Speaker wire.

[oj70chevy]

I just bought a Kenwood amp model KAC-8404 (below are the specs). I know it say 8 to 12 gauge but my question is I have been looking a different wiring to do the install and see some twisted speaker wire also. but how good is this and would it be as good as CAT5 and if so what do you think about using CAT5 in place of the speaker wire? Also what type or brand should I use for the RCA cables (will be used to go from Kenwood system to self powered sub)or does it matter?

4-Channel Power Amplifier
50 Watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms (75 watts x 4 at 2 ohms)
180 Watts RMS x 2 bridged output at 4 ohms (4 ohm stable at bridged mode) 600W maximum power
CEA-2006 compliant
MOSFET power supply
Silent cooling fan
Single-sided under front panel terminal layout
Low-pass filter (24 dB per octave) 50 to 200 Hz
High-pass filter (12 dB per octave) 50 to 200 Hz
Variable bass boost (0-18 dB at 40 Hz)
Speaker-level inputs with signal sensing turn-on
High Quality Speaker Leve Input and Blue Illumination
Speaker Wire Gauge 8/12-Gauge
Power and Ground Wire Gauge: 8-Gauge
Fuse rating: 40A x 1
Installation Size (W x H x D) 11-1/16" x 2-5/16" x 9-7/8"

Thanks
Ralph

[dammitmitchell]

cat5cable is NOT rated for that sort of useage..
for somethign like "remote rheostats"(bass control etc..) yes because it only carries an activator voltage...

but! for a sub woofer 10 gauge is good enough.. dont need to go much higher then that for the (subwoofer) wiring...
for the main power there's nothing wrong with a premade kit with 8 6 or 4 gauge wiring..
it depends all on how powerful that amp is...

[oj70chevy]

Thanks for the advice. any idea as where i could get one of these kits?

[dammitmitchell]

online is the cheapest but walmart gets it to you right then....
buying local is a RIP OFFF always!
go on ebay and ind one for under 30 bucks..
if you are not doing a comp level stereo i wouldnt bother with a big money kit..
and 10 gauge wire can be bought at walmart or radioshack..
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...uct_id=4213089

[TomJohnston]

There is a couple of web sites that I have used. Tartan Cables (www.tartancables.com) has great deals on speaker wire and RCA cables. For higher end cables look at www.bluejeanscables.com. There is a ton of great information on cables on that web site. I would stick with a decent guage speaker cable (14 or 12 would be fine for that amount of power). The real deal is going to be to get something that is made well. DO NOT under any circumstances buy Monster Cable. It is the most over-hyped, over-priced cable out there.

Keep your amp as close to possible to the subwoofer and make sure it is well grounded. Use an external cap to keep the power clean.