DIYMobileAudio.com Car Stereo Forum banner

Rca wire gauge size why does it matter?

10194 Views 45 Replies 12 Participants Last post by  Holmz
I was talking to someone yesterday on the phone about rca gauge size and I mentioned I was gonna a use some spare 12 gauge silver plated wire to make my rca connections and trim what I need to fit into locking rca plugs which max size seems around 16 gauge I’m gonna get and you know heat shrink everything that will protect it etc etc. I realize it’s over kill and yes it is all short lengths from dsp to amps no hu involved.

He educated me about having to high of a gauge size for rca will yes lower resistance it also he mentioned other things about independence and I think ohm load carry maybe voltage as well? I can’t remember honestly. And I thought rca was nothing more then just signal passing thru from what I have read online.

Forgive me for not going into detail because I am a little confused in this matter tried searching on Google for this matter and couldn’t find a answer. I am just trying to understand they details of why this is bad to use to big of a size for rcas for education as well as decisions on proper wire gauge size for rcas.

Not lookin for answers about quality of rcas just mainly wanting to understand why having to big gauge size for rcas is such a bad thing to do? Asking for a detailed description or even a link on here or somewhere else to mainly understand
21 - 40 of 46 Posts
I think I found my answer here still reading though


  • Like
Reactions: 1
Capacitance blocks bass, inductance blocks highs.
Thank you that’s what I was looking for to understand
Thank you that’s what I was looking for to understand
They both exist in all conductors in varying amounts and ratios (relative to each other).
If you look at a passive crossover, the coils are inductors that block (reduce) highs, and the capacitors reduce bass.
So, for a cable, you want as little inductance and capacitance as possible, within reason. Whatever you do, don't coil up your excess rca cable length while you're using it, inductance goes up pretty quickly in a coiled rca cable, your highs will just go away. But then you are building your own cables to avoid having excess.
.... Whatever you do, don't coil up your excess rca cable length while you're using it, inductance goes up pretty quickly in a coiled rca cable, your highs will just go away. But then you are building your own cables to avoid having excess.
Even in twisted pair cables?
or in Coaxials?
They both exist in all conductors in varying amounts and ratios (relative to each other).
If you look at a passive crossover, the coils are inductors that block (reduce) highs, and the capacitors reduce bass.
So, for a cable, you want as little inductance and capacitance as possible, within reason. Whatever you do, don't coil up your excess rca cable length while you're using it, inductance goes up pretty quickly in a coiled rca cable, your highs will just go away. But then you are building your own cables to avoid having excess.
This is good information to know honestly. Well if this is the case then I might as well go back to my original plan and just buy some stager silver solids. Yes it’s expensive but I am also building a expensive system. And yes I even have a limit of means but I’ve already invested a lot of money and those silver rcas have good reviews. I’ve been wanting them just was still deciding on routes to go between klei absolutely harmony or wbt silver rca connectors. Those are all expensive no matter how you look at things. I guess I’m getting to the point where I’ll have to order some eventually just deciding things is the deal for me. I was hoping to use my wire but with the understanding of having a balance now for size it’s best I got with the silver solids.
Even in twisted pair cables?
or in Coaxials?
Even in twisted pair and coaxial. Recently tested this with DATSv3, accidentally.
This is good information to know honestly. Well if this is the case then I might as well go back to my original plan and just buy some stager silver solids. Yes it’s expensive but I am also building a expensive system. And yes I even have a limit of means but I’ve already invested a lot of money and those silver rcas have good reviews. I’ve been wanting them just was still deciding on routes to go between klei absolutely harmony or wbt silver rca connectors. Those are all expensive no matter how you look at things. I guess I’m getting to the point where I’ll have to order some eventually just deciding things is the deal for me. I was hoping to use my wire but with the understanding of having a balance now for size it’s best I got with the silver solids.
Don't waste your money on those super expensive cables! Just get good quality cables that are made well, the biggest difference in quality is in the construction and reliability of connections. Just don't buy the cheapest you can find.
I ran Stinger 4000's but they had breaks in connection inside the connectors (solder?), other than that they had excellent signal quality. I switched to custom made cables that are equally excellent, but with rock solid connections.
Even in twisted pair and coaxial. Recently tested this with DATSv3, accidentally.
What is the mechanism causing this?

I am pretty sure that the inductance formula has the area and number of turns being the main contributors. And in the twisted pair that area gets reduced from the pairing... and then reduced more with the twisting.
Don't waste your money on those super expensive cables! Just get good quality cables that are made well, the biggest difference in quality is in the construction and reliability of connections. Just don't buy the cheapest you can find.
I ran Stinger 4000's but they had breaks in connection inside the connectors (solder?), other than that they had excellent signal quality. I switched to custom made cables that are equally excellent, but with rock solid connections.
I honestly been itching to try them out and I have mono price premium rcas right now cheap and works but I wanna do a comparison test they aren’t crazy expensive but aren’t cheap either
I honestly been itching to try them out and I have mono price premium rcas right now cheap and works but I wanna do a comparison test they aren’t crazy expensive but aren’t cheap either
Personally I would not get them, but if you have a hankering then maybe get em.

