Speaker Wire Calculator

Calculate recommended speaker wire gauge based on cable run length, speaker impedance, and acceptable power loss.

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How It Works

Speaker wire resistance causes power loss and reduces amplifier damping factor. Loss% = Rwire/(Rspkr + Rwire) × 100. Keep loss under 5% (0.2 dB). Lower impedance speakers need thicker wire — a 4Ω speaker loses twice as much power as an 8Ω speaker with the same cable. Rules of thumb: 16 AWG for runs under 15m at 8Ω, 14 AWG for runs under 15m at 4Ω, 12 AWG for longer runs or critical listening. Damping factor (Z/Rwire) should stay above 20 for good bass control.