You've got the cables to hook up your receiver to your TV, but what if you're looking for the right speaker wire to route your speakers to your receiver. There are lots of choices out there, and what you choose will depend on your particular application. Here's how to pick the right wire for you.
Speaker wire is measured in metric system defined by AWG (American Wire Gauge). This system defines current carrying capacity based on the thickness of the cable diameter -- higher AWG numbers translate to a smaller diameter and thinner cable, while lower AWG numbers translate to large diameters and thicker cables.
As you may imagine, thicker cables have the benefit of being more reliable and can maintain a more noise-free signal. However, thicker cables are more expensive and harder to work with (a spool of Mediabridge 16 gauge can be had for a big discount over at Amazon right now).
When choosing speaker wires you need to consider your personal use case and how far of a run the wire will be asked to make.
• Less than 10 foot runs : 16 gauge wire
• Less than 18 foot runs : 14 gauge wire
• Less than 30 foot runs : 12 gauge wire
If you will be routing the speaker wire through an interior wall or ceiling you'll need to also make sure that the speaker is at least CL2 rated. This rating is safe for in-wall applications because it is coated in materials that are flame retardant and non-corrosive.
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There is more to it than just picking the wire gauge. Did you just pick those feet:gauge numbers out of thin air? It would also be nice to see a warning about snake-oil cables.
For the best information available on what to buy and what to avoid hit up Roger Russell's informative and interesting read:
http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable
I've been using the trick my BF taught me: Buy power cords, and cut them up to use as speaker wires. They have great insulation and can be had for much cheaper, especially for shorter distances.
I agree with @ElevatorHappyFun. What speaker cable do I need for wiring an NL4 pushing 117v (near line voltage out of the amp) into a 2ohm load? Even at a distance of 8 feet?
Other than wire gauge, you need to consider all factors of the audio system. What is the speaker load? Are you wiring multiple speakers in parallel or series? What are the physical connections? Is the cable being run in a wall that will require meeting additional code, i.e. plenum rated insulation? Is this system portable?