posted
Dukk said in a post sometime ago that different gauge wire works better for different speakers. He said 8-10 for subs, 12-14 Midbass, 14 mids and 18 for Tweets. I was just wondering if it matters how long these wires are? Since I will be running all my wire from the trunk to the speakers. Or is it really of concern? All my mids and highs are pushed by a Punch 800a4, so will there be any significant loss through 18 awg wire if I run it 12-18 feet?
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Posts: 34 | From: Canton, Mi | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
You probably don't realize what a can of worms you could be opening in this category. There are knowledgeable people who will swear that there are substantial sonic differences between different wires of equal guage, much less between different guage wires. My experience is that in a situation like you describe, you probably won't hear a difference. However, if you are spending a lot of money on a competition system, why scrimp on the wires and save maybe $20? I like the fatter wires due to the fatter insulation, which could save my amp in the event of a pinched wire. And, if they do contribute to better sound, so much the better.
Hope this helps.
Jom
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Posts: 17 | From: Virginia Beach, VA USA | Registered: Feb 2000
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posted
IMO there is no long run in ANY car. Don't worry about it. And please don't mistake small guage wire for cheap wire, the two are very different. I like to use a decent quality wire that doesn't break the bank.
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And that's the bottom line, cuz: LORD DUKK SAYS SO!
The Big Show The Dukk says: Know your bass: PORT your damn box!! Have HoleSaw, Will Travel!
posted
I was thinking of using RF's Gamma wire. Mostly because the wires cross over so many times in one foot. (I havn't been bored enough to count them) But Gamma is very expensive, $3.50 a foot for 11awg, down to around $2.?? for 15awg. So I should be fine if I run 13awg to my mids/highs and 11 to my subs? Or is there any other wire out there that is just as good but less costly? Metra makes some that looks nice for considerably less cost ($1.25 per foot). But it only uses two wires and has a fat insulation over the wires, plus they don't cross over as much as the Gamma.
Any suggestions?
------------------ It may be old, but it can still SLAM!!
Posts: 34 | From: Canton, Mi | Registered: Jan 2000
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People WILL argue this point almost indefinately.. Larger wire has more capacitance and less resistance, per foot, smaller wire is exactly the opposite. I prefer using large wire on subs, and 14 ga on everything else. The run length in the car for speaker wire is not long enough to really take those resistance and capacitance factors into consideration. Nordost cabling company sells a 4m speaker cable for 4700$, where as your 4m gamma cable would be under 50 bucks... Which one do YOU want to pay for, considering that the differences, if any, would be soaked up by your car's interior anyway? :-)
ShadowStar
------------------ Computers are a lot like air conditioners.. Open Windows and they become useless..
The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is the day they make vacuums.
Posts: 2578 | From: Somewhere In the Northeast | Registered: May 1999
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posted
Good point Shadow. I hadn't thought about the fact that the clarity I gain from the Gamma might be washed out by the interior noise of my car. So, now the question is, is it worth my time and money to even replace my current speaker wire? Hmmmm...
There is a significat hiss noise between CD tracks and it recently began to bug me. Could this be from noise entering the cables or just noise on the CD? btw, it isn't from my RCA's, I use White Wolf cables for those and was very careful where I ran them. Pionner 6000 head, soon to be an RF 8340 (whenever they ship). What could be the culprit?
------------------ It may be old, but it can still SLAM!!
Posts: 34 | From: Canton, Mi | Registered: Jan 2000
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Does it still occur when you pull the RCA's out of the amp? You can isolate the component creating the noise by unhooking/hooking different things. I would say, because 90% of the problems are, its probably a ground problem.
ShadowStar
------------------ Computers are a lot like air conditioners.. Open Windows and they become useless..
The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is the day they make vacuums.
Posts: 2578 | From: Somewhere In the Northeast | Registered: May 1999
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posted
When you say it's probably a ground problem, what do you mean? All my grounds go through a collection block and then to a common grounding point.
------------------ It may be old, but it can still SLAM!!
Posts: 34 | From: Canton, Mi | Registered: Jan 2000
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Also- If you DO decide to replace wiring, I personally don't see the point in buying wire more expensive than the component that it is hooked to, however, good shielding and construction is a must to a wire.
ShadowStar
------------------ Computers are a lot like air conditioners.. Open Windows and they become useless..
The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is the day they make vacuums.
Posts: 2578 | From: Somewhere In the Northeast | Registered: May 1999
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posted
The Gamma speaker wire is a gimmick. It exists solely to match the RCAs. There is absolutely NO point to braiding or twisting a speaker wire. RCAs are a whole different story, however.
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And that's the bottom line, cuz: LORD DUKK SAYS SO!
The Big Show The Dukk says: Know your bass: PORT your damn box!! Have HoleSaw, Will Travel!
posted
Hey, how'd my post disappear???? Twisted pair speaker cable will do nothing for the sound of your system. As Dukk said, it's a gimmick to match the RCA's. Voltage across the speaker leads is high enough that it is almost impossible to induce noise over it, rendering twisted pair absolutely useless. Twisted pair RCA's however are different story altogether. Just run decent (read: not zip cord) OFC cable a gauge heavier than you normally do, and things should be fine.
------------------ STILL waiting to hear a GOOD pair of HLCD's!!
If it dont fit, force it... if it breaks, it needed to be replaced anyway...
posted
Thanks for all your help guys. It'll save my shop some trouble in finding the gamma wire for me since you can only get it in 250 foot spools. Not to mention saving myself some money.
------------------ It may be old, but it can still SLAM!!
Posts: 34 | From: Canton, Mi | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
There IS meritable physics in twisting speaker wire, however its effects are so negligible as to be unnoticeable all together.. With the lower signal level of RCA's, the same technique provides an important change in noise rejection at the wire. To prove what ridiculous lengths people can take the subjectivist argument side of things, look at http://www.nordost.com to see the company that makes a 5 thousand dollar, 4 meter speaker cable.
ShadowStar
------------------ Computers are a lot like air conditioners.. Open Windows and they become useless..
The day Microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is the day they make vacuums.
Posts: 2578 | From: Somewhere In the Northeast | Registered: May 1999
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