What Size Speaker Wire For 100 Watts

Wondering what size speaker wire you need? You're in the correct place!

In this guide, I'll evidence you lot the proper approximate and type of speaker wire y'all need. I'll as well cover a lot more, too:

Elementary & quick rules of thumb for speaker wire size if that'south all you need to know.
Speaker wire judge and the American Wire Estimate chart explained.
Understanding copper clad aluminum (CCA) vs pure copper wire so y'all don't get ripped off.
Solid vs stranded wire – and why yous don't want solid for speakers.

NEW! I've now added a speaker wire gauge reckoner and a simplified speaker wire estimate nautical chart to brand it a breeze. The article has also been updated.

Contents

General tips: What size speaker wire practice I demand?
- Simple "everyday" wire size table
- How to discover the correct size wire for Any length or speaker system
SPEAKER WIRE Estimate Reckoner
SPEAKER WIRE GAUGE CHART
- Choosing a speaker wire judge for long distances
Tips on using smaller speaker wire and saving money
- Is oxygen free speaker wire worth information technology?
What judge is speaker wire? (Wire size and wire gauge explained)
- Speaker impedance and power vs the correct estimate wire
- Stranded vs solid conductors
How much wire do you need?
- Figuring out how much wire to buy
Copper-clad aluminum vs copper speaker wire
- Everyday use & what to know
More great manufactures to read
- Your suggestions and feedback are welcome!

Full general tips: What size speaker wire do I demand?

Speaker wire size quick guide

For most depression ability home or car speakers (not subwoofers) 18 gauge (18AWG) is fine. 18AWG wire is good for about l watts for four ohms and 100 watts for 8 ohm loudspeakers up to 50 feet (xv chiliad) or 100 feet (30 yard) respectively.
For higher power systems or longer lengths, xvi gauge is a swell choice.
For longer lengths (fifty-100ft)/(15-30.5m) yous'll demand to become upwardly ii gauges (14 ga.) to avoid losing power. Very long lengths of speaker wire lose a chip of power over the long distance due to resistance. Using larger wire can help reduce or avoid this. (Use my speaker wire reckoner to make information technology like shooting fish in a barrel)
A higher speaker impedance value (ex.: 6 or eight ohm speakers) draws less current (lower amps) than lower impedance speakers. Therefore you lot often can employ a thinner wire for them as you'll see.

Simple "everyday" wire size table

Wire Size	Recommended For
18 AWG	Machine and dwelling speakers up to 25 ft with average power levels (50W RMS and below).
16 AWG	Longer speaker runs for car & home stereo speakers or short runs nether 20 ft for 75-100W. Moderate power subwoofers (nether 225W) with short lengths.
14 AWG	Long (100ft+) speaker runs or higher power applications such as high-power 2 or iv ohm subwoofers with a curt length.

In most cases for everyday listening at medium or low ability levels (50W RMS or nether), 18 guess (18AWG) wire is what yous demand.

It'due south a good compromise between price and power handling as information technology's usually affordable and easy to observe.

How to detect the correct size wire for Whatsoever length or speaker organisation

The correct approximate speaker wire you need is based on 3 things:

Your stereo or amplifier'due south ability output.
The speaker's impedance (Ohms) rating – also called the nominal impedance.
The cable length needed for your speaker organisation.

Notwithstanding, I've made information technology easy for you lot: Y'all can utilise my speaker wire size calculator or speaker wire size chart sections provided below.

SPEAKER WIRE Gauge CALCULATOR

speaker wire gauge calculator image

My speaker wire gauge figurer will recommend the right speaker wire gauge based on the ability, speaker Ohms, and the specific length y'all demand. This is different from the speaker wire size chart section below that provides lengths based on the speaker Ohms only and doesn't need power ratings.

Y'all can play effectually with different ability amounts, lengths, and speaker Ohms to find the best speaker wire gauge for your audio setup and avoid spending more than money than necessary.

HOW TO USE:

Enter the following:
- The wire length you need. This tin be whole or fractions (5 ft, 2.6 ft, etc.).
- RMS/continuous ability for your amp or stereo. (Do not employ "superlative" or "max." power ratings.)
- The speaker impedance in Ohms (Ω).
Touch the button to get the results.

