Senior Member
                  • Feb 2005
                  • 1295

                  #9
                  wire loob it works wonders for pulling wire through PVC pipe.
                  The Bitterness of poor quality last longer than the joy of low prices.

                  Comment

                  • Lex
                    Moderator Emeritus
                    • Apr 2001
                    • 27461

                    #10
                    1 awg. :lol:

                    I'd always recommend at least 12 gauge for this length.
                    Doug
                    "I'm out there Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!" - Kramer

                    Comment

                    • rich0372
                      Member
                      • Jul 2004
                      • 83

                      #11
                      Thanks for the info 8) Rich

                      Comment

                      • Shane Martin
                        Super Senior Member
                        • Apr 2001
                        • 2852

                        #12
                        My rears which are 35 foot runs both use 12 gauge. I preferred it.

                        My front use 10 gauge.

                        I would use 12 but 14 will work. Be sure if you are running in wall, you get in wall CL3 rated wire.

                        Comment

                        • aud19
                          Twin Moderator Emeritus
                          • Aug 2003
                          • 16706

                          #13
                          Originally posted by Snap
                          wire loob it works wonders for pulling wire through PVC pipe.
                          :B :rofl:
                          Jason

                          Comment

                          • rich0372
                            Member
                            • Jul 2004
                            • 83

                            #14
                            Let's see if I got this right the lower gauge number the thicker the wire right Now, the thicker the wire the less signal loss and bass response? is there a formula on figuring out what guage for how many feet? Shane why would you use 10 gauge for the mains since ussually they are shorter wire lengths Thanks Rich

                            Comment

                            • Snap
                              Super Senior Member
                              • Feb 2005
                              • 1295

                              #15
                              Originally posted by aud19
                              :B :rofl:
                              I should add more o's to the looooob. :B :B :rofl: :rofl:
                              That lube is so freeking messy! uuuuugggggg
                              sorry I am a nut and sometimes act to silly!
                              The Bitterness of poor quality last longer than the joy of low prices.

                              Comment

                              • Shane Martin
                                Super Senior Member
                                • Apr 2001
                                • 2852

                                #16
                                There is a formula. I'll go look for it.

                                I used 10 gauge because it was available locally and I liked the thicker gauge stuff
                                No reason otherwise. It's just 10 gauge Monster XP. Nothing special.

                                I intend on replacing it with a 30 foot spool of twisted 11 guage from Ixos but I haven't had time.

                                Comment

                                • chrispy35
                                  Senior Member
                                  • Feb 2004
                                  • 198

                                  #17
                                  Here's a good article on speaker wires. The main point as far as guage selection goes is that the wire resistance (factor of guage and length) should not exceed 5% of the minimum impedance of the speaker.

                                  HTG Rules Administrator action taken:
                                  link contained controversial wire critique information not supported by staff of HTGuide.com. It appears you were able to summarize the most important point, and for purposes of this thread, that is sufficient.

                                  Comment

                                  • maddog
                                    Member
                                    • Oct 2003
                                    • 86

                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by Shane Martin
                                    ...I used 10 gauge because it was available locally and I liked the thicker gauge stuff
                                    No reason otherwise. It's just 10 gauge Monster XP. Nothing special....
                                    Are you sure that's 10 awg? I thought the biggest Monster XP was 12 awg, which is about $1.50 / foot. I have used that before on my mains and currently use the Navajo White version for my rears. Do you have a link to the Monster website where they show the 10 awg. Just interested since I was looking for some bigger Monster cable a while back.

                                    Comment

                                    • Tubby
                                      Junior Member
                                      • Feb 2005
                                      • 12

                                      #19
                                      I read an article somewhere, can't remember but anyway the guy suggested 2 runs of 14 rather than 1 run of 12. The 2 14s will give you an equiavlent of about 11 gauge but less capacitance I think was his point.

                                      Comment

                                      • Azeke
                                        Super Senior Member
                                        • Mar 2003
                                        • 2123

                                        #20
                                        Originally posted by Snap
                                        wire loob it works wonders for pulling wire through PVC pipe.
                                        FYI.

                                        Beware, wire lube is highly combustible.

                                        Regards,

                                        Azeke

                                        Comment

                                        • Snap
                                          Super Senior Member
                                          • Feb 2005
                                          • 1295

                                          #21
                                          Originally posted by Azeke
                                          FYI.

                                          Beware, wire lube is highly combustible.

                                          Regards,

                                          Azeke
                                          I the stuff that I used for a church was a Poly/Water lube. I am pretty sure that it is rather safe. :T
                                          Edit: Also for Pro installation is was good that we had audio in mind from the begining. We had all the PVC pipes for the sound booth and amps ran through the SLAB. For homes you can just pre-wire and use wire staples and skip the PVC pipe (wire conduit) all together.
                                          The Bitterness of poor quality last longer than the joy of low prices.

                                          Comment

                                          • aud19
                                            Twin Moderator Emeritus
                                            • Aug 2003
                                            • 16706

                                            #22
                                            Originally posted by Tubby
                                            I read an article somewhere, can't remember but anyway the guy suggested 2 runs of 14 rather than 1 run of 12. The 2 14s will give you an equiavlent of about 11 gauge but less capacitance I think was his point.
                                            That's what I've got :T
                                            Jason

                                            Comment

                                            • rich0372
                                              Member
                                              • Jul 2004
                                              • 83

                                              #23
                                              Originally posted by Tubby
                                              I read an article somewhere, can't remember but anyway the guy suggested 2 runs of 14 rather than 1 run of 12. The 2 14s will give you an equiavlent of about 11 gauge but less capacitance I think was his point.

                                              How does this work one pair for highs and one for lows? Rich

                                              Comment

                                              • aud19
                                                Twin Moderator Emeritus
                                                • Aug 2003
                                                • 16706

                                                #24
                                                Nope, mine aren't bi-wire/bi-amp capable. You just use both + and - on one cable just for the + and both from the second cable for the -. Twist them together, solder and add banana jack in my case
                                                Jason

                                                Comment

                                                • rich0372
                                                  Member
                                                  • Jul 2004
                                                  • 83

                                                  #25
                                                  Originally posted by aud19
                                                  Nope, mine aren't bi-wire/bi-amp capable. You just use both + and - on one cable just for the + and both from the second cable for the -. Twist them together, solder and add banana jack in my case
                                                  Wow I never thought of this. why is this better than using thicker wire? Rich

                                                  Comment

                                                  • aud19
                                                    Twin Moderator Emeritus
                                                    • Aug 2003
                                                    • 16706

                                                    #26
                                                    I don't know that it is, but that's what I had lying around so.....

                                                    Other than that Tubby mentioned it may have lower capacitance....?
                                                    Jason

                                                    Comment

                                                    • Snap
                                                      Super Senior Member
                                                      • Feb 2005
                                                      • 1295

                                                      #27
                                                      I thought the main reason people would run 16/4 was to give them the ability to Bi-Amp in the future. I don't think that twisting them together is going to give you better sound? :scratchhead:
                                                      The Bitterness of poor quality last longer than the joy of low prices.

                                                      Comment

                                                      • rattmann316
                                                        Junior Member
                                                        • Aug 2005
                                                        • 24

                                                        #28
                                                        @ 35 feet, the resistance on a 12 awg wire would be about .056 ohms and about .090 ohms on 14 awg. basically negligable difference at such a short run.

                                                        check it out: http://www.stealth316.com/2-wire-resistance.htm

                                                        this too if you really want to "nerd it up":
                                                        RB-1070
                                                        RC-1070
                                                        RCD-1072
                                                        B&W-DM602 s3

                                                        Comment

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