im using 12awg for my subs, but how about the components? can i use thin speaker wire or do i have to use thick ones? please help

 

12 is a god choice

 

It depends on how much current you are sending through the line to your components. If it is 50 watts or so 16 guage will be fine, if it is 100 or 150+ per channel we like to use 12 guage. It's personal preference. Hope this helps.

The JML Audio Staff

 

well the ampp for my components is a jl 300/4 so im guessing 75watts each, around there, i used the very thing wires, and it seems to work fine... is this ok?

 

There are no negative side effects to using a larger cable other that cost and possibly space constraints.

 

and the fun of squeezing a 6 gauge wire into a crimp-on designed for 14! (don't try this at home)

 

IMO, it's nice to be able to say you have 12awg all around, but it would be hard to tell the difference between that and 14 or 16awg when listening if the car isn't parked. You might find that space, as mentioned earlier, is a big constraint, if you wanna keep crossovers in the trunk and use the OEM wire routes. Try taking apart the car to see what exactly you can fit in there and adjust the wire gauge according to how many wires you need.

Purely as an example, I managed to fit 3 sets of 14awg wire to each door. They're connected to a set of passive xovers and the amp is rated at 500w rms per channel. Speakers handle somewhere > 250w rms per channel. It sounds better than my old car w/75w rms to each side, through twin 12awg cables.

 

I ran 12 awg, but it is not necessary. The sound difference is inaudible to the human ear. Here is a GREAT link:

http://www.h-o-alternators.com/TechC...stanthoalt.swf

 

Like posted above it would depend on power. Lagrer wire on a low power could actually prove to be inneficient. Similiar to trying to run a your household sink through a fire hose. Larger power would yield better result throguh larger wire, also dependant on the length of the run.