Specs to look for in cables?

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

Im going to be doing a high end install soon and I want to choose a good speaker wire for my system. I'm going to have a 4 channel amp in the trunk running a Focal componant set in the front doors as well as a pair of 6x9's (possibly Focal as well, havent decided) in the rear deck. What besides gauge do I need to look for in a good speaker wire?

Also, as far as RCA's go, what are some recomendations there too.

It will be going in an IS300

Click to read more...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

Im going to be doing a high end install...a pair of 6x9's

Bit of a contradiction there actually.

As far as speaker wire, you want flexible for ease of installation. Other than that, guage is all that really matters.

As far as RCAs go, you don't need to spend a lot of money or get anything special. Basic shielded twisted pair RCAs can be had for $10 each for a 20' pair. That's all you really need. If you want something pretty you'll spend a bit more but you won't hear a difference.

 

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

Sweet. Ive found a few large spools of wire pretty cheap but i wasnt sure if some were different from the others of the same gauge...

What gauge should i run from my amp (75x4RMS) to the speakers?

Links to any decent RCA's or speaker wire? //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

14awg ok......like this?

http://www.cardomain.com/item/STISSW14BLK5

 

[ravendarat 10+ year member]

Ya that wire is fine to use. As for RCA's you can look at anything fron stinger, kicker, Alpine, Knuconcepts, Streetwires and scoshe, all should be fine.

 

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

Basic shielded twisted pair RCAs can be had for $10 each for a 20' pair.

Im looking for RCA's and i have 4 channels. Would it be better to get a 4 chan RCA or just two pairs of a 2 chan set?

 

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

I was thinkin these...http://www.cardomain.com/item/STRZN5260

 

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

I understand that the number of coils or twists in the cable is proportional to its shielding capability. Is the coil tightness on that RCA set i linked above ok for almost 20ft from the head unit to the trunk?

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

The ZeroNoise 5s are nice cables.

$23 for those is an alright price. Those will do just fine.

 

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

Bit of a contradiction there actually.
As far as speaker wire, you want flexible for ease of installation. Other than that, guage is all that really matters.

As far as RCAs go, you don't need to spend a lot of money or get anything special. Basic shielded twisted pair RCAs can be had for $10 each for a 20' pair. That's all you really need. If you want something pretty you'll spend a bit more but you won't hear a difference.

in most wires, yes. but, there are wires where you will be able to hear a difference. i didnt used to believe it, but wire can make an audible difference.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

^^^

That should make for an interesting discussion when helo logs in again and sees it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/laugh.gif.48439b2acf2cfca21620f01e7f77d1e4.gif

 

[hoss 5,000+ posts]

he can discuss it all he wants, but i can do more than that. i can prove it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[ItalynStylion 10+ year member]

I did a little more searching and found these from stinger...

http://www.cardomain.com/item/STISHR420

Ok, so they are blue....lets get past that, are they quality?

I like that all 4 channels are neat in one cord till the end and the price is right.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

You can prove it in a double blind test? Really? Go collect your money from Richard Clark.

Now if you are talking difference between 16AWG wire and 30AWG over 30ft or so, sure, the difference is clearly measurable between those. But if you are talking about hearing a difference that have no readily measurable difference in the resistance, impedance or capacitance, you're smoking something good and you're likely seeing the difference.

 

[Prowler573 5,000+ posts]

Those are Stinger's Hyper-series.

I use a set of those (but in a 2-channel interconnect) for my rear channels and they're fine too.

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