What Size Speaker Wire For Home Theater

Wondering what size speaker wire you need? You're in the right place!

In this guide, I'll show you the proper approximate and type of speaker wire y'all need. I'll besides cover a lot more, likewise:

Elementary & quick rules of thumb for speaker wire size if that's all you need to know.
Speaker wire judge and the American Wire Gauge nautical chart explained.
Understanding copper clad aluminum (CCA) vs pure copper wire so you don't get ripped off.
Solid vs stranded wire – and why you lot don't want solid for speakers.

NEW! I've at present added a speaker wire gauge calculator and a simplified speaker wire gauge chart to make it a breeze. The commodity has also been updated.

Contents

General tips: What size speaker wire exercise I need?
- Simple "everyday" wire size table
- How to find the correct size wire for ANY length or speaker system
SPEAKER WIRE Estimate Reckoner
SPEAKER WIRE GAUGE Chart
- Choosing a speaker wire gauge for long distances
Tips on using smaller speaker wire and saving money
- Is oxygen free speaker wire worth it?
What gauge is speaker wire? (Wire size and wire gauge explained)
- Speaker impedance and power vs the correct approximate wire
- Stranded vs solid conductors
How much wire do you need?
- Figuring out how much wire to purchase
Copper-clad aluminum vs copper speaker wire
- Everyday employ & what to know
More great articles to read
- Your suggestions and feedback are welcome!

Full general tips: What size speaker wire practice I need?

Speaker wire size quick guide

For nearly low power domicile or car speakers (not subwoofers) xviii estimate (18AWG) is fine. 18AWG wire is good for about 50 watts for 4 ohms and 100 watts for 8 ohm loudspeakers upwardly to 50 feet (15 m) or 100 anxiety (thirty yard) respectively.
For college ability systems or longer lengths, 16 judge is a great choice.
For longer lengths (50-100ft)/(15-thirty.5m) you'll need to go upwardly 2 gauges (14 ga.) to avoid losing power. Very long lengths of speaker wire lose a bit of power over the long altitude due to resistance. Using larger wire can help reduce or avoid this. (Utilise my speaker wire computer to arrive easy)
A higher speaker impedance value (ex.: 6 or 8 ohm speakers) draws less electric current (lower amps) than lower impedance speakers. Therefore yous frequently can use a thinner wire for them as you'll come across.

Simple "everyday" wire size table

Wire Size	Recommended For
eighteen AWG	Car and home speakers upwards to 25 ft with average power levels (50W RMS and beneath).
16 AWG	Longer speaker runs for car & domicile stereo speakers or short runs under 20 ft for 75-100W. Moderate power subwoofers (under 225W) with short lengths.
14 AWG	Long (100ft+) speaker runs or college power applications such as high-ability 2 or 4 ohm subwoofers with a short length.

In almost cases for everyday listening at medium or low ability levels (50W RMS or under), 18 gauge (18AWG) wire is what you need.

It's a good compromise between toll and power handling as it'southward commonly affordable and like shooting fish in a barrel to find.

How to find the correct size wire for ANY length or speaker organization

The correct gauge speaker wire you need is based on 3 things:

Your stereo or amplifier'southward ability output.
The speaker'south impedance (Ohms) rating – also called the nominal impedance.
The cable length needed for your speaker organization.

All the same, I've made it easy for yous: Y'all can apply my speaker wire size calculator or speaker wire size chart sections provided beneath.

SPEAKER WIRE GAUGE CALCULATOR

speaker wire gauge calculator image

My speaker wire gauge calculator will recommend the correct speaker wire gauge based on the ability, speaker Ohms, and the specific length you need. This is different from the speaker wire size chart department below that provides lengths based on the speaker Ohms only and doesn't need power ratings.

Y'all can play around with different power amounts, lengths, and speaker Ohms to find the all-time speaker wire gauge for your sound setup and avoid spending more money than necessary.

HOW TO USE:

Enter the following:
- The wire length you need. This can exist whole or fractions (5 ft, 2.6 ft, etc.).
- RMS/continuous power for your amp or stereo. (Exercise non utilize "peak" or "max." power ratings.)
- The speaker impedance in Ohms (Ω).
Bear on the push button to go the results.