The wire calculator volition output:

The smallest wire size with 5% or less power loss for both copper and copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire.
The power loss across the wire, in Watts, at maximum power output.

SPEAKER WIRE GAUGE CHART

speaker wire gauge chart diagram

The chart and tables above are handy if you aren't sure well-nigh your stereo or amplifier power. Y'all can estimate the length of wire yous tin use without losing a lot of power (at maximum stereo or amplifier output) knowing merely the speaker Ohm rating.

Both copper wire and copper clad aluminum (CCA) wire charts are provided. Considering aluminum has a lower conductivity than copper (college resistance per foot), the length volition exist shorter than for real copper.

Notation: Be sure to check my additional tips further below every bit they can help yous relieve money.

Choosing a speaker wire gauge for long distances

What if you demand say 50ft or fifty-fifty 100ft of length? In that case, a general dominion of thumb is to double the size by choosing a wire thickness two sizes up from what you would use for shorter distances.

The gauge number (the electrical usher size as per wire standard charts) increases or decreases by an even number (past adding or subtracting 2) every bit odd numbers aren't ordinarily used.

Case: 18AWG wire will lose about 4 watts at maximum ability if it's 50ft long. To avoid this when moving from a shorter wire length, we can pick a speaker cable ii sizes upwards: eighteen AWG -> 16 AWG -> 14 AWG.

Tips on using smaller speaker wire and saving money

As existent copper wire is more expensive these days and because virtually people don't drive speakers at full power, here are some tips to keep costs downward:

If you rarely use your amp or stereo output above fifty%-60% power, you lot can go down one wire AWG judge. This is because you'll never accomplish the wire's current chapters if y'all don't use maximum power.
Have extra wire yous'd like to put to good employ? You lot can double-up or even triple-up smaller approximate wire to become the aforementioned gauge equally a thicker wire size. (Case: using 2 lengths of 18AWG you have lying effectually in parallel to approximate 16AWG wire).
For surround sound and center channel home theater speakers, you shouldn't spend a lot because their power needs are usually fairly low.

Is oxygen costless speaker wire worth it?

No, oxygen free pure copper wire will not evangelize whatsoever noticeable improvements in sound or ability. It'south non worth spending more coin on it.

Information technology's a great marketing feature for retailers but the data shows that there'southward an amazingly small departure in performance. Paying more is a waste of money. As long every bit yous're using a adept quality wire with the correct gauge you'll be fine.

The electrical signal will not have any measurable difference at the speaker terminate.

It is truthful, yet, that real copper wire is amend than copper coated aluminum wire equally I explain later.

What gauge is speaker wire? (Wire size and wire gauge explained)

Image showing a comparison of common speaker wire gauge sizes

Speaker wire doesn't have merely one size (gauge) – it's standardized and based on the American Wire Gauge (AWG) chart which lists standard sizes using a number.

Less commonly known every bit the Brown and Sharpe wire chart, the American Wire Gauge nautical chart has been around since 1857. Information technology specifies sizes, each with a given round expanse of the electrical usher size, its resistance per pes or meter, and some other specifications.

Likewise, each AWG wire gauge has an electrical electric current capacity (how many amps it can handle, also chosen ampacity sometimes).

Diagram showing example scale sizes of AWG wire gauges 18 to 12

The AWG wire nautical chart uses a numbering arrangement in which thicker cable has a smaller number. Also, a larger number is used for smaller wires with fewer conductors.

Speaker impedance and power vs the right gauge wire

When an amplifier supplies an audio signal with a given voltage output, speakers with a lower impedance draw more electrical current (higher amps) than higher impedance speakers. This can make a deviation in the wire size y'all need based on the length and power carried to sound speakers.

Higher amps require a larger conductor size (thick wire) just like for ability wire. By comparison, thicker speaker wire has low resistance and therefore less power lost across it at high ability levels or a long cable run.

Most speaker wire sold today is made upwardly of two conductors attached as a pair with ane marked as the positive; they're substantially the same as stranded power cablevision paired together. The gauges available range from about xx judge to 10 approximate, with eighteen approximate being i the almost popular.

