Another Outdoor Wire Gauge Question

chill

I am running outdoor direct-burial wire for a speaker system I am installing at my neighborhood pool. I am going to use Atrium 55 speakers. Because of a large concrete slab, I have to make one of the speaker runs about 380 feet. Basically, my starting cable point is at 7 o'clock and the furthest speaker is at 3 o'clock. If it weren't for the slab, I could go directly to it in less than 150 feet. My runs are as follows:

Spk1: 20 feet
Spk2: 100 feet
Spk3: 210 feet
Spk3: 380 feet

I was planning on using 14 gauge for the two short runs and then move to 12 gauge for the two longer ones. I then decided that it would be easier, although a tad more expensive, to just use 12 gauge for all 4 speakers. I read somewhere that for greater than 250 feet, 10 gauge should be used. I am getting mixed advice on what I should be using. I am worried about sound quality, but because it is in a large outdoor pool area, the sound quality is not going to be that great anyway. Dropping some highs and lows are okay in this application.

My question to you all is to determine what gauge wire I REALLY need to use and will I have a problem with the 380 feet run regardless of the gauge I use.

Any advice would be great.

Hillbilly61

Here's a link that might help some:

http://www.roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm#wiretable

12 guage wires should work find for runs to the first pair of speakers. 10 guage may not work for the last pair. Those runs are getting awfully long. It all depends upon the amp and other engineering considerations. Using 10 guage, minimally expect to have a lower volume output using that guage (and they will most likely will not be at the same level for either speaker).

mmadden28

And I thought my 125 foot run was long. Sounds fine with 14 right now although If I rerun the wire it will be with 12awg.

mantis

Use 12 gauge. Your one run is a bit long. Shame you can't get a more direct run. If your amp driving them is high current, it will be fine. Something like a Niles 1260 will do the trick nice. I have used this amp many times with very long runs with great results.

Dan