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Thread: Speaker wire gauge for Home Theatre

  1. #1
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    Default Speaker wire gauge for Home Theatre

    Just wondering what everyone is using for speaker wire to hook up speakers to an amplifier.

    Some say 12ga and some say 14ga. Is it true that if you are running rear surround speakers and its more than a certain length then you have to use a different gauge than the front speakers?

    Thanks
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    What components are you using and how long do you think the wire would need to be to reach everything?
    Ultracrepidarian

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    5.1 speakers. Front speaker wires for left, right and centre would be approx 3'

    Surround speakers would be at least 50'
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    12, 14, 16, ga you will never tell the difference in a million years for just a regular home theater set up. If your using different lengths of wire, for that to start making a difference it needs to be way longer than 50'. I use 16ga bi-wired.

    EDIT: Buy the wire from monoprice.com, not from a local shop unless its Alberta Cable or similar.
    Last edited by Mitsu3000gt; 02-27-2009 at 10:20 AM.

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    I use 14ga for pretty much all home stereo installations, make sure if you're burying it behind a finished wall that you use wire code-rated for that purpose.

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    I'm still not sure what components you're using (model/brand) but 14AWG as suggested is a pretty universal size; your speakers are probably 4ohm. You can go a high impedence cable if you think you're going to be dipping down to 2-ohms often (ie: heavy bass), although I don't see that happening for rear speakers, more likely your fronts and/or sub.
    Ultracrepidarian

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    thanks for all the help! Monoprice has the best pricing for speaker wire but they are all sold out right now.

    Any ideas on any local places besides Soundsaround, Visions,Futureshop and BestBuy?
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  8. #8
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    Try:

    Active Components
    403-291-5626
    2015 32nd Ave NE

    MRO Electronic Supply
    403-291-0501
    Bay 1, 1245 34th Ave. N.E.

    B&E Industrial Electronics
    403-243-7211
    444 Manitou Rd SE

    I picked up a 100' roll of 14ga from MRO for like $15...

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