Thin wire such every bit 20AWG or 22AWG isn't very common just occasionally can exist useful for lower power speakers.

Stranded vs solid conductors

Comparison of solid vs stranded wire

All speaker wire sold is stranded, meaning it's made upward of a bundle of 16-sixty or more than very fine copper conductors. Solid wire, still, has only one conductor. For stranded types, a thicker wire estimate uses more conductor strands with each larger than a smaller gauge.

Stranded wire has a big reward over solid in that it's very flexible and non prone to breaking nether stress. It's too easier to strip the insulation to blank wire with a wire stripper. It's also less hassle to work with if using spade connectors or inserting it into a crimp connector.

Since solid cadre is used for abode and industrial electric wiring, you might be tempted to employ some leftover house electrical wire for your speakers. Yet, it'southward a terrible option for that.

How much wire practise yous need?

Speaker wire length estimation diagram

Buying & using speaker cable is definitely ane of those cases where the old communication "better to accept too much than not enough" applies! You don't want to run out because yous didn't plan alee.

Information technology's always best to mensurate and be certain – and overestimate what you need to be sure you don't run brusque.

To figure out how much speaker wire you need, my proffer is to use one of the following:

A tape measure
A long length of string to run

Be sure to attempt to take curves & bends into account but don't worry nigh getting it exactly right. Mensurate the distance and then add together a few anxiety (an extra two feet or so is skilful) to account for curves and other little things that add upwards.

A tape measure works well and so does string or rope you can place forth the path where the wire will go.

Mark the length, and so measure out it. I like to add at least 1 foot of length for each wire section for dwelling house stereo use and 2 feet each for car stereo installations to play it condom.

Figuring out how much wire to buy

When information technology comes to buying speaker wire, one affair to know is that information technology adds up fast! Here are ii examples to show what I mean:

Speaker wire length example #1

Home stereo example:

Front speaker lengths measured: 2 x 6 ft
Rear speakers measured: 16 & 22 ft

Full wire needed: 6 + 6 + 16 + 22 = 50 ft (15.2m)

Speaker wire length case #2

Car stereo example: Running wire from the dashboard head unit to front door speakers and to rear deck speakers.

Front speaker lengths measured: 2 x 8 ft
Rear speakers measured: xvi & 20 ft

Total wire needed: 8 + 8 + xvi + 20 = 52 ft (15.9m)

Speaker wire is normally sold in rolls such as 25ft, 50ft, and 100ft, although some retailers offer it past the foot likewise.

Precut lengths are also available sometimes, besides. Those are usually around 6, 12, or 18 ft. However, more than frequently than not you'll save coin by ownership a good quality by the coil.

**Rember this rule: never accept chances with speaker wire length – don't guess. Buy at least a little bit more than your estimate.

Copper-clad aluminum vs copper speaker wire

Copper clad aluminum vs copper speaker wire illustrated diagram

Copper-clad aluminum (CCA) wire has, in the last few years, go more and more common as the cost of copper has gone up. It'due south one of those "little things" yous might not know when buying that companies aren't telling y'all.

Unlike pure copper wire, copper-clad aluminum uses an aluminum wire core with a thin copper plating. From the outside, information technology misleadingly looks the aforementioned because of the plating.

Aluminum offers a lighter weight and lower cost than copper, so at outset it may seem similar a great way to replace the more expensive copper options. However, there's a problem.

Aluminum has only 61% of the conductivity of copper (in other words, it has 39% more than resistance) meaning information technology volition accept larger aluminum wires to get the same power handling, capacity, and resistance value.

Everyday use & what to know

In most cases like average listening & typical power levels, it's not really a trouble in twenty-four hours-to-twenty-four hours employ. Still, if you're going to drive speakers at college power levels or want the absolute best for your money, y'all'll need to exist certain to look for packaging that specifies the wire is 100% pure copper.

To become the same functioning as true copper wire when buying CCA speaker wire, motility upwardly one guess in size. For example, to replace 18 gauge copper wire, employ a 16AWG or 14AWG CCA wire.