Easy speaker wire question
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 167
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From: Penfield NY
Easy speaker wire question
I'm putting a simple setup in my '75 - a Pioneer head unit (22 watts per channel RMS) with new 4x6's in the dash and 6x9's out back. What gauge speaker wire would you recommend?
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
I'm using 16 gauge in my 89 as what was recommended. I say that is a good all around gauge to use.
I would also recommended getting some speaker wire from a car audio shop. I bought some Raptor wire for .25 a foot. I think that is cheaper speaker wire, but should be fine and was local. I probably would have bought some that was a little better .50 a foot if I knew I would be going out of town. Though, I don't believe in the hype of super expensive speaker wire.
I was recommended to just get some speaker wire from Lowes or Home Depot, but I was reading on the net where someone had bought some Lowes wire for their house speakers, and within 6 months, the clear insulation had turned green. I think the car audio speaker wire probably holds up better to the heat than house speaker wire.
I would also recommended getting some speaker wire from a car audio shop. I bought some Raptor wire for .25 a foot. I think that is cheaper speaker wire, but should be fine and was local. I probably would have bought some that was a little better .50 a foot if I knew I would be going out of town. Though, I don't believe in the hype of super expensive speaker wire.
I was recommended to just get some speaker wire from Lowes or Home Depot, but I was reading on the net where someone had bought some Lowes wire for their house speakers, and within 6 months, the clear insulation had turned green. I think the car audio speaker wire probably holds up better to the heat than house speaker wire.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
Though, I've read reports of Home Depot and Lowe's speaker wire turning green. I don't believe in the hype of super expensive speaker wire. But I do believe, like everything else, there is a difference in qaulity between different brands of wire. I'm sure some wire will hold up better to heat than other wire. Some wire has thicker insulation than other wire. Some wire has less resistance than other wire of the same gauge. Some wire has more strands than other wire of the same gauge. Etc.
But again, one might not hear a difference between different brands of wire, but I don't think $13 was too much to spend on wire when I have to tear the car apart to replace it, and I don't want to do that again.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 4,364
Likes: 408
From: Greer, SC
I can confirm that Home Depot 12ga speaker wire turns green after 3-6 months. I used this in my home system until all the wire turned green.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
Likes: 8
If I was to buy speaker wire again, I would get Stinger wire. An audio shop sells it 30 miles from me for .40 cent a foot. Stinger makes several different types of speaker wire, so I say that is probably their cheaper wire as they do have some at $1+ a foot.
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