Hardware store wire ok for sub?

[Zesty 10+ year member]

What would be the downside of using copper wiring from OSH as opposed to actual speaker wire? I notice there are WAY less strands in the hardware store wire. What exactly does the greater number of strands do?

I ask because I have like 20' of 6awg wiring and was thinking of trying it with my rl-p15. But then I see this wire has like maybe a dozen strands, whereas Knu 10awg wire has like over 250 strands!

Click to read more...

 

[ShakesAllDay 10+ year member]

More strands = less distance for current to arc from one strand to the other... lessening resistance (IIRC).

Also, flexibility is a key factor.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

The whole arcing and resistance thing only makes a difference if each strand is over a certain diameter, which I'm sure you are nowhere close to with 12-Strand 10ga.

After a certain point the only benefit you get from a high strand count is flexibility.

 

[Zesty 10+ year member]

Thanks for the replies fellas. The wire is actually rated 6awg and has 19 strands. I was just comparing it to KnuKonceptz 10awg speaker wire which has a strand count of over 250.

The hardware store stuff is 6awg and has only 19 strands of copper. The Knu wire is 10awg and has over 250 strands of copper.

I can live with the lack of flexibility so long as I am not sacrificing performance.

 

[spoonraker 10+ year member]

nope you'll be fine

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

the difference is that the current travels only across the surface of a single strand...not the core. So more strands=more surface area=less resistance=more efficiency.

now that only applys up to a certain point....anything after that is wasted. But i never use large strand wiring...as a matter of fact, i'm changing my power wire from weldingsupply.com wire to knu kolossus kable this week.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

the difference is that the current travels only across the surface of a single strand...not the core. So more strands=more surface area=less resistance=more efficiency.

It's a fine theory, but...

It's frequency dependent. Even at the highest audible frequencies the loss of power due to skin effect is in the hundredths of dB's.

It's a complete non-issue.

In subwoofer freq's it doesn't apply at all.

 

[kross 10+ year member]

Yeah I thought skin effect doesn't come into play until you get into megahertz..

 

[Zesty 10+ year member]

****, I wonder why more people don't seem to be running the cheap hardware store stuff then? Or are they?]

I hate to say it, but I bite the bullet and ordered 20' of 10awg speaker wire from KnuKonceptz w/premium shipping so I should at least get it by this weekend. I figure it's worth it for the peace of mind.

I'll probably hold onto the hardware store 6awg and use it for a comparison later on.

Again thanks for all the replies. Very much appreciated.

PS- Just for the record, I'm pretty sure the Knu 10awg klear kable speaker wire has over 450 strands.....I actually understated the rating in my other post.

Thanks again.

 

[kross 10+ year member]

There are many things that affect the sonic quality of a speaker cable. Conductor material (OFC, regular copper, silver, etc), conductor size, insulator material (PVC being by far the worst for sonic quality), conductor type (solid, stranded, strand count), cable geometry (zip cord, twisted pair, coaxial, litz, etc), and shielding.

But for subwoofers, you can't hear any of the subtle differences that those qualities will impart. Just make sure you get a cable that's a big enough wire gauge, and you're fine.

 

[2kchevy06civic 5,000+ posts]

It's a fine theory, but...It's frequency dependent. Even at the highest audible frequencies the loss of power due to skin effect is in the hundredths of dB's.

It's a complete non-issue.

In subwoofer freq's it doesn't apply at all.

holy cow I haven't seen you on here in a long time.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

holy cow I haven't seen you on here in a long time.

I didn't know anyone noticed.

I've been around.

More reading than posting lately I guess.

 

[n2audio 5,000+ posts]

There are many things that affect the sonic quality of a speaker cable. Conductor material (OFC, regular copper, silver, etc), conductor size, insulator material (PVC being by far the worst for sonic quality), conductor type (solid, stranded, strand count), cable geometry (zip cord, twisted pair, coaxial, litz, etc), and shielding.

holy crap,

OFC effects "sonic quality" of speaker cable???

PVC insulation is the worst??

Twisted pair speaker cable matters?

Shielding matters??

You can HEAR all this stuff???

Wow, I bet salespeople LOOOOOOVE it when you walk in the door.

 

[IgnoreMe 5,000+ posts]

yea you dont really want to use hardware store wire.

it has a chemical property that releases fumes which act like a rodent aphrodisiac. then they go ape shit on your subs.

kicker and knu, both add a counter chemical to their wire, which is known as an impotence promoter. good shit that kicker/knu wire.

 

[fwb_1234 10+ year member]

yea you dont really want to use hardware store wire.
it has a chemical property that releases fumes which act like a rodent aphrodisiac. then they go ape shit on your subs.

kicker and knu, both add a counter chemical to their wire, which is known as an impotence promoter. good shit that kicker/knu wire.

Are you for serious?