When it comes to installing a new stereo in your car, nothing compares to investing in top-of-the-line speakers and other sound accessories. If you're getting ready to install them, you need to be sure that you fully understand what you're working with. That means dispelling any misconceptions you might have, particularly about things like speaker wire. Here are a few key facts that you should know before you start installing your new sound system.

Thicker Isn't Necessarily Better

Thicker wires are ideal for minimizing resistance, but typically only over longer wire distances. Therefore, when you're installing a sound system in a car, you don't need to opt for the super-thick speaker wire, You can use the standard speaker wire for your installation without any worries about resistance issues. If you really want to use thicker wire, you can. Just understand that thicker wire is typically more expensive, and it won't net you a significant difference in a compact system like car audio.

Don't Worry About Braiding Cables

You might think that you need to braid the speaker wire to help reduce the perimeter travel of the signal. While higher frequencies will automatically travel on the outer perimeter of the wire, lower ones will travel near the wire's center. Some installers will braid the wires in an attempt to mitigate this. There's no noticeable difference in the sound quality by braiding wires, so don't waste your time. It's more of a risk than it's worth because you could break the speaker wire inadvertently.

Your Wires Don't Have To Be The Same Length

You might think that your speaker wires need to be the same length to prevent phase shifting. However, the signals travel across speaker wire so rapidly that it would only be noticeable if you were dealing with many miles of wire. Since that's not going to be the case with your car's audio system, don't worry about getting the length matched up. Just worry about running the wires where they're most secure and protected.

You Can Splice The Wire When Needed

Some stereo system installers believe that splicing speaker wire will result in degraded sound quality. The fact is that if you splice them properly and solder them correctly, you won't have any effect on the quality of your sound.

If this is the first time you've installed your own audio system, you may find that you're better off working with a local car stereo specialist, like Cutting Edge Audio. The audio technicians will help you with the installation to be sure that it is done properly.

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