Speaker Wire

I'm starting a build for sq to run next year. I'm a tone def ex-spl competitor with no shop experience and have a ton of questions.

What do most use for speaker wire?
Is twisted pair better?
What brands made with better material or easier to work with?

On most of the boards I frequent asking what wire to used will almost always lead to a flame war..

Personally I am of the belief that any appropriate gauge speaker wire is exactly the same as any other wire. I feel that the science is behind me on this. I have yet to see any physics examples to prove otherwise and any attempt to prove out wires in a double blind test that I have heard of have failed.

Others believe that the wire does affect the sound, and that only by spending thousands of $$ on cables will you be able to have a transparent wire.

SQ questions aside, I usually buy KnuKonceptz 16ga wire. Its cheap and pretty good quality. I am usually ordering a ton of extra stuff from them so I get my speaker cable then.

I really like the IXOS speaker wire. Don't have to go totally overboard. Just get something that is good.

Knukoncepts....dont they use copper clad aluminum?

They have some CCA Power wire as well as regular copper. Their speaker and component cables are regular copper (or so I believe).

I have used the CCA power wire and the real copper stuff, honestly I can't tell the difference other than flexibility.

For speaker wire I generally use this
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productMaster.cfm?category=Klear%20Speaker%20Kable

For RCA I spend a little extra to avoid alt whine and get this
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productMaster.cfm?category=Krystal%20RCA%20Kables

Knu also had the IXOS stuff cleared out a while ago and was selling the RCAs for about a dollar a foot. I picked up a ton of it then.

I will look around and see what i can find.Thanks

I like Ixos and Straight Wire. Like Chris said you dont have to go overboard just get decent cable. What ever fits your budget that is the key.

Hey Keith its Tom, from 1 SPL/SQ guy to another I personally use all Monster Cable, not because it is the best but because it was convenient at the time. Unless you are planning on building a Super Q car where every little detail counts I wouln't be too concerned about the wire I highly recomend though at least a minimum 16 guage oxygen free wire for your high/mid speakers and take the time to run 1 strand of wire from the amp into the doors and to the speakers any break in the signal line is a signal loss. Don't go for the cheap RCA's but you dont really need the highest line cables either, I run the 3 series Monster RCA's and well you heard my car at finals. The most important thing I can say to you is run power down 1 side of the vehicle and signal down the other, HAHA. Well good luck and I look forward to seeing you in Shreveport at finals. Tom

Hey Tom I won't make finals this year.
For RCA's i got Stinger HPM level 3. Power wire I'm either going Stinger HPM or Kicker.
Speaker wire I'm wanting to run a nice 12ga twised pair from the amp to the crossovers and 16ga (for install ease) from the crossovers to the Speakers. 12ga to the subs.

Is it better to put the crossovers close to the Speakers and harder to access or closer to the amp and have great access?

I prefer wherever you have the best access, but it doesn't make a difference. I put them wherever they will fit the best.

Me personally I like the X-overs at or close to the speaker only for the reason the more wires you run the more chance of gaining noise plus if you run multiple sets of speakers in the door that will be alot of wire to run through the door jam with a greater chance of pinching a wire. The fact of ease of access should be a non-factor with a X-overbecause once you install it you should not need to get to it unless it goes bad. do make sure you take lots of pictures because more advanced SQ classes require a photo album and that is easy points you don't want to lose.

I'm sad to hear you won't be coming to finals this year, you and your team were really cool and made a guy who drove out by himself feel like part of your group. I'm sure I will see you in the future though, good luck. Tom