For a mixture of stranded and solid wires, position the ends of the stranded wires about 1/8 inch beyond the solid wires. If the wires are all the same type, keep the ends even with each other.

So, what’s the best speaker wire for your setup? For most home theater and stereo systems, a 14-gauge stranded oxygen-free copper (OFC) wire will work well. If your cable runs are longer or your ...