The Best Flat Speaker Wire For 2024

By, Tim Powers
Updated 28 Apr 2024 21:16

The Rundown

1. Best Of The Best: Monoprice Series 16 Gauge AWG Speaker Wire

Monoprice Series 16 Gauge AWG Speaker Wire is a pure copper conductor with a diameter of 16AWG. This wire offers excellent conductivity, making it perfect for use with Class D amplifiers. Pure bare copper is a superior conductor of electricity to aluminum conductors and has been the go-to choice in high-performance audio wiring for decades. Read Review

2. Best Bang For The Buck: FRANKEVER 23Gauge Speaker Wire

FRANKEVER 23Gauge Speaker Wire is designed to reduce the bulk of speaker wire while increasing sound quality. The super flat wire can be used in floor or ceiling walls, and it is suitable for 2 connections. It is also highly aesthetic since its paintable surface helps hide the line and installation is as easy as applying white tape to the surface. Read Review

3. Best Easy To Clean: Sewell SW-32985-25 Speaker Wire

Sewell SW-32985-25 Speaker Wire is a speaker wire that's hidden by painting it the same color as duct tape. It comes in two 16 AWG pure copper conductors, which allow for high acoustic performance with no exposed copper. Use on the wall or ceiling for a clean look and high-end sound quality. Read Review

4. Best Efficient: Crutchfield 16 Gauge Speaker Wire

Crutchfield 16 Gauge Speaker Wire is a two-conductor speaker wire made of high-quality, pure copper conductors. The conductors are 16 AWG and can be used on either walls or ceilings to hide your speaker cables without running them through walls. With its excellent conductivity, this wire is easy to clean and also features a shielded design that prevents interference from radio signals. Read Review

5. Best Durable: Taperwire 218-10 Speaker Wire

With a super flat wire and conductivity that is unsurpassed, Taperwire 218-10 is the perfect wire to hide your speaker cables. This way, you can have the best of both worlds: a clean, aesthetic-looking installation with hidden speaker wires. The twin 18 AWG pure copper conductors transmit sound with excellent clarity and excellent conductivity. Read Review

Flat speaker wire is the easiest way to wire your speakers. It’s much easier to run flat speaker wire than lugging stands and connecting banana plugs or spades. Plus, it looks cleaner.

There are also a couple of other benefits that come with using flat speaker wire for your system: You can wrap it around walls and use it as a speaker cable wall mount You can hide it under carpets without worrying about tangling. All in all, we think flat speaker wire is worth the hassle. Besides being super simple to use, there are other benefits of using it as well: Flat design makes runs look cleaner Flat design is more likely to withstand pulling on cables The disadvantages of flat cable aren’t as big as you’d think either: In this guide, we’re going to talk about everything from what type of wire is best for smart home devices to how to choose the right length of wire and connect a pair of speakers with ease.

After doing extensive study and analysis over a 14 hours, We think the best flat speaker wire is Monoprice Series 16 Gauge AWG Speaker Wire. 16Awg Pure Copper Flat Speaker Wire. It has high conductivity and low resistance ensuring solid sound quality. The wire is designed to provide a tight, undistorted sound perfect for professional-quality audio systems. You can consider FRANKEVER 23Gauge Speaker Wire as an alternative if you're still undecided. Other suggestions on this list are definitely worth considering, and we've put up a useful shopping guide to help you decide!

Our Top Picks

TOP Choice #1 Monoprice Series 16 Gauge AWG Speaker Wire

Best Of The Best
Monoprice Series 16 Gauge AWG Speaker Wire

Product Highlights

Our Score:

9.9

Brand: Monoprice

Check Price

Pure bare copper is a superior conductor to the copper clad aluminum (CCA) conductors used in most other inexpensive speaker wire.

16Awg pure copper flat speaker wire | from Monoprice

Features cable markings on one of the two conductors

Speaker wire | comes in a flat jacket

TOP Choice #2 FRANKEVER 23Gauge Speaker Wire

Best Bang For The Buck
FRANKEVER 23Gauge Speaker Wire

Product Highlights

Our Score:

9.8

Brand: FRANKEVER

Check Price

The paintable surface similar to white masking tape makes the thread easy to hide.

23 gauge wire AWG 25 FT pure copper conductor. Matching 2 connectors.

Watch our video for the complete installation guide.

Used for home theater, car audio and other low-voltage equipment connection. Less than 36V.

Super flat wire. Can be used on the wall floor or ceiling, used for hidden speaker wires without passing through the wall.

TOP Choice #3 Sewell SW-32985-25 Speaker Wire

Best Easy To Clean
Sewell SW-32985-25 Speaker Wire

Product Highlights

Our Score:

9.6

Brand: Sewell

Check Price

Textured Paintable surface similar to white masking tape makes this wire easy to conceal

Can be used on the wall Floor or Ceiling for speaker wires that are hidden without running wires through walls

Clean surface well for long lasting installation with the adhesive backing

See our video for the full installation guide

Two 16 AWG Pure Copper Conductors

Best Efficient
Crutchfield 16 Gauge Speaker Wire

Product Highlights

Our Score:

9.5

Brand: Crutchfield

Check Price

16-gauge oxygen-free copper wire

flat, flexible white jacket

Support by Crutchfield℠

Check Price

Super Slim and Flat: Measuring less than 0.02" (0.4mm) thick, this speaker wire lays flat against the surface it is attached to. This allows it to be easily routed around corners, while remaining flat and easy to hide from view.

Adhesive Backing: The adhesive backing allows you to run the wire on a wall, ceiling, baseboard, or any other flat surface, without the need for a cable raceway or cable retaining clips.

