Everything You Need To Know About Speaker Wire

Every music passionate desires to experience being immersed in a musical world with outstanding sound quality. Do you believe that every component in your audio system, including the woofers, tweeters, speaker cables, and so on, is important in producing high-quality sound? We often overlook the selection of speaker wiring. Don’t we? 

However, choosing the wrong speaker wire can have a significant influence on the performance of your speakers. That’s why, it is important to evaluate these components and pick the appropriate wires for clean, clear, accurate, and effective audio transmission as well as immersive sound reproduction. 

In this comprehensive article, we’ll delve into the world of speaker wires and explore every detail of it to make informed decisions. Well, understanding the essential components of speaker wires can help you optimize your audio system and unlock its full potential, whether you’re an audiophile or simply like listening to music. Have a look at the topics covered in the article without any delay. Let’s go. 

What is a Speaker Wire?

Speaker wire is a kind of electrical wire that connects amplifiers to speakers. This cable transmits amplified audio to the speakers. It has a core that is often made of copper and can be stranded (or) solid, as well as a PVC jacket that protects the core from interference and other external effects. 

The core of the speaker cable is usually stranded, which means it is made up of a group of smaller wires twisted together to make a thicker conductor. First of all, when the conductor is solid, the cable is less flexible, making installation more difficult. More significantly, solid conductors exhibit more skin effect, which raises resistance and increases power losses, which we want to minimize. 

Speaker wire has a few important electrical properties that you should be aware of while looking for it and planning its installation. Resistance, inductance, and capacitance are the three most important properties. However, understanding them is vital for choosing the right type and gauge of speaker wire.

How Does a Speaker Wire Work?

In short, a speaker wire works identically to the nervous system of your sound system. It transfers the electrical audio signal between the two key components i.e. an amplifier (or) receiver to the speakers. Here is the detailed process of how a speaker wire works. 

• When an audio signal is sent from the amplifier, it travels through the speaker wire to the speakers’ terminals. 
• The speaker wire carries the electrical current, which oscillates according to the audio signal’s waveform.
• As the electrical current moves through the wire, it creates a magnetic field around it.
• This magnetic field interacts with the speaker’s magnet and voice coil, making the voice coil move back and forth swiftly. 
• The movement of the voice coil, in response to the electrical current, generates vibrations in the speaker’s diaphragm.
• These vibrations in turn produce the sound waves that we hear as audio.

The conductors of speaker wire are generally constructed of copper to provide a low-resistance medium for electrical current to flow through. The amplifier’s and speakers’ positive and negative terminals are linked to the wire’s matching terminals, ensuring that current flows in the correct direction. However, the quality and characteristics of the speaker wire, such as its gauge, materials, and construction, may affect the efficiency and precision of this signal transmission. Finally, these factors may have a significant impact on the sound quality provided by the speakers.

Different Types of Speaker Wires

Speaker wires are widely available in various models, types, features, materials, and quality in today’s market. Here are some of the types of speaker wires for your reference.

How to Wire a Speaker?

Go through the following simple steps to connect your speaker wire to the respective speaker terminals correctly. 

1. Check the Speaker Wire

• First, determine whether your speaker cable is long enough for your setup. 
• If the cable is excessively long, cut it; otherwise, add some more wire through soldering for flexibility during the installation procedure. 
• And then trim a small chunk of insulation, about half an inch from either end of the speaker wire, to expose the bare conductors.

2. Identity Speaker Terminals

• Most stereo receivers, amplifiers, and standard speakers have terminals on the back for connecting speaker wires.
• These terminals are either the spring clip or binding post type. Usually, they are labeled as “+” and “-” (or) yet times marked with a color coding i.e. red for “+” and black for “-“. 
• After finding the terminals ensure that they are clean and kept free from dirt (or) debris. 

3. Locate Amplifier (or)Receiver Terminals

• Identify the terminals (or) markings on the amplifier (or) receiver where the wires will be connected. 
• Like speaker terminals, they are regularly labeled with “+” and “-” (or) color-coded for faster recognition. 
• However, if you have any queries (or) confusion about terminals, refer to the user handbook. 

