AudioQuest Type 8 Speaker Cable - Per Foot

AudioQuest Type 8 by the Foot Arranges Eight Solid Conductors in a Circle

AudioQuest Type 8 is a speaker cable with eight solid conductors arranged in a circular array. It mixes Perfect-Surface Copper with Long-Grain Copper in four different sizes, 12 AWG per side overall. We sell it by the foot, so you can cut each run to size.

AudioQuest rated the dark gray PVC jacket on Type 8 UL CL3 for in-wall use. Bulk cable suits in-wall jobs and odd-length runs, and it lets you fit the connectors you prefer.

Why Solid Copper Beats a Bundle of Strands

Each conductor is a single piece of copper, with no strands inside. AudioQuest says solid conductors prevent the strand-to-strand interaction that is a major source of distortion in stranded cable.

What a Circle of Eight Conductors Gets You

AudioQuest says the circular-spiral construction of Type 8 allows significantly better dynamic contrast and clarity than running the same conductors in parallel or as twisted pairs. The conductors come in four sizes: one pair of 20 AWG Perfect-Surface Copper, and pairs of 19, 18 and 16 AWG Long-Grain Copper.

Who Is This Bulk Speaker Cable Best For?

• You want a heavier 12 AWG cable for longer runs — Type 8 adds up to 12 AWG per side
• You are wiring speakers inside walls — AudioQuest rated the jacket UL CL3 for in-wall use
• Your speakers have two pairs of binding posts — AudioQuest says Type 8 can be prepared as a bi-wire cable, with four connections at the speaker end
• Your runs are an odd length — buying by the foot means no coiled slack behind the rack
• You want a cable that is ready to plug in — bulk cable arrives without connectors. Add spades or bananas from our Speaker Cable Connectors collection

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Cut the cable to length, strip a short section at each end, and fit your connectors. Connect one end to your amplifier's speaker outputs and the other to your speaker's binding posts, red to red and black to black. Do the same for the second speaker.

The Measuring Mistake That Leaves You Inches Short

Speaker cable is cut for one room. Measure the path the cable will really take, around furniture and along the baseboard. Then add a little slack. As Cardas puts it, "A cable that's just long enough usually turns out to be just not long enough." Keep the left and right runs the same length, as Cardas recommends, even when one speaker sits closer.

Finish Each End With a Connector

Bulk cable arrives as bare wire. Bare copper oxidizes quickly, and Cardas notes that copper oxide is not a good conductor. So we suggest finishing each end with a spade or banana rather than leaving it bare. You will find both in our Speaker Cable Connectors collection.

Strip the ends, fit your connectors, and tighten everything down before you power up.

When Is It Time to Upgrade?

Speaker cable often stays put for years, so it tends to be the last thing upgraded. Look again when something else changes. Moving from bookshelf speakers to floorstanders is the big one. In our experience, about nine in ten people who make that move keep their old speaker cable. A stronger amplifier, a longer run, or darkened ends are the other signs.

Pairs Well With

Bulk speaker cable needs connectors at each end, and joins your amplifier to your speakers.

• Speaker Cable Connectors — spades and bananas to finish each end of the cable
• Floorstanding Speakers — the best time to rethink your speaker cable
• Integrated Amplifiers — the amplifier end in most stereo systems
• Stereo Amplifiers — the amplifier end when you run separates

Frequently Asked Questions

Does bulk cable come with connectors?

It arrives as bare cable, without connectors. Add spades or bananas from our Speaker Cable Connectors collection before you connect it.

How is it sold?

By the length in the listing's title, either by the foot or on a spool. Measure your runs first, and order a little extra.

Can Type 8 go inside a wall?

AudioQuest rated its jacket UL CL3 for in-wall use. Check your local code for what your installation needs.

What gauge is Type 8?

It adds up to 12 AWG per side, from eight solid conductors in four sizes.

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