What wires do you need to hook up subs

How to choose the correct wires for your subwoofers and speakers?

Now back to the topic at hand, choosing the correct wires for your subwoofers and speakers. The AmericanWire Gauge (AWG) standard measures the thickness of wires. The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the wire is.

Is it easy to run wiring from your battery to speakers?

It’s not always easy to run wiring from your battery, to your amplifier, to your subs and speakers, so it’s worth getting it right the first time. We’re focusing on the wire that connects your amplifier (or amplifiers, plural, depending on your setup) and your speakers, and/or subwoofer (s).

Can you run old speaker wire?

Before you go running any old speaker wire, make sure you’ve got the right kind! It’s not always easy to run wiring from your battery, to your amplifier, to your subs and speakers, so it’s worth getting it right the first time.

What is thicker copper wire or aluminum wire?

The smaller the gauge number, the thicker the wire is. Beyond the physical size of the wire, it’s also important to keep in mind that pure copper wire will perform better than aluminum or copper-clad aluminum wire, so gauge doesn’t always tell the whole story.

What gauge wire should I use for speakers?

Thick wire (12 or 14 gauge) is recommended for long wire runs, high power applications, and low-impedance speakers (4 or 6 ohms). For relatively short runs (less than 50 feet) to 8 ohm speakers, 16 gauge wire will usually do just fine.

How do you wire your own subwoofers?

To wire your own subwoofers, start by deciding whether to wire in series, which will decrease your power output, or wire in parallel, which will increase power to each speaker. Additionally, make a wiring diagram and calculate the power each speaker will receive.

What are the different types of speaker wires?

The most common speaker wires are 12 gauge, 14 gauge, 16 gauge, and 18 gauge. Solid wire is more rigid and inflexible than stranded wire. However, exposed wire is more commonly used in speaker wiring than stranded wire because it is less expensive and easier to route. The resistance of the wire depends on the thickness and length of the wire.

Is copper wire better for speaker and subwoofers?

Beyond the physical size of the wire, it’s also important to keep in mind that pure copper wire will perform better than aluminum or copper-clad aluminum wire, so gauge doesn’t always tell the whole story. Having said that, it’s less of a concern with speaker and subwoofer wire than it would be for your amplifier’s power or ground wires.

Is it better to use aluminum or copper wire for wiring?

Because of the electrical issues surrounding aluminum wire, copper wire is the better choice for long term wiring solutions. The cost of replacing copper wiring years down the line will more than outweigh the cost of investing a little more to install copper wiring the first time.

Why does aluminum conduct electricity better than copper at high frequency?

At high frequency the skin depth is thicker on aluminum than it is on copper. So an adequately sized wire at a high frequency will use more cross section of aluminum than copper, and at the right combination of wire diameter and frequency, the resistances might be the same.

What is the best type of wire for electrical wiring?

And except these platinum wires, gold wires, silver wires, and iron wires are the wires used by many. But the best among them remains the Aluminum and the Copper Wires.

How thick is 10 gauge aluminum wire?

For instance, if you see a store selling 10-gauge aluminum wire, then it will be roughly 0.1 inches or 2.59 millimeters in thickness. As you can see the larger the number, the thinner the wire. In other words, a smaller AWG wire will (generally) be less pliable and larger unit wire will be more pliable.