4. Connect the Speaker Wire to the Speaker

• Initially, take one end of the speaker wire and twist the exposed conductor strands together to avoid unraveling.
• Then plug in the twisted end to the speaker’s matching terminal. 
• Connect the positive (+) and negative (-) wires carefully so that they link to the positive and negative terminals, respectively.
• Typically, some speakers contain binding posts, which may necessitate unscrewing the post and inserting the wire before tightening it.

5. Connect the Speaker Wire to the Amplifier (or) Receiver

Follow the same process implemented for connecting the speaker wire to the speaker. 

• Twist the other end of the wire and insert it into the corresponding terminal of the amplifier (or) receiver.
• Make sure the connections are made tightly and in phase. Similarly for binding posts, unscrew the post, place the wire, and tighten it securely. 

[Note: Repeat the above-mentioned steps if you are connecting multiple speakers.] 

6. Test the Setup

Finally, ensure that the entire setup works properly. 

• After connecting the speakers, turn on the amplifier (or) receiver.
• Play any audio file from your system to ensure that each speaker is producing sound.
• If any of the speakers are not working (or) creating distorted sound verify the connections again. 

7. Cable Management

Use these simple tips to manage your cables for effective functioning.

• Secure the speaker wires using cable ties, clips (or) cable channels.
• Organize them properly to prevent tangling, tripping, and wire damage. 
• Create an organized look by hiding the wires behind baseboards, beneath carpets (or) via wall conduits. 

Common Issues While Connecting Speaker Wires

We have listed some of the most common problems that may pop up when you are connecting your speaker wires. 

1. Wrong Terminal Connections

Inserting the speaker wires into the wrong terminals can be one of the most common problems that arise while connecting the speaker wires. That’s why make sure to plug in the speaker’s positive (+) terminal to the corresponding positive terminal on the amplifier (or) receiver, and the speaker’s negative (-) terminal to the corresponding negative terminal. 

Moreover, some speakers have color coding for identification i.e. red for the positive terminal and black for the negative terminal. Reversing the polarity can cause phase cancellation and affect the audio quality.

2. Inadequate Wire Length

Speaker wires usually come in various lengths. First measure the length of your speaker wire before establishing the connections. Cut off the extra wire if the wire is too lengthy else add on more wire by soldering if your speaker cable is short. Inadequate wire length may result in stressed connections (or) incorrect speaker placement.

3. Damaged Wires

Using damaged (or) broken cables may result in poor connection and degraded sound quality. That’s the reason Check the speaker wire for wear and tear, such as cuts, kinks (or) fraying. Trim the damaged area and re-strip the wire before connecting it if you find any damage on the wire. 

4. Interference

There is a possibility of interference if speaker wires are routed parallel to power cables (or) other electrical equipment. This may generate unwanted noise (or) degrade signal quality. So, always try to keep the speaker wires away from other electrical (or) power lines to avoid interferences.

5. Incorrect Wire Gauge

Using the wrong wire gauge for your speaker arrangement might degrade the audio performance. Refer to the suggested gauge chart either from the user manual (or) the official website that matches your speaker requirements. 

6. Improper Connections

Loose connections may often result in irregular, distorted (or) no sound at all. That’s why it is very important to connect the speaker wire firmly to both the speaker and the amplifier (or) receiver terminals.

7. Loose Wire Strands

Make sure that no stray wire strands are exposed while removing the insulation. Leaving these errant wires may get in contact with the other electrical (or) power lines resulting in short circuits (or) malfunctioning of the device (or) equipment failure. 

Characteristics of Speaker Wire

Understanding speaker wire and its intricate details is important for getting the best sound out of your speaker system, and it is a lot more complicated than you may think. The process of selecting the right material for speaker wire, as well as its characteristics such as gauge, resistance, length, conductor type, insulation, durability, and so on, is critical in establishing the sound system that you have always desired.

