Audio Cable Length Calculator
Speaker Wire Calculator
Calculate recommended speaker wire gauge based on run length and impedance
Max Audio Cable Length
Maximum recommended cable length by cable type
Formula
Wire Resistance = Ohms/ft x Length x 2 (round trip) | Power Loss % = Wire Resistance / (Speaker Impedance + Wire Resistance) x 100 | Loss dB = 10 x log10(1 - loss ratio)
Frequently Asked Questions
What gauge speaker wire do I need?
For short runs (under 25 ft) with 8-ohm speakers, 16 AWG is fine. For longer runs or lower impedance speakers, use 14 or 12 AWG. The rule of thumb: keep total power loss under 5% of speaker impedance.
What is the maximum length for an XLR cable?
XLR cables can run up to 1000 feet (300m) with minimal signal loss because they use balanced signals that reject noise. This makes them ideal for long live sound and studio runs.
Why are balanced cables better for long runs?
Balanced cables (XLR, TRS) carry two copies of the signal with opposite polarity. At the receiving end, noise picked up along the cable is canceled out (common-mode rejection). Unbalanced cables (TS, RCA) pick up more interference over distance.
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