Do Speaker Cables Make a Difference 🎶

I've tried 16 gauge copper clad and 14 gauge oxygen free copper speaker cable and I've not heard any discernible difference between them. Will 12 gauge OFC sound better?
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[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Some people are claiming that this is a fake comparison. The cables were 100% changed out for each recording. However, it is a still photo. I forgot to take a picture when recording the other two sound tests. So rather than reattach the cables again and take another two pictures, I used the one still photo. You are not Sherlock Holmes and you haven't uncovered some nefarious plot to trick the viewing public.

[@shiplu.mokaddim]

To understand the difference between the sounds, you'll also need a pair of speaker that can cover the full frequencies he is producing and connection between the amp and cable must be maintaining 12 gauge.

[@buskman3286]

FWIW... I participated in a test where cables were 'changed' and the brand/type of cable was stated at each change. EVERYONE could hear the difference that the "better" cables provided. BUT, when the results were announced, it turned out that NO cable changes had been made - the cheapest cables had been in place the entire time yet literally all 11 participants stated how much better the "$2000 cables" sounded as opposed to the $30 cables that were in place the entire time. ;)

[@sixdogbob543]

You've hit the nail on the head. They've done similar experiments with wine and other things and folks invariably "prefer" what they're told are higher priced, more glamorous products even though they're drinking the same wine with a fake label. It confirms their good taste don't you know. The only reliable way to do any testing is totally blind so you don't know what product you're experiencing and have to give your honest assessment without the built in bias of your brain and ego interfering. This test above, and the comments below, clearly exemplify this point. To have people claim to have heard a "definite difference" though a KZbin video with no knowledge of how the recording was made or its quality is quite humorous. We humans have weak minds, thus you have many that believe that the earth is flat and Donald Trump isn't a liar. So it goes.

[@davelistenstohifi]

So did you hear a difference in these tests?@@sixdogbob543

[@wyattandwill12]

That being said I didn’t mess with looking into 12 gauge. I still got 14 gauge OFC because the headroom and peace of mind was worth it. I learned recently not to cheap out especially when it’s something where you have to pull a bunch of panels out that you may break (car audio application)

[@ProGamerKF]

No cables Change its not even a test its just a joker you cant do a test like that

[@hummerownersofamerica]

If you look at the cable running to the speakers behind the stereo, you can actually see that the entire video shows the big white 12 ga cable running to the speakers. He never changed the cables!

[@hafid4319]

This was the most straightforward video on cables I've ever seen 😂. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@tandersan]

Cable is everything: if you unplug it, it’s over! 😂

[@wilsonlee5590]

I noticed that the left and right volume levels seem to differ in some songs when using a 12AWG cable in this video. In particular, the right side is louder. I am using headphones with a volume of around 50dB. It is difficult to say for sure if this is a difference in the cables

[@Somun-a]

Exactly. Came here to say the same. I think quite possibly the recording conditions are not the same (moving even a couple of inches makes a difference, especially at MID/HIGH frequencies).

[@valherustinger7848]

I did this test when I was 14 with my next door neighbour who was around 12 back in the 90s. What we concluded was that the thicker the wire the better the sound so the analogy we used to understand it was like sucking out of a straw. Thinner the straw the least amount of resolution we got in the sound. THe biggest difference we picked up was the resolution of the Kicks. They were snappy and less muddy so from that day on, we always use thick cables for speakers so our cars when we got older always amazed people at how crystal clear and loud they were compared to others.

[@yournightmare9999]

So which one do you use?

[@sanonmars]

So why stop at 12, 10 or 8 awg will be even better nothing holding back?

[@yvesboutin5604]

A friend introduced me to tined copper wire for one simple reason : They do not oxydized with time. In fact, we can see that effect on some copper wires with transparent jacket. After a few years of use, the copper turn to a brownish colour and even green, which is a sure sign the wire is oxydizing. I have the same wires for 20 years and they still sound the same. You don't need to pay a fortune for wires, you just need the good type with the correct gauge for your need. Thanks !!!!