Two 18 AWG Pure Copper Conductors: Although the conductors are flat, they have the same surface area as traditional round 18 AWG conductors, ensuring that your speakers get the same voltage levels and frequencies, without any signal loss.

Paintable: The textured surface is similar to that of white masking tape, which allows it to be painted or spackled to hide the wire from casual view.

Easy To Install: The ultra-flat design allows for installation over flat surfaces, across rooms, under floors, around corners, and in vehicles. Use it with our Super Slim Speaker Wire Connectors to easily connect your speakers.

Product Images, Product Titles, Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API

What to Look For in a best flat speaker wire?

A range of elements, including those listed below, influence the best flat speaker wire. The study process varies depending on the material. We'll be able to assist you and provide solutions since we're here to help you.

Please keep in mind the following points before selecting best flat speaker wire:

Gauge

It is also known as the cross sectional area of the wire. The wire gauge is often also known as its thickness. You should be aware that speaker wire is generally thicker if it has a lower gauge than the other. Two acceptable gauge standards exist: the American Wire Gauge and the Standard Wire Guage. You should purchase a lower gauge speaker wire if you plan to place your speakers more than 50 feet from the amplifier. This will allow you to keep your resistance low.

Resistance

Before you purchase any speaker wire, you must first look at its resistance. A speaker wire with a lower resistance means that the amplifier is able to send more power through the coil. Because speaker wires of this type have low resistance, they are shorter in length and thicker. It can cause a dangerous audible effect if the resistance exceeds 5% of the loud speaker's impedance.

Length

The measurement of the system is an important part in selecting speaker wire. However, this step has far greater impact than just visual appearances. The length of the wire will affect how resistant it is. Even though the effect isn't usually noticeable at long distances, it can significantly reduce sound quality. The longer wires can pick up interference from radios and static, which could affect a listener's enjoyment.

Price

It is a matter of debate whether higher-priced speaker wires are better than those at lower prices. There is general agreement that speaker wires of higher quality will perform better than lower-priced models. This conclusion comes from extensive listening tests, as well as research by audio professionals. The best speaker cables are those that fall in the middle price range. While the least expensive may be more durable, they will not have a greater impact on the audio quality. You should save some money on more important gear, like amps and receivers or interfaces.

Wire Material

Any speaker wire's wire material is made up of the conductor metal contained within its wire cover. Copper is a common choice for speaker wires due to its low cost and high conductivity. Copper can oxidize if it is exposed to oxygen, which can cause higher resistance. Copper is still the most efficient conductor of speaker wires. Although gold can conduct well, it's quite expensive so most people don't consider buying speaker wires with this metal.

Connectors And Wire Type

You can get speaker wires with or without connectors. It's your choice whether to buy a bundle or a raw wire package and choose your termination. If you do that, make sure to purchase a wire stripper/cutter. If your speaker uses circular sockets, a banana plug will work best. However, a pin connector is required for spring clip terminals (square-shaped clips that clamp onto the wire and slide up). Although you can use either bare or plated wires, they are difficult to manage.
You don't have to be concerned about the wire type if you run speaker wire between desk speakers or monitors on bookshelves. You should look for units rated CL2 and CL3 if you plan to run wire within your walls. You should only use wire that is rated for direct burial if you plan to run wire outdoors and/or underground.

Capacitance

Capacitance is the capacity of conductors for retaining very little electricity. When electricity travels through conductors, small amounts of electricity are retained along the length of each wire. It can cause adverse reactions if there is an excessive buildup of electricity in these conductors. This can lead to an increase in resistance and damage to your speaker. You can reduce the likelihood of excess capacitance by using shorter speaker wires.

Inductance

Inductance is the resistance that results from a change of electrical current. Inductance is a property of all conductors, including speaker wires. You might encounter resistance more frequently if your speaker wire is used in an area where electricity voltage fluctuates. To minimize resistance, it is best to use speaker wires of a lower gauge.

FAQs

What is flat speaker wire?

Flat speaker wire is cable that is composed of multiple conductor wires that are arranged in a flat ribbon-like shape. This type of wire is commonly used to connect audio speakers to a power source, such as an amplifier or receiver.

What are the advantages of flat speaker wire?

Flat speaker wire offers a number of benefits, including improved signal integrity due to the flat shape of the wires. This type of wire also offers easier installation since it can be run through small spaces and around tight corners. Additionally, flat speaker wire is resistant to tangling and is less likely to be damaged.

How do I determine the gauge of flat speaker wire I need?

The gauge of flat speaker wire required depends on the size and power of the audio speakers. Generally speaking, a 16-gauge wire is sufficient for speakers up to 100 watts, while a 14-gauge wire is recommended for speakers up to 200 watts. For higher powered speakers, a 12-gauge wire is recommended.

What type of connectors should I use with flat speaker wire?

The type of connectors that you should use with flat speaker wire will depend on the type of audio components that you are connecting. Most audio components will require either banana plugs, spade lugs, or bare wire connectors. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for the correct type of connector to use.

When updated data are available, our system and editor will update a list of best flat speaker wire. Please periodically review our website for the newest data.

We can help you with more than just finding best flat speaker wire. Please do not hesitate to contact us when you need assistance.

0 ratings

About Tim Powers

Tim Powers is an audio equipment & home theater gadget reviewer and the editor of TheAudioInsights.com. He has been involved in the home theater hobby since the late 1990s when he purchased his first AV receiver. Tim is also a writer, with articles appearing in various online and print publications.

Read Tim's full bio