Wire size?

 

New member
Username: Kennywood

Post Number: 3
Registered: Dec-04
Hey all

I need to know what thickness (guage) wire i need to connect my sub to my amp?

Can anyone help me?
 

Bronze Member
Username: Cheapskate

Post Number: 65
Registered: Mar-04
i'd go with at least 10 guage. 8 guage would be even better. it really does make a difference ESPECIALLY in the higher power bass range. 12 guage would be the bare minimum i'd recommend, but not for long cable runs.

when i put 10 guage monster cable in my home system, i immediately heard improved bass over the "lamp cord" wire i was using before.

if you're bhilding your system yourself, "sound king" wire is a huge bargain. it's 99% pure oxygen free copper as used in multi hundred dollar home stereo cables and is available in different size rolls or by the foot from:
http://mcm.newark.com/NewarkWebCommerce/mcm/en_US/endecaSearch/searchPage2.jsp?N tt=24-2040&newSearch=true&Nty=1&showImages=true&N=4&Ntk=gensearch
that's a link to the $1.59 per foot ordering form. their 30 foot rolls would probably be too much for a sub install. their search engine isn't the best, but their catalogues are very nice and well illustrated.
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 6788
Registered: Dec-03
for a sub to amp, 14ga is plenty fine.
 

Silver Member
Username: Jmloughrey

Farmington, CT

Post Number: 655
Registered: Jul-04
yea 12-14ga would be plentying for running your sub to your amp...8-10ga is just rediculous, unless your running like 5000rms of power to it then you may need to consider that...even then 8ga is a stretch...its uneccessary and will gain you nothing, you'll just look like an idiot, chances are your amp wont even connect it without you fraying it away to the size of a 12ga wire...
 

Gold Member
Username: Glasswolf

NorthWest, Michigan USA

Post Number: 6815
Registered: Dec-03
the largest I ever used in cars I recall is 10AWG and that was mostly just for show.
remember speakers are getting a high voltage AC signal. not high current DC like the power going to the amp.
you're not producing the heat with these wires you are with power lines, so size isn't as vital to carry the electrical signal.

speaker wiring is more akin to an AC wall outlet cord in regards to the electrical strength of what it carries.
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