1. Wire Gauge

A speaker wire’s gauge is simply a measurement of its thickness. The gauge or thickness is an essential factor that influences the resistance and power transmission capacity of the speaker wire. The higher the gauge, the smaller the thickness of the cable. 

According to the American Wire Gauge (AWG) commonly used in North America, the most standardly used speaker wire gauge sizes are 12, 14, 16, and 18. 

2. Length

The length of the speaker cable can affect signal deterioration. That is why there are two important considerations concerning the length of your speaker cable.

• Keep your lengths as short as feasible, because resistance is related to length, keeping your wire lengths as short as possible allows the electricity to traverse less ground. 
• Longer cables can experience greater resistance and loss of audio quality. So, it is important to select a wire length based on the distance between the amplifier and the speakers.

3. Conductors

The speaker wire is usually made up of two sheathed conductors that connect to the positive and negative connections on your amplifier and speaker.

Copper is the most commonly used conductor material due to its excellent conductivity, low resistance, and low cost. Along with this copper-clad aluminum, silver, oxygen-free copper conductors are also popular because of their distinct features. 

4. Insulation

Speaker wires are often insulated to keep the conductors from coming into touch with one another or with other surfaces, which means that the inner core is protected from the outer one via insulation. 

Properly insulating the wires reduces electrical interference from other signals. It also shields the core from oxidization, preventing it from deteriorating over time and contaminating the wire within. PVC, rubber, and Teflon are commonly used insulating materials, with varying degrees of durability and electrical performance.

5. Impedance

Impedance is the degree to which a speaker resists electrical current from your amplifier, and it is measured in Ohms. Every speaker has a definite and quantifiable OHM value, which is important to remember when working with speaker wires.

A speaker with fewer OHMs will draw more power from your amplifier and strain it more than a speaker with more OHMs.

6. Connector-Type

Speaker wires can be closed using a variety of connectors, including banana plugs, spade connectors, and bare wire connections. Personal preference, convenience, and compatibility with audio equipment also contribute to connection selection.

7. Oxygen-Free Copper

Oxygen-Free Copper wires are made with copper which has extremely less oxygen content. High-quality speaker wires often use these OFC wires to improve conductivity and reduce corrosion over time.

8. Durability

The speaker wires you choose must be strong enough to survive regular handling, installation, and environmental conditions such as rain, heat, cold, etc. Prefer, cables that are solid and made of high-quality materials that can withstand long-term usage without damage.

9. In-Wall Rated

These wires are specifically built to withstand all climatic conditions, everyday handling, installations, etc. They can run easily all along the walls, floor, under the carpet, and behind any shelves (or) cupboards. It’s always best to opt for these wires if you are looking for an organized and cleaner look for your house. 

10. Interference Resistance

Speaker wires must be shielded properly and should be kept away from the other power lines (or) radio cables (or) electrical wires to avoid any sort of signal interference. This reduces signal distortion and provides clear audio transmission. 

11. Price and Value

Consider your specific audio requirements before buying cables and then set a budget limit. Look for speaker wires that deliver outstanding performance within your price range. 

How to Choose the Right Speaker Wire?

• Consider the power requirements of your speakers.
• Calculate the distance between the amplifier and speakers.
• Now measure the cable length and make sure it is neither too loose nor tight.
• When it comes to wire gauges, choose the appropriate wire gauge based on the power and distance calculations.
• Go for the thickest wire gauge that will fit the terminals on your amplifier and speakers.
• Choose the right conductors for optimal conductivity. Anyways, copper is the most commonly used material since it offers a great balance between electrical conduction and affordability.
• You may even go with high-quality conductors such as OFC, silver wires, etc if you are planning to set up a high-end system.
• It is recommended to avoid these high-quality conductors if you are building a low-end system as it is cost-effective.
• Then, select the insulation materials like Teflon, plastic, PVC, etc that are suitable for your installation environment and durability needs.
• Choose the right termination method that works best for your audio equipment and personal preference.
• In most cases, banana plugs are the best option. If your equipment has spring-loaded terminals, you will have to use bare wires or flex pin plugs.
• Also, consider special requirements, such as in-wall installation, future proofing, and resistance to interference.
• Set your budget and look for the speaker wires that deliver desired performance and value for money. 
• Go through customer reviews on various brands and models across various online sources for expert opinions.

