Hello all
Sorry if this is probably the #1 repeated thread question, but I am going to be putting together a set of 3 ways and was wondering if 16 gauge is OK to use for the hook up wiring from the Crossovers to the L-Pads & Drivers?
Sorry if this is probably the #1 repeated thread question, but I am going to be putting together a set of 3 ways and was wondering if 16 gauge is OK to use for the hook up wiring from the Crossovers to the L-Pads & Drivers?
Last edited:
Yes, a short piece of that will have much less resistance than either the pad or driver.
I've seen commercial speaker systems that use 22 gauge.
I've seen commercial speaker systems that use 22 gauge.
How many KW of power are You intending to drive ?
For house HI-FI it is more than enough.
Inside PA enclosures I usually use ordinary copper wire 1.5mm for tweeters & 2.5mm for woofers, since these are electrical wiring standards & easy to find.
For house HI-FI it is more than enough.
Inside PA enclosures I usually use ordinary copper wire 1.5mm for tweeters & 2.5mm for woofers, since these are electrical wiring standards & easy to find.
Make sure to use stranded wire as speaker enclosures have high vibration - solid wire could potentially fatigue and snap. I would suggest not using mains cabling for this reason.
Each thickness of wire has both a current limit (thermal) and a resistance per unit length.
There are many tables of these properties you can consult to inform choice.
Each thickness of wire has both a current limit (thermal) and a resistance per unit length.
There are many tables of these properties you can consult to inform choice.
I would suggest not using mains cabling for this reason.
Why not ? There is solid & stranded mains wire.
In the UK, when referring to mains use, solid wire equates with cable and stranded wire equates with flex.
Yes, but there is stranded cable made with solid conductors.
It is flexible but stiff. I meant flexible like an extension cord.
It is flexible but stiff. I meant flexible like an extension cord.
Hello all and thanks for all the reply’s.
Just to review, I ended up going with an 18-gauge set of 6 different colors as for what I could get from Amazon for the same set but in a 16-gauge for some reason was going to take month to get. To note, the wire is actually a tinned 18-gauge stranded copper wire, so hopefully this will help make the terminal connections even better, to which I like to solder those in anyway after I crimp them mostly just for more pull strength. So I don't think these will be a weak point.
To note I am only looking to use these to assemble a real basic home Hi-Fi speaker set that I am not expecting the world on as far as sound quality, but I figured if I had to do this kind of work anyway I might as well not do things wrong enough with something like this it becomes a problem.
As far as the Kw its kinda hard to say as the amp I am using is a Yamaha RX-A1080 amp and honestly when looking through all the specs for all its possible wattage outputs there a so many variations to that I really can’t understand what might be its actual potential max watt ratting as for one way of those it lists it and for a 8 ohm speaker as being as high as 165watts.
For most of them though and for what I have seen per most advertisements of the amp, it looks to be rated for a max of 110 w at 8 ohms (is what all my drivers are btw) possible per each channel of the 7 possible surround sound output channels it has.
Another point I would make is while I will occasionally use this set for straight audio and in a 2 or 4 channel setup and at probably the most medium or a little above of that sound levels, most of the time this set is going to be used as the rear sound source for the surround speaker system for the TV that the entire system is built around.
Thanks
Just to review, I ended up going with an 18-gauge set of 6 different colors as for what I could get from Amazon for the same set but in a 16-gauge for some reason was going to take month to get. To note, the wire is actually a tinned 18-gauge stranded copper wire, so hopefully this will help make the terminal connections even better, to which I like to solder those in anyway after I crimp them mostly just for more pull strength. So I don't think these will be a weak point.
To note I am only looking to use these to assemble a real basic home Hi-Fi speaker set that I am not expecting the world on as far as sound quality, but I figured if I had to do this kind of work anyway I might as well not do things wrong enough with something like this it becomes a problem.
As far as the Kw its kinda hard to say as the amp I am using is a Yamaha RX-A1080 amp and honestly when looking through all the specs for all its possible wattage outputs there a so many variations to that I really can’t understand what might be its actual potential max watt ratting as for one way of those it lists it and for a 8 ohm speaker as being as high as 165watts.
For most of them though and for what I have seen per most advertisements of the amp, it looks to be rated for a max of 110 w at 8 ohms (is what all my drivers are btw) possible per each channel of the 7 possible surround sound output channels it has.
Another point I would make is while I will occasionally use this set for straight audio and in a 2 or 4 channel setup and at probably the most medium or a little above of that sound levels, most of the time this set is going to be used as the rear sound source for the surround speaker system for the TV that the entire system is built around.
Thanks
Please rest assured that your 18 gauge wire is adequate for your internal wiring.
And, since you mentioned them, its low weight will not put undue strain on your terminal connections.
Happy listening!
And, since you mentioned them, its low weight will not put undue strain on your terminal connections.
Happy listening!

All the fuss over wiring for a speaker?
A home space heater of around 1500 watts is connected with 14 gauge line cord, carrying 11 to 14 amps.
I doubt any speaker would be dealing with that amount.
A home space heater of around 1500 watts is connected with 14 gauge line cord, carrying 11 to 14 amps.
I doubt any speaker would be dealing with that amount.
In the US, AC mains wiring.In the UK, when referring to mains use, solid wire equates with cable and stranded wire equates with flex.
Fine strand is used in cords/flex.
While solid is used in smaller permanent wiring (say 14AWG to maybe 8AWG). While course strand is used in permanent wiring from 14AWG all the way up to huge.
A large solid wire is not easy to deal with.
- Home
- Design & Build
- Parts
- Is 16 gauge OK for driver hook up wiring?