[@howardskeivys4184]

Speaker cables make a huge difference. I purchased 3 meters of 16 gauge cable and couldn’t hear a thing. So I bought 5 meters of 12 gauge cable and it sounded great. Probably due to the fact that my speakers are 4 meters apart!

[@joynulhaque]

Believe it or not, on my iphone i could tell the difference between 12 and 14 if listening carefully. The 14 and 16 sound the same but I'm amazed that 12 can sound that different even listening on a phone. I have ordered 12 gauge cable thanks to this test. I know for me it will definitely pay off as i've just started to build a system and currently only have 22guage lying around to use! Thanks

[@LEDFOOT49]

14 and 12 Are basically the same thickness there is very little almost insignificant difference in thickness. I use 14 but ordered real Germán copper wire. I think it depends on the wire if it's full copper or not and the connections too. And also what stereo equipment you have.

[@timeWaster76]

You could tell the difference on your iphone ?

[@APinTheAK]

iPhone 14 Max Pro here. And as much as it pisses me off to say it…. The 12 clearly sounded better… even just thru my phone speaker. It is noticeably brighter. Where the switch to the 14/16 sounded almost like it was being held back. I don’t know how to explain it, but it was like it could breathe.

[@levijessegonzalez3629]

​@@LEDFOOT49where can I order this wire?

[@LEDFOOT49]

@@levijessegonzalez3629 I got mine at Amazon

[@nothinghere1996]

i use xlr to monos next to the speaker and use two runs of 12 gauge shielded cable of 0.5m from each speaker to amp. i use xlr to send the signal to the amp which is low current and shielded. my thinking is to maximum current flow and shortest distance for the amplified signal. i would also use shielded cable if i went from a central amp to the speaker. why would you not? banana plugs and heat shrink plastic sleeves make it pretty and user friendly.

[@raynerles7929]

12 gauge really jumps out to me, I was very surprised, Cheers for the vid.

[@jeffjefferson7384]

Going from CCA 16WG to OFC 12 AWG is noticeable for sure. You immediately hear a bit more 'air' and sparkle. I had trouble noticing the transition from OFC 12 to OFC 14 though.

[@MisterDivineAdVenture]

16 gauge pure copper @8ohms is good for 400 Watts. The formula is inverse proportion (4ohm = 800 Watts.) That's all you need to know - speaker (rated) + cable (measured) = total ohms. 16g also a whole lot easier to twist into a noise-free cable if you need one (electric motors or other high frequency pollution - are you a ham radio guy? Have fluorescent lights? Live in Nebraska storms?) 14G for extremely long runs like in commercial settings or out to the barn. Maybe protect the cable well with a poly sleeve for trenching? Kids? That's where I got to with this. Biggest tell: the wires inside the speakers. Watch GR-Research chan = great insights.

[@corvettetexan]

I’m surprised that I actually did hear a difference. It’s hard to say which one was “better” (I’m listening on an iPad withe the iPad’s speakers) but they were certainly different. Interesting.

[@stighenningjohansen]

As long as the cables are correctly dimensioned for the load, with a low resistance/inductance/capacitance the cables will not affect the sound in any way. Not even in your dreams, forget this nonse and spend your money on speakers/room/placement and then the source you prefer.

[@mathiashammar1]

so 14 and 16 gauge makes sound "brighter" more top end. 16 gauge deliver most top end notes. 12 gauge got more base to it and topend is has a tiny bit of topend removed. How i could hear ? i use my 3 way speakers with crossover and could isolate each bandwith in 3 parts.

[@iamdrdeath]

First off nice no nonsense video. Secondly i have always found 12, 10 and even 8 ( I found the best!) canhave incredible improvements in resolution, dynamics and control. If you ever get the chance to try some silver plater 8 AWG wires I think you'd be in for the biggest surprise yet!

[@timgibson2070]

I've always gone by the tinsel leads from the speakers coil.

[@chk5306]

It is very interesting cables audio test.. I would like to recommend one thing, same brand with different Gagues will be more justice evaluation. Thank you

[@tedanderson5528]

A chain is as strong as its weakest link. Except for a very rare few custom home made amps & pre’s I’ve worked on with no boards and tic tac resistors & caps, the “flow” is in the range of a 20 gauge wire (not to mention the microns of copper you get in the boards). When you consider this, makes more sense that the thick as your wrist cables you come across are for show. To each their own.

