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Thread: Wire for speakers

  1. #1
    Fever Hunter Mactek's Avatar
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    Default Wire for speakers

    I have a situation that I need some help with. I bought two pots for my speakers in my Star Wars machine, and they work fine except that the wires that came with them are really short, so I want to add more wiring to extend them out and move them to the back of the machine, out of sight. I need to know what gauge I need for the wiring. It looks like 18 to me, but I was hoping I could get some help on what to buy at Radio Shack.

    Thanks!

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    Closet Okie Meathead's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    I think 18 would be fine. I used a solid core wire on mine.
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    Pachi Puro FTKServices's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    18 is fine, most of the wire that I have seen is smaller, so the 18 guage is just fine.
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    Fever Hunter Mactek's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    That brings up a good point. Does it matter whether or not I used stranded as opposed to solid? The speaker wires are stranded.

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    Pachi Puro FTKServices's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    I normally use stranded wire, easier to twist togather & soldier them.
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    Quote Originally Posted by FTKServices View Post
    I normally use stranded wire, easier to twist togather & soldier them.

    Same here,
    I only use solid wire on something that will never be moved or flexed.
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    Kungishi MrGoodBurn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    I use 22 gage stranded wire.

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    Sandwich Shooter JohnD0406's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    Quote Originally Posted by MrGoodBurn View Post
    I use 22 gage stranded wire.
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

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    Kungishi fronzdan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    I think stranded is better. Digging way back into the dark recesses of my mind...I believe it has to do with the fact that higher frequency signals like audio, tend to flow along the surface of the conductor as opposed to the core. So for a single solid wire, you're only getting signal transmission along the surface of one conductor. With stranded you have multiple conductors, giving you a much better transmission path with less loss due to heat and noise.

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    Sandwich Shooter JohnD0406's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    Quote Originally Posted by fronzdan View Post
    I think stranded is better. Digging way back into the dark recesses of my mind...I believe it has to do with the fact that higher frequency signals like audio, tend to flow along the surface of the conductor as opposed to the core.
    That's an audiophile myth, born of science. The phenomenon doesn't occur at the very low frequency bandwidth of audio, but does at extremely high frequencies such as within your computer. I have a very high end audio system, and use solid silver wire to the ribbon driver in my tri-amped system.

    Solid wire can handle more current, so you can get away with a smaller gauge. Stranded wire is easier to flex. There's really no other difference in our application.

    If you want to talk about audio quality in pachinko machines, I'll take this discussion straight to L-pads!
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    Closet Okie Meathead's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    I used solid core primarily because it was handy, and I found it's rigidity helpful in the installation. My volume controls are the Radio Shack type, and I just velcroed them inside the door, splicing them inline by soldering two solid core leads and then using wire nuts for the splice. Probably a hack job, but it looks ok and has worked well for four years now.
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    Kungishi MrGoodBurn's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    I use solder and heat shrink tubing on all of my connections. I like the clean look, and I don't have to worry about resistance issues, or bad connections.

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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    Ma Bell over here use/used solid wire for their connections but i like the strained wire cause of the flexabilty in use
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    Fever Hunter Mactek's Avatar
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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    That's what I went with. Stranded core, 22 gauge. It worked out great, and the controls are now in the back, out of sight while I play. Thanks, everybody!

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    Default Re: Wire for speakers

    Happy it worked out for you. Congrats.
    72 Pachi's, 36 Pachinko's, 2 Pallots, 3 Pinn's & 2 Pachinko Bar Signs. Links to About Me: pachijunkie's Videos


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