Speaker Wire
FAQ
Questions abound about speaker wires. Information disseminated by brand name advertisers, audiophiles, magazines and websites can often be overwhelming and sometimes contradictory. There are several easy scientific audio guidelines to follow, some of which can save you time, money, and confusion when choosing the right speaker wire. In general, it has been proven that any manufacturer's speaker wire, when compared apples-to-apples in blind audio tests, is as good as any other, regardless of price or theoretical claims.
What is the Best Wire?
The signal between audio amplifiers and speakers is transmitted in voltage. All voltage passes through wiring almost instantaneously, and only suffers in voltage quantity when the wire is too thin for the application. Wiring is measured in AWG (American Wire Guage), which is the thickness of the wire core itself, not including insulation. All but the poorest quality wires use adequate insulation, and the addition of a thicker insulator than what is needed adds only cost, with no increase in audio performance.
The recommended AWG of speaker wire is dependent on the speakers ohm rating, the length of the wire, and the power used. Helpful charts for recommended AWG wires are available at audio dealers and manufacturer websites. The general rule of thumb, is that the longer the wire, the thicker the AWG. This also increases with the use of speakers rated at lower ohms.
Multi-strand copper, solid core, silver core, multi-wrap core and other specialty core wires all provide the same result in independent audio tests, as long as the proper AWG is used. It is often overlooked that internal wiring in speakers and audio components are often different that the connecting wires. Therefore the theoretical weak link causes no problems or sound degradation.
What are Best Connectors?
Although it is true that the popular gold-plated connectors are resistant to corrosion, the tin-based solder that bonds then to the wire, and the external and internal component jacks and wire mounting systems are not. Periodic cleaning of jacks, plugs, and mounting posts is always a good idea to prevent or remove corrosion, and are another theoretical weak ink in the system. Investing in good-quality connectors, with plating of a less-precious metal, will give the same sonic results.
Do Wires Need to Be Same Size?
Wires do not need to be the same length, but should be the same AWG thickness. Since it would require thousands of wire feet to hear any possible audible delay, home audio systems do not go to that extreme. If multiple speakers, or speakers of different ohm ratings are installed in distant parts of a house, only the AWG to length consideration should be followed.
What is Difference Between Wire Strand Types?
Speaker wires use two conductors, and cores are configured as multi-strand, braided ground, grouped insulated multi-strand or solid core. While speaker wire manufacturers usually use muti-strand wire, unbiased independent audio test findings resulted in no discernible loss or gain with any wire type, regardless of composition.
Can I Make My Own Cables?
Making your own cables can save money, and only require soldering skills. Purchasing bulk wire and quality connectors, if needed, allow custom lengths to be produced with the components you choose. If AWG guidleines are followed, home-manufactured cables will offer excellent sound quality as good as any manufacturer's store-bought model.
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