.speaker-calc-container {
font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;
max-width: 800px;
margin: 20px auto;
padding: 25px;
border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;
border-radius: 12px;
background-color: #ffffff;
box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);
color: #333;
}
.speaker-calc-container h2 {
color: #1a73e8;
margin-top: 0;
text-align: center;
font-size: 28px;
}
.speaker-calc-form {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
gap: 20px;
margin-bottom: 30px;
background: #f8f9fa;
padding: 20px;
border-radius: 8px;
}
.speaker-calc-group {
display: flex;
flex-direction: column;
}
.speaker-calc-group label {
font-weight: 600;
margin-bottom: 8px;
font-size: 14px;
color: #444;
}
.speaker-calc-group input, .speaker-calc-group select {
padding: 12px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 16px;
}
.speaker-calc-button {
grid-column: span 2;
background-color: #1a73e8;
color: white;
padding: 15px;
border: none;
border-radius: 6px;
font-size: 18px;
font-weight: bold;
cursor: pointer;
transition: background 0.3s;
}
.speaker-calc-button:hover {
background-color: #1557b0;
}
.speaker-result-box {
margin-top: 20px;
padding: 20px;
background-color: #e8f0fe;
border-left: 5px solid #1a73e8;
border-radius: 4px;
}
.speaker-result-title {
font-weight: bold;
font-size: 18px;
margin-bottom: 10px;
color: #1967d2;
}
.speaker-result-value {
font-size: 24px;
font-weight: 800;
color: #202124;
}
.speaker-article {
line-height: 1.6;
color: #444;
margin-top: 40px;
}
.speaker-article h3 {
color: #222;
border-bottom: 2px solid #eee;
padding-bottom: 8px;
}
@media (max-width: 600px) {
.speaker-calc-form {
grid-template-columns: 1fr;
}
.speaker-calc-button {
grid-column: span 1;
}
}
Speaker Wire Gauge Calculator
Recommended Wire Specification:
How to Choose the Right Speaker Wire Gauge
In the world of audio engineering, the thickness of your speaker wire—referred to as "gauge"—is critical for maintaining sound fidelity. The American Wire Gauge (AWG) system is the standard used to measure this thickness. Paradoxically, the smaller the AWG number, the thicker the wire.
The Importance of Resistance
Every wire has a specific amount of electrical resistance. When a wire is too thin (high AWG) or too long, its resistance increases. This leads to two major problems:
- Power Loss: Energy from your amplifier is converted into heat within the wire rather than sound in the speaker.
- Damping Factor Reduction: High resistance prevents the amplifier from effectively "braking" the speaker cone, resulting in muddy, loose bass.
The 5% Rule
A common industry standard is to ensure that the total resistance of the speaker wire does not exceed 5% of the speaker's rated impedance. For critical listening or high-end home theaters, many enthusiasts aim for a loss of 2% or less.
AWG Reference Table (Pure Copper)
Below is a general guideline for maximum wire lengths based on speaker impedance to keep power loss under 5%:
| Gauge (AWG) |
8 Ohm Speaker |
4 Ohm Speaker |
| 18 AWG |
32 ft (9.7m) |
16 ft (4.8m) |
| 16 AWG |
48 ft (14.6m) |
24 ft (7.3m) |
| 14 AWG |
80 ft (24m) |
40 ft (12m) |
| 12 AWG |
120 ft (36m) |
60 ft (18m) |
Copper vs. CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
Pure copper wire is the gold standard. Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA) is cheaper but has significantly higher resistance (roughly 60% more). If you use CCA wire, you must use a thicker gauge (e.g., use 14 AWG CCA where 16 AWG Copper is called for) to achieve the same performance.
function calculateSpeakerGauge() {
var impedance = parseFloat(document.getElementById("speakerImpedance").value);
var length = parseFloat(document.getElementById("wireLength").value);
var lossLimit = parseFloat(document.getElementById("maxLoss").value);
var materialMultiplier = parseFloat(document.getElementById("wireMaterial").value);
if (isNaN(length) || length <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid wire length.");
return;
}
// Formula: Max Resistance (R) = Impedance * (Loss Percentage / 100)
var maxTotalResistance = impedance * (lossLimit / 100);
// Wire length is doubled because it's a circuit (out and back)
var totalWireLengthFeet = length * 2;
// Max Resistance per 1000 feet
var maxResistancePer1000ft = (maxTotalResistance / totalWireLengthFeet) * 1000;
// Adjust for material (CCA has higher resistance)
var targetResistance = maxResistancePer1000ft / materialMultiplier;
// Resistance Table for Copper (Ohms per 1000ft at 20°C)
var awgTable = [
{awg: 10, res: 0.9989},
{awg: 12, res: 1.588},
{awg: 14, res: 2.525},
{awg: 16, res: 4.016},
{awg: 18, res: 6.385},
{awg: 20, res: 10.15},
{awg: 22, res: 16.14},
{awg: 24, res: 25.67}
];
var recommendedAWG = "Under 10 AWG (Heavy Industrial)";
var found = false;
for (var i = 0; i < awgTable.length; i++) {
if (awgTable[i].res <= targetResistance) {
recommendedAWG = awgTable[i].awg + " AWG";
found = true;
break;
}
}
if (!found && targetResistance 25.67) {
recommendedAWG = "24 AWG (Very Thin)";
}
document.getElementById("resultArea").style.display = "block";
document.getElementById("awgResult").innerText = recommendedAWG;
var materialName = materialMultiplier === 1 ? "Pure Copper" : "CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)";
document.getElementById("detailsResult").innerHTML =
"Based on a " + length + "ft run to a " + impedance + " Ohm speaker using " + materialName + "." +
"Target maximum resistance: " + maxTotalResistance.toFixed(4) + " Ohms total.";
// Scroll to result
document.getElementById("resultArea").scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'nearest' });
}