Before 1976 nobody worried about wire. Then Noel Lee started Monster Cable and Disc Washer had Gold Ens interconnects. I had both! And over the decades more exotic and expensive stuff! Nowadays I've stopped worrying and just use what's on hand!
Can I use 24 gauge speaker cable?
I’ve been trying to google this but I only get vague answers.
I want to know if I can use 24 gauge cable as speaker cable. And if not: why not?
Usual answers are “no, you should use xx gauge”, but I’m looking for why is that? Will the speakers of the amp go off in flames if the resistance is too high? I don’t even get that because the resistance isn’t even that much of a difference between speaker cable sizes, compared to the speakers resistance.
I’m talking about ca 16ft / 5m distance between amp and speaker. By the way should that measure 16 ft or double (32ft because one cable is plus and the other minus)?
I want to know if I can use 24 gauge cable as speaker cable. And if not: why not?
Usual answers are “no, you should use xx gauge”, but I’m looking for why is that? Will the speakers of the amp go off in flames if the resistance is too high? I don’t even get that because the resistance isn’t even that much of a difference between speaker cable sizes, compared to the speakers resistance.
I’m talking about ca 16ft / 5m distance between amp and speaker. By the way should that measure 16 ft or double (32ft because one cable is plus and the other minus)?
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- 87 posts total
Thank @erik_squires now that’s a constructive answer. I’m playing around with the calculator but I don’t really understand it. If I fill in 0,577 Ampere as listed in the table, and 0,082 as the resistance (10 x (8,282/1000)) years get something completely different different out of the voltage... namely 0,0003 |
Thank @erik_squires now that’s a constructive answer. Welcome I’m playing around with the calculator but I don’t really understand it. If I fill in 0,577 Ampere as listed in the table, and 0,082 as the resistance (10 x (8,282/1000)) years get something completely different different out of the voltage... namely 0,0003 yes, that’s how the math works. Learn DC circuit analysis to learn more, but for your purposes, put in the speaker Ohms and the Amps, and it will calculate V and W. Clear the other two fields if needed. |
1. Resistance: About 0.5 ohm in series with the speaker for 10’ cable. It will affect the sound with changing speaker impedance, but you might like it. 2. Damping: For membrane damping 0.5 ohm doesn’t make much difference since there is already at least 6 ohm of speaker own resistance in series. It might affect sound slightly, but again - you might like it, especially with overdamped speakers. 3. Temperature: It will make difference (overheating) only if you listen to continuous sinewaves at 100W for long time. Otherwise it is non-issue since music power delivered to speaker is only few percent of peak power (half of loudness is 1/10 of the power, plus music has gaps). 4. Inductive reactance: 0.1 ohm more than very thick cable at 20kHz, but at this frequency (that I cannot hear anyway), most of speakers have inductive character - meaning impedance is way higher and additional 0.1 ohm makes little difference (and if it does you might like it) 5. Skin effect: In copper it starts at gauge 18 at 20kHz so for 24 gauge it is non-issue. You ears are the best judge. Even if this speaker wire affects the sound it might be to you liking. |
- 87 posts total