Speaker wires....should I purchase higher gauge??

Mak06053
Mak06053 Posts: 44
edited March 2013 in Basic Hookup/Wiring Questions
I have an older entry level Onkyo HTIB and just upgraded to polk tsi300s and a CS20. Should I buy different speaker wire and use instead of what can with the Onkyo speakers??? Thank you.
Post edited by Mak06053 on
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  • chumlie
    chumlie Posts: 8,658
    edited March 2013
    Yes !!! Get new wire.
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  • cnh
    cnh Posts: 13,284
    edited March 2013
    If you stick around here long enough you'll encounter one of our perennial flaming cable debates! But I'm pretty sure that even the skeptics would "agree" that a higher quality lower gauge copper wire will yield acoustic benefits! So yes, get rid of that cheap Onkyo cable and get some LOWER gauge cable. (At the very least, 14 gauge).

    You mean "lower" gauge as 14 is thicker than 16 which is thicker than 18, etc.!

    cnh
    Currently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!

    Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
    [sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash]
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited March 2013
    http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Mak06053
    Mak06053 Posts: 44
    edited March 2013
    Thanks guys I appreciate the help......
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  • recoveryone
    recoveryone Posts: 914
    edited March 2013
    since you did not state the model of the Onkyo or say what type of speaker connectors it has. May have a defining approach on what guage of wire you will be able to use. If your Onkyo has banana plugs you are in great shape and size wil not be an issues, but if it has spring loaded or close cap type then you may be limited to 14-16 or higher.
    Family Room HT 7.2/i]:Vizio Oled55h1 Pioneer Elite SC-LX502 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Eversolo DMP A6 Panamax M5300-EXSpeakers Fronts Fluance XF8L Center Polk Audio S35 Side Surrounds Fluance bipolar Rear Surrounds FluanceXF8 Bookshelf Subs SVS PB4000 x2 Living room 2ch: Crown Xli 1500 amp x2, Teac EQ MKII FX Audio X6 Mk II DAC Squeezebox Touch Polk Audio R700 Speakers Panamax M5100-EXOffice media room:Vizio M50Q6 50" Pioneer Elite VSX LX301 Eversolo DMP-A6 Polkaudio R600 Towers Polkaudio Center R350 Panamax M4300 Monoprice 12" subMaster bedroom:Vizio M55Q7 Pioneer Elite VSX LX302 Pioneer Elite BDP 85FD Squeezebox Touch Fluance Signature Bookshelf fronts, Rears Fluance Signature Bipolar Polk Audio CS10 center Monoprice 12" sub Panamax M5300-EX
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  • michael1947
    michael1947 Posts: 775
    edited March 2013
    yes.
    Main Family Room: Sony 46 LCD, Sony Blue Ray, Sony DVD/VCR combo,Onkyo TXNR 708, Parasound 5250,
    Polk SDS-SRS with mods, CSI 5 center + Klipsch SC2, Polk RT2000P rears, Klipsch KG 1.5's sides, Polk Micro Pro 1000, Polk Micro Pro 2000, Polk SW505, Belkin PF60, Signal Cable Classics,Monster IC's, 2 15 amp circuits & 1 20 amp circuit.

    Living Room: Belkin PF60, Parasound HCA2200, MIT ProlineEXP balanced IC's,Emotiva XDA-1 DAC/Pre,Emotiva ERC2 transport,MIT AVT2, Polk LSI 9's.
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  • polkfarmboy
    polkfarmboy Posts: 5,703
    edited March 2013
    If you want to get new wire for the Onkyo then your best bet is to buy the heavy gauge wire from mono price. I used the monprice wire with my onkyo and it was fantastic, I even did an A to B comparison with cheap panasonic htib type wire and the difference was astounding. The monoprice wire really opened the speaker wide up and it sounded soooooo much better than the other htib wire that was thinner than noodles
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  • Jhayman
    Jhayman Posts: 1,548
    edited March 2013
    Rofl...I agree 100%. Upgrade your wire..
    cnh wrote: »
    If you stick around here long enough you'll encounter one of our perennial flaming cable debates! But I'm pretty sure that even the skeptics would "agree" that a higher quality lower gauge copper wire will yield acoustic benefits! So yes, get rid of that cheap Onkyo cable and get some LOWER gauge cable. (At the very least, 14 gauge).