[@g.fortin3228]

I have found the same in my testing.. it's not so much a bass difference between 14 ofc and 12 ofc , but it's a detail and overall, although slight, noticeably better. Good test i think.

[@Scuurpro]

What would hav been interesting is if you used all 100ft of 12, 14, 16. I noticed a big upgraded for from 16awg to 12 awg for my rears speakers that both need around 40ft of cable. There was always this static noise thats now gone and everything seems a bit more punchier.

[@michaelwerbick]

the difference is not in the cable gauge but the power the amp needs to use to push the signal. The resistance is greater on when you go up in gauge. Your amplifier needs to work harder to push the same level of sound. You wont (IMO) notice it as much on lower volume but could hear it at a more moderate volume if you have a weak amp.

[@seephor]

Yes, resistance goes up with small gauge. HOWEVER, that's a function of distance. When you are working with a 5 foot cable, the resistance difference between 14 and 12awg is negligible when you are pushing 50+ watts through. You really need to worry about gauge when the distances get much greater.

[@bobbytubbs5469]

Pure copper belden 12 or 14 works well

[@geraldoram2453]

I’ve always used QED 79 strand speaker cables since the’90s and I’m definitely satisfied with them and don’t see any need to try anything else.

[@damirhlobik6488]

me too

[@kingbender4164]

Me too

[@AlexDuffy-s8o]

Great cable ,use it with my Wharfdale 12.1s....great separation ,and mid range is excellent

[@kennethwilliams4874]

Great vid and enjoyable presentation. Here's the thing, if anyone wants to actually determine if they are hearing a difference, you cannot listen AND watch the screen as the gauges change. That will influence your psychological reaction...when you see the gauge number change on the screen, you will subconsciously try to hear a difference even if there isn't one. To take this test properly, you must listen without seeing the gauges on the screen change.

[@markenetube]

I agree. When I was a HIFI nut I spent a load on o2 free cable and gold-plated cable plugs , and thought it sounded better. Then I got my brother to switch cables and did a blind test where I was out of the room. I came in twice not knowing if my standard cable was connected or my expensive gold plated stuff. I chose the standard cable on the blind test. Proving it was "kings new clothes" effect. I am not saying this is the same for everyone, but fanatics do spend a lot to squeeze out he last bit of performance that perhaps only an oscilloscope would notice.

[@kennethwilliams4874]

@@markenetube Good points Mark, an analogy would be the current TV screen "ultra super mega high definition" stuff. The human eye can only perceive resolution and definition to a certain degree; beyond that, any "improvement" in picture quality cannot be perceived. If one is 10 feet away from a 65-inch screen, he will not be able to discern any difference whatsoever between a 4k and an 8k. The returns have diminished to microscopic levels.

[@markenetube]

@@kennethwilliams4874 I agree. I have seen laptops dumped because they would only go to 720p. When I look at 1080 compared to 720 it looks slightly clearer, but would it stop my enjoyment of watching a video on KZbin? No. You would probably have to go as low as 240 for that to happen. It is the same with music. You can refine your system until you hear the conductor breathing on the quite parts, but does that make you enjoy it more? It is the same as saying your car system sounds awful. Which compared to your home set up, it may well do, but do you not use it?

[@APinTheAK]

@@markenetubeooffff. It’s hard to go back tho after you’ve been on a nice 1080 screen. I’ve been running 3440x1440 for sometime now, and it’s a night and day difference to my old 1080 screens. Forget 720p, lol. Would kill my eyes.

[@APinTheAK]

@@kennethwilliams4874oh but Kenneth! Don’t you want to sit on the floor infront of your 165” 8k TV, 2.5’ away, while watching a (maybe) High Def stream of Monday Night Football? We can all huddle around and kink the ever lovin’ piss outta or necks as we try to take in all 165” inches of upscaled bullshit.

