I'm looking for a guitar speaker cable - you know, the ones that go out of your amp and into the speaker or cabinet. NOT instrument or patch cables! Problem is, the wire should be 18 AWG. This is an American standard for wire gauge. And since I'm in Europe, noone here is using it.
Can anyone point me in the direction of a specific product or more generally a music store in Europe that lists wire thickness as a search option? Thomann has one, but it only goes down to about 14 AWG, and I need even thinner - 18 AWG. And there is no way to search for sizes thinner than 14 at all.
Or just a place specialized in amps and amp accessories, I could ask their support people for the AWG.
This has proved quite a challenge - I spent the whole afternoon looking for such a cable and found just a handful in US stores, but they don't have the same models in the European stores I know of.
Here's an example:
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Pro-Co/Sta ... 2541536.gc
Looking for a guitar speaker cable
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 133 posts since 26 May, 2020
Last edited by schpaeckulum on Sat Jul 04, 2020 6:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 1844 posts since 16 Jul, 2004 from Deepest Yorkshire
Contact https://www.designacable.com/musician-l ... leads.html
or https://custom-lynx.co.uk/product-categ ... er-cables/
18AWG = 1mm (0.8mm2)
Just checked and there’s Van Damme Blue Series Studio Grade 2 x 0.75 mm2. I use the 2.5mm and 4mm.
or https://custom-lynx.co.uk/product-categ ... er-cables/
18AWG = 1mm (0.8mm2)
Just checked and there’s Van Damme Blue Series Studio Grade 2 x 0.75 mm2. I use the 2.5mm and 4mm.
I miss MindPrint. My TRIO needs a big brother.
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- KVRer
- 21 posts since 5 Jul, 2020
Definitely get the right cable. I used a guitar cable and maybe messed up my usual amp. The guy who fixed it said it was because someone used the wrong cable. I didn't say anything, but yeah I was the one who put the cable there. Who would have thought. Anyway, I did learn that transformers are very expensive for electronic components!
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- KVRAF
- 15260 posts since 8 Mar, 2005 from Utrecht, Holland
Too thin cable might get hot and melt and damage the amp because the power doesn't get delivered. But it won't hurt if the cable is somewhat thicker than needed. It should have near-zero resistance any way.
Speaker is speaker, cable is cable. I used speaker cable for hifi speakers on my guitar amp, currently using PA speaker cable. Have also used power cable for lamps in the past without issues. Would not do that now, but only for lack of coding of plus an min strems.
18 gauge may take up to 10 Ampere.
14 gauge may take up to 15 Ampere.
If it won't melt for a lamp drawing a constant full power, it can take guitar with lower peaks.
But length matters as well. If you let it travel more than the shortest distance between amp head and cabinet, then thicker cable is better, to lower the resistance somewhat.
Assuming a typical guitar speaker impedance of 8 Ohm, 10A would be 80V & 800 Watt and 15A would be 120V & 1800 Watt. Halve the impedance and power halves as well.
http://www.bertkoor.nl/VawoCalc/
Speaker is speaker, cable is cable. I used speaker cable for hifi speakers on my guitar amp, currently using PA speaker cable. Have also used power cable for lamps in the past without issues. Would not do that now, but only for lack of coding of plus an min strems.
18 gauge may take up to 10 Ampere.
14 gauge may take up to 15 Ampere.
If it won't melt for a lamp drawing a constant full power, it can take guitar with lower peaks.
But length matters as well. If you let it travel more than the shortest distance between amp head and cabinet, then thicker cable is better, to lower the resistance somewhat.
Assuming a typical guitar speaker impedance of 8 Ohm, 10A would be 80V & 800 Watt and 15A would be 120V & 1800 Watt. Halve the impedance and power halves as well.
http://www.bertkoor.nl/VawoCalc/
We are the KVR collective. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. 
My MusicCalc is served over https!!
My MusicCalc is served over https!!
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- KVRAF
- 6419 posts since 22 Jan, 2005 from Sweden
I went into my closest hifi store and bought 2.5 mm2 which was recommended if longer than 6m between amp and speakers. This for a 2x120W amp.
The thicker the better, less loss of sound in cable delivering ampere through speaker impedance. So there is a fidelity thing about it too.
So XLR connector at end is less loss in connector as such. The usuall 1/4" plug is very little contact surface to deliver ampere. Guitar amps up to 100W usually have normal 1/4" plugs, since not that heavy load since into 8 ohm is 3.5 A.
Normal wire for wall outlets in houses here 230 VAC 10A is 1.5 mm2. And there are serious regulations on that not to cause fires and stuff. But don't care about fidelity anything of course.
Here AWG to mm conversion
https://24volt.eu/eng_awg_mm.php
14 AWG is 2.08mm2. Any hifi store would have it.
The thicker the better, less loss of sound in cable delivering ampere through speaker impedance. So there is a fidelity thing about it too.
So XLR connector at end is less loss in connector as such. The usuall 1/4" plug is very little contact surface to deliver ampere. Guitar amps up to 100W usually have normal 1/4" plugs, since not that heavy load since into 8 ohm is 3.5 A.
Normal wire for wall outlets in houses here 230 VAC 10A is 1.5 mm2. And there are serious regulations on that not to cause fires and stuff. But don't care about fidelity anything of course.
Here AWG to mm conversion
https://24volt.eu/eng_awg_mm.php
14 AWG is 2.08mm2. Any hifi store would have it.