    You mean "lower" gauge as 14 is thicker than 16 which is thicker than 18, etc.!

    cnh
    ATC SCM40's,VTL TL 2.5 Preamp,PSB Stratus Goldi's,McCormack DNA 500,McCormack MAP-1 Preamp,Pro-Ject Xtension 10 TT,Ortofon Cadenza Red/Nordost RedDawn LS Speaker cables, Bryston BDP-2, Bryston BDA-2,PS Audio AC-3 power cables
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  • Moose68Bash
    Moose68Bash Posts: 3,843
    edited March 2013
    Definitely have a look at Blue Jeans, as Face suggests above.

    Good cables at reasonable prices, and they will make them to fit for you.
    Family Room, Innuos Statement streamer (Roon Core) with Morrow Audio USB cable to McIntosh MC 2700 pre with DC2 Digital Audio Module; AQ Sky XLRs to CAT 600.2 dualmono amp, Morrow Elite Speaker Cables to NOLA Baby Grand Reference Gold 3 speakers. Power source for all components: Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One with dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel.

    Exercise Room, Innuos Streamer via Cat 6 cable connection to PS Audio PerfectWave MkII DAC w/Bridge II, AQ King Cobra RCAs to Perreaux PMF3150 amp (fully restored and upgraded by Jeffrey Jackson, Precision Audio Labs), Supra Rondo 4x2.5 Speaker Cables to SDA 1Cs (Vr3 Mods Xovers and other mods.), Dreadnaught with Supra Rondo 4x2.5 interconnect cables by Vr3 Mods. Power for each component from dedicated 20 amp circuit to main panel, except Innuos Statement powered from Silver Circle Audio Pure Power One.

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  • K-daugh
    K-daugh Posts: 467
    edited March 2013
    www.knukonceptz.com I like the !0 gauge good stuff 492 copper strands
    Budget 5.1 H.T. Set Up
    HK avr 247 - Adcom GFA-7605:mrgreen::mrgreen: - Belkin PF60 Power Conditioner - Cs2 center channel - Monitor 60's fronts - Monitor 30's rears
    Mirage Bps 150i powered sub - 40"Samsung LCD ln40c530 - Sony Blu Ray Player BDP-S370 - Comcast digital hd box(motorola dcx3400)
    Monoprice Premium Interconnects Monoprice Ultra Slim HDMI w/Redmere:mrgreen: -Knukonceptz Kord 10 Gauge Speaker Wire - Nakamichi Banana Plugs
    Custom Jumpers
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  • Thorton
    Thorton Posts: 1,324
    edited March 2013
    cnh wrote: »
    If you stick around here long enough you'll encounter one of our perennial flaming cable debates! But I'm pretty sure that even the skeptics would "agree" that a higher quality lower gauge copper wire will yield acoustic benefits! So yes, get rid of that cheap Onkyo cable and get some LOWER gauge cable. (At the very least, 14 gauge).

    You mean "lower" gauge as 14 is thicker than 16 which is thicker than 18, etc.!

    cnh

    +1. Also, Faces recommendation is a good place to start.
    _____________________________________________________________________________________________
    Ethernet Filter: GigaFOILv4 with Keces P3 LPS
    Source: Roon via ethernet to DAC interface
    DAC: Bricasti M1SE
    Pre/Pro: Marantz AV8805
    Tube Preamp Buffer: Tortuga TPB.V1
    Amp1: Nord One NC1200DM Signature, Amp2: W4S MC-5, AMP3: W4S MMC-7
    Front: Salk SoundScape 8's, Center: Salk SoundScape C7
    Surround: Polk FXIA6, Surround Back: Polk RTIA9, Atmos: Polk 70-RT
    Subs: 2 - Rythmik F25's
    IC & Speaker Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, Signal Cable
    Power Cables: Acoustic Zen, Wireworld, PS Audio
    Room Treatments: GIK Acoustics
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  • Mak06053
    Mak06053 Posts: 44
    edited March 2013
    My current receiver has the spring loaded, but will be upgrading receiver hopefully in the next couple of months
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  • Sprags
    Sprags Posts: 120
    edited March 2013
    After using the same wire for speaker cables for a long time don't the copper wires get all clogged up with neutrinos that prevent the flow of electrons from the amp to the speakers?
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  • bobsauto49
    bobsauto49 Posts: 973
    edited March 2013
    I like to use 4/0 welding cable for my setup!
    "Everything I ever did in my life worthwhile I caught hell for"
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  • kuntasensei
    kuntasensei Posts: 3,263
    edited March 2013
    I just steal power lines. My room smells like bird **** and ozone!
    Equipment list:
    Onkyo TX-NR3010 9.2 AVR
    Emotiva XPA-3 amp
    Polk RTi70 mains, CSi40 center, RTi38 surrounds, RTi28 rears and heights
    SVS 20-39CS+ subwoofer powered by Crown XLS1500
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
    DarbeeVision DVP5000 video processor
    Epson 8500UB 1080p projector
    Elite Screens Sable 120" CineWhite screen
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  • kuntasensei
    kuntasensei Posts: 3,263
    edited March 2013
    If you wanted a serious answer, check this out:
    http://www.webervst.com/gauge.htm

