Stereo speaker wire8/8/2023 ![]() ![]() The construction of the cable is very important – especially the speaker gauge. If you are using professional gear with SpeakON connectors, I recommend going with something high-quality like these GLS NL4 cables.Īs you have probably gathered from this article so far, all speaker cables are not the same. NL4 and NL8 connections are most often used for single speaker cabinets that require power from multiple amp channels, but they can also be used as a “speaker snake”, running several amplifier channels over a single cable and then breaking out into different speakers at the other end. These cables allow you to connect multiple amplifier channels to multiple speaker circuits using only a single cable. NL4 speaker cables have two pairs of wires (four wires total) and NL8 speaker cables have four pairs of wires (eight wires total). NL2 speaker cables have one pair of wires for connecting one speaker circuit to a single amplifier channel. SpeakON connectors come in a few variations: NL2, NL4, and NL8. ![]() To disconnect a speakON connector, you pull back on the spring-loaded release switch with your thumb and twist counter-clockwise. ![]() They are also superior to ¼-inch connectors because they lock in place! You simply insert the speakON connector and turn it clockwise to lock it in place. These address the dangers of electric shock by keeping the conductive points of the connector inside a plastic enclosure. SpeakON connectors are typically only found on professional amplifiers and speakers. This speaker wire gauge chart will help you quickly determine which speaker wire gauge to choose based on the length of the cable run and the impedance of your speaker. If your speaker has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms or lower and it requires a lot of power (such as a large subwoofer cabinet for live sound reinforcement), you should stick to 14 AWG or 12 AWG, despite the distance. At this distance, the resistance of the cable will already be increased, so you will want to keep the cabling as low-resistance as possible. If you’re on a budget, you can even go with 18 AWG speaker wire in almost every case.įor speaker wire runs beyond 75 feet, it’s worth considering at least 16 AWG, if not 14 AWG or 12 AWG. ![]() For most 8-ohm speaker circuits up to about 50 feet, 16 AWG speaker wire is a great choice. Once you’ve determined the length, choose the speaker wire gauge. You’ll be glad to have a bit of slack if you need to repair or test connections later! Measure the distance from the amplifier to each speaker in the system, and give yourself approximately 4 feet of extra cable at each end. You should make your decision based on the length of the cable run and the impedance (and power requirements) of your speakers. If you need help pairing your speakers with a suitable amplifier, check out this post I wrote on choosing an amplifier for your speakers. There’s just one catch… In order for the electrons to be transferred from one terminal to the other, they need to pass from the amplifier, through one speaker wire, through the voice coil of the speaker, and through the other speaker wire back to the amplifier.Īs the electrons pass through the speaker, the speaker harnesses some of that energy to create sound throughout the room. In a speaker circuit, they can travel from one terminal to another. Remember – the electrons “want” to travel to the opposite terminal. The electrons now have a pathway from the negative amplifier terminal to the positive amplifier terminal (albeit through the speaker). One conductor connects the positive amplifier terminal to the positive speaker terminal and the other conductor connects the negative speaker terminal back to the negative amplifier terminal. The electrons will flow from one terminal to the other through the path of least resistance.Ī basic speaker cable contains two conductors. There is a voltage (or electrical potential) between these two terminals, meaning that the electrons in one terminal “want” to rush to the other terminal. No matter which speaker cable you choose, the wires in that cable will create an electrical circuit between your amplifier and your speaker (or speakers).Įach amplifier channel will have a positive and negative terminal. On a basic level, however, all speaker cables function on the same principle. All speaker cables are not created equal. ![]()
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