Using 16 ga. speaker wire for subs?

drifter136 · Posted: Apr 25, 2003 8:03 am Post subject: Using 16 ga. speaker wire for subs?

This is actually for an install going in my car, but anyway... I have some Acoustic Research 16 ga. speaker wire left over from my home theater install. I will be hooking up a 12" sub that will be getting between 300-400wRMS at a 4ohm load. Will the 16 ga. wire work fine or should I get some bigger wire. I have some banana plugs that can fit up to a 14 ga. wire that I'd really like to use...so, how much of a difference would going from 16 ga. to 14 ga. make?

Todd Armstrong · Addict Joined: 04 Feb 2003 Posts: 758 City: Battle Ground

you will get alot of interferance noise if you use house wire, buck up and get the real stuff.

k2_mn · Posted: Apr 25, 2003 8:51 pm Post subject:

The diffrence is what? A marketing gimick. House speaker wire will work fine!

drifter136 · Posted: Apr 26, 2003 5:14 am Post subject:

Thank you...I was trying to figure out what the difference was...the wire I have is 100% oxygen free and the insulation is as thick as any car stereo wire I've seen. But, thanks to both of you, the more help, the better.

Doug Hanson · Newbie Joined: 16 Apr 2003 Posts: 8

Don't do it. Use at least 10 or 12 guage. This should make an audible difference over 16.