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Can I use 24 gauge speaker cable?

I’ve been trying to google this but I only get vague answers.
I want to know if I can use 24 gauge cable as speaker cable. And if not: why not?
Usual answers are “no, you should use xx gauge”, but I’m looking for why is that? Will the speakers of the amp go off in flames if the resistance is too high? I don’t even get that because the resistance isn’t even that much of a difference between speaker cable sizes, compared to the speakers resistance.

I’m talking about ca 16ft / 5m distance between amp and speaker. By the way should that measure 16 ft or double (32ft because one cable is plus and the other minus)?
sjeesjie
jsd52756's avatar
jsd52756
440 posts
 
I put some thought into it a couple years back and my opinion hasn't changed. I have some older Infinity Ren 90 speakers that dip fairly low in the impedance curve.
Excerpt from my old post:
I may try the Dueland 12 gage. I just feel the 16 gage can't handle the power requirements. I relate it to trying to run a skill saw using a lamp extension cord. It'll go round and round, but if you want to cut some serious wood, you'll want a good #10 extension cord.
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
100Hz is too strong, in most cases, and small resistance in series helps to reduce it, since there is also impedance dip at this frequency. Nobody talks about kiloohms - that’s not a valid argument.

All I’m saying thin speaker wire might change sound to somebody’s liking. My power amp Benchmark AHB2 is perhaps the quietest and most accurate amplifier on the planet, but not everybody likes it.
audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,191 posts
 
No , next question ,if you did It would have enough voltage 
to run the topend and maybe mids, at best the midBass,low bass takes power to drive and a awg 24 cannot carry that much voltage, the woofers properly ,if you want your woofers to sound like a pop corn machine with a kick drum or Tom  Toms.a preamplifier probably so,
that is why it is called a preamplifier , 
turnbowm
353 posts
 

kijanki3,948 posts10-17-2020 4:22pm"100Hz is too strong, in most cases, and small resistance in series helps to reduce it, since there is also impedance dip at this frequency. Nobody talks about kiloohms - that’s not a valid argument.

All I’m saying thin speaker wire might change sound to somebody’s liking. My power amp Benchmark AHB2 is perhaps the quietest and most accurate amplifier on the planet, but not everybody likes it."

I used Kohms to show the fallacy of your argument. Name me one speaker manufacturer that suggests adding resistance in series with the amp-speaker connection?
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
You could've used megaohms or gigaohms as well. We’re talking about small fraction of an ohm difference, that speaker manufacturers don’t even consider worth mentioning. Atmasphere MA-1 power amp has 2.3 ohm output impedance and great reviews. Do you really think that 0.4ohm would make a difference? Most of tube amps have fraction of an ohm output impedance (in comparison to almost zero for SS). Do they sound bad?

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