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Best Speaker Cable Wire Review & Buyer’s Guide [2023]

Best Speaker Cable Wire Review


Musicians and recording engineers of all levels understand the importance of a speaker cable wire. This article is going to take a closer look at the best speaker cable wire.

On top of that, this article will highlight five of our favorite products, and why we like them. Listing a few pros and a minor con of each product.

Afterward will be an in-depth look at speaker cable wires and why they’re a necessity for having the best-sounding sound.

Now, let’s get started with our reviews and take a closer look at the five products we chose.

Table of Contents

Best Speaker Cable Wire Review Comparison Chart


Best Speaker Cable Wire Review

Down below are a few of our favorite speaker cable wires.

We provided a positive review of each product. And as noted, each product will have a list of pros and a few minor cons after each review.

InstallGear 14 Gauge AWG 100ft Speaker Wire Cable

InstallGear 14 Gauge AWG 100ft Speaker Wire Cable

First up on our list is a speaker cable wire from InstallGear. InstallGear is a relatively known company over the last few years for the products they make.

Besides this product, they also make power and ground cables, ring terminals, distribution blocks, amp kits, and rubber grommets.

Nonetheless, this specific product from them is great. For being over 100 feet, it can certainly get just about any job done for this reason alone.

Quality-wise, it’s very well-made. It’s a true spec stranded wire that is rugged red with a black PVC jacket.

The two-color jacket is a huge plus since it easily differentiates between the two.

The conductor itself is a copper-clad aluminum conductor. Highlighting just how sturdy and solid of a wire it is.

For studios, this product is fantastic for home systems. Meaning it’s great for stereos because of its low memory jacket which makes it’s extremely easy to route and manipulate.

Not to mention how it’s very easy to install into banana plugs. The jacket of the wire strips very easily which is another huge plus.

Sound-wise, it can’t get much better than this, especially for its price.

Price-wise, it’s very reasonable for what it offers. Since it’s so affordable, there really isn’t any excuse for a musician or recording engineer to not get.

All in all, it’s a fantastic cable that can get just about any job done.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Great length
  • Easy to strip
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Might be too long for some people

MaxBrite High Performance 12 Gauge Speaker Wire, Oxygen Free Pure Copper – UL Listed Class 2

Next up is a product from MaxBrite. MaxBrite is a very reputable and solid company, and this is product is no different.

It’s a high-performance 12 gauge speaker wire that is oxygen-free pure copper. It’s a UL-listed class 2 and comes in a size of 50 feet.

50 feet is a great size since it’s possible for it to be used for just about any task sound-wise. This alone makes it a very solid product to own.

As for the quality of the wire, it’s fantastic. It’s extremely flexible, yet sturdy enough to not cause any issues. On top of that, its PVC jacket comes with red stripe polarity which makes it possible it install very fast and easily.

More features of the speaker wire include 12 AWG and 65 strands of pure copper wire per channel. Both of these allow the product to provide the highest possible quality for any sound system.

A big plus of the product is that it has almost 100 percent, oxygen-free copper conductors. Something that is definitely a plus for a product like this.

Other than that, it’s compatible with bare wire connectors, banana plugs, spade tips, and bent pin connectors.

As for its price, it’s very affordable. No matter the situation, a studio or individual will love speaker wire of this quality.

In conclusion, this is a great product from MaxBrite and is definitely worth checking out.

Pros

  • High quality
  • Easy to use
  • Affordable
  • Versatile

Cons

  • Not as long as it says on the package on occasion

InstallGear 10 Gauge Speaker Wire - 99.9% Oxygen-Free Copper

InstallGear 10 Gauge Speaker Wire – 99.9% Oxygen-Free Copper

As noted earlier, InstallGear is a very solid company that is known for a variety of products in the world of cables. In this case, this is a very solid speaker wire.

It’s a 10 gauge speaker wire that is 99.9 percent, oxygen-free copper. Length-wise, it’s 50 feet long which is great for a variety of tasks.

The oxygen-free aspect of the product is a huge advantage. It allows the product to not expand or contract with heat. Because of this, it can carry a higher current load.

As for its PVC jacket, it’s awesome. The PVC jacket allows the wire to be easily flexible and manipulated so that any task can be done. Allowing users to relax as they complete the job they need to get done.

Identify its polarity, it’s very easy to do so. The two-color jacket allows users to easily identify the polarity. Not properly identifying the polarity will cause major issues.

As for its price, it’s very reasonable and worth the price. Compared to the previously mentioned speaker wires, it’s definitely a bit more, but it’s certainly worth it.

Keep in mind that the more money you put into something like this, the better the product you get back will be.

All in all, this is a great speaker wire from InstallGear and is definitely worth checking out. I assure you that you won’t be disappointed!

