What Guage Wire to use?

s2truck
s2truck Posts: 10
edited September 2003 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
Hi There. I'm new to the AV world, and I have what might seem like a very basic question I need answered. Please help.

What's the difference between the guages of speaker wire?

I am trying to determine what I should use to hook up my new pair of PA R30's to the Denon 1803 receiver that arrives tomorrow? I was given some 18 Guage RCA Speaker Wire for free... should I use this? I'm ok to spend a bit of money on the cables, if there is a better choice.

I got some BDay $$ from my wife to start an HT setup... and instead of buying a crappy Home Theatre in a Can, I used my connections to get some great deals on the RCVR and Speakers. The R30's might be a slight bit smaller then I wanted to start, but I figure it's smarter to start small now and build (read as: slowly spend all the money I will ever earn on AV equipment upgrades)

I've been bitten by the bug. Not good.
Stu
"Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
Post edited by s2truck on
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  • faster100
    faster100 Posts: 6,124
    edited September 2003
    18 awg is kinda small.. i would atleast get 16 or 14 minimum for the main speakers.. surrounds 18 would be ok for short runs and 16 better for anything over like 30-50 foot. the R30's arent real demanding so you could "get by" with the 18 just to try the new Receiver coming, I wouldnt spend a lot of money on wire for now and with what your starting with its not needed. save it for speakers and sources(cd/dvd player) (surround speakers) and so on, great start up set though..


    and welcome to the Club
    MY HT RIG:
    Sherwood p-965
    Sherwood sd871 dvd
    Rotel 1075 amp x5
    LSI15 mains
    LsiC center
    LSIfx surround backs
    Lsi7 side surrounds
    SVS pb12/plus2

    2 Channel Rig:

    nad 1020 Pre-amp
    Rotel 1080 stereo amp
    Polk sda 2B
    kenwood grunt Tuner
    realistic lab 450 TT
    Signal cable IC
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited September 2003
    s2,
    Welcome to the Forum. Lots o' bug bites 'round here.

    The lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire. 18 ga is fairly light, but if the run if fairly short to your R30's, it'll do for a start. The norm around here is 16 an 12 ga.

    You will read and be told about the merits of this wire and that. You can spect 100's of dolllars on speaker wire an interconnects as many in here do (and I have).

    My counsel is to start simple with basic wire (from Home Depot or Lowes) and inexpensive interconnects (the stock ones that come with equipment or ones from Radio Shack). Save the more "esoteric" experimenting for later on.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    Thanks for the quick responses !

    The run from my Denon to my speakers is short... no more then 3-4 feet each side, I would guess. I'll go pick up a spool of 14 Guage tomorrow on my way home with my new rcvr. :-)

    As for my interconnects, I picked up a 3' optical cable from RS to connect my DVD to the denon... at these short lengths I can't imagine the higher end stuff making -that- much of a difference in optics. And even if it does, it probably wouldn't be too noticable until I get the rest of my speakers.

    We're moving to a house in the new year, at which time I was thinking of buying a pair of R50 speakers to replace the fronts... r30's can become my rears, and I'd get a polk sub and center to boot. Since I'll be spending a truckload on all my appliances, etc, the guy I deal with will give me an ever better deal on the speakerts then I got this time... he gave me the R30's at 50% off because I bought a bed from him at the same time.

    This setup would be totally wasted in the 1 bedroom apt i live in right now :) but it should be fun like hell in the house.

    Thanks again
    Stu
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • hamzahsh
    hamzahsh Posts: 439
    edited September 2003
    I use Acoustic Reasearch HT Pro Series and Monster XP 16 AWG wire.

    16 Gauge is really a great choice. Especially if you're bi-wring.
    Panasonic TH-50PX80U Plasma HDTV
    Polk Audio RT800i (fronts)
    Polk Audio CS400i (center)
    Polk Audio F/X1000 (side surrounds)
    Polk Audio RTi6 (back surrrounds)
    Velodyne CHT-15 (subwoofer)
    Yamaha RX-V1400 (Pre/Pro)
    NAD C272 (2-ch Amp)
    Adcom GFA-7605 (5-ch Amp)
    Toshiba SD-3109 (DVD/CD player)
    Malata DVP-580 (Multi-region DVD player)
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    ok, here comes the newbie in me, rearing it's ugly head.

    I have read a whole whack pf the posts debating the sound benefits of Bi-Wiring... but I must admint, I was unable to find a post that explains exactly what bi-wiring *IS*. Using double cables form the receiver (or amp) to the speakers ?

    Please enlighten me.
    S2
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited September 2003
    Do the 30's even have dual binding posts?

    s2, how many speaker binding posts are one speaker? 2 or 4?

    For your 3-4' runs, the 18 ga you have is fine. Start with it and if you go 16 ga then you have a basis for comparison.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    if by binding post you mean cable insertions, there's only a single pair - 2, not 4.

    Stoo
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    Never mind, I ofund the answer to my own question...

    http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/q.php?article=biwire

    Explains what BiAmping and BiWiring is. Nope, this doesn't apply to me because the r30's don't have separate binding posts. Not sure if the R50's do, but then I'm not sure they are the speaker's I'll be updating to in the new place.

    Thanks
    Stu
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited September 2003
    Oh I get it.... s+2=stu...

    That's what I thought about the 30's. Just as well, forces you to keep it simple, for a while anyway.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    Simple. greatt.

    The problem is that simple never seems to keep my interest for very long.

    Which leads to an expensive life...

    S2
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited September 2003
    Understood. That's why I urge folks that are new to the hobby to take it slow and not jump to Monster Cable and other "high-wire" expenditures.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    Actually ... I did jump to monster wire...

    I picked up 2x 8' runs (just slightly more then I need) of Monster XP-HP and a few banana clips to seal the deal. I got the wire for just over a buck a foot, so it wasn't a big expenditure at all, especially for something that is decent quality and should last me a long time.

    My current denon-->frontL/R runs are going to stay the same even after I move and even if I change the speakers, since my furniture is staying the same.

    I have learned a tonne from this forum already, and this particular thred has proven expecially helpful.

    Thanks all !
    Stoo
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    Actually ... I did jump to monster wire...

    I picked up 2x 8' runs (just slightly more then I need) of Monster XP-HP and a few banana clips to seal the deal. I got the wire for just over a buck a foot, so it wasn't a big expenditure at all, especially for something that is decent quality and should last me a long time.

    My current denon-->frontL/R runs are going to stay the same even after I move and even if I change the speakers, since my furniture is staying the same.

    I have learned a tonne from this forum already, and this particular thred has proven expecially helpful.

    Thanks all !
    Stoo
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited September 2003
    deja vu'............
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,645
    edited September 2003
    ...all over again! :D
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    was it something I said? lol

    Stu
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited September 2003
    I did not realize that Canadians used "tonne". Geez, I thought you guys were with us... ;)
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • s2truck
    s2truck Posts: 10
    edited September 2003
    we are... we are... we Canadians love ya'll down there in the south!
    "Computers have allowed people to make more errors faster then any other invention in history, with the possible exception of tequila and handguns." -- Mitch Ratcliffe
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