If you have purchased a new subwoofer or are trying to get it, you should know everything about its wire because most subwoofers don’t come with a wire set. You have to manage it by yourself.
This matter is so important that if you ever neglect it, it may cause serious damage.
We know it is very tiring and mentally fatiguing work to select the wire of the best quality and proper length. But don’t worry; we will figure it out for you in the best way.
Table of Contents
Why should you Choose the Right wire size?
Your beloved subwoofer will only work efficiently if your wire’s size and quality are marvelous.
It will not only enhance the audio quality of the subwoofer but also will prevent it from short circuits etc.
Things to Know before selecting the wire
- Normally, the wire size depends upon the Watts of the subwoofer. They are inversely proportional to each other.
- Increasing the Watts of the subwoofers decreases the Gauge (Explain later) of the wire.
- Always select the wire which has less resistance to the current.
- Always select Copper wire instead of Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA). Because it lasts long and gives better quality than others.
- Always select the thicker and shorter wire for less resistance.
What should be the length of the wire?
It is totally up to you. It depends upon the distance between your Subwoofer and Amplifier. But the main thing you should remember is the Gauge or AWG of the wire.
What is Gauge or AWG?
Gauge, or AWG, is simply the measurement of the thickness of a wire. AWG stands for “American Wire Gauge.” Both terms have the same meanings.
Increasing the AWG or Gauge value decreases the thickness of the wire. Therefore, we should select the wire of less AWG or Gauge.
Note: The thicker gauge wire is better for your subwoofer or speakers because it has less resistance and does efficient work.
Gauge and Watts Relation
If you have a Subwoofer/Speaker of high Watts, then you should order less Gauge (High Thickness) wire.
Example:-
It is believed that a 12-Gauge wire is enough for a 600 to 1000 Watts Subwoofer/Speaker.
But people normally use 14 or 16-Gauge wire for their subwoofers because it is more than enough. For 3000 Watts, normally 10-Gauge wire is used.
It may depend on your budget. If you are short on budget, you should go with 14, 16, or 18 Gauge wire.
Gauge and Ohm Relation
Ohm is the unit of resistance. Increasing its value increases the current resistance in the circuit.
Example:-
Subwoofers normally have 4 to 8 Ohm resistance. If you use a Subwoofer of 2-4 Ohms, you should go with a wire of 4 Gauge.
Because your subwoofer already has less resistance, you should use a wire of high thickness for better audio quality.
Gauge and Wire Length Relation
If you are planning to buy a long wire, you should choose the one with less Gauge.
Example:-
For less power wastage, a 50-100 feet long wire with 2 Gauge is the perfect combination.
Wire Gauge Chart for better understanding
Copper Wire Chart For Speaker/Subwoofer
Aluminum Wire Chart For Speaker/Subwoofer
The above-mentioned charts give a clear picture of the relationship between Resistance (Ohm), Wire Size (AWG), and length of wire (in ft).
Example:-
If you have a speaker of 4Ω and want to buy a wire of 12 Gauge, then you should buy a wire of 62 feet Copper wire for 5% or less energy loss.
Wire Sizes According to the Subwoofer Size
Subwoofers of 10 inches usually are of 4Ω and 150 Watts and can work efficiently at 12-16 Gauges.
Subwoofers of 12 inches are slightly bigger and more powerful than 10 inches subwoofers. Therefore they need a wire of 10-12 Gauges.
Types of Speaker Wires
There are a hundred types of speaker wires available in the market. The type of wire you will get depends on the speaker you bought.
If you install an outdoor speaker system, you need “Outdoor wire/cable.” Or for indoor, you should go for “high UL-rated Cable.”
Outdoor Cable
For selecting an outdoor cable, please verify whether it is a Direct Burial Cable (DBC).
DBC is an outdoor cable that can easily be buried in the ground and need no extra protection against heat and pressure. These types of cables are specially designed for outdoor speaker installation.
Indoor Cable
The UL rating in the indoor cable matters a lot. UL rating is actually the safety parameter assigned by the government or company. Because these cables are normally installed in the ceiling or the walls, these wires should be long-lasting and have UL ratings of CL2 and CL3 because the wires of that ratings have high resistance against flammable materials.
Note:-
If your Amplifier is in one room and the speaker is in another. Then you should install a 4-Conductor indoor cable, which passes through the wall and connects your speaker to the Amplifier.
Difference between Pure Copper Wire and Copper Clad Aluminum
| Pure Copper Wire(PCW) | Copper Clad Aluminum(CCA) |
|---|---|
| It is made up of 99.9% Copper. | It is made up of Aluminum and has a very thin coating of copper. |
| It has no or very less Resistance. | It has almost 40% more resistance than Pure Copper Wire. Because of high resistance, you must buy more lengthy wire than you require. |
| It is more efficient than CCA. | It is less efficient than PCW. |
| It is more expensive than CCA. | The only positive point of CCA is that it is budget-friendly. |
| It has great quality and durability. | It has less quality and a short lifespan. |
| It has less chance of short circuits or any damage. | The damage rate of CCA is much higher than PCW. |
Are you confused Now?