[@Eric-q9n]

I own a slew of hi-end speaker cables from Crystal Cable (silver conductors), Siltech (770L) and Transparent Musicwave Ultra MM2. Not sure what gauge each of those are so I can’t give any advice on that parameter but to say that a system tipped to far with silver can sound edgy, bright and fatiguing. That conductor material is tricky. The demo you did supporting the 12 gauge wire is also supported from an engineering standpoint being that it has lower “resistance” characteristics. KZbin is audibly a flawed medium, but I agree with your assessment based on science. Thanks for the video!

[@SuperLisalis]

Thankyou so much. My speakers are now able to have their debut...been in box two long weeks as I was so confused over wire business.

[@chuckmaddison2924]

Hi , here in Australia we use aluminium with copper layer in mains supply. It's cheap it meets requirements. But big BUT it breaks easily compared to plain copper. Its not something to screw in and change your mind too often. The other thing standard electrical copper is 99.9% . They claim audio is 99.99 %. If anyone can hear that I'm Russian. The gauge is the big problem especially the longer you run it and the lower the impedance of the speaker , check voltage distribution over system. You want the volts across the speaker not the cable. There are many claims but no oscilloscope patterns.

[@IliyaOsnovikov]

The Stereophile magazine had speaker cable tests with oscilloscope patterns.

[@biglew1161]

Aluminum has about 50% of the conductivity as copper. So to get the same resistance in aluminum you need to go up two gauge sizes as would need on copper. so your 16 guage aluminum would have been close to 18 gauge copper. So going from 16 gauge aluminum to 14 gauge copper was like going from 18g to 14g pretty good difference difference but from 14g to 12g not as big a difference.

[@polkiju7]

I’m curious if the difference would be as discernible if you used the same color for the text(?) Another issue might be the mechanical engagement of the cable to your terminals. 12g larger diameter, better contact? Signed : Devil’s Advocate

[@marcvwest]

In your test did you connect each end of the gauge roles, or did you cut exact lengths of each of the cables between both amp L/R speakers?

[@erichschader1079]

Good question

[@riteshraman7894]

Which wire gives better sound? Tinted copper or Bare copper for speaker?

[@TravelandAudio]

Bare copper!

[@sanonmars]

Tinned copper is used in humid, coastal areas for durability, however it is claimed that it does not affect sound.

[@davidachille7188]

Will there be a test with 12awg CCA wires which may be as good as 14awg OFC?

Unfortunately this vintage amp that I'm going to get has clips and I don't think it will fit 12 gauge wire. The connectors you can get might cause a short because they can move around and touch each other. Is there anything you can suggest that it would give me a good connection with a 12 gauge wire to a smaller clip?

[@luca6819]

You could try a comparison with the thinnest wire you could use that doesn't melt with the power supplied, that should be funny!

[@gage4375]

I have the micca 14 gauge cables, I recently tried 12 gauge cables and they are a little better than the 14.the miccas are good cables

[@yveslegault6825]

Obviously, a listening session via youtube may be questionable. However, the only variable here was the speaker cabling. So I woould submit that thhis was a fair test. The only issue is that one's ears are not sensitive enough to detect a difference. I wonder what would have been the difference with 22 AGW wire. I submit that there might have been an audible change. I have never seen a power amplifier with the speaker cable included in his feedback. Including the speaker in the feed back would yeld interesting results. What if the preamplifier would include the power amplifier, the speaker wires and the speaker. in his feedback? That would provide active correction across the whole audio chain.

[@ericdoe2318]

Hey great job! Run the test again with some 8g wire

[@geraldhmcmasterjr4704]

Just got done watching this video. I did not hear any difference between the 3. Im curious though. I was watching the back of the right speaker when the songs and cables were changed and noticed the cables behind the speaker were never swapped out as the songs where being played. Where we just listening recorded audio only

[@MrZekToR]

I've just changed my speaker cables from 14 gauge Kabeldirect to a 12 gauge QED XT40i pair. There is a definite change in sound. Tonally different, more bass weight. Stronger mid-range and a touch more sparkle at the top. Its easier to pick out individual sounds in the soundstage too. This change had a bigger impact than i was expecting for sure. Thanks.

