Stupid sub wiring question

[StockerThanStock]

Ok, I feel really stupid. What's the difference between 8-gauge and 15 gauge wire? Which is better for a sub application? I've tried both and it sounds like the 15 gauge wire was missing the lowest bass, but what do I know? All of it's Monster wire too...

[Slippery S14]

8 gauge is larger diameter wire(smaller number, larger diameter). If it sounds better with the 8 gauge use it. Basically you are getting a bigger "highway" for your current than the 15 gauge.

Others here could give you min requirements if you provided the wattage of the amp to what size speakers etc but, as far as I know, you only stand to gain by going with larger wire(as a general statement).

[Rex]

Some good info on the diameter and recommendations.

Here's the diameter and resistence: American Wire Gauge

AWG OHMS PER WIRESIZE 1000 FT. DIAMETER 1 .1264 .2893 2 .1593 .2576 3 .2009 .2294 4 .2533 .2043 5 .3195 .1819 6 .4028 .1620 7 .5080 .1443 8 .6405 .1285 9 .8077 .114410 1.018 .101911 1.284 .090712 1.619 .080813 2.042 .072014 2.524 .064115 3.181 .057116 4.018 .050817 5.054 .045318 6.386 .040319 8.046 .0359

So, what it measn is not only is the larger (numeric) wire smaller in diameter, but it also does not allow for the signal (power) to flow through to the speaker as "freely".

[whiterps13]

go try breathing through a straw for a minute. i dare you. now you know what it feels like to be your amp.... if your amp is pushin 500+watts i would reccomend using 4 gauge.

[Simmsled]

Use 8 awg for your power wire if you are running up to about 400 watts. If you are running more than that, use 4 awg. If you have a 1200 watt (RMS) sub amp like me, then it makes you use 4 awg for power wire and 8 awg for speaker cable. I've been using Streetwires 10 awg for my sub speaker cable and Streetwires 4 awg for my power cable for a long time. The 15 awg is strange. It is something you dont normally see. Usually the size rating is 14 or 16 awg. That cable is best used as speaker cable. If you are running more than 500 watts per sub, you should consider 14 awg or even 12 awg over 700 watts. REMEMBER, THOSE WATT RATINGS ARE (RMS) reliable RATINGS, NOT the (ISBL, If Struck By Lightning) max power rating. ISBL is just something that I made up to make fun of the amps that claim 1000 watts but then only have a 20 AMP fuse and barely put out 150 watts RMS. I hate that so much.

[whiterps13]

^if isbl was a real term, ebay would have it on most every audio page. i cant beleive some of the crap *** amps they sell.

[StockerThanStock]

Nice straw analogy! It's only 140-150 watts rms going to a sissy little Kicker Comp 12" through about 8' of the 15 gauge stuff.

Mmmmm...low power bassy goodness!

[MECPInstaller]

the cable your talking about the 8 gauge and 15 gauge what is this for speaker wire or power wire? with subs the minimum speaker wire i would use is 12 gauge i'm using 12 gauge with 2 DVC audiobahn subs and 600 watts and everything sounds fine other than the boxes weren't built for those subs so they distort at high volume

[StockerThanStock]

The 15 gauge wire goes from the amp to the sub, the power wire is definately not a bottleneck. =)

[MECPInstaller]

i'd spend acouple bucks and get like 10 ft of speaker cable 12-10 gauge i used 10 gauge when i was running 1800 watts on a 15 was playing it on the safe side