Which company sells the best wires

[jbob 0]

I never noticed that any of thier wire was copper clad aluminum, if that is the case, you can't even compare it. Aluminum (the cladding doesn't really amount for anything as far as DC current carrying capability) wire is much less efficient at current transfer than copper, especially at the amperages we use in car audio. Copper has roughly 1.6 times the current carring capability vs the identical cross sectional area of aluminum. So your 0 gauge Aluminum is equal to roughly 1 gauge copper..... Think about that... Aluminum is cheap, light, strong and deals with heat well, but as far as wire performance, it's way down on the list...

If you are getting all copper stuff for around the same price as welding cable, then that is a decent deal. It will never have the same performance (insulation), but amp for amp will carry current just fine.

I guess what really makes me go WTF is when I see things like pre-packaged Stinger 1/0 for $140 for 25'..... I just don't get that at all...

The purity of copper is thrown around alot (like 99.9999 or "6-9s") but for power wire everything made we can buy is pure enough to do the job well... As far as signal goes, there can be audible, even measurable, differences. But for most of us, these differences aren't worth the extra money they cost....

The extra "grounds" you are talking about are shields on some cables. They can cut down on noise. But watch it, alot of them are used for looks/marketing ploys, so buyer beware!

isn't their (knu) copper clad aluminum wire thicker then the same gauge copper wire? pretty sure thats what the site said...

Slightly bigger, which makes it a pain in the ass to get into terminals designed for 0 ga.

I'd never do the CCA again. All copper for me.

[95Honda 486]

isn't their (knu) copper clad aluminum wire thicker then the same gauge copper wire? pretty sure thats what the site said...

I'm not sure. But, Awg is Awg and it is a cross-sectional area measurement of the wire, so if they are bigger, than it isn't the same gauge... Maybe do they mean the individual conductors are bigger, with less of them? That would make more sense...

[helotaxi 46]

isn't their (knu) copper clad aluminum wire thicker then the same gauge copper wire? pretty sure thats what the site said...

I'm not sure. But, Awg is Awg and it is a cross-sectional area measurement of the wire, so if they are bigger, than it isn't the same gauge... Maybe do they mean the individual conductors are bigger, with less of them? That would make more sense...

AWG is AWG only when talking about the same material. Steel wire and copper wire of the same AWG is of different size.

Comparing the KLMX that I have with some AudioPipe 1/0 that I have, the KLMX is about right at the same size. Haven't had any problems fitting the KLMX into normal 1/0 terminals. Conducting wire is gauged by resistance per unit length last I checked with the properties of copper as the standard.

[95Honda 486]

AWG is AWG only when talking about the same material. Steel wire and copper wire of the same AWG is of different size.

Not exactly, you are talking about conductors vs structural wire. For non-ferrous condutors (copper, aluminum, silver, etc) it is pretty much the same. Obviously, overall diameter will change do to strand count in multiple stranded wire, but the actual cross sectional area of all the conductors combined will stay the same.

The part "gauge" refers to how many passes through a die a single conductor has made from a reference point...

This is also why, especially in home wiring, you see aluminum wire de-rated from copper wire of the same gauge as far as current carrying capacity. Where they would use say 12 gauge aluminum wire, they can get away with a smaller gauge of copper to do the same thing....

Here is a definition-

"American Wire Gauge (AWG) is a U.S. standard set of wire conductor sizes. The "gauge" is related to the diameter of the wire.

The AWG standard includes copper, aluminum and other wire materials. Typical household copper wiring is AWG number 12 or 14."

-From engineering toolbox.com

Edited October 15, 2008 by 95Honda

[bigtoepfer 0]

Well i use RF 1/0 for the power. And currently Kicker for the RCAs and i usually have some old kicker or RF speaker wire laying around. And i have a 10g remote wire.

[seanbw 1]

if there was any question before... it's really obvious welding cable has the best cost to quality ratio and most likely will outperform any designer or boutique power cable out there! thanks for the information guys, keep it coming.

[Bobaflob 0]

I use welding cable from www.weldingsupply.com , really good stuff its uber flexible.

[Duran 387]

Well i use RF 1/0 for the power. And currently Kicker for the RCAs and i usually have some old kicker or RF speaker wire laying around. And i have a 10g remote wire.

10 gauge remote wire? Why so big?

[JoshM20 0]

weldingsupply

[fobanginvtek 0]

I use 4gauge kicker wire. It is the chit!

[MKader17 332]

I used welding supply 1/0 Power Wire (plenty flexible, heat, oil, gas resistant)

Underground 14 gauge wire from parts express ($29 for 100 ft.)

Interconnects from knu.

Copper is copper (like has already been said). buy interconnects with quality ends

All the wires I chose were actually for color. I liked the idea of wires that weren't flashy at all (which is why all my wires are grey, charcoal, or black)

[mikett 0]

IXOS has everything. To a certain point the brand name cable has its advantages. after that i guess the price begins to be based on looks and presentation.

Edited October 28, 2008 by mikett

[pear_b 1]

Anyone know how Raptor wiring is or its accessories? Heres thee website, and Im asking this because I know a custom shop that uses this stuff but noone else, Ive never even heard of them.

Raptor Wiring

[mikett 0]

Anyone know how Raptor wiring is or its accessories? Heres thee website, and Im asking this because I know a custom shop that uses this stuff but noone else, Ive never even heard of them.

Raptor Wiring

A friend told me that their 1/0 gauge is like stinger 2 gauge. Never seen it for myself however.

[mgrotel 0]

Hey guys... i just wanted to get everyones opinion on this....I know there are many different companies out here selling different stuff... theres knukonceptz, Rockford, my friend said Hooker audio was good... what brand wires does everyone use here?

i just got one of those ebay 1/0 kits for 50 bucks. it came with everything but only ended up using the power wire, connectors, fuse, and remote wire. the rcas were garbage. the power wire connectors seem kind of cheesy, should i look elsewhere for some better ones? if so, where? i will probably use weldingsupply.com for my big three wires. thanks

[williambrea 0]

welding wire FTW!

[Just_Crazy 0]

how 'bout some Vampire Wire