I am curious what brand and gage people are using in their Home Theaters for speaker wire/cable and what recommendations you have. I will have a 7.1 system using a $2000 range amp and high end paradigm speakers. My longest run is 40 ft to the front and center speakers.

Thanks for your input.

12 gage. Just use the cheap stuff from the hardware store.

12 gauge. Home depot brand.

I used 10 gauge Steren Python Ultra Flex High-Definition Speaker Wire from cablesforless.com, keep in mind that in longer runs you always wanna use thicker cable, to prevent loss or distortion from other devices around the wires.

Part # 100-742 12 GA 2 COND SPEAKER WIRE 500' from Parts Express. Finished wiring 2 weekends ago.

Tommy

12 gauge Carol brand from parts express.

The census around here is that 14g or 12g from HD is fine. You don't need to go out and buy a set of Kimber Selects for 7K a pair in order to get good reproduction for HT or for two channel for that matter, but there are those that would argue.

Hell, Id argue too if I just spent 25K in speaker cables and don't have an orgasm after listening to them on my system. :D

Anyhow read --> The truth about speaker wire (http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm) for an insight of an audio industry designer.

14ga 4 conductor CL3 from parts express.

If you're running the wires in the walls, make sure they are rated for in-wall use. You don't want to have issues with your insurance company in the event of a fire.

If you're running the wires in the walls, make sure they are rated for in-wall use. You don't want to have issues with your insurance company in the event of a fire.

Actually, I learned something on this topic as well. Here is a good article from Bluejeanscable.com describing in wall rated cable.

Link (http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/inwallrating.htm)

I used the BJC Belden 5000ue 12ga.

12 AWG from an online wholesaler like Westlake Electronic or Liberty Wire & Cable

Thanks for the great response from everybody and keep them coming! This really helps. I'm leaning towards 12 ga cl3 in wall speaker wire. I will be starting my construction thread very soon.

Thanks, Robin

Also, has any body used COAX RG6 for a subwoofer cable and did it work for you?? I have a 45 ft run, Thanks

I used Blue Jeans 12ga. speaker and had them make me a 40' subwoofer ($54). Start wiring this weekend.

John

12 ga. CL3 from Westlake Electronic for me.

Also, has any body used COAX RG6 for a subwoofer cable and did it work for you?? I have a 45 ft run, Thanks

I used RG6 to make 40ft Component and RCA runs with RCA compression connectors. Also made a 15ft Subwoofer cable for my buddy with the same RCA connectors. No problems.

If you have the material use it, if not you can get a decent subwoofer cable from monoprice for less than 15 bucks.

Chalk me up for the HD 12 ga. in-wall (2 runs to the front mains for bi-wire)

i did 10ga. 4 conductor for my mains (bi-wire setup) and 12ga. for the front satalites, surrounds, and rears, purchased all from Westlake.

- Josh

12 ga cl3 for 30 ft runs

I bought some wire off Ebay that was rated for in wall use. Tributaries CL-3 Inwall 16/4 Speaker Wire. It worked out well. My advice is not to skimp on the CL-3 pulling the wire through pre-drilled holes will ensure the wire does not get damaged because of the strong insulation.

I used 14 gauge 4 conductor Monster brand in-wall wire. The only reason I got the Monster brand was because I got it for half price.

Ever look inside a speaker cabinet and see the 24GA wire they use for the connections in there? Having said that, I used 12GA from HD and Monoprice (where speaker wire was out of stock for a couple of months recently.) Works perfectly well.

Anyone who claims that you have to be violated by the likes of Monster and the boutique cables companies to get audiophile-ish sound, probably also labors under the illusion that women find expensive speaker cable irresistably sexy.

YMMV of course, and I may just prefer expensive Scotch to expensive copper. Scotch works better on the ladies too!

12AWG romex for speakers

10AWG romex for IB

I may just prefer expensive Scotch to expensive copper.I hear that
Scotch works better on the ladies too!not to mention what it does to their looks...