The wire computer will output:

The smallest wire size with 5% or less ability loss for both copper and copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire.
The power loss beyond the wire, in Watts, at maximum power output.

SPEAKER WIRE Guess CHART

speaker wire gauge chart diagram

The chart and tables above are handy if you aren't sure well-nigh your stereo or amplifier power. You can approximate the length of wire you lot tin can utilize without losing a lot of ability (at maximum stereo or amplifier output) knowing only the speaker Ohm rating.

Both copper wire and copper clad aluminum (CCA) wire charts are provided. Because aluminum has a lower conductivity than copper (higher resistance per foot), the length volition be shorter than for existent copper.

Note: Be certain to check my additional tips farther below every bit they tin can help you lot save money.

Choosing a speaker wire gauge for long distances

What if you need say 50ft or fifty-fifty 100ft of length? In that case, a full general rule of thumb is to double the size past choosing a wire thickness two sizes up from what you would use for shorter distances.

The gauge number (the electrical usher size as per wire standard charts) increases or decreases by an even number (by adding or subtracting two) as odd numbers aren't commonly used.

Case: 18AWG wire will lose about 4 watts at maximum power if it's 50ft long. To avoid this when moving from a shorter wire length, nosotros can choice a speaker cablevision 2 sizes up: 18 AWG -> 16 AWG -> fourteen AWG.

Tips on using smaller speaker wire and saving money

As real copper wire is more than expensive these days and because most people don't drive speakers at full ability, here are some tips to go on costs down:

If you rarely utilise your amp or stereo output above l%-60% power, you lot can become down one wire AWG approximate. This is because y'all'll never accomplish the wire's current capacity if you don't use maximum power.
Accept extra wire yous'd like to put to good use? You lot can double-up or even triple-upwards smaller gauge wire to become the aforementioned judge as a thicker wire size. (Example: using two lengths of 18AWG y'all have lying around in parallel to approximate 16AWG wire).
For environs sound and center channel habitation theater speakers, you shouldn't spend a lot because their power needs are usually fairly depression.

Is oxygen costless speaker wire worth it?

No, oxygen costless pure copper wire volition not evangelize any noticeable improvements in sound or power. It'southward non worth spending more money on it.

It's a keen marketing feature for retailers but the data shows that there's an amazingly small difference in performance. Paying more is a waste material of money. As long as you're using a expert quality wire with the correct gauge y'all'll be fine.

The electrical signal volition not take any measurable difference at the speaker stop.

It is true, however, that existent copper wire is improve than copper coated aluminum wire as I explain later.

What estimate is speaker wire? (Wire size and wire gauge explained)

Image showing a comparison of common speaker wire gauge sizes

Speaker wire doesn't accept simply 1 size (estimate) – it's standardized and based on the American Wire Guess (AWG) chart which lists standard sizes using a number.

Less commonly known equally the Brown and Sharpe wire chart, the American Wire Estimate chart has been around since 1857. It specifies sizes, each with a given circular expanse of the electric conductor size, its resistance per pes or meter, and some other specifications.

Likewise, each AWG wire gauge has an electrical current capacity (how many amps it can handle, too called ampacity sometimes).

Diagram showing example scale sizes of AWG wire gauges 18 to 12

The AWG wire nautical chart uses a numbering system in which thicker cable has a smaller number. Likewise, a larger number is used for smaller wires with fewer conductors.

Speaker impedance and power vs the correct gauge wire

When an amplifier supplies an audio signal with a given voltage output, speakers with a lower impedance draw more electric current (higher amps) than college impedance speakers. This tin make a departure in the wire size yous demand based on the length and power carried to sound speakers.

Higher amps require a larger conductor size (thick wire) just similar for power wire. By comparison, thicker speaker wire has low resistance and therefore less power lost across it at high power levels or a long cable run.

Well-nigh speaker wire sold today is fabricated up of ii conductors fastened as a pair with ane marked as the positive; they're substantially the same as stranded ability cable paired together. The gauges available range from about 20 estimate to 10 estimate, with 18 estimate being 1 the near popular.

