Using lamp cord as speaker wire?

**Silentbob343** · 08-28-2005, 05:18 PM

This has long been disputed in the AV home theater forums, but most of the "nice" wire is just snake oil. Many people use cheap home depot lamp wire and people have also used Cat5 cable.

**psykopyro** · 08-28-2005, 06:07 PM

exactly. i looked at monster's website and they have a list of stuff they put on their cables that is a page long, most of it stuff like - enhanced THX certified rubber-titanium-alloy high-performance grip for added comfort.

whatever

**JC-S60** · 08-28-2005, 06:26 PM

I think the most important things for in-car use are:

gauge: use cables that are big enough

insulation/physical strength: be sure you don't get shorts by accidentally stripped cable (sharp edges) or wear (vibrations).

Just my personal opinion of course

**psykopyro** · 08-28-2005, 07:37 PM

So the best *cheap* option would be to get lamp cord and sleeve it in metal sleeving

**mp3oplecarrier** · 08-28-2005, 07:45 PM

>Geek Alert<

Just use speaker wire with lots of fine strands, the reason this is better is because AC current travels on the outside of the wire. More, thinner wires = more surface area = more room for electrons...

(Can't remember any more detail, somebody much cleverer than me told me that once and my eyes glazed over after a while....)

**stapan** · 08-28-2005, 08:30 PM

the short answer is: wire gauge is the most important thing.

there are a couple other important factors (eg inductance). however, that is not something you are going to know because these other factors are never revealed in the product marketing nor are there universal standards for measuring or advertising those other factors to begin with. and don't assume that just because its a famous brand name that its better, it could be worse.

usually you will find mostly useless marketing crap like "high definition" etc etc. which don't mean anything.

in fact, I would recommend regular old 16 gauge lamp cord over 18 gauge "high definition" monster cable or other typical brand name 18 gauge speaker wire.

anyway, I have tried a bunch of different kinds. I personally use and recommend:

sound king 12 ga speaker wire

**psykopyro** · 08-28-2005, 09:20 PM

"sound king 12 ga speaker wire"

lol that reminds me of Homer's "The internet King"

but anyways, that's an intersting comparison between 16 gauge lamp cord and 18 guage hd monster stuff.

why do people buy monster cables then?

**Bugbyte** · 08-28-2005, 09:32 PM

Same reason they buy Starbucks. It's gotta be good cable if you pay that much for it.

**turbocad6** · 08-28-2005, 09:40 PM

hype mostly....the wire quality makes a big difference on the low voltage side(read RCA'S) but on the speaker wire size a high quality 18ga is approx equivelent to a lower quality 16 ga... we used to use heavy power wire to run big subs.... no real problems..... now if your using ultra high quality amps & exotic high end drivers, then you may apreciate the subtile transient responses, but average systems.... no way

**RedGTiVR6** · 08-28-2005, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by lez

I can hear the difference between mp3, cd and vinyl, I cant tell oxygen free wire over standard wire.

UHF satellite feeds costing mega bucks use standard copper.

No audio system uses oxy free on the inside, no PCB copper plate is oxy free, as far as audio is concerned oxy free is best for audio (companies profits)

Cables made of a single thick strand dont sound the same as cables made of lots of little strands. But I dont know why, and I cant really hear it.

oxygen free won't corrode nearly as quickly as the other stuff...that's where the big difference comes in....and chances are that lamp chord isn't oxygen free....

stooping to that level to save some money would make me think twice about even taking on this kind of a project....but that's just me