Home Audio vs. Car Audio Speaker Wire

KhanYu

1. What is the difference between home audio speaker wire and car audio speaker wire?

2. Is there any side effects or benefits from using car speaker wire?


Second Topic:

I was thinking of bi-wiring my rt800i with 10 or 12 gauge wire and terminate the receiver end with locking banana plugs.

1. Can anybody suggest a good brand of plugs that will not break the bank? Currently, I have seen WBT, IXOS, and ULTRALINK.

2. What technique of connection should I look for on the banana plug? Crimp and solder? Crimp solder with set screws? Compression? Quick Lock? Slug with Compression Screw? Compression Screw?

3. What gauge will the banana have to accept to fit two 10 or 12 gauge wires?

TIA.

goingganzo

car wire has more sheilding and thicker insolaton at least the stuff i use it is designed for temp changes and other things in a car not found in a house

jeberhart

I think car wire is supposed to be shielded so it eliminates or reduces the noise inherent in car systems, but since my car system still can sound pretty whiny/noisy/crackly to me sometimes, I suppose the **** really doesn't do what it's supposed to. What else is new?:mad:

sgtgto

Hi:

There is really no difference between car and in home speaker wire other than how much room you have to route the wire in your car or home. You would want to match the ga. to the amount of power your amp or amps have, and the length of wire run. If you are picking up noise in your system it is usually not from the speaker wire but from the ignition bleeding through to the head unit. This can be stopped by a filter capacitor you can purchase at RS.

I usually use a 16 or 18 ga. wire for my car, and 14 or 12 ga. for home. Using this as a reference buy what you can afford and like.


Gary

jeberhart

Thanks, Gary; I'm going to do that.