What gauge speaker cable?

Christopher M. Bronze Member Username: Exerciseguy Brooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 28 Registered: Oct-04	Posted on Friday, November 12, 2004 - 18:17 GMT Is there really any practical benefit to using 10-gauge speaker cable over a reasonable distance (under 25-feet)? 12-gauge cable is about half the cost on average when compared to 10-gauge. Is 12-gauge then a better choice? What about 16 & 14-gauge cable? When, if ever are these an acceptable choice?
Riches1 Bronze Member Username: Riches1 Atlanta, GA US Post Number: 13 Registered: Apr-04	Posted on Saturday, November 13, 2004 - 04:14 GMT 12 Gauge will be fine for a 25 foot run. Check out audioholics.com for a good read on speaker cables and wire. I an using 12 AWG SoundKing speaker wire for my surrounds (35 foot run) and The New Monster Cable for Fronts and Center.
Peter Galbraith Silver Member Username: Petergalbraith Rimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 253 Registered: Feb-04	Posted on Saturday, November 13, 2004 - 21:22 GMT 12 AWG is bound to be enough. It's already pretty big. 14 AWG is pretty standard and 16 is getting on the small side. I use 12 AWG for about C$25 for 100 foot roll. Nothing fancier.
Slade Silver Member Username: Rkvfire Vancouver, British Colu... Canada Post Number: 114 Registered: Aug-04	Posted on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 04:10 GMT peter, 25 for 100 foot roll.. where did u pick that up? ill use that cable for the paradigms.
Peter Galbraith Silver Member Username: Petergalbraith Rimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 254 Registered: Feb-04	Posted on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 15:14 GMT Slade, at an electronics discount store called "Electromike" in Quebec City. There's also Addsion and Maddison.
Christopher M. Bronze Member Username: Exerciseguy Brooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 29 Registered: Oct-04	Posted on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 16:38 GMT This it the company I've given most of my business to lately: http://www.audioshowcase.com/index.htm Their products are every bit as good, dare I say better, than other very expensive product lines. I recently purchased a boat-load of cables from these guys and love the quality. Does anyone have any experience with flat speaker cable?
Riches1 Bronze Member Username: Riches1 Atlanta, GA US Post Number: 17 Registered: Apr-04	Posted on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 19:47 GMT Check out www.partsexpress for Soundking 12GA speaker wire at $17.88 for a 50' roll and $32 and change for a 100' roll. There is a nice review at audioholics.com comparing pricey, exotic, speaker cables to Soundking 12 GA and The New Monstercable Speaker Wire (also 12 GA). Soundking was clearly the best bang for the buck. For me, "going exotic" was using the New MonsterCable up front for L, R an C. I went with Soundking for the rears because I needed '100 feet of cable for the job. Marginally better sound quality could be purchased, but for exponentially greater dollars. If you really want to save money, go to Home Depot and buy 12 gauge copper wire by the foot. Also see audioholics.com guide to making your own speaker cables. I use bannana connectors on the wire into the receiver, but use bare wire at the speaker. I was using bare wire into bannana connectors then bannana connectors to speakers, but that seemed like an unecessary step to me. A lot of this stuff has been referred to as "audio jewelry". I sold my "exotic" speaker cables and replaced them with The New MonsterCable speaker wire up front ($80 for 50 foot roll) and Soundking in the rear ($33 per 100' roll) I notice no loss of sound quality. I know that many others claim they can hear the difference. I will not argue with them. Most guidelines suggest that cables, wires and interconnects should equal 5-7% of your total audio budget. Any percentage greater than that would be better spent on higher end electronics.I went just a tad over that guideline.
Christopher M. Bronze Member Username: Exerciseguy Brooklyn, NY USA Post Number: 30 Registered: Oct-04	Posted on Sunday, November 14, 2004 - 20:16 GMT 100-ft of 12-ga speaker cable from www.audioshowcase.com is $26.54. Enter coupon code: AS2256 and receive 10% off your total order! http://www.audioshowcase.com/popupspecs/60s4-031hd.htm

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