The MaxBrite speaker wires are also NEC 725 Class 2 rated for residential and commercial usage and have received UL safety certification. For ease of installation, they are additionally labelled sequentially every two feet in descending sequence from the reel’s beginning to the core. Marty is an experienced electrical, electronics, and embedded firmware design engineer passionate about audio and DIY. He worked professionally as an MECP-certified mobile installer for years before moving into the engineering field. Most of the best speaker wires are made from copper, since copper is a wonderful conductor of electricity. For the best quality wire, looking for something made with 100% copper is highly recommended. However, if you’re looking to save a bit, copper-plated or copper-clad aluminum wire is a fine substitute, and there is no noticeable difference in sound quality. That’s because aluminum wire has 61% of the conductivity of compared to true copper wire. In other words, it has 39% more resistance to the electrical current that powers your speakers. This means that when comparing two equal size wires made of aluminum and copper, you don’t get the same performance. The idea is that, since these speakers are more important, they should use the kind of wire that allows electrical currents to pass through more easily.

Speaker Wire 2023 - Audiophiles Best Speaker Wire 2023 - Audiophiles

In theory, less oxygen makes it purer and it should be a better conductor. However, it’s only around 0.05% purer, so the differences will not really be audible. In summary: Keep speaker wire runs as short as possible and get the appropriate gauge for the run. Keep speaker wire runs as even as possible.Oxygen-free copper is a version of copper that contains less oxygen, which means that it’s not technically free of oxygen.

Speaker Wire: How to Choose the Right Gauge Type for Best

You can run 4-conductor speaker wire to an in-wall volume control (left) or a stereo-input speaker (right). Need to run wire outside?

Movies and music sounded much more alive, with more depth in their soundstages. The whole soundscape sounded more vibrant than ever. Your mileage may vary depending on what speakers you're using and what receiver you've got pushing them, but I was forever sold on audiophile cables after my experience. Thin wires can be used to drive speakers. When using a thin wire to drive a speaker, the distance between the amplifier and the speaker must be considered. Thin wires can be used to drive speakers that are located very close to amplifiers. For everyday, average listening and low or moderate power levels, it’s not really a problem and you’ll be fine. Most of the other materials on the list, as well as the various alloys, are going to be cheaper than pure copper.

The Best Speaker Cable | Reviews by Wirecutter - The New York The Best Speaker Cable | Reviews by Wirecutter - The New York

Without getting too into the weeds of impedance, that's a very good thing to mention. The best thing to do is to have as short a run as possible to your speakers, since extra length and too thin of a gauge adds unnecessary resistance. You can also use banana and dual banana plugs to connect the speaker wire directly into the hole in the center of a binding post. A tip from me: If your banana plugs and speakers are brand new, it's going to take a little pressure to get the banana plugs inserted. Nothing is wrong with your speakers or the cable, the connectors are just tight. Applying some force is often necessary the first time you're connecting banana plugs to your speakers and receiver. After spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on premium audio components it may seem absurd to spend an equal amount on speaker cable. The short take: it is absurd, don’t do it. It’s also a good idea to clean all connection points of speaker wires once in a while. Cleaning all connection points will leave you with a nice, clean, and fresh-looking copper. This will help prevent these connection portions from being oxidized. At first, you might be confused by all the different gauges. However, it’s a fairly simple system that we can explain in under a minute.

gauge wire is also a good choice for longer runs, although not as long as the ones you would use 12 gauge wire for. It’s a good choice for runs between 40 and 80 feet, as long as the power output is not too high, and speaker impedance is not too low. CL-rated wire is required for in-wall speaker wire runs. The speaker wire gets ran through and between the studs in your wall.