| Selection of the appropriate wire gauge is important to system operation. A cable that's too "light" will result in amplifier power being wasted due to the series resistance of the cable. It will also result in the loss of low-frequency performance due to a degraded damping factor. On the other hand, a cable that is too "heavy" is unnecessarily awkward and costly. There is like 4 types of wires you can pick from. There's flat speaker wire, solid core speaker wire, oxygen free speaker wires and regular copper wire? Which is the best? Well, the answer depends on whom you talk to. Some say it isn't really the removal of oxygen from copper wire that makes any difference it's the iron that is removed in the process. The iron causes there to be more resistance in the wire. Once source states the difference in resistance between copper wire and oxygen free copper wire is too small to be significant for speaker wiring. They suggest that ordinary copper wire, as long as it's heavy enough, is just as good as any name brand. Oxygen free copper cost more than the others in most cases. The size of your wiring depends on the amount of power going to your speakers and the length of wire from the amplifier to the speakers. Most systems will need to use 16 gauge to 12 gauge wire. Also since most cases you'll only need 16ft at most, a 12 gauge for mid range to high speakers is all you need. When you go to the subwoofer area's, theirs much more of a draw and power will be pushed threw there, so 8 gauge is fine. Plus in most all installs, the subs are ideally located near there power supplies, with Stiffing caps or batteries close by as well. But this also depends on the Sub Amps set up. For my 1021 Amp, it's set up as a right and left or bridged. Meaning it has four fuses ( two pre side ) and a power wire and ground wire for right and left channels. So instead of one big power wire and ground, it takes two of each. Running a 4 gauge wire from a stiffing cap into a distribution block, then 8 gauge wire some 2ft from the Amps is prefect. It's only when you add more distance is the draw greater and the power signal dropped in strength. So that's why the stiffing capacitors are designed to be mounted within 6 to 18 inches of the amplifier’s power connectors to improve overall performance by giving the amplifier the instant burst of current it needs for greater bass transients and wider dynamics.are also placed near the Amps. As a line booster and will feed the Amp it's required draw for it's full power potential. Here's my install close up. Phoenix Gold 1.2 farad cap with 1ft 4 gauge ground wire and 2ft power wire.  The 2ft 4 gauge power wire runs right up into this 4 channel distribution block, that in turn feeds the Amps that are with in 1 to 3 ft from there. With Phoenix Gold high current flow 8 gauge wires. So very, very little drop in the power signal. 
Which feeds this Kenwood 1021( Amp below )( 900watts at 105dbs of signal ) to the two 500watts ea. Kenwood 15"s. 
With more amps around here I could throw in. Somewhere around 2500 watts total in 5 amps is what I have for the car. With this little interior space, that could be monstrous decibels. But make sure you have the right car battery as well. A Gell cell, Optima red, yellow, Stinger etc. is best. Two other pictures of a day shot of the stereo are in my profile at the bottom, if you care to see. 
 STAGE V++++
Going to XV+ and beyond :) Yellow Z STAGE II
Going to XI+ |
Nice set up. - 
