speaker wire question

[outbacksport 10+ year member]

I recently bought a US Acoustic 4065 4 x 64 watts amp.

Also got some 16 gauge streetwire speaker wires.

Then i read the manual and it says that i need atleast #12 wire

for the speakers. So does that mean that my #16 is useless now?

Do i really need to use 12 gauge speaker wires? Pls. help me guys

before i go ahead and install the amp. I new in this stuff so any help

will be appreciated, thanks.

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[ricerdude 10+ year member]

If it was me I would go with the 12 ga. but the 16 will do just fine. But if you plan to do a bad *** mid amp then run 12ga. I dont know if you will really be able to notice, maybee.

D

 

[outbacksport 10+ year member]

Oh cool atleast i can use what i have right now.

But i guess your right its better if its thicker huh.

 

[ricerdude 10+ year member]

I hope you know about wire, like sizes. Well a 12 ga will transfer more power if there is the power to be transfered with a low resistance. But if you dont have enough power it isl worthless, but if you have a huge amp and 18 ga wire, the wire is not going to transfer power as well, or as clean as say a 10 ga speaker wire.

D

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

12 gage would be a bit overkill for 160 watts. I just did the calculations and with 15 feet of 16 gage wire feeding 160 watts to a 4 ohm load you'll lose about .04 watts.

 

[outbacksport 10+ year member]

the amp will have 65 watts x 2 in front and 160 watts bridged to one subwoofer.

so that will total up to 290 watts right. So should i go with a 12 g?

 

[outbacksport 10+ year member]

oh maylar, you also have the same amp what are you wire gauge are you using for

your speakers?

 

[maylar 10+ year member]

I use 16.

 

[outbacksport 10+ year member]

Thanks. Why do you think the US Acoustic manual says atleast use #12 wire for speakers?

 

[outbacksport 10+ year member]

I found how to get the amperes rating from amps through the wires.

Power = 14.4*65/12.9

Power = 72.5

Current = Sqrt (Power / Resistance)

Current = Sqrt (72.5 / 4)

Current = 4.26 amperes

16 gauge wire is rated up to 15 amperes of current according to the12volt.com...

Now, Bridged ...

Power = 14.4*160/12.9

Power = 178.6

Current = Sqrt (Power / Resistance)

Current = Sqrt (178.6 / 4)

Current = Sqrt (44.65)

Current = 6.68 amperes

Thanks for your inputs guys.....good day

 

[gimp 10+ year member]

outbacksport,

Just out of curiosity, did you use the 16-gauge speaker wire with the USX-4065 and, if so, how was the sound quality?

My brother-in-law used this amp in his Expeditiion and rather than running new 12-gauge speaker wire, he just spliced into the factory speaker wires (looked like it might have been 18-gauge). Sounded fine to me. Makes me wonder why U.S. Acoustics specified running 12-gauge speaker wire, too.

 

[outbacksport 10+ year member]

I haven't installed my amp yet but i got the 16g streetwires for my speakers.

I think you will notice some difference in sound quality if you use a better kind

of interconnect rca cables, e.g. Directional Twisted pair, gold tipped ends.

 

[grizzjwill 10+ year member]

Originally posted by outbacksport I haven't installed my amp yet but i got the 16g streetwires for my speakers.

I think you will notice some difference in sound quality if you use a better kind

of interconnect rca cables, e.g. Directional Twisted pair, gold tipped ends.

It will be ok it just says that so that you cant lose any power but if your just loosing .04 then yo wont be able to tell a difference