Does speaker wire matter?

Understanding speaker wire gauge

As the old line from Star Trek informs us, you can’t argue with physics. The fact is that all speaker cables lose signal along the way from amplifier to speakers, due to the inherent resistance of the cable converting some of energy into heat. It’s how conventional lightbulbs and old-fashioned heaters work, and the same goes for cables – including speaker cables.

And it’s a law of physics that the gauge of the conductors in a cable – their thickness, measured as the cross-section in square millimetres (or mm2) – and the length of the cable run, will affect the impedance, or resistance, of the cable, and thus the amount of signal loss.

That’s true whatever the conductor material – be it copper, silver or whatever – and whether the cable uses a single thick strand of the material (a solid core cable) or a bundle of thinner filaments in a multistrand arrangement: the longer the cable and the thinner its conductors, the more energy will be lost.

Factors affecting speaker wire performance

As already mentioned, all cables will lose some of the power sent through them – you may not feel your speaker cables getting warm, but it happens. The result is that your 100 W amplifier may, with the wrong cable, only be delivering 80-90% of its power to your speakers. You’ve paid good money for those watts, so you want as many of them as possible to arrive at the speakers.

The most common cause of that loss is the “too thin, too long” concept mentioned earlier: yes, it may be desirable to run thin cable to speakers used in a secondary zone of your home, where neither maximum volume nor ultimate sound quality is vital, but for your main system the best advice is to run cables of the right length to reach the speakers, and of a sensible gauge. For example, DALI recommends at least 2.5 mm2 for runs of up to 5 m in your listening room, but if you need longer runs from amplifier to speakers, it’s worth considering thicker 4 mm2 cables to minimise signal losses.

In other words, not super-thick cables snaking across the floor, but merely well-constructed cables of a sensible gauge for what you need. It’s also worth noting that you should keep your cable lengths identical in a stereo setup, even if one speaker is closer to the amplifier than the other, and loop any excess cable loosely rather than coiling it tightly: all of this will mean the effect of the cables is the same on each channel.

What material should cable conductors be made from?

Welcome to the world of exotica featuring materials from different purities of copper (expressed by how little oxygen there is in the material) to silver-plated copper, and from pure silver to carbon, gold or even more “advanced” materials. It’s true that different materials used in various combinations can, in many situations, give different sonic results. However, before investing in speaker cables – or any Hi-Fi component – we recommend that you visit your local Hi-Fi specialist so you can listen to a selection of products for yourself. Trust your ears, not the marketing.

Common myths about speaker wire

Bear in mind these simple facts, and you’ll realise there’s a lot of confusion surrounding speaker wire. Here are some key takeaways...

●     All speaker wires don’t sound the same, regardless of gauge or quality. The right cable for the job will deliver excellent performance, but using cable that’s too thin will increase the impedance, resulting in a loss of the amplifier’s ability to control the speakers’ drivers efficiently and ultimately delivering a sound with loose bass and lacking definition. This isn’t about the “sound” of the cable, but rather whether it’s doing its job properly.

●     Thicker speaker wire doesn’t always result in better sound performance: in fact, there’s little point using cable that’s too thick, as it won’t bring improvements to the sound and will drain your wallet more.

●     It’s always best to use cable designed for audio applications and – unless you’re handy with a soldering iron – getting your retailer to attach terminals, such as spades or 4 mm plugs, for you. These don’t just allow a firm connection between speaker and amplifier but also make the cable ends airtight – copper, in particular, can oxidise over time when exposed to air, which will affect the connection.

How to choose the right speaker wire?

Now that you’re equipped with a solid understanding of speaker wire and what your setup may require, our best advice is to visit your local Hi-Fi specialist. They’ll work with you to find the ideal cables for your system and will help you avoid over-investing. Keep in mind, though, that your system will only sound as good as its weakest link, so it’s just as important to avoid under-investing.

A reputable dealer will give you good, impartial advice. Many are also happy to let you bring your Hi-Fi components into the store to test different speaker cables – or even let you “buy & try” at home.

Ultimately, the most important factor when investing in speaker wires – or any Hi-Fi gear – is to trust your ears. After all, you wouldn’t buy a car without taking it for a test drive, right?

Explore high-quality speaker solutions with DALI

DALI offers speakers to suit all needs, from floorstanding speakers in various sizes to discreet custom install speakers. Whether you want speakers for your listening room or you want to extend your sound throughout the home, the DALI range has something for you. Explore the entire DALI speaker range here.