To wire a speaker to an AV receiver, unplug the receiver, strip about 3/8 inch (10 mm) of insulation from each end of the wire, and twist the strands tight. Then connect the receiver’s + (red) terminal to the speaker’s + terminal and the receiver’s – (black) terminal to the speaker’s – terminal, using the same conductor for + at both ends.
That’s the whole job for bare wire. Banana plugs and pins are just tidier ways to make the same connection, and they only work if your terminals accept them. Two things cause most problems. Stray strands can touch the other terminal or the metal back panel, which triggers the receiver’s protection circuit. And some receivers need their impedance setting changed before you connect 6-ohm or 4-ohm speakers. Both are covered below.
What you need
- Speaker wire long enough to reach each speaker without pulling tight. Sony, for one, lists it as not supplied.
- A wire stripper, or a sharp utility knife used carefully.
- Optional connectors: banana plugs or pin connectors, if your receiver and speakers accept them.
Which wire gauge?
Thicker wire (a lower gauge number) can run farther. Klipsch publishes these maximum lengths, which are a useful guide for any brand:
| Gauge (AWG) | Max run, 8-ohm speakers | Max run, 6-ohm speakers | Max run, 4-ohm speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 32 ft | 24 ft | 16 ft |
| 16 | 48 ft | 36 ft | 24 ft |
| 14 | 80 ft | 60 ft | 40 ft |
| 12 | 120 ft | 90 ft | 60 ft |
Past those lengths, Klipsch says you start to lose volume and sound quality. Measure your longest run, usually to a surround speaker, and choose a gauge that covers it.
Check the impedance setting first
Look at the impedance printed on the back of your speakers or in their specs (usually 4, 6 or 8 ohms). Then check what your receiver expects:
| Receiver | Supported speakers | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Sony STR-DH590 / STR-DH790 | 6 to 16 ohms | No setting. Don’t use speakers rated below 6 ohms. |
| Denon AVR-S570BT | 6 to 16 ohms | No setting mentioned in the manual. |
| Yamaha RX-V685 | Set for 8 ohms by default | For 6-ohm speakers, set “SP IMP.” to “6 Ω MIN” before connecting them. |
| Denon AVR-S960H | 4 to 16 ohms | Set “Sp.Imp.” to 6ohms or 4ohms if any speaker is rated that low. The default is 8ohms. |
| Onkyo TX-NR6100 | 4 to 16 ohms | Set Speaker Impedance to the 4-ohm option if any speaker is rated from 4 ohms up to just under 6 ohms. |
On the Yamaha, you change it from the front panel. With the receiver in standby, hold STRAIGHT and press MAIN ZONE power. When “SP IMP.” appears, press STRAIGHT to choose “6 Ω MIN,” then press MAIN ZONE to go back to standby. On the Denon AVR-S960H, hold TUNER PRESET CH + and TUNE + for 3 seconds, press DIMMER three times to reach “Sp.Imp.,” pick the value with TUNER PRESET CH +/–, and press STATUS.
How to connect bare speaker wire
Unplug the receiver’s power cord before you start. Sony, Yamaha and Denon all say so. Denon also says to switch off the subwoofer.
- Pick your + conductor. Speaker wire has two conductors side by side. One is marked, often with a stripe, printed text, a ridge or a different color. Decide the marked one is + and use it for + at both ends. Klipsch recommends color-coded wire because it makes this easy.
- Strip the ends. Remove about 3/8 inch (10 mm) of insulation from each conductor. Sony, Yamaha, Denon and Klipsch all use this length. Don’t strip more than you need, because extra bare wire is what ends up touching other terminals.
- Twist the strands. Twist each bare end tightly so no strands stick out.
- Open the receiver terminal. Turn the terminal cap counterclockwise to loosen it. If your receiver has spring clips instead, press the clip down.
- Insert the wire. Push the bare end all the way in, + conductor into the red terminal and – into the black. On Yamaha’s terminals, the wire goes into the gap in the side of the terminal.
- Tighten. Turn the cap clockwise until the wire is held firmly, or release the spring clip. Give the wire a gentle tug to check it.
- Repeat at the speaker. Marked conductor to the speaker’s + (red), plain conductor to – (black).
- Do the next speaker. Match each channel carefully: front left to FRONT L, front right to FRONT R, and so on. Denon includes color-coded cable labels for this: white for front L, red for front R, green for center, light blue for surround L and blue for surround R.
Banana plugs and pins
Banana plugs screw or crimp onto the wire end and push straight into the hole in the end of a binding post. They’re easier to plug in and pull out, and no loose strands are left at the terminal.
- Onkyo TX-NR6100: North American models accept banana plugs 4 mm in diameter.
- Yamaha RX-V685: On the U.S.A., Canada and several other regional models, tighten the terminal cap all the way down first, then push the banana plug into the end of the terminal.
- Denon AVR-S570BT: The manual says to twist the core wire tightly “or terminate it,” meaning you can fit a connector.
- Sony STR-DH590 / STR-DH790: The manuals only describe bare wire. Check your terminals before you buy plugs.
On the speaker end, some binding posts hide the banana socket under a plastic dust cap. Klipsch’s instructions show prying the cap off gently to open the socket.
Before you plug the receiver back in
- Look at every terminal on the receiver. No bare strand should touch the neighboring terminal or the metal back panel. Sony, Yamaha and Denon all warn about this.
- Check that + goes to + at both ends of every run.
- Make sure the front left and right speakers are connected. Yamaha notes that the fronts are required.
- Plug the receiver in and turn it on.
- Run the receiver’s speaker setup or room calibration. These systems report speakers they can’t detect, and Yamaha’s YPAO also checks wiring.
If something goes wrong
- The Yamaha shows “Check SP Wires.” Yamaha says a speaker cable is short-circuited. Turn the receiver off and check for touching strands.
- A Sony shows “PROTECT” or the receiver shuts off. Denon and Sony both have protection circuits that trip when + and – touch or a wire touches the back panel. Low-impedance speakers can trigger it too. Our STR-DH790 PROTECT guide walks through isolating the speaker that causes it.
- One speaker is silent. Check that the wire is clamped on bare copper, not insulation. Then check that the speaker is enabled in the receiver’s speaker settings. Also make sure you didn’t wire it to the wrong channel.
- The sound seems off or lacks bass. Check polarity. Klipsch explains that when one speaker’s cone moves in while the other moves out, “the sound quality will be adversely affected.” If the wire has no visible marking, Klipsch describes a test with the wire disconnected from the receiver. Touch the loose ends to a 9-volt battery, + to +. The woofer moves forward when polarity is correct.
For model-specific layouts and setup menus, see our guides to setting up speakers on the Denon AVR-S570BT and speaker setup and Auto Calibration on the Sony STR-DH590.
Quick answers
Does it matter which conductor is + if I’m consistent?
No. What matters is that the same conductor goes to + at the receiver and + at the speaker, and that every speaker is wired the same way.
My speaker has four terminals. Which do I use?
Those are for bi-amping or bi-wiring. For a normal connection, leave the metal jumper bars in place and connect to one pair. Klipsch says the jumpers carry the signal between the two sets. If the posts are labeled for a built-in height speaker instead, they need their own wiring.
I have only one surround back speaker. Where does it go?
On the Denon AVR-S960H, set Surr. Back to “1 spkr” and connect it to the L terminal. Check your own manual, since other receivers may differ.
Can I connect speakers with the receiver in standby?
No. Unplug the power cord first. Denon warns never to touch the speaker terminals while the power cord is connected.
For the manufacturers’ own instructions, see Denon’s Before connecting speakers page and Yamaha’s Connecting the speaker page.