Did someone mention Scotch?!? Good single malt is the only thing keeping me from not foaming at the mouth while wait to get started on my build.

Part # 100-742 12 GA 2 COND SPEAKER WIRE 500' from Parts Express. Finished wiring 2 weekends ago.

Tommy

Yup!~... same here!

Belden 5000up: 12AWG, inwall rated, high stand count, pretty green color.

I would also wire XLR or single ended cables into the walls at the same time. In case you ever switch to digital speakers later on down the road (which is where everything is heading IMO). It is always smart to future proof. XLRs (Balanced cables) are the better choice IMO, as they allow any anomalies introduced into the signal via EMI to be cancelled out at the receiving end. :)

12AWG romex for speakers

10AWG romex for IB
Solid core for low voltage speaker wire? There's much less surface area to carry (a majority of) the signal than stranded speaker wire.. Was this because you already had it installed, or did you choose this for some reason?

Solid core for low voltage speaker wire? There's much less surface area to carry (a majority of) the signal than stranded speaker wire.. Was this because you already had it installed, or did you choose this for some reason?

Plenty of leftovers from rest of house construction.

Did someone mention Scotch?!? Good single malt is the only thing keeping me from not foaming at the mouth while wait to get started on my build.

It's the only thing that helps me get to sleep at night, what with the 18,000 daily theater tasks swirling through my head.

Finished wiring, finished framing - time to call the building inspector! Yeehah!

I went with 14 ga 4 conductor from DelcoWire, all of my speakers are bi-wired, but only the mains actually have 2 channels each.

I used to use the 12 ga 2 conductor from homedepot. the only issue i had with that cable was that while it is stranded, the strands are thick and there aren't as many of them. it's also a little harder to work with. I get comparable performace with the 4 conductor, it's easier to work with and is CL rated, although more expensive.

This is a little OT, but I have been asked twice in the last week what the difference is between in-wall and "normal" speaker wire. The last guy who asked me had run "normal" speaker wire in his walls and had been told by an electrician its a fire hazard. I always thought it was more for protection of the wires from cuts/abrasions etc... and for ease of pulling but never thought there was a safety issue until I was asked the question. Anyone know?

Plenty of leftovers from rest of house construction.

WFT!!!! Your seriously using Romex for speaker wire? hahahaha!!!! Can we say ghetto??? And not to mention BAD for the speakers and receiver.

For speakers you want high strand count wire, the thicker the gauge with more stands the better. Solid core wire like romex defeats the whole purpose. The electrical current doesn't travel in the wire, it rides the surface of the copper, so you've only got one surface path for the current to go.

When you use high strand count wire you've got hundreds of surface areas for that current to go which increases efficiency and lessens static noise or interference.

have fun with your romex.

- Josh

This is a little OT, but I have been asked twice in the last week what the difference is between in-wall and "normal" speaker wire. The last guy who asked me had run "normal" speaker wire in his walls and had been told by an electrician its a fire hazard. I always thought it was more for protection of the wires from cuts/abrasions etc... and for ease of pulling but never thought there was a safety issue until I was asked the question. Anyone know?

yes there are several types of sheilding/coating on speakers, general speaker wire isn't rated for in wall installations, and can potentially be a fire hazard.

just look at the link that Judsonp posted earlier: http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/inwallrating.htm

explains in wall ratings better.

- Josh

WFT!!!! Your seriously using Romex for speaker wire? hahahaha!!!! Can we say ghetto??? And not to mention BAD for the speakers and receiver.

For speakers you want high strand count wire, the thicker the gauge with more stands the better. Solid core wire like romex defeats the whole purpose. The electrical current doesn't travel in the wire, it rides the surface of the copper, so you've only got one surface path for the current to go.

When you use high strand count wire you've got hundreds of surface areas for that current to go which increases efficiency and lessens static noise or interference.

have fun with your romex.

