I have Paradigm Studio 40 Front speakers, Center Channel, rears and subwoofer along with a Denon 3803 that I just purchased. I'm awaiting to move into my new house so I have some time to do some homework.

What I'd like to know is what is the recommended speaker wire to use for these type of speakers? This is going to be for home use in a 11x16 room used for sports and movies.

My understanding is that some speaker wire can limit the true output of speakers so I want to ensure I get the right ones....

Any recommendations?
Thanks in advance,
Corey

Corey, get the cheapest 12-gauge speaker wire you can find. It'll sound about 99.9% as good as the most expensive wire you can find. That's my opinion.

Larry
www.fineelectricco.com

|get the cheapest 12-gauge speaker wire

How about Romex?? Should we use UF too??

Thanks for the feedback... anywhere online that you know to get it the cheapest to purchase?

Regards,
Corey

I recently wired our new home theater and went thru this same confusion with speaker wire. So, I set up a comparison room and tried several sets of wires. The "cheap 12ga" (Monster) did sound OK, until I switched to the better wires . . .amazing difference when you hear them minutes apart with the same source.
The best price/peformane that I found was from Ram Electronice (www.ramelectronics.net). They sell a four-wire 14 ga cable that they can set-up with WBT crimping sleeves to accept most of the WBT terminations (although I just use the sleeves). I use the cables to bi-wire, bi-amp, and "dual quad". More expensive that "cheap 12ga" (about $22 for a 10 foot cable) they are really inexpensive compared to the boutique wires that really didn't provide enough difference to justify the cost (over $300 for the pair).

Kimber or Straightwire....My 2

creef - go to your local 'Pro Shop' that you purchased your equipment from and have them sell you some 14g or 12g (12g being better) speaker wire. Thats why the pro shops are there.

ditto the Pro Shop 14 gauge or 12 gauge recommendation.


And if you can get the kind of banana plugs that slip out if you tug on them with 1 - 2 pounds of pressure, DON'T GET THEM!

The standard banana plug shape makes a friction contact in four small areas. Better you should mash the wire in the hole of a normal twist-down amp output connector.

I just saw some connectors, I believe from Tributaries, that use the "banana" hole on an amp output connector, but they grab incredibly well and are hard to pull out, which indicates that they make a pretty good connection.

Try SIGNAL, it is one guy who does a great job at fraction of cost. Did my whole systen for aroung $550 2 fronts 8', cc6', rears 25', sub 8', 2 power cords
i am impressed with the quality

I'm running 16 gauge wire from the hardware store. I've tried the monster and other "high end" cables. A waste of time and money. When the salesmen start the verbal tirade about current handling, I usually point out the power cable going to the amp itself. 9 times out of 10, that cable is no bigger than 16 gauge. If that isn't enough to stop him, I mention that inductance and reactance (XC and XL) increase exponentially as the wire size increases. Effectively it's like putting a big, fat capacitor and choke on your speaker wires.

the 120v power feed probably is 14 or 16g but itsd at 120v. The program going to your speakers is not at that voltage and may require larger wire if your running alot of pwer. Check out ohms law: volts x amps = watts. At 120 voltages a 14g wire can handle 1800watts. but reduce the voltage signifcantly ampage increases dramatically.

Also, zip cord from the hardware store isnt classified for in wall use!

Monster cable is a myth,, let me repeat,, a myth. Hey, I don't knock the retailers for being creative enough to find somewhere to make some margins, God knows the competitiveness in the big box home AV retail world is brutal. But the distance between your couch and the reciever in most homes is no more than twenty feet or so, same with the wall the display is on. 16 G wire is more than adequate, and some FT4 PVC jacketed stuff will be a lot cheaper than the sexy looking stuff they charge you an arm and a leg for at the big box outlet. Sonically? I'd do a blind listening test as a shoot out any day. In any event, the electrons don't know the diff either.

well then teknobeam1, if wire makes no difference, does that mean interconnects are also pointless? Im a professional and i surely wouldnt recommend hooking up my customers 8000 dollar processor amplifier stack with the wires out of a DVD box.
wires do make a difference, its just easy to get away with cheaping out on them.

Lol, I'll do a blind listening test with you too islandlife. But first of all, I didn't mention interconnects, we were discussing speaker wire. And I maintain my position..it's a myth. On the topic of interconnects, I use Mogami cable for mine. If it's good enough for some of the top studios in the world, it's good enough for me

I recently wired my house for audio and used 14 gauge for all the background audio and 12 for the surrounds, it was all the CL rated inwall wire. the fronts will be a high end wire and I will use higher end interconnects. all is and will be from Tara Labs as htey are just up the road form me and we are dealers so I get a killer deal from them.
www.taralabs.com

If your wires will be in the walls make sure you use a CL rated wire for inwall use

Glack