At least you could do some A/B comparison in the car and house and make out somewhat informative... that would at least be kinda fun.
So is it gonna be a issue if I use the 12gauge and trim it to a 16 gauge ? Like I said I already have wire and I’m gonna use it because I’m not gonna spend more money buying more wire.
Yes, it's going to be an issue. 22ga or 24ga are optimal. If you'd like more reasons, the biggest is how the cables are typically made - twisted batches of multiple strands.

Electricity takes the path of least resistance, and an AC signal is going to travel on the "skin" of each strand (typically). This is, in part, due to valence electrons. But the real issue arises due to the parts (frequencies) which don't see the outermost surface as least resistance. This will skew the signal.

There are white papers on this (some written by FEMALES, FYI), which describe this in greater detail.

The best conductor for RCAs (imho) is 22 or 24ga solid-core copper. It's a single "strand," has low eddy current due to low mass, and the small gauge is optimal for signal flow. (You'll get people who claim you will break solid-core RCAs in a car, but as long as you're not bending them repeatedly, or straining them by trying to pull them through an opening or under carpet by the ends, solid cores are fine.)

Source: I literally build and sell RCAs, and have customers in IASCA, as well as home audiophiles in several countries who swear by my products.

FYI, Belden makes a very good 24ga solid core cable, all copper, which is shielded. If you need some to DIY your cables, I have about 10 miles of it and Audioquest 22ga on spools. Feel free to PM me.
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 2
What is the mechanism causing this?

I am pretty sure that the inductance formula has the area and number of turns being the main contributors. And in the twisted pair that area gets reduced from the pairing... and then reduced more with the twisting.
Coiling the wire, just like an inductor coil, predictably produces the same effect in any rca cable, maybe not as much as stardard wire though.
Coiling the wire, just like an inductor coil, predictably produces the same effect in any rca cable.
Just remember, inductors typically have a ton of coils. You'd need one lonnng RCA to coil it enough to make an audible difference, and unless it's wrapped around a ferrite or iron core, even more coils would be required.

With an RCA cable that long, I(nductance) would be the least of your worries. R and Z would be a bigger concern over long stretches.
A twisted pair effectively makes it not work like a coil anymore.

If you had each 1/2 of the pair coiled, and even better around a ferrite core.. then it would become a choke.
As it is... the twisting of the pair, makes the coil area become zero.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
A twisted pair effectively makes it not work like a coil anymore.

If you had each 1/2 of the pair coiled, and even better around a ferrite core.. then it would become a choke.
As it is... the twisting of the pair, makes the coil area become zero.
I'll have to test it again and post the results, probably Thursday.
I'll have to test it again and post the results, probably Thursday.
The easiest way would be one set of RCAs into a summing (differencing) amp, and the ones being tested into the side of a differencing amp.

Then one gets the difference between the two setups.
This look niiiiice.

Canare Star Quad microphone cable is under $.50 a foot. Why put yourself through the brain damage to save a few dollars?

  • Like
Reactions: 1
Yes, it's going to be an issue. 22ga or 24ga are optimal. If you'd like more reasons, the biggest is how the cables are typically made - twisted batches of multiple strands.

Electricity takes the path of least resistance, and an AC signal is going to travel on the "skin" of each strand (typically). This is, in part, due to valence electrons. But the real issue arises due to the parts (frequencies) which don't see the outermost surface as least resistance. This will skew the signal.

There are white papers on this (some written by FEMALES, FYI), which describe this in greater detail.

The best conductor for RCAs (imho) is 22 or 24ga solid-core copper. It's a single "strand," has low eddy current due to low mass, and the small gauge is optimal for signal flow. (You'll get people who claim you will break solid-core RCAs in a car, but as long as you're not bending them repeatedly, or straining them by trying to pull them through an opening or under carpet by the ends, solid cores are fine.)

Source: I literally build and sell RCAs, and have customers in IASCA, as well as home audiophiles in several countries who swear by my products.

FYI, Belden makes a very good 24ga solid core cable, all copper, which is shielded. If you need some to DIY your cables, I have about 10 miles of it and Audioquest 22ga on spools. Feel free to PM me.
I'm interested in making my own cables, what belden or audioquest cable should I order? Do they make a 6 channel cable? I'd prefer to run one cable than 3...i've got some walmart specials in there now...lol
Belden, Mogami, or Canare microphone cable is best. Use whatever you can find the cheapest.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
21 - 40 of 46 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top