Pros

  • Great Design
  • Durable
  • High-quality
  • Versatile

Cons

  • Slightly Expensive (Worth the Price Though)

GearIT Pro Series 16 Gauge Oxygen Free Copper UL CL3 Rated In-Wall Installation Speaker Cable

GearIT Pro Series 16 Gauge Oxygen Free Copper UL CL3 Rated In-Wall Installation Speaker Cable

Next up is a product from GearIT. Similar to the other companies on this list, GearIT is a very reputable and solid company.

Although their main focus has to do with the world surrounding computers, that doesn’t mean their speaker wire isn’t high-quality.

This specific product is a 16 AWG CL3 Outdoor Speaker Wire. It’s part of the GearITs pro series. Since it’s meant for the outdoors, this product is 250 feet long.

A length that size might seem a bit ridiculous, but for tasks regarding the outdoors, the more length you have, the better.

Similar to the other products on this list, the oxygen-free characteristic of this product makes it work very well and avoids any serious issues.

As for its material, you can definitely tell it’s made with the highest quality possible. From the way it moves, to how it operates, to its look, this product is made very well.

With the pro series from GearIT, you have a lifetime guarantee which is awesome. So, although the product is fairly expensive for speaker wire, the lifetime guarantee behind it makes it worth it.

No matter what level of a musician or recording engineer someone is, they’ll get a lot of use out of this product. Especially when they need one for outdoor use.

All in all, be sure to check this product out. I guarantee you that you won’t be disappointed!

Pros

  • Lifetime guarantee
  • Super durable
  • High Quality
  • Very long

Cons

  • Expensive compared to other products on this list

Mediabridge 12AWG 2-Conductor Speaker Wire 99.9% Oxygen Free Copper

Mediabridge 12AWG 2-Conductor Speaker Wire 99.9% Oxygen Free Copper

Last, but not least is a product from Mediabridge. Similar to the other companies on this list, Mediabridge is an all-around great company.

This specific product from them is a 12AW 2-conductor speaker wire. It’s 200 feet long and is bright white. The length is fantastic for those jobs that require a huge length like that.

As for its color, it makes it very easy to spot and is aesthetically pleasing as well.

You can connect your speakers to it with an A/V receiver or amplifier with the wire. Allowing studios to get a great setup with their speakers.

It pairs with banana plugs, spade tips, and bent pin connectors. This factor makes the product very versatile for the variety of options available for it.

The jacket of the wire is great. As noted, since it’s white it can easily be seen. Not to mention how flexible and sturdy it is.

Quality-wise, this product is built to last. It’s probably the highest-quality speaker wire on this list, and it certainly shows.

As for its price, it’s a bit pricey but is definitely worth it.

Be sure to check it out for yourself! You won’t be disappointed.

Pros

  • Super high quality
  • Very durable
  • Versatile
  • Great length

Cons

  • Expensive in comparison to other speaker wires on this list

Best Speaker Cable Wire Buyer’s Guide

AmazonBasics 14-Gauge Audio Speaker Wire Cable

As discussed, we’re going to be going over our speaker cable wire buyer’s guide. To start, let’s go over exactly what a speaker cable wire is for those of you that don’t know.

Speaker wire is a wire that connects loudspeakers and audio amplifiers together. This is done through an electrical connection.

Modern variations of speaker wire usually consist of a few electrical conductors which are individually isolated from something like plastic or rubber.

Now, let’s dive into the specifics of the product.

Gauge

Before anything regarding speaker wire, you should probably figure out what gauge means. Think of speaker wire gauge in reference to gauge earrings. Meaning the word has to do with size.

In simple terms, the lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire is. Whereas, the higher the gauge number, the thinner the wire is.

The reason the gauge of a speaker wire is important is that the thicker the gauge is, the less resistance there is for the current flow.

The gauge you want all depends on your price range and what you’re hoping to accomplish with your speaker wires. Be sure to do a bit of research into what you want.
InstallGear 14 Gauge AWG 100ft Speaker Wire Cable

Wire Length

Now let’s take a look at wire length. With regard to speaker wire, wire length is a big part of it.

On this list, the shortest length of a speaker wire was 50 feet whereas the longest length was 200 feet. The reason speaker wire has such a long amount of feet with it is that it’s necessary.

You never know how much wire you’re going to need or use. Thus, the reason why wire length is so important for speaker wires.

Although wire effect affects the current of something, make sure you only use the amount you need once everything is hooked up. Otherwise, you’re wasting wire you don’t need.

To figure you’re exact length, run a string from your receiver or amplifier location to both of your speakers. This should give you a rough idea of how much length you’ll need.

Kind of Wire

As for the kind of wire you’ll need, you basically have two options. You can either buy a speaker with or without a conductor.

For those of you that don’t know, a conductor is what allows the flow of charge in one or more directions. In other words, it allows the current to do something.

The hookup you want to do with your speaker wires will help you determine the exact kind of speaker wire you need.