[@johnclyne6350]

I have access to 350 mcm copper wire (single conductor) I could use for speaker cables. I just can’t find terminations from 350 mcm to banana plugs for my speakers & amplifier?

[@sneekylinux]

As with interconnect cables there is a diminishing return on what you can actually hear but if you have weierdo hearing like me you can tell the difference with a better cable but after £40-£60 for a basic home setup, do not spend anymore unless you have unlimited cash and are just trying to show off, I have a small room with an odd shape so positioning and maybe toeing in maybe the key here, but when I did fit some new cables the kids (grown up) could tell the difference as soon as they walked in the front door!!

[@deehive]

aint cables are useless when then pass through speaker terminals?

[@djphilmiller1]

Thanks man 😊it was like Groundhog day 😂 I’m just about to order and try 12 Gauge wire 🥴 😂

[@UofARollTide]

To me the 12 sounded a little more full range and deeper. The 16 was brighter and brought out the highs. To me the 14 sounded the worst it just seemed caught in between and was just boring. It’s all just personal preference and can be tuned to what you like.

[@dsartain3404]

I would like to hear a demo with classical or jazz as your choice was too bass heavy for me. Thanks for the comparison though. Ps, you can start trading copper futures 😅

[@ilhiasdasilva1581]

Great video. Thank you.

[@derrekcrofford1196]

Thank you for this video man! I have 16 gauge going from an Adcom to my 901s. Im going to experiment now thanks to your video!

[@hummerownersofamerica]

If you look at the cable running to the speakers behind the stereo, you can actually see that the entire video shows the big white 12 ga cable running to the speakers. He never changed the cables!

[@KarazP]

In this vid 14 and 16 are the same to me. But 12 gauge is more open sound and more treble. But for my tastes I need the cable for Home theater I think 16 is the best for me lol But for music, I think 12 is a better choice. BTW I'm listening on Klipsch RP-8000 II So maybe it's very sounds different with other speaker because my speaker's horn itself is very serious making treble already

[@bornagainbornagain6697]

It also is the amount of strands in the wire. Electrons flow along the outside of the wire, not through it like water in a pipe. The higher the strand count the less resistance. I use 10 gauge OFC

[@tomstrum6259]

Come on man.....that system with a Meter or 2 length, Any type metallic Conductors (barbed Wire, welded Chain, copper or cast iron plumbing Pipe, etc) will sound Identical unless you have Hallucinations or chase sonic Unicorns !!

[@bornagainbornagain6697]

@@tomstrum6259 It is a good thing to be skeptical, but if you have good hearing first, and good equipment that can resolve fine details then you can hear a difference. I used to be like you but hearing is believing.

[@AiResearcherPhD]

How about increasing the volume to compensate?

[@ArioS-cy1bw]

Heard them from my cheap active speakers, and I love the 12 gauge.... 😋, 14-16 nearly similar.

[@kingsonIAH]

Placing different spool of cables on your table there can easily make difference in the sound field in your room, and the sound you receive in your ears.

[@josephely5782]

Not a simple comparison here as you've mixed gauge and wire type for each; probably brand as well, which introduces other variables. In theory gauge would not matter for your very short runs - at least with the 12-16 gauges used here. Smaller size wire will have higher resistance and you'd, at minimum, hear a volume decrease with long runs. Wire type is more significant. CCA is crap. I believe that specifics of wire type (with oxygen free being part of that) is way more significant than the gauge.

[@markmawer]

Would there be a more pronounced difference on a longer run of cable, to rear surrounds for example?

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Potentially, especially with runs over 3 metres/10feet.

[@valentingheorghe1693]

The loudspeaker cable job is to ensure optimal transfer of power (volts and amps) between the amplifier and the loudspeaker, so you just make sure that you select the optimal wure gauge to do the job. If you want to hear a difference in the sound signature, well, then, assuming you want to keep the sane loudspeaker drivers, you may have to modify/upgrade the crossover network filters fitted inside the loudspeaker.

[@alexw890]

The level is different because there is less resistance in the larger cable. The dielectric is equally important to the copper. Polyethylene is what you want. Most cable has PVC.

