The Best Speaker Cables
Let's talk about speaker cables. Though there's some debate amongst audiophiles over the importance of your cable quality, there's no doubt that you'll need a reliable wheel of wire to bring your sound system to life. While some brands stick to pure copper for its tried-and-true conductive properties, others utilize copper-clad aluminum for its relative affordability and comparable performance. Whether you're renovating the home theater, fine-tuning your setup for live gigs, or just looking to fix some busted wires, we've rounded up a list of some of the best speaker cables for the job. Read on to find out how you can get the most bang — and boom — for your buck.
GearIT Pro Series 14 AWG Gauge Speaker Wire
Gear up
If you’re looking for a quality, catch-all spool of speaker cable, GearIT’s Pro Series wire should be at the top of your list. It has a copper-clad aluminum core that maximizes conductivity and minimizes cost. The 14 AWG gauge thickness is made up of 41 individual strands for superior flexibility, and the black PVC insulation is clearly marked to distinguish positive and negative polarity. GearIT offers this cable in a range of lengths, but we’d bet that the 100-foot wheel should be ample for any home renovation project. The wire is even marked sequentially by foot to make the installation process easier.
Pros:
- Comes in a range of lengths and colors
- CCA core is both conductive and cost-effective
- Strand count of 41 ensures flexibility without sound distortion
- Compatible with banana plugs, spade tips, and bent pin connectors
Cons:
- No tips included with purchase
InstallGear 14 Gauge AWG Speaker Wire
Boom on a budget
Buying in bulk can sometimes save you a few bucks here and there, but more isn’t always better. InstallGear offers a handsomely priced 30-foot spool of 14 AWG gauge speaker wire that should satisfy any renovation needs without too much excess. The black and red PVC jackets mark polarity while the CCA core delivers high fidelity (hi-fi) audio. The jackets are also designed to be “easy-strip,” meaning you won’t have to fight to expose the wire during the installation process. InstallGear earns major points for price and practicality.
Pros:
- The 30-foot spool is ideal for upgrading smaller projects like car audio systems
- Dual-colored PVC jackets protect wire and clearly mark polarity
- Jackets are designed to be easy-strip, making cutting and installation a breeze
Cons:
- The soft-touch coating may feel too stretchy for some users
GS Power 16 AWG Pure Copper Speaker Wire
Brave the elements
GS Power makes the jump to oxygen-free copper (OFC) in its 100-foot spool of 16 AWG speaker wire, but that’s not even its best feature. What really sets this cable apart from the competition is the marine-grade PVC insulation that protects it. Designed to be resistant to water, oil, gasoline, and UV rays, this ultra-durable jacket ensures that your stereo can stay booming no matter the weather. The OFC core is even coated with tin to help prevent corrosion.
Pros:
- Tinned OFC core offers superior conductivity
- Marine-grade PVC jacket protects against water, oil, salt, gasoline, and UV
- 100-foot length is ideal for outdoor projects
Cons:
- Paying a premium for OFC core and ultra-durable PVC jacket
GLS Audio 12 AWG Speaker Cable
Professional plug-and-play
Home renovation is one thing, but playing gigs on the road is another. Time and space are everything, and there’s no room to be tinkering around with 30 feet of wire just minutes before your set. To help you keep your stage clean and your sound clear, check out this 12 AWG speaker cable from GLS Audio. It uses high-grade copper for the core and flexible black rubber for insulation. Just plug in the attached banana tips and play away. We’ve highlighted the three-foot option here, but you can go all the way up to 50 feet depending on how expansive your setup is.
Pros:
- Shorter length cables are ideal for live music setups
- High-grade copper core and black rubber insulation are the industry standards
- Banana tips come pre-attached for easy installation
- Reusable hook-and-loop wrap for convenient transport
Cons:
- Not designed to be bent or placed in tight corners
Mediabridge 12 AWG Ultra Series Speaker Cable
Go for gold
If you’re anything like us, you probably don’t have extra banana plugs or spade tips just lying around. If that’s true, you’ll want a speaker cable that comes with all the necessary components for installation —no one has time to waste soldering wires anyways. Mediabridge’s 12 AWG ultra series offers the total package: OFC copper wiring, a no-slip PVC casing, and corrosion-resistant gold-plated banana plugs. Instead of a dual wire, this model is a singular cable that splits with a Y-boot at each end. That means installation should be pretty straightforward — just make sure to keep an eye on the color-coding to distinguish polarities.
Pros:
- Gold-plated banana tips are corrosion-resistant and compatible with most inputs/outputs
- The singular cable splits at each end is easier to organize and install
- High strand count offers clarity and minimal signal distortion
Cons:
- Color-coding can be hard to see from some angles
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AWG?
American Wire Gauge — or AWG — is a standardized wire gauge system that’s been in use since the late 1850s. It’s logarithmically stepped, meaning the higher the AWG, the thinner the wire. Finding the right balance of length and diameter is crucial when it comes to wiring since both metrics impact the overall resistance. For our purposes, the most applicable cables will be between 16 and 12 AWG, but be sure to consult extra resources before purchasing.
Is the difference between copper-clad aluminum (CCA) and oxygen-free copper (OFC) noticeable?
Though the difference may not be audible, it’s certainly there. While CCA is much more affordable, it can only conduct around 60% of the electricity that pure copper can. That means you’ll need a thicker — lower AWG — CCA cable to accomplish the same task as a thinner OFC cable. Aluminum’s lower conductivity also creates more heat, which can be dangerous depending on your intended use.
About the Author
Why Trust Us
With the constantly shifting landscape in the world of technology, GameRevolution seeks to provide gamers and tech-enthusiasts with the information they need to select the right products for their needs. Since 1996, our experts have used their knowledge on all the latest gadgets – everything from headphones to standing desks – to help millions of people navigate specs and answer common questions.