Meaning, if you want to run speaker wires through your wall then you’ll need a different type of speaker wire in comparison to something else.

Be sure to know exactly what you want to do and do a bit of research into what will work best for you.

As noted, some wires will either have no conductors on them or they’ll have several, which is a huge difference.



Budget

As for the budget behind speaker wires, you’re probably wondering if it’s worth buying expensive speaker wires. Well, the answer is yes.

Obviously, it all depends on your budget and how much you’re willing to spend, but generally speaking, the more expensive a speaker wire is, the better the quality is.

If you have a high-quality speaker wire, you’ll be less likely to run into issues.

The advantage of modern technology is that there are reviews for everything available online.

So, once you narrow down a few speaker cables you want, read the reviews and see which one is best for you.

Be sure to only pick one that is not only in your price range but also has good reviews. If you can’t find anything that is in your price range with good reviews, then you may want to up your price range.

Doing so will allow you to get the best possible speaker cable for you.

Other Information

With speaker wire, there’s a lot of random information you should know about them. Without going into too much detail, let’s quickly go over a few.

For connecting them, you should identify the positive and negative leads of your speaker wires first. Once you do so, make sure you connect them to your speaker properly, otherwise, it won’t sound right.

Other than the speaker wires themselves, it’s important to know about speaker wire terminals. A speaker wire terminal is what connects speakers and audio power amplifiers. They usually come as a spring clip or a binding post.

Other than that, just make sure you do your proper research on the subject so that you know what you’re doing. If you rush ahead, you’ll only make your sound worse which is something that should always be avoided in the world of music.

“Q & A’s”

16AWG Speaker Wire, GearIT Pro Series 16 Gauge Speaker Wire Cable

As noted, we’re going to go over some common questions related to speaker cable. Down below are a few common questions surrounding the subject and short answers to all of them.

“Can any wire be a speaker cable wire?”

As long as a wire has two same-sized conductor wires, then yes it can technically be used as a speaker cable wire. However, keep in mind that you shouldn’t do this.

Some people might do this as a cheap way to save some money, but the reality is that this can cause a lot more harm than good.

Yes, you might save some money, but your risk causing an electrical accident that can ruin all of your gear.

So, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth doing something like this. From my experience, it’s probably best that you don’t try to skip corners and try to half-do something.

You’re better off investing the full amount and getting the job done.

“What’s the difference between speaker cable wire and regular wire?”

The main difference between speaker cable wire and regular wire is the thickness of the two. Speaker cable wire is significantly thicker because of the current it has to carry.

Think of it like this. Since speaker cable wire has a heavier load, it needs to be thicker in order to carry the load.

Whereas regular wire can be a lot thinner since it doesn’t require a thicker gauge to carry the current.

Thus, the reason why it’s so important people utilizes speaker cable wire for the purpose that it serves. Otherwise, they’ll run into some major issues that can be avoided in the first place.



“How does speaker wire affect the sound quality?”

Probably the most important question of them all, there are a lot of answers to this question.

For starters, the way speaker wires affect sound quality has to do with resistance. Meaning that resistance has an impact of sound quality when resistance is greater than 5 percent of the speaker’s impedance.

Therefore, the thicker the wire, the less resistance is caused. Making the sound quality better and less distorted or negative sounding.

So, the overall sound of a speaker is the combo of speaker impendence, gauge, and length that directly affects the resistance.

Now, with regard to speaker wires, since they’re made specifically to reduce resistance, they then serve the purpose of improving sound.

Although this isn’t their only task, it certainly is a major part of it.

Thus, why speaker wires play a huge factor in the speakers of a studio.

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Final Thoughts

For those of you searching for the best speaker wire cable, or just wanted to learn more about speaker wires in general, hopefully, this article gave you a good foundation to start with.

For a quick recap, we began by going over five of our favorite speaker wire cables. Highlighting their functionality, length, price, and several other factors.

Afterward, we went over our buyer’s guide to the subject. Going over aspects such as gauge, how much wire you need, the kind of wire, budget, and other information pertaining to the subject.

Last, but not least, we discussed a few common questions related to the product such as if any wire can be a speaker wire cable, the difference between a speaker wire and a regular wire, and how a wire affects sound quality.

Generally speaking, speaker wires are required for studios that want the best sound possible for their studio speakers. Not doing so will negatively affect their sound.

Regardless of this, be sure to check out a few of the options listed to see which one is best for you. And as always, keep chasing after your dreams!

About the Author

Michael-B

Michael-B is a Music Producer, Musician, and Formally Trained (and was Certified by the Recording Institute of Detroit in 1986) Recording Engineer. As of to date, He's built 3 home recording studios go back to 1987, where he wrote, played all the instruments, and recorded his music. Michael B is also a Writer, Chief Editor and SEO of TrackinSolo.com