[@jericlee1509]

maximum lenght of wire per speaker?

[@mecaNick86]

12 gauge sounds clear,good for tweeters

[@jenserikjohansson6228]

Hoples rom to stat Anny different.and speakers???amp ???

[@helifynoe6956]

Built my huge speakers back in 1978. I used 12 gauge dual wires for speaker cables, but I also took no chances. The positive side, (RED), uses the 12 gauge with the two wires tied together at both ends, and the negative side, (BLK), also uses the 12 gauge dual wire with the two wires tied together at both ends. So what does that make it, 6 Gauge ? LOL

[@shuster1921]

Instantly noticed a difference!! I have high end speakers on my PC, and noticed the jump from 12awg to 14awg, and the clarity change. Just now building a new system, and this great video made up my mind on speaker wire size!!

[@hummerownersofamerica]

If you look at the cable running to the speakers behind the stereo, you can actually see that the entire video shows the big white 12 ga cable running to the speakers. He never changed the cables!

[@DonP-b9q]

Haha. You should look up placebo effect. He never changed the cables. It's a joke!

[@jadedsoul1]

what id like to know is what mic did you use.. im listening on mordaunt short MS912's and they all sound the same to me , also the music choice was terrible. but im just over 50 years of age and spent a good few years at raves sat in bass bins. anyway i could not tell any diff.... Also listen to a quality mix !!!!

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

Unfortunately, due to copyright, I'm restricted to the KZbin music library. Not much Rave music in there I'm afraid. Most of the differences can be heard in the upper mids and treble. If you've spent years having your ears pounded by rave music, you probably won't hear the difference. 😄

[@DonP-b9q]

@@UTILITARIANTVUK Will you please let everyone know you never changed the cables and this was a joke. You can see the 12 gauge hooked up in the back never even move. You never even slightly moved anything.

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

@@DonP-b9q That's because it's a still picture. I used a separate mic to record each one. Don't jump to conclusions, you're not Sherlock Holmes. 😆

[@paradoxicalcat7173]

You need to run this test again. Ensure the wires are properly terminated. I detected a difference in channel levels which could make a difference to the recording. That said, there did seem to be a difference, BUT it could be attributed to the quality of the termination. If the connection in the plug is high-resistence (bad connection) this alone can trash the output.

[@smartass6071]

Open up even the most expensive speeker and the wires inside are always cheap 22 gauge wire. I challenge anyone to take a blind test with cheap vs. expensive wire and no one can tell the difference.

[@thomasowens5824]

Nonsense.

[@synaesthesia2010]

i use 10 gauge Van Damme LC-OCF cable, cost £10pm for 4m and worth every penny, terminated with self locking banana plugs, that's the kind of cable you should invest if you have Marantz gear, especially from the budget end. if that amazon cable was £61 for 60m you've been fleeced, that's too cheap a cable for that setup. also, i recommend you get some off the reel Van Damme Locap55 guitar cable for interconnects, £8pm off ebay and put plugs on yourself, you can get a decent half meter cable for just over £20 if you terminate them yourself and it's just as good as a £200 off the shelf lead

[@jm_1214]

The gauge of wire needed depends on current of amplifier and efficiency of speaker

[@Xantylon74]

12 Gauge sounds wider you can hear less bass (even bit like if you change the polarity on one side), 14 and 16 sound very similar, maby 14 has a bit more high sounds. I would not even say better, but different.

[@GlycerinZ]

I"m installing four speakers in my car, they're 75W each. Connecting to an amp that will push 75W to each speaker. I decided not to use the factory car speaker cable, and instead going to use 12AWG OFC speaker cable

[@fubartotale3389]

Those saying they could hear the difference I would invite to a double blind listening test. None of the high end cable manufacturers will ever agree to such tests.

[@marekolchava6619]

I can easily here difference by listening this on my phone only.

[@gasolin75]

Next copper vs silver or stranded vs solid core cable

[@C10CRZN]

Yeah the 12g did sound brighter the 14 and 16 sounded a little less detailed. I would say depending on how much power you are running if the speaker wire is too small your resistance might be higher and your speakers might not get as much power if you run too much power thru smaller wire they can even heat up and cause a fire if it gets hot enough so going bigger is always better to a certain extent at a certain point you will find diminishing value .

