updated -what size and type of speaker wire should i use ?

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Tue May 17, 2005 6:48 pm

klipsch speakers link
got a set arriving the first of the month -and would like some expert advice on speaker wire .

i be needing 50-100 feet total

Post by **TonyH** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:38 pm

I wouldn't consider myself an expert but I'll give it a go. It depends on how much power you plan on running through those wires and how long the wiring will be. For your normal pedestrian applications and not any longer than about 50 feet or so you might get away with 16AWG. Over that length or you plan on laying the smack down and gleefully pissing off most if not all of your neighbors, you should probably consider 14 or even 12AWG.

I use 14 for most of my stuff but then that's me.

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Tue May 17, 2005 8:03 pm

thanks -sounds like we be buying a monster roll of like 250-500 ft !

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Tue May 17, 2005 8:13 pm

please do NOT buy monster cable. just go to your local hardware store and get 14 or 16 gauge speaker wire. monster cable is the Bose of speaker wire...it is good quality buy WAY overpriced.

nice choice on speakers, btw.

i had the klipsch SF-2's (before the new models that you have)...until i upgraded to the RF-7's.

.02

edit: k...just saw that you said "monster roll" and not "monster cable". hehe. oh well....my rant still stands. hehehehe

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Tue May 17, 2005 8:43 pm

thanks for the heads up b-man-1 I'm sure what ever i buy will be a silver and gold type so i don't mix polarity

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Tue May 17, 2005 9:13 pm

Originally posted by b-man1
please do NOT buy monster cable. just go to your local hardware store and get 14 or 16 gauge speaker wire. monster cable is the Bose of speaker wire...it is good quality buy WAY overpriced.

edit: k...just saw that you said "monster roll" and not "monster cable". hehe. oh well....my rant still stands. hehehehe

It isnt even that good a cable when compared to brand X. For more information on monster cable go here. Its worth the read.

Busby · Post by **Busby** » Tue May 17, 2005 9:25 pm

Originally posted by bellringer
thanks for the heads up b-man-1 I'm sure what ever i buy will be a silver and gold type so i don't mix polarity

I hope you mean the insulation coloring cause the physical wire material won't mix polarity. What I do for double is tie a small "loop" in the wire I use for negative.

Jim Z · Post by **Jim Z** » Tue May 17, 2005 10:15 pm

The stuff with one "silver" conductor is just tinned. it doesn't matter in the slightest, and if it helps you keep the polarity straight then so much the better.

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Wed May 18, 2005 11:34 am

Monster or any of those specialty cables are a joke. Just buy STRANDED 16 or 14 guage wire. You'd probably find it at Home Depot since they sell wire for commerical sound installations. Failing that, go to a music store. Avoid the stereo places because they'll want a premium for "pro" quality wire (a farce).

TRUST me, I'm a former sound engineer, I can assure you one of the biggest rip-offs on the planet are "monster" cables.

BillyGoat · Post by **BillyGoat** » Wed May 18, 2005 12:46 pm

Yep Ill echo all the above, the only thing that matters is a decent strand count, and for automotive applications I like to use oxygen free on high power situations as I soldier all leads to prevent corosion. Since this is an indoor app, you dont even have to worry about that

rogue · Post by **rogue** » Wed May 18, 2005 1:54 pm

Originally posted by FlyingPenguin

TRUST me, I'm a former sound engineer, I can assure you one of the biggest rip-offs on the planet are "monster" cables.

I agree, Monster makes some off the most ripoff products out there, but cables do in fact make a difference. However, you need a very revealing and expensive system to hear this difference. I bought some $200 silver wire interconnects for my stereo setup and I could instantly tell that the sound signature had changed from the $25 cheap-o copper interconnects I used before.

eGoCeNTRoNiX · Post by **eGoCeNTRoNiX** » Wed May 18, 2005 2:19 pm

Originally posted by bellringer
thanks -sounds like we be buying a monster roll of like 250-500 ft !

I realize you guys are just providing advice, but I don't think he mean he was going to buy "Monster" wire, but a "Monster sized" roll of wire? Maybe? haha

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Wed May 18, 2005 2:27 pm

I realize you guys are just providing advice, but I don't think he mean he was going to buy "Monster" wire, but a "Monster sized" roll of wire? Maybe? haha

i know...that's why i edited my post right after saying it.

BUT, i still wanted to get a jab in on Monster brand products. hehehe!

renovation · Post by **renovation** » Wed May 18, 2005 2:28 pm

OK let me clear this up . I'm not buying monster brand anything . I'm just going to buy a large roll of speaker wire - 16 gage to 12 gage . i do know i want the type that is strip or tin coated over copper on the one side of the dual strand wire .so i do not cross the neg .and poss. polarity of the wire feeds from the receiver to the speakers .

Absolut Talent · Post by **Absolut Talent** » Wed May 18, 2005 3:23 pm

go with 14ga. Best of all worlds