    Put in your amp's rated power, the ohm rating of your speaker, the length of the cable run, and hit calculate. That will give you the minimum ideal cable gauge that you should use. Keep in mind that using a better gauge than that will increase damping factor (the amp's ability to bring the driver to a halt) at the speaker itself. You can see this effect here:
    http://www.bcae1.com/dampfact.htm
    Equipment list:
    Onkyo TX-NR3010 9.2 AVR
    Emotiva XPA-3 amp
    Polk RTi70 mains, CSi40 center, RTi38 surrounds, RTi28 rears and heights
    SVS 20-39CS+ subwoofer powered by Crown XLS1500
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
    DarbeeVision DVP5000 video processor
    Epson 8500UB 1080p projector
    Elite Screens Sable 120" CineWhite screen
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited March 2013
    Face wrote: »
    http://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

    Good suggestion.
    Jake
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  • Lost240
    Lost240 Posts: 176
    edited March 2013
    Yes. I would get higher gauge cables
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  • mrmoeone
    mrmoeone Posts: 12
    edited March 2013
    Hi guys I'm new to the home theatre game and this speaker gauge question gots me wondering about my own set up. I have a denon avr with polk speakers hooked up by 16 gauge rocket fish speaker wire, am I wrong by using this size and type of wire? I thought my set up sounded good but now u guys got me wondering if it can sound better with different wire. Any help is very much appreciated.
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  • kuntasensei
    kuntasensei Posts: 3,263
    edited March 2013
    See the links in my post above. Whether you'll hear a difference, who knows? But you want to at least use the minimum gauge wire required to get ideal signal to your speakers.
    Equipment list:
    Onkyo TX-NR3010 9.2 AVR
    Emotiva XPA-3 amp
    Polk RTi70 mains, CSi40 center, RTi38 surrounds, RTi28 rears and heights
    SVS 20-39CS+ subwoofer powered by Crown XLS1500
    Oppo BDP-93 Blu-ray player
    DarbeeVision DVP5000 video processor
    Epson 8500UB 1080p projector
    Elite Screens Sable 120" CineWhite screen
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  • K-daugh
    K-daugh Posts: 467
    edited March 2013
    knukonceptz has a flee bay store they have 8 gauge twisted tinned oxygen free copper 805 strands per conductor for $1.65 per foot plus $5 dollars shipping:cheesygrin:
    Budget 5.1 H.T. Set Up
    HK avr 247 - Adcom GFA-7605:mrgreen::mrgreen: - Belkin PF60 Power Conditioner - Cs2 center channel - Monitor 60's fronts - Monitor 30's rears
    Mirage Bps 150i powered sub - 40"Samsung LCD ln40c530 - Sony Blu Ray Player BDP-S370 - Comcast digital hd box(motorola dcx3400)
    Monoprice Premium Interconnects Monoprice Ultra Slim HDMI w/Redmere:mrgreen: -Knukonceptz Kord 10 Gauge Speaker Wire - Nakamichi Banana Plugs
    Custom Jumpers
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  • mrmoeone
    mrmoeone Posts: 12
    edited March 2013
    Just ordered some speaker cable from blue jeans for my fronts and center channel can't wait to hook them up. I'm curious to see if it makes a difference in sound :cheesygrin:
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