Choose shielded low voltage audio cables for microphones, line-level audio, and control signals, particularly when EMI or RFI could affect lower-level signals. Choose unshielded speaker wire for connecting amplifiers to speakers, where the cable carries speaker-level audio rather than sensitive line-level signals.

Conductor count determines how many audio or control paths a low voltage audio cable can carry, with two-conductor designs suited to basic speaker connections and four-conductor designs supporting two speaker channels or two shielded audio-control pairs. Wire gauge affects conductor size, so eighteen-gauge cable offers a larger conductor than twenty-two-gauge cable, while the installation’s distance, signal type, and power requirements help determine the appropriate choice.

Review the cable’s listed rating for the installation, such as CMR, CL3, FT4, or direct-burial suitability, and confirm that it matches the routing and environment. Check the specified operating temperature range, commonly −20°C to 75°C in this assortment, along with the cable’s voltage limit, such as below 80 volts or 300 volts where listed.

Low voltage audio cables with shielded conductors and drain wires help carry line-level audio and control signals while reducing electromagnetic and radio-frequency interference. Multi-conductor, paired configurations can also support related lighting control applications, including DMX, when the cable and system specifications call for it.