[@kayaking1000]

I have mission M31 8 ohms 25/75 watt bookshelf speakers. Will 12 gauge make a difference, or is it overkill. If so, what gauge should i use?

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

What cable are you using at the moment?

[@kayaking1000]

@UTILITARIANTVUK Not exactly sure. They came with the speakers. They are tiny and the cover is brittle and cracking. Looking to upgrade and not sure what to use. Thinking about 16 guage pure copper until I seen your video on 12 guage

[@jupitermoongauge4055]

Listening on a pair of mission 753's and the difference was huge.

[@yinzer8192]

This is a test of SHORT TERM MEMORY! The only thing that matters with speaker cables is the impedance relative to the length. Ideally the shorter the run... the better.

[@geraldcrook9504]

I Listened to your video. I am having trouble with to much base on a new set of Dynaudio emit 20 , I think I bought speakers to big for my room . But having said that I did find the 12 ofc cable was more to my liking . So being a taff myself living in Clydach Swansea would you consider selling me 6 mts of cable seeing as you have so much. I understand p&p would be included in the price if you would sell me some . Many thanks Gerald

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

I'm not sure that the cable will make much difference with too much bass. Have you tried pulling them further out into the room or, if you can't do that, using a bass port plug?

[@matiasbondone8454]

and why not 8 or 10 AWG? the expensive cable speakers use 10 awg

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

At short runs, I'm not sure it would make much of an improvement.

[@marxman00]

I think having a tiled floor is your biggest audio problem. Its a reverberation nightmare !

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

It's a nightmare, you need to put a large rug down.

[@veritasfan11]

yes they make a difference when i listen to my 12awg cables and my 9awg cables they both sound nice but my 9awg cables sound more fuller better bass and midrange. i can hear the difference immediately no doubt i think it depends a lot on the speakers you have and what kind of sound you prefer.

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

16 n 14 slightly duller with 12 brighter IMO

[@ianbayliff2397]

The 12g sounded brighter compared to the 16g sounded dull to my ears🤷‍♂️...that ws on my phone samsung galaxy 5

[@jonathonlyles3349]

Maybe it makes a bigger difference over a longer distance

[@rafaelalmonte8212]

I definitly noticed a big diffrent (%) 12 &14 gauges sound better than 16 gauge in my left ear however 14 & 16 gauges sound much better in my right ear. The samething happen if me was hearing the music looking at my phone with my eyes open or with my eyes close. Oh, the samething laying down, standing up. Didn't try upside down. Since I usually hear my music seating facing north and my speakers on the west position then I might have to go with the 12 gauge. Lets see

[@mennims]

12 to 14 there's a decent difference, that's if there aren't external factors affecting the recordings. I could tell the difference in a blind test. 14 to 16 has much less of a difference. Don't think it's so crazy to be able to tell there's at least a difference assuming nothing else affected the recordings

[@philsanders4545]

Cables do make a difference. Its about the shielding as well as the guage, keeping the signal "in" if you like. Having gone through numerous cables in the past, I've settled for Chord Sarum T, mains, interconnects and speaker cable. Expensive, yes, but the music is just out of this world. Would I spend as much again? You bet I would. My cables far exceed the price of my system, but the detail with all types of music is pure magic.

[@thomasryan9639]

To me the 14 gauge sounds more mellow, less harsh than the other rwo.. It depends on what kind of music you listen to. Thanks for the comparison.

[@wric01]

Solid core best immediate noticeable. F orget the connectors straight wire to speakers.

[@TravelandAudio]

You have a very tiny separation between your speakers, so it won't make a difference. For long runs and difficult to drive 4 ohm speakers I use 10awg OFC cable. I have 16 awg in my bedroom and 10 awg ofc on my other 2 listening rooms.

[@ramixpAPEX]

I was using 16 but then purchased a 12 gauge. I immediately notice a difference in clarity. Sounds more alive.

