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How to select a good Speaker Cable

Speaker cables do have a significant role in how our system sounds. Different cables sound different. 

So which one is the right one for you?

The Speaker Cable is an extension of the Amp. and not an addition to the speaker's load. It shall have a certain resistance (low) not to spoil the Amp's DF figure. As so, it can be calculated and there is a formula to do it.

The higher the Amp's DF, the lower the Speaker Cable's resistance shall be. As today SS power Amp's get DFs of 400 and above (Digital Amps go by thousands) the cable of 10 ft (3m) long, gets as thick as 0 AWG.

I can see your eyebrows elevates, when that thick cable is to be deal with. Most Speaker Cable makers skip it because of that. So most cables on the market (regardless of the look or price) are of 14-12 AWG. Way less that supposed to be.

Worst! no Speaker Cable maker, dealer or seller knows the answer, of what is the correct cable for your system. 

So most of us ended up, with a cables too thin for the task.

A conducted test, on this site, about a year ago as well as with some closer friends, shows a significant improvement with a calculated size cable over their previous cable. The results were all positive and preferred the calculated cable.

So, instead of asking: which of two brands, or two prices or two colors of Speaker Cable do I need, you should ask how thick of a Speaker Cable do I need.

I'll be happy to provide you the calculation, for who request it. All you need to provide is:

1). Length (Ft. or meter)

2). The Amp's DF figure.

Thanks


128x128b4icu
b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
558 posts
 
Mr. nwres

For your DF=105 and cable length of 6tf. an #8 awg is recommended.
djones51
4,947 posts
 
DF = 105
Length =6ft
8awg = .459 Ohm resistance @ 6ft
12awg = .466 Ohm resistance @ 6ft
16awg = .480 Ohm resistance @ 6ft 
Difference between 8awg and 12awg using DF of 105 and 6ft wire = .007 Ohm
Difference between 8awg and 16awg using DF of 105 and 6ft wire = .021 Ohm
= INSIGNIFICANT 
moscoe
1 posts
 
Hi,

Damping factor: 800 
Length: 10ft

Thanks!
b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
558 posts
 
Mr. moscoe

For DF of 800 and 6 ft (2m) you need a 2x0 awg cable.
b4icu's avatar
b4icu OP
558 posts
 
Mr. djones51

Is this going to be like this forever?
I’m happy you skipped this time the "being rude" part. Thanks.

As per the AWG STD table: https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
What table do you use? (link!)

The given cable resistance (Ohms per 1000 ft. raw - just "Copy - Paste" on the numbers!):

#16 the resistance per 1000 ft is given as: 4.016 ohms
#12 given as: 1.588 ohms
#8 given as: 0.6282 ohms
#4 given as: 0.2485 ohms

For a 6ft length, you need 12ft cable:
A red (+) of 6tf and a black (-) of 6 ft.
6ft + 6ft = 12 ft.

The calculated resistance for the 4 cables is:

(#16) 4.016 ohms / 1000 x 12 = 0.048 ohms
(#12) 1.588 ohms /1000 x 12 = 0.019 ohms
(# 8) 0.6282 ohms / 1000 x 12 = 0.0075 ohms
(# 4) 0.2485 ohms / 1000 x 12 = 0.003 ohms

Very different from your calculations:

8 awg = .459 Ohm resistance @ 6ft
12 awg = .466 Ohm resistance @ 6ft
16 awg = .480 Ohm resistance @ 6ft

I have no idea from where your numbers are coming from?
You need to check your calculator’s battery, and replace them. :-)

As so, your DF to cable comparations are all errores.

But for the sake of science, this is not accounting (using only addition and subtraction of numbers),
we (Engineers) use also multiplication and divisions and more...
Then we get the ratio: a/b and not only the diff. of a-b.

I think that by this example, we are pretty much done.


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