Speaker Wire

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

+1 I prefer 12 gauge for speaker wire. I used 10 gauge for my extension cords.

What counts is how it works. in most cases all you get with 12ga speaker cable is extra bulk and weight, while not working the slightest bit better. As for 10ga extension cords they only make sense if the AC wiring they plug into is also 10ga. And unless it's a 30 amp circuit, using 30 amp rated outlets, it isn't.

[Bruce Weldy]

+1 I prefer 12 gauge for speaker wire. I used 10 gauge for my extension cords.

What counts is how it works. in most cases all you get with 12ga speaker cable is extra bulk and weight, while not working the slightest bit better. As for 10ga extension cords they only make sense if the AC wiring they plug into is also 10ga. And unless it's a 30 amp circuit, using 30 amp rated outlets, it isn't.

Bill! Quit confusing the issue with facts!


We used to play a place where the whole band had four outlets.....the wires running to all four (ganged together) looked to be no bigger than 16ga. Can't believe it never melted down.

[BrentEvans]

What counts is how it works. in most cases all you get with 12ga speaker cable is extra bulk and weight, while not working the slightest bit better.

While this is true in most instances... suppose you run into a situation where you have to couple two or three regular speaker cables together to make a run? Not every situation is optimal... having 12 gauge cables would be a benefit then.

FTR... my FOH cables are all 13/4 becasue at most of my events, I have to place the amp rack 75 feet or more from at least one stack. Having the 13/4 was a big benefit to me.

As for 10ga extension cords they only make sense if the AC wiring they plug into is also 10ga. And unless it's a 30 amp circuit, using 30 amp rated outlets, it isn't.

No. 10 extension cables also have less voltage drop in less than optimal situations...

There's nothing wrong with a little overkill 75% of the time to have what you need 25% of the time.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

While this is true in most instances... suppose you run into a situation where you have to couple two or three regular speaker cables together to make a run? Not every situation is optimal... having 12 gauge cables would be a benefit then.

If the cables are that long the capacitive and inductive losses will be the main concern, and gauge does nothing to address that.

No. 10 extension cables also have less voltage drop in less than optimal situations...

At 100 feet the difference between 10 and 12ga is 1 volt.

[BrentEvans]

If the cables are that long the capacitive and inductive losses will be the main concern, and gauge does nothing to address that.

No... but

At 100 feet the difference between 10 and 12ga is 1 volt.

And at 200ft and 15-20A it's 4-6v... and that type of cable run does happen in less than optimal situations. Further... peak power usage on a single circuit (like kick drum hits) can drive it farther than that.

Some equipment, particularly class D amps and certain digital processing gear, shut down even on minor dips in voltage. Not every event has the luxury of a distro, or even multiple circuits to drive your gear. What's the harm in making sure you're prepared as much as possible?

[Dan30]

My mistake it is a speaker cable. I don't think anyone makes a 12 gauge instrument cable. lol

I have them cut at about 25ft a piece.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

And at 200ft and 15-20A it's 4-6v... and that type of cable run does happen in less than optimal situations.

In most situations where that amount of wire is required it's an outdoor gig, and you run a high risk of getting shocked, or worse, being that far from the service ground. Not recommended practice, to say the least. I've had it happen to me before I knew better; it will never happen again.

What's the harm in making sure you're prepared as much as possible?

None, but that means not endangering yourself because some idiot thinks you can set up your gear anywhere.

[BrentEvans]

In most situations where that amount of wire is required it's an outdoor gig, and you run a high risk of getting shocked, or worse, being that far from the service ground. Not recommended practice, to say the least. I've had it happen to me before I knew better; it will never happen again.

Or running around baseboards from one room to another trying to find an unoccupied circuit. Point is, it happens.

None, but that means not endangering yourself because some idiot thinks you can set up your gear anywhere.

With great power comes great responsibility. I've done some pretty shaky extension cord runs in the past too, but I can't any more. My amps and processing gear don't like low voltage (as in, will shut down at 102 volts). It's actually a great excuse to make people provide the right power... if I can't power up, they can't go on.

[Rick Lee]

Showing my age here... I remember back in the 70's and 80's the argument was trying to get people to stop using 18ga. for long runs- 16ga. was the way to go.

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

Showing my age here... I remember back in the 70's and 80's the argument was trying to get people to stop using 18ga. for long runs- 16ga. was the way to go.

That was before the advent of the cable mountebanks and the nonsense that they promulgate. But I was using 14ga in the 70s and 80s, as I do today. Mostly the same wire too, with the original 1/4" plugs replaced by Speakon.

[byacey]

AWG 16 is fine for Home Hifi, but with pro audio, AWG 14 is better due to the longer runs involved. With smaller wire gauges, the power loss goes up, but more importantly, damping factor is the first thing to be degraded significantly as the wire resistance is increased.

If you have runs with distances longer than what is acceptable for a #14, it's time to relocate the amplifiers racks and run a longer line level feed instead.

[Harley]

.... But I was using 14ga in the 70s and 80s, as I do today. Mostly the same wire too, with the original 1/4" plugs replaced by Speakon.

Good grief FitzYoda! Converted over to Monster, have done you not yet?

[Dan30]

On the topic of cabling. Here's an interview from yesterday with Monster Cable founder. He talk about the technical side of things. (I'm sure much of his claims are bunk).

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3 ... tg0131.mp3

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

On the topic of cabling. Here's an interview from yesterday with Monster Cable founder. He talk about the technical side of things. (I'm sure much of his claims are bunk).

They're all bunk. If Monster and all the other cable crooks had to prove all their claims they'd go out of business in a week. This is the real deal where cables are concerned:
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm