Speaker cable gauge and amplifier power


Based on my limited understanding of electricity, sending electricity through a wire is like sending water through a pipe. Using a larger cable gauge or bi-wiring will increase the amount of current required from the amplifier.

It seems like there must be a way to optimize speaker cable gauge and length based on an amp's current and watt ratings. Lower powered amps would mate best with narrower gauge speaker wire, and a powerful amp would benefit from thicker wire.

Am I oversimplifying, or are there established guidelines based on calculations of current, capacitance, etc.?
jpbach
Eldartford...
I don't think that cables can ...make the amp work better.

Yes they can. Properly designed cables will allow an amp to work more efficiently, i.e., better.

Cheers!

Kind Regards,
Robert
RSAD
An example of what I had in mind was the way Naim used to design their amps for use with a specific gauge and length of wire. Not only did they sound their best with Naim speaker cable, the amps could supposedly become "unstable" with the wrong wire.

I understand that they have changed their design so that speaker cable is less of an issue. I guess that most amplifiers are designed so that the cable doesn't affect the operation of the amp. Anyone care to take a stab at explaining that?

Also, if anyone can recommend a good primer on the physics involved in audio, I would appreciate it. I thought I knew a thing or two about how stereos worked before I started this thread.