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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
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,652 posts
 
So, I am wonderin about using both a 12 gauge wire and a smaller gauge (perhaps 24 gauge) wire each sleeved in its own teflon tube but banded  together for each + and - terminal.
This way, there would be a smaller wire for the skin affect for the higher frequencies and a heavier gauge for the lower frequencies.

Any thoughts on this approach?

ozzy
jhills
624 posts
 
My favorite of all the cables I've tried is a 8' doubled pair of PTFE insulated single strand 22AWG UPOCC copper (equivalent to about 18AWG per lead) with a textile jacket.
While not the heaviest gauge speaker wire I've tried, I n an 8' run, is the most open, smooth and detailed cable that I've tried - performing very well with bass, mids and highs. I found them to work very well with both dynamic box and  planer speakers.

For longer runs than 8' or 10' - may need to do three runs per lead....Jim
ozzy's avatar
ozzy
7,652 posts
 
I'm going to try using 12 ga,18, 24, 30 gauge .9999 solid  soft annealed silver wire. Each wire will be sleeved through individual PTEF tubing and combined at the speaker/amp terminals.
I may even try them bare with no connectors.

ozzy
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