After reading about the difference between PCW and CCW, if you are confused, don’t worry. I have a solution.
If you buy a small speaker for personal use and don’t want to upgrade it, you should order the CCA. It is best for you because it is cost-effective.
But if you buy a speaker for a Public gathering (for large-scale usage), you must go with pure copper wire. Because only PCW can bear it, it will also reduce your power consumption.
Connect your subwoofer with an Amplifier
Procedure:-
Step 1:-
Mark the Positive and Negative terminals of the cable with a marker (if not mentioned already) so you do not mix them up.
Step 2:-
Then connect the respective terminals with the Amplifier. Make sure terminals are connected correctly with the speaker and Amplifier.
We suggest that you should use “Banana Connectors” for terminal connections.
Step 3:-
But if you haven’t, then you can peel out the wire with the help of a wire stripper (around 3 to 5 inches), twist the wire, and then connect it. But it may cause a short circuit.
If your positive and negative terminals are not properly connected, the subwoofer will have no sound, which may produce poor sound quality. So double, check it.
More about Subwoofers – Guide
Subwoofer’s Watts:-
You have a subwoofer of 100 Watts, and your friend has 1000 Watts. Then sorry to say the volume and loudness of your friend’s subwoofer will be ten times more than yours. (But don’t worry, multiple factors contribute to the loudness, not only Watts).
In simple words, increasing the watts of a subwoofer/speaker increases its loudness. But a 1000 Watts subwoofer consumes more power and needs less Gauge.
Size of a Subwoofer:-
Subwoofers of 8 inches, 10 inches, and even 15 inches are available in the market. Before ordering, you need to measure the area where you want to place it.
Subwoofers have two main components. One is an Amplifier, which gives power to them, and the second is the Main speaker, which produces sound. They are interlinked by each other.
Where to place my subwoofer?
Congrats, you have bought a new subwoofer. But you are still confused about where I should place it in my room.
So I have two solutions to your problem.
No:- 1
Place the subwoofer against the wall. The front side of the sub should be towards the wall, so the sound quality improves when it reflects with the wall.
No:- 2
Sit on your Sofa (or where you want to listen). Tell someone to rotate the subwoofer gradually. Stop rotating where sound quality + Bass will be superb.
Oxygen free Speaker Cable (OFC)
OFC is the one that has 0.001% Oxygen and is normally used for audio devices like speakers and subwoofers etc.
Should I buy OFC?
The simple answer is, “it depends upon your budget.” After the experiment, it is observed that OFC has more durability and lifespan. It has less impedance against the current. Therefore, it produces a slight or minor positive change in the device’s audio quality.
But for a better experience, we recommend you select a pure copper wire.
Cable Conductors and Connecters
Conductors
Most of the speakers come with 2 or 4-conductor setups. As you know, the 2-conductor setup is much easier to install than the 4 one. 2-conductor has just two sides. One connects to the speaker and the rest to the source like a TV or Amplifier. But the 4 Conductor has four sides and is usually used with multi speakers and sources.
Connectors
Mostly two types of speaker connectors are used.
1-Binding Posts
Binding posts are older versions of connectors.
They have screw caps, through which they connect to the speaker.
For complete connection with the speaker, screws should be tight, and the cable shouldn’t be bent.
2-Spring Clips
Spring clips are modern versions of connectors. They have a clip and a hole behind them.
It connects to the speaker, and when we push the clip down, it makes a stable and tight connection.
Summary
You should order less gauge wire so your subwoofer or speaker can produce quality sound. The wire should be pure copper instead of Aluminum or any other third-class material. The length of the wire totally depends upon you. But sometimes, it may vary according to the impedance of your device.
Carefully select the indoor, outdoor, or Oxygen free cables. Always use connectors for connecting your subwoofer with an Amplifier or any source.
In short, if you purchase a well-quality subwoofer, wires and install them properly in it. Then it will give you the chill you want.
FAQs
Can I use a speaker wire for my subwoofer?
Yes, you can use it. The wires for subwoofers and speakers are generally the same and have no noticeable difference. But remember that the speaker wire should be completely protected or coated.
Is thicker wire provides more power?
Thicker wire has a large surface volume than a thinner one. Therefore, it has less resistance to the current. Current can easily pass through it. In other words, YES, a thicker wire provides more power than a thinner one.
What if I use a wire of the wrong Gauge?
If you use the wire of the wrong Gauge, then you will not only experience the worst audio quality. But it will also enhance power consumption.
Use the wire of a Compatible gauge, and enjoy the BOOM Quality of sound.
Can I use a braided wire for my speaker?
Yes, you can use braided wire because it has more flexibility than Solid wire. Due to mechanical flexibility, it can easily turn or bend. So if you have space issues, you should use it.
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