Thin wire such as 20AWG or 22AWG isn't very common but occasionally can be useful for lower power speakers.

Stranded vs solid conductors

Comparison of solid vs stranded wire

All speaker wire sold is stranded, meaning it'due south made up of a parcel of 16-threescore or more very fine copper conductors. Solid wire, still, has only one conductor. For stranded types, a thicker wire guess uses more usher strands with each larger than a smaller approximate.

Stranded wire has a big advantage over solid in that it'due south very flexible and not prone to breaking under stress. It's also easier to strip the insulation to blank wire with a wire stripper. Information technology'due south too less hassle to work with if using spade connectors or inserting it into a crimp connector.

Since solid core is used for abode and industrial electric wiring, you might be tempted to use some leftover house electric wire for your speakers. Nonetheless, it's a terrible choice for that.

How much wire practise you lot need?

Speaker wire length estimation diagram

Ownership & using speaker cable is definitely one of those cases where the old advice "better to have too much than not enough" applies! You lot don't want to run out considering y'all didn't program ahead.

It'due south always all-time to measure and be sure – and overestimate what you need to be sure you don't run brusk.

To figure out how much speaker wire yous demand, my suggestion is to utilise one of the following:

A record measure
A long length of string to run

Be sure to try to take curves & bends into business relationship only don't worry about getting information technology exactly right. Measure out the altitude and then add a few anxiety (an extra 2 anxiety or so is practiced) to account for curves and other little things that add up.

A tape measure works well and and so does cord or rope you lot can identify forth the path where the wire volition go.

Mark the length, so measure it. I like to add at least 1 foot of length for each wire department for home stereo use and ii feet each for car stereo installations to play it safe.

Figuring out how much wire to buy

When it comes to buying speaker wire, one matter to know is that it adds upwards fast! Here are ii examples to show what I mean:

Speaker wire length example #i

Home stereo example:

Front speaker lengths measured: 2 10 6 ft
Rear speakers measured: 16 & 22 ft

Total wire needed: 6 + 6 + 16 + 22 = 50 ft (15.2m)

Speaker wire length example #2

Car stereo instance: Running wire from the dashboard head unit of measurement to front door speakers and to rear deck speakers.

Front speaker lengths measured: 2 ten viii ft
Rear speakers measured: 16 & 20 ft

Full wire needed: viii + viii + sixteen + 20 = 52 ft (15.9m)

Speaker wire is ordinarily sold in rolls such as 25ft, 50ft, and 100ft, although some retailers offer it past the foot likewise.

Precut lengths are also available sometimes, too. Those are unremarkably around half dozen, 12, or eighteen ft. All the same, more ofttimes than non you'll relieve money by buying a proficient quality by the ringlet.

**Rember this rule: never run a risk with speaker wire length – don't gauge. Buy at to the lowest degree a lilliputian scrap more than your estimate.

Copper-clad aluminum vs copper speaker wire

Copper clad aluminum vs copper speaker wire illustrated diagram

Copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire has, in the last few years, get more and more common equally the price of copper has gone up. It'due south one of those "little things" you might not know when buying that companies aren't telling yous.

Unlike pure copper wire, copper-clad aluminum uses an aluminum wire core with a thin copper plating. From the exterior, it misleadingly looks the same considering of the plating.

Aluminum offers a lighter weight and lower cost than copper, so at starting time it may seem like a great fashion to replace the more expensive copper options. However, there'southward a problem.

Aluminum has only 61% of the electrical conductivity of copper (in other words, it has 39% more resistance) significant it volition have larger aluminum wires to get the aforementioned power treatment, capacity, and resistance value.

Everyday employ & what to know

In most cases like average listening & typical power levels, information technology's not really a trouble in day-to-solar day utilise. Even so, if you're going to drive speakers at higher power levels or desire the absolute all-time for your money, yous'll need to be sure to look for packaging that specifies the wire is 100% pure copper.

To get the same performance as true copper wire when buying CCA speaker wire, move up one gauge in size. For example, to supervene upon 18 estimate copper wire, use a 16AWG or 14AWG CCA wire.