Q&A for How to Extend Speaker Wires

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Can I splice different gauge speaker wire?

Jason Williams
AV & Security Specialist
Jason Williams is an AV & Security Specialist and the Owner of Williams AV & Security. With more than 35 years of experience, he specializes in home automation and home theater system installations. Jason is an AVIXA Certified Technology Specialist, a CEDIA Certified Cabling & Infrastructure Technician, a Pakedge Certified Network Administrator, and holds a Georgia Low Voltage Unrestricted License.

Jason Williams

AV & Security Specialist

Expert Answer

Anytime you extend a wire, you're creating a break in the signal chain, and the proper way to make a speaker wire longer is to replace it. It that's not possible, then it should be extended with the same gauge speaker wire.

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Question

Is it safe to join the wires with electrical tape?

Community Answer

Yes. Twist them together first, then apply the electrical tape. It may not be the most secure way of joining the two cables, but it will work. Make sure not to tug or pull on them, as they may easily come undone. There shouldn't be too high of a voltage in your stereo system, so don't worry about deadly, electrical shock.

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Question

Does the extension cable need to be the same length on each speaker?

Community Answer

No, you can have any combination of lengths, really. There could be a slight change in volume from one speaker to another because there is a power loss from a extremely long cable, but it's unlikely. Also, there might be a slight lag between speakers, but it will probably be undetectable by human ears.

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If it's not clear which is the positive cable and which is negative one, will mixing them up damage the speakers?

Community Answer

No. The speaker will still produce a sound. As long as you're consistent, you won't be able to tell the difference. If you are inconsistent and mismatch the left speaker but correctly match the right speaker, the sound from the two speakers will interfere destructively with each other, and sound quality will suffer compared to if you were consistent.

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Question

Can I join 2 audio wires into one socket?

Garrie Nassau

Community Answer

Yes, you can join two audio wires into one socket if you have both insulated.

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