One of the frequently discussed subjects for electrical devices and speakers is “solid conductor VS stranded conductor wire and which one to choose”. I'll fill you in on all you need to know about the distinctions between the electrical wire and speaker wire in this post. There are situations when you can substitute one term for the other. The most straightforward response is that electrical wire and speaker wire share a lot of similarities but also have some key distinctions. It is important to pay attention to the specific type of electrical wire being used because certain varieties are quite unlike to speaker wire. Stranded wire conductors are frequently used in electrical wire, speaker wire, and other types of electrical wire such as lamp cord and hookup wire. On the other hand, speaker wiring typically contains a greater number of strands for more flexibility.
The electrical wire that is utilized in homes and other buildings might be rather dissimilar. This type of wiring utilizes solid conductors and insulation that is less flexible and can be quite challenging to take off. Unlike electrical wire, speaker wire is typically marked with a speaker polarity indicator. Electrical wire, on the other hand, is not labelled. The reason for this is that the home wiring for alternating current (AC) is not polarized. Electrical wire may or may not be paired and may include a third conductor or even more than that. • Speaker wire is designed to be easy to separate and strip while in use. A pair of wire conductors is utilized in speaker wiring. When determining the size of speaker wiring, it is essential to follow the wire ratings for stranded wire rather than solid core wire. Although both varieties utilize the same American Wire Gauge (AWG) size chart. A speaker wire gauge, also known as an American Wire Gauge (AWG), provides information on the size of the electrical conductors as well as the maximum amount of current (amps) that a particular gauge may safely carry. A solid wire is one that only has one electrical conductor, which could be solid copper, solid aluminum, or a combination of the two. Since solid kinds do not require any further bending once installed, they are preferred for use in the wiring installations of buildings and homes. It was developed to handle electrical current at a particular wire gauge in the most efficient manner possible (its conductivity is better than that of a stranded wire type at the same cross sectional area).
Stranded wire, on the other hand, employs a configuration of individual smaller wires that are either twisted together or bundled together in order to give flexibility. It is frequently used for things like lighting fixtures, appliance installations, and speaker installations, all of which may require a curved course or to be moved sometimes. Typical applications for this material include: The current rating of a wire and its resistance per foot in Ohms are both affected by the strand gauge as well as the number of wire conductors that are contained within a stranded type of wire. As I was saying earlier, speaker wire and electrical wire are not exactly the same thing. Here are some of the differences:
- The wire jacket, also known as the insulation, is intended to be simple to remove, and the insulation itself is frequently pliable, which makes the process of removing the insulation and exposing the bare wire simpler.
- Speaker wire may employ a different color wire for the positive conductor as opposed to the negative conductor. • Speakers are frequently sold with oxygen-free copper or other audiophile or high performance versions. • Speaker cable wiring can be found in a variety of colors, including clear wiring insulation, and employs a finer wire conductor strand to increase its flexibility. • Speaker wire is available in a variety of colors.
In addition to this, it is frequently offered for sale in rolls in standard lengths, such as 12 feet, 25 feet, 50 feet, and so on. As you are going to discover in the following paragraphs, speaker wiring in modern times is typically built out of CCA wire rather than pure copper. I need to utilize speaker wire, but can I use electrical wire instead? There is no problem using stranded electrical wire for your speaker wiring needs. Avoid using electrical wire with a solid core if at all possible.
The following are some examples of electrical power wires that function effectively for speakers:
- The wire in the lamp cable (lamp and light fixture 2 conductor wire).
- Connect the wires (sometimes called zip cord).
- Power cable of the DC variety, consisting of one conductor (these can be paired up if needed).
- A shielded cable that has stranded conductors of an appropriate size (the shield will not be utilized in this scenario).
In point of fact, lamp cable and hookup wire can be purchased either on a roll or by the foot. Lamp cord is one of the closest alternatives to speaker wiring, and it frequently also has one conductor that is labeled and can be used as a polarity marker. Lamp cord is one of the best alternatives to speaker wiring. It will also function correctly with the typical connections for home audio receivers that use banana plugs, which are a straightforward method for connecting home stereo or surround speakers. It is not recommended to utilize coaxial cable, instrument cable, or any other sort of audio cable to drive speaker components. They are too small in size and have a design that is intended for a low current and low voltage audio signal. A wire with a greater diameter is required.Compared to copper wire is copper-clad aluminum wire. Because of the continuous rise in the price of copper metal, copper-clad aluminum wire, also known as CCA for short, is becoming an increasingly popular alternative. Nevertheless, if you are not attentive, you will be taken advantage of in some way!
CCA is a type of conductive material that differs from pure copper wire in that it has an aluminum core and is plated with a thin layer of copper on the outside. Although it has a similar appearance on the surface, it is inferior to genuine copper wire due to its significantly higher level of resistance. When connecting low current systems in the home, such as home security sensors, doorbells, landscape lighting, and thermostats, speaker wire can be used in place of traditional electrical cable. Copper, which is a good conductor of heat, is used in the construction of speaker wires, which transport low voltage electric current and are graded in the same way as electric wires. Wire Grading The same system is used to grade both electric wires and speaker wires, and that system is based on the American Wire Gauge (AWG) number. The American Wire Gauge (AWG) number of thicker wires is lower, whereas the gauge number of thinner wires is higher. Therefore, you will notice that a wire with a gauge of 4 is thicker than a wire with a gauge of 18. The American Wire Gauge (AWG) indicates the diameter of the conductor, which may or may not be the same as the diameter of the entire wire. When you examine the stranded wires (conductors) in speaker wires, you will find that those with a lower gauge are obviously thicker than those with a higher gauge. This is because a lower gauge corresponds to a larger diameter.
Resistance The gauge of the speaker wires and the electric cables has an effect on the resistance of the wires. Because a bigger electric current may pass via thicker wires, the cables' resistance is reduced. Because wires that are thinner have a higher resistance, the amount of electric current that can flow through the conductors is restricted. Imagine you have a hose with a little aperture, and you are trying to water your garden with it. Even if there is a lot of water pressure, the water will still encounter resistance. However, if the hose has a bigger opening, more water will flow out since there will be less barrier for the water to overcome. Voltage Carried In the majority of residences across the United States, the electric cables carry a voltage of either 120V or 240V. Due to the fact that speaker wires are not plugged into the wall socket, the voltage that they transport is quite low. They make advantage of the current that is provided by the amplifier. The voltage that is carried by the speaker wire will be determined by the output of the amplifier. When connected to an 8-ohm speaker, a 100-watt amplifier will not create more than 30 volts of output voltage. This voltage might not be able to power the majority of your equipment, but it is suitable for use with devices that require a lower voltage. Because they are stranded, speaker wires may be easily bent, making them an excellent choice for wiring tight corners. We offer a wide variety of wire and cable with the policy of pricing our products reasonably lower than the global market prices. You can easily contact us and rest assured that you will have a price reasonably lower than the market. So fill out the inquiry form, let us know what you require and we will contact you momentarily.