Wiring?

SportsFan

Just curious what the preferrences for others would be between the following choices regarding wiring for a 4-channel amp:

* StreetWires versus Stinger versus Rockford Fosgate and others (amp wiring, RCAs, speaker wire)

* two individual 2-channel RCA patch cables @ 11.5 feet each or one 4-channel RCA patch cable @ 16.4 feet

* 14 or 16 guage speaker wire (and does price enter the equation here?)

MacLeod

Streetwires. While I believe all of the above are top quality wire, Ive always been partial to Streetwires. Maybe cause their daddy company is Mitek which is MTX.

Get the 4 channel RCA. Its usually cheaper. If theyre the same price, get the 2 channel as theyre a tad easier to install.

Go with the 14 guage wire. Less resistance.

SportsFan

Hey Mac,

I've heard good things about StreetWires RCAs, and I've also heard that the patch cables are more important than the amp power wire and speaker wire (which just makes sense). Here are the patch cables I'm looking at, and the price is identical (two 2-channels = one 4-channel). What I'm wanting to know about are things like signal response (like does a shorter wire make any difference) and difficulty to install (like would installing two be easier or more difficult than just one)

StreetWires Zero Noise 2 patch cables
StreetWires ZN2 4-channel patch cables

As far as amp wiring, I'm still deciding between Stinger and StreetWires (threw Rockford Fosgate out there as another option, a little less expensive, but a much shorter warranty). And as far as speaker wire, I was leaning towards 14 guage already. StreetWires has "SuperCable" and "UltraCable" (don't know if there is that much of a difference or not) that run $.40 for the SuperCable and $.50 for the UltraCable...while Stinger has their "Expert" series 14 guage that a local shop has for $.39 per foot. Still trying to decide there as well.

exalted512

See if you can get your hands on the Street wires zn3504, theyre a step up from the ZN2s but are better "Bang for the buck" IMO. Another option is knukonceptz.com. Great stuff, really cheap
-Cody

MacLeod

There will be more resistance in a longer strand of wire as compared to a shorter one.

I think the 2 channel RCA would be easier to install cause itll be smaller and eaiser to snake thru all the holes and cracks and under your carpet.

As for speaker wire, theyre all pretty much the same so dont pay attention to the higher priced stuff.

Knuconceptz is an excellent choice. Very good quality wire and cable for half the price of the bigger names.

Red230SX

Another good place to get cabling is www.partxexpress.com you can order speaker
wire by the spool and they carry great stuff at cheap prices. I am fond of thier Sound
King 12 Awg OFC speaker cable, I use the stuff to fab all my own home audio cable
runs. They also sell Tech Flex and the tools to cut Tech Flex plus all kinds of heat
shrinks and wraps and vuncanizing electrical tape and any kind of speaker terminals
you can think of.. They are even a distributor of WBT connectors ($$$$).