Wiring for speakers?

Author
Discussion

Tommie38

Original Poster:

806 posts

201 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
quotequote all
Team,

I am fitting a basic Android head unit with aftermarket speakers to my car. A simple, basic setup that will give me Bluetooth and navigation.

As part of the install I will need to rewire the speakers.

What should I be using? I am thinking of something very basic, but what?

Any particular AWG that I should be going for? I'd also like to reflect ISO standard colours (grey, white, purple, green with striped pairs) but don't see anybody on e-Bay selling anything that fits.

Would be grateful for thoughts.

gmaz

4,629 posts

217 months

Thursday 20th June 2019
quotequote all
Colours are generally only used in the original wiring harness so they can be traced.

I'd go with this unless you're running 100's of watts.

http://www.caraudiodirect.co.uk/accessories/speake...


defblade

7,624 posts

220 months

Tuesday 25th June 2019
quotequote all
Why do you need to re-wire the speakers?

Unless you are pushing huge watts down them, the OE wires will be fine.

What HiFi did a test on speaker wires years back, going from tiny thin 10p/m cheap stuff, right up to gold O2 free unobtainium £1000/m.
The panel agreed they affected the sound, but could not agree on which they preferred. Quite a few went for the cheapest!

If you're determined to rewire anyway, think on this as you try and get the new wires from the body into the doors... wink

Tommie38

Original Poster:

806 posts

201 months

Wednesday 26th June 2019
quotequote all
In the end I went for 14AWG. Massive overkill, but only £5 from eBay...

Tommie38

Original Poster:

806 posts

201 months

Wednesday 26th June 2019
quotequote all
defblade said:
Why do you need to re-wire the speakers?

Unless you are pushing huge watts down them, the OE wires will be fine.

What HiFi did a test on speaker wires years back, going from tiny thin 10p/m cheap stuff, right up to gold O2 free unobtainium £1000/m.
The panel agreed they affected the sound, but could not agree on which they preferred. Quite a few went for the cheapest!

If you're determined to rewire anyway, think on this as you try and get the new wires from the body into the doors... wink
The car had a Bose fibre optic system that was quite complex. Fibre to an amplifier in the boot, distribution from the boot to the rest of the car. At some point I will strip all of that out.

defblade

7,624 posts

220 months

Wednesday 26th June 2019
quotequote all
Tommie38 said:
The car had a Bose fibre optic system that was quite complex. Fibre to an amplifier in the boot, distribution from the boot to the rest of the car. At some point I will strip all of that out.
Assuming it's plain old copper from the amp to the speakers, if you've got speakers in the doors, I'd still recommend tapping into the wiring in the loom on the body side and using the OE wires that already run through whatever hellish rubber boot/sleeve/grommet implement is in the hinge to power those speakers wink
In case you can't tell, I hate trying to get new wires into doors, it's by far the worst part of an install for me wink

slybunda

143 posts

71 months

Tuesday 8th October 2019
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Be careful. If you ended up with cca cable it wont be much better than stock wires.