- Josh

Skin effect is frequency dependant and not even a consideration below 100khz. Read not a factor at audio frequencies. Ditto that for using identical legnth of speaker wires for timing reasons. Again at audio frequencies this is not a factor. Now when you get into RF
and video systems, these factors do come into play. Also in high speed computer systems but to an electrical engineer that's still RF.

And please don't cite the old AVS myth that power substations use aluminum tubes versus solid wire due to skin effect. The tubing is strictly for mechanical reasons. At those extreme voltage and low current levels, thick conductors are not required. However try to span 20 feet with a 1/8 in solid bar. Now try a 3/4inch hollow aluminum tube. This is why substations use tubing versus wire.

Romex is just fine except for the possibility of the stiff cable breaking connection jacks. But that can be avoided with wall plates. Plus Romex is already rated for in wall use in most residential areas.

WFT!!!! Your seriously using Romex for speaker wire? hahahaha!!!! Can we say ghetto??? And not to mention BAD for the speakers and receiver.

For speakers you want high strand count wire, the thicker the gauge with more stands the better. Solid core wire like romex defeats the whole purpose. The electrical current doesn't travel in the wire, it rides the surface of the copper, so you've only got one surface path for the current to go.

When you use high strand count wire you've got hundreds of surface areas for that current to go which increases efficiency and lessens static noise or interference.

have fun with your romex.

- Josh


WTF, are you serious?

Another one who's "heard" of skin effect, but obviously didn't understand it, at all.

Wasn't really going after the "skin effect" but more about the DC resistance and inductance of the wire. You have "less" resistance with multi strand wire as there are more paths for the current to follow than a solid core wire.

IE solid core wire like romex is better for AC currents where as multi stranded cables are better for DC currents.

Thats really all I was getting at.

- Josh

You have "less" resistance with multi strand wire as there are more paths for the current to follow than a solid core wire.

Incorrect.

A 14 AWG stranded wire can carry the same amount of current as a 14 AWG solid wire.

IE solid core wire like romex is better for AC currents where as multi stranded cables are better for DC currents.

Complete nonsense.
In any case, audio is AC, not DC.

Thats really all I was getting at.


try again, this time, add a little dose of reality.

I used 12AWG Liberty THX (http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/speaker-cable.html). The only thing I would do different next time is to leave enough extra wire at the equipment rack so it can slide *all the way* out.

James

Thanks guys for all the help!! I have settled on 12/2 Stinger cl3 speaker wire and running two sets to the main for bi-wiring.

I will also be running my RG6 for my Subwoofers, approx 40-50 feet run. If you have used coax for sub wiring, let me know how it worked, and should I run any other wires with the coax to my sub....

Thanks, Robin

10 gauge throughout. Stuff is so pretty it is a shame to hide it inside the walls. LOL. http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KAR10BLS

I'm going the DIY route:
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/ffrc_e.html

Here is an entertaining bit of background:
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/spkcbl_e.html

The overall site has some good reference material.

Cheers,

Curt

Glimmie on 3/23/07 stated: "Skin effect is frequency dependant and not even a consideration below 100khz. Read not a factor at audio frequencies. Ditto that for using identical legnth of speaker wires for timing reasons. Again at audio frequencies this is not a factor. "

I'd like to confirm that running 12 AWG stranded from the 'rack in one corner' to the 'near' front/rear and to the 'far' front/rear (a difference of about 10 additional feet to the 'far' locations on a maximum run of 35'...), has no audible effect. In other words: running a 25' front cable, adjacent the other 35' foot front cable, is NOT going to have any real noticeable effect in a decent system. CORRECT?

That's correct, APJ. Especially at that gauge where there is little attenuation due to cable length. If you're skeptical, a double-blind test is easy enough to do..

THANKS for the quick response.... back to pulling wire!

I, too, used Belden 5000UP (12 ga.) from Westlake. Made my own subwoofer cables with RG6 , RCA connectors, and a compression tool.