Speaker Cable

Speaker Cable: Help Choosing The Right Cable Gauge

The speaker cable allows an electrical connection between loudspeakers and audio amplifiers is made via speaker wire. Modern speaker cables are made up of two or more electrical conductors that are each individually wrapped in rubber or, less frequently, plastic insulation. Although the two wires are electrically identical, they are marked to show which is the proper polarity for the audio transmission. Speaker wire is most frequently found as zip cord.

Inductance, capacitance, and resistance are all absent from the ideal speaker wire. The electrical resistance of a wire is related to its length and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area, so the thinner and shorter it is, the lower the resistance (except superconductors). The performance of the wire is most significantly impacted by its resistance.

1. What Speaker Cable Do I Need?

To connect to speakers, amplifiers, or audio/video (A/V) receivers, you need speaker cables of gauge 12 to 16. This is because these speaker cables incorporate resistance, inductance, and capacitance properties. Making them the best. An effective speaker wire should then apply cross-sectional cuts, conductivity materials, and length.

Speaker cables come in different gauge numbers. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire. While the higher the wire gauge number, the thinner the wire. So, while acquiring a speaker wire, it is important to ensure that it is of the right thickness. This is because the speaker cable’s thickness affects the resistance of the speaker circuit.

Besides, different materials’ inclusion matters. This is because of the effect of the sound projection and resistance.  The speaker cables’ usage conductors are copper, tinned copper, and CCA. Copper is the most common type of material used due to its affordable price, and its low level of resistance.

Furthermore, in the case of bass and other frequencies, a bi-wire is the best. This is for both the quality of sound and minimizing loud disruptions. This lean double connection is able to cut the loudness that degrades the sound. Also, they should be hazardous substance-free with necessary certification and approvals. This means they are of high quality and resistant to fire, sunlight, and water.

Nonetheless, for audio speaker wires, speaker cables should be easy to install. Also, they should consist of transparent print legends and footage highlights.  Besides, they should be flexible, durable, reliable, cheap, and long-lasting. Which makes them almost fit 80% of different implementations.

2. How to Choose the Right Type of Speaker Cable?

A cable inclusive of a 16-gauge speaker cable is identified by American Wire Gauge (AWG) numbers. So, in selecting the correct cables, either the flat speaker cable, the transparent speaker cable or any other type of audio wire, you need to be clear on what you need. For long wire runs and supreme strength implementation. 14- gauge or 12-gauge wires are recommendable. Also, for low impedance speakers 4 or 6 ohms.

Before you choose a cable, it’s imperative to figure out the size you need. To achieve this, you need to measure from an amplifier area to each speaker location. You can use a string or an inch ruler to carry out the sizing process and add more feet for slacking.

It is also essential to define and focus on the selection method. This helps you in picking the correct types of audio speaker cables, ofc speaker wire or sound wire. You can choose a speaker cable wire with or without connectors. The ones without connectors will need a connector to avoid risking lives. So, connecting bare wire ends to a home theatre receiver is a real pain instead you can use shielded speaker cable.

Identification of wire placing also determines whether you choose the right speakers cable. For example, if you intend to install your speaker cable outdoor. The direct burial wires are recommendable for outdoor speaker cables. This particular type of installation requires the utmost four-cable connector.

Also Read: Outdoor Electrical Cable: A Free, All-Inclusive Buying And ‘How To’ Guide

For short runs that are less than 50 feet to 8 ohms speakers, 16-gauge wire is a perfect choice. It is available, easy to operate with, and affordable. Furthermore, guidelines are always available if you are unsure of what wire to choose.

Whether you intend to run sound cables on your wall or ceiling, you must have the best sound cables. The high-quality ones give the brilliant bass and perfect sound that meet your needs.

With these choosing methods, you are in an excellent position to decide the type of cables you need. But it would be marvelous if you chose a speaker wire cable that has been well manufactured. It is thus important to examine the originality and audibility of the cable. This is to ensure that you end up with a quality speaker cable from an authentic manufacturer.

3. How To Make Speaker Cable?

Designing your speaker cables is not hard as long as you have guidelines and ideas. The following are what you need when making Speaker cable: 10-14 gauge of speaker wire, ensure you have both red and black conductors, consider CL two- three rated wires, you also need a tech flex and 8mm cable pockets to fit 14 gauge and finally banana plug.

The best way of understanding the worthiness of speaker cable prices is by at least making yours. This way you will be able to tell the pricing differences as realized from the cost of materials. This requires you to first picture the final outlook of the final product.  The following are steps to use:

• Take out the speaker wire and cut it to length. 4inches longer than whatever size you need is mostly recommended.
• Cut the speaker wire up to the desired length
• Take the end of the tech flex, remember its flexible and expandable via speaker cable. Keep pushing in the wire through tech flex until you get it all the way through.
• The next thing after the first three is to dismantle the extension cables. It only requires the segregation of the outer wires, and the rest will loosely distich themselves.
• Place the cable pocket on the front-end part of the tech flex and ensure it fits well.
• Then bring the cable together via the weaving method. Braiding is the standard and easy way of performing this action.
• Afterward, trim the ends up with wire cutters, and install and incorporate the terminus by adding a banana plug as a protector. Ensure you twist the edges of wires tightly and later measure where there is the separation of cables as the paracord sections.
• Finally, you must check or examine using a multimeter before connecting to your central stereo systems. It is to see whether it’s operating; you as well troubleshoot when testing it.          

4. What Is the Difference Between Speaker Cable and Electrical Wire?

The speaker and electrical wire rely upon electrical energy. It is also possible to use them in place of one for the other.  Apart from a few differences.