[@shiplu.mokaddim]

Here is an argument for those who are thinking cable doesn't make any difference. Have you ever used a wired headphone? Especially the cheap ones. When they are brand new they sound great. But as they are cheap, after some years, you'll see the cable gets frayed and the it still sounds okayish, right? Even few more years gone by and you'll discover the sound in left and right are different. So you try to fix the loose cable in your headphone. The sound is not completely gone. But it would sound distorted or the volume would be very low. So you fix the headphone by making a better connection. Then suddenly you'll hear very sound. That's the difference between good and bad connection. The speaker acts same. The difference is not very intuitive. But once you change and upgrade, you'll say "why does it sound better".

[@charleyweinhardt]

i want to see 8 gauge ofc at 4 ft length vs 28 gauge string at 80 ft length

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

No brainer, the string would win easily!

[@charleyweinhardt]

@@UTILITARIANTVUK its surprising no one on the internet has done a test to REALLY see how much a wire can effect your sound, like will sound die at some point? probably not, when you think about old telephone wires going continents away...

[@aswinsura3851]

I also noticed but . Any Microphone position change?

[@UTILITARIANTVUK]

No, mic was in the exact same position.

[@essendon72]

Yes they do however it's complicated how it works.

[@MikeleKonstantyFiedorowiczIV]

there is difference, very noticable in 12 and 14 and little bit in 16 and 16 and 14 sound best.

[@MikeleKonstantyFiedorowiczIV]

i test some cables and fat cables are better in bass and a little bit in mids, but its not always people expect, same with rca to dac

[@kenabi]

any proper OFC, capable of handling the power load applied (with a touch of headroom, and not running it over the rated current load) will sound the same as any other with the same capability or greater. for most people with ~100w/channel and sub 20ft, this translates to 16awg. if you're doing slightly longer runs , lower ohm rated speaker (~2ish) or a subwoofer, you're going to be looking at 14awg. if its ~50-75ish, 16 is overkill. for a 100ft length you may add a grand total of an ohm with OFC in 16, but this is within tolerances. CCA doubles, roughly, any resistance values in a wire run over OFC. 14awg almost fully halves for OFC, but only around 37-40% drop in ohms for CCA. CCA is trash as a product, and adds more resistance in general, leading to possible amp load concerns in some installs, and will corrode over time if theres literally any real humidity in the install location. absolutely garbage, it only exists so companies can cheap out on wire, and was based on grounding rods, which are copper clad steel, but the coating on those is several millimeters thick. beyond that, its alllllll psychosomatic. you can get the same overall quality and tone with plain steel 16awg coat hangers. and its been proven. copper wire is mostly for the sake of being able to run it places easily. my rec; if you want 'pretty'; get a cl2 (150v max) or cl3 (300v) rated 14/2 in your jacket color of choice (or 14/4 if you're running it to a jack plate), find one without the visible stamped text on the jacket (eg; black text on a white jacket, and i'll admit this is hard sometimes, but some companies make it mostly invisible), and just roll with it. if you don't even care that much then all you need is a good OFC 14awg two conductor speaker wire or even just OFC lamp cord if you can find it in 14. a 250ft box of 14/2 OFC is running around $150usd right now. regardless of who tells you what, its really not that big of a deal. i use clear 16awg speaker wire. the tinned/bare stuff that looks like silver and copper wires, for decades. 0 issues, zero tone change. 14awg for my subwoofer needs. in a pinch i've used landscaping 16awg wire. its usually all copper. and fairly cheap, in comparison. $100 for that same 250ft. CCA by comparison is averaging around $50-60 for that same 250ft roll. you really do get what you pay for. tl;dr; no difference, good wire for the rating will do the job, CCA is trash. period.

[@jasonmc.dougall8551]

Is just my humble opinion, at close range it doesn't make much of a difference, if you're using cables longer than 6 feet then you might notice a slight change, eg. AWG16 is going to have a higher voltage drop than AWG12 over long distance, but the thicker cable is going to have more power handling capabilities at any distance

[@majicogarcia8417]

The 12 gauge wire had stronger mid bass and bass on most of the songs.

[@zaftra]

not much between 14 and 16 but noticeable on 12