How to Terminate Speaker Wires?

Terminating speaker wires is the process of attaching the wire ends to connectors (or) terminals properly to create a secure, tight, and reliable connection. Essentially there are a few things to keep in mind while terminating the speaker cables. We provided an in-depth guide on how to terminate speaker wires for your convenience. 

• Firstly, measure the length of the speaker wire and cut it to the desired length. Make sure that both ends of the wires are de-insulated properly. 
• Ensure that the length of the exposed wire is the same as the length of the connectors or terminals. 
• Twist the exposed strands of each wire tightly to prevent fraying (or) damage.
• Finally, decide whether you want to connect these wires directly to the terminals (or) to the connectors. 

Terminating Speaker Wires Directly to the Terminals

• Start by locating the terminals on your amplifier (or) speakers. 
• They are often labeled (or) marked as positive (+) and negative (-) and may be color coded for identification, such as red for (+) and black for (-).
• Unscrew the terminal pins to provide space for the wire.
• Connect the exposed wire ends to the correct terminals, for example, connect the positive wire to the positive terminal and the negative wire to the negative terminal.
• Mount the terminal screws and tighten them to secure the wire in place. 
• Repeat the same for the other end of the speaker wire as well. 

Terminating Speaker Wires Using Connectors

• First, decide what kind of connectors you want to use to terminate the speaker wires. 
• Then insert the exposed wire ends into the connector.
• If you are using banana plugs (or) pin connectors insert the wire into the proper holes (or) slots 
• In the case of spade connectors, put the wire into the spade’s open end.
• Tighten the wires properly after inserting them to keep the wire in place. 
• Resume the procedure for closing the other end of the speaker wire. 

And that’s it. This is the simple procedure that must be followed to terminate your speaker wires. Ultimately, employing connectors (or) plugging the wires directly is entirely your choice. 

Finally, test whether the setup is working properly. For, this play any audio file from your connected device and verify whether the speakers are reproducing the sound. If you find any of the speakers are not working correctly, then review the connections and reconnect them.

How to Install Speaker Wire Connectors?

Before getting to know about the installation process of speaker wire connectors, first, let’s understand why should you use speaker wire connectors.

Speaker wire connectors are the most popular and are widely used for various electrical and electronic equipment. Here is a list of the advantages of using speaker wire connectors. 

• They can be plugged and unplugged easily from the terminals.
• They eliminate the need of twisting and stripping the wire strands. 
• They make the installation process very simple and give an organized look.

Installation Process

Go along these simple steps to install connectors to your speaker wires successfully.

1: Measure the length of the speaker wire and cut it down according to the desired length. Then strip the insulation of speaker wire ends and twist them tightly to prevent any damage (or) fraying. 

2: Now it’s time to choose the right connector based on your requirements. As discussed above connectors are widely classified into various types. And make sure that the connectors match the gauge of your speaker wire. Know more about them. 

3: Repeat the same process for connecting the other end of the wire.

4: Lastly, check the entire setup. Make sure that the positive wire is plugged into the positive terminal and the negative wire into the negative terminal. 

5: Play any audio file from the connected device to ensure the system setup is installed properly. Reestablish the connection if you encounter any problems. 

Speaker Wire – FAQs

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, this is all about the speaker wires. We hope this article has included all the important details regarding them and helps you find the right wire for your speaker system. As discussed in the article, consider various factors like quality, gauge, wire length, impedance, etc while choosing the right speaker wire. Genuinely, getting a perfect speaker wire will enhance your listening experience and sound quality.