The Best Amp Wire Kit- Buyer’s Guide

Car amplifiers are synonymous to improved sound quality, powerful speakers, and source of power for subwoofers. For these benefits, you have to wire the amplifier which means investing in the best amp wiring kit.

The problem, however, lies in finding the best wiring kit. And knowing how much tasking installing the amp is, you wouldn’t want to spend too much time and money looking for the right car installation accessories. And, there’s also the fact that some manufacturers aren’t as dishonest as you’d expect them to be.

It is, therefore, a welcome relief to find a little help in the right direction, right?

Fortunately, we have done the dirty and tough work for you. After comprehensive research and evaluation of battery power, audio input and output, ground and remote turning, we have a list of 10 of the best car amp wiring kits.

Best Amp Wire Kit – Comparison Table

Image	Product
Best 4-Gauge	KnuKonceptz Kolossus 4 Gauge 4-Gauge OFC Material Wire Check Price	Check Price
Also great	NEP 4 Gauge CCA Premium Kit 4-Gauge CCA Material Wire Check Price	Check Price
Best Budget	InstallGear 4 Gauge Complete Amp Kit 4-Gauge CCA Material Wire Check Price	Check Price
Best 1/0 Gauge	NVX True Spec 1/0 Gauge 100% 1/0-Gauge CCA Material Wire Check Price	Check Price
Best 0 Gauge	Rockville RWK0CU 0 AWG Gauge 0-Gauge OFC Material Wire Check Price	Check Price

1) KnuKonceptz Kolossus 4 Gauge OFC Amp Installation Kit – Best Kit On the Market

See More Images

This kit features premium power and ground cables made of an ultra-flexible PC material as well as ultra-fine and tinned OFC (Oxygen-free Copper) strands. These cables are the best in the industry in terms of conductivity, durability, and overall performance. With Kolossus Kable serving as the standard for comparison, this kit makes it to the top as one of the best.

It features an FH-44 fuse holder that comes with a resistant 120A fuse. Since the fuse doesn’t come installed in the cable, you get to install the in-line fuse holder at the right place. This is also a stealth design move that lets you extend your power wire by 1 to 3 ft with the help of the fuse holder, adding cable length.

The fuses amperage is upgradable up to 150A, but you have to buy the 150A fuse separately.

The Clarity Kable carries the signal for the 2-channel RC cable. This RCA cable is a copper-braid-shielded-coaxial that uses a strain-relief hybrid/molded RCA termination. These structural features enhance the durability of the cable while preventing connection loss between your speaker and the amplifier. There’s also a remote wire included.

Also included in the kit are two gold-plated ring terminals, as well as 2 gold-plated spade terminals. Wire ties and grommets are also available.

Note that while the KnuKonceptz Kolossus cable meets the AWG standards, it’s slightly larger than traditional 4-gauge cables.

2) NEP 4 Gauge CCA Premium Kit – the best Large 4-Gauge CCA Wire Kit

See More Images

When shopping for an amp wiring kit, you look at its reliability and effectiveness. This wire offers all you are looking for with its thorough wiring system. It has everything you need to wire your car’s amp.

It ground and power cables are robust with 1001 strands of CCA wire which adds up a cross-sectional area of 25.47mm2. This cross section makes the NEP kit cables up to 20.2 percent larger than the true 4-gauge AWG cable.

It also features solid-metal and High-shielded premium RCA cables. These RCA cables feature solid connectors for an ultra-tight connection cutting down vibrations and noise resulting from poor electrical conduction. These cables are also highly shielded, further suppressing noise and vibrations.

Unlike other kits, the NEP 4 Gauge CCA Premium Kit has tinned and crimped solid copper lugs for the best connections between the battery and the power cables.

Its fuse holder features a solid block of metal that secures the fuse and cable to prevent connection loss.

There’s also a 10AWG speaker wire that works well for the high-powered subwoofers. With the thick speaker wires, there’s a voltage drop which ensures that the wire handles the current delivered by the amp to the speakers.

3) InstallGear 4 Gauge Complete Amp Kit – Best for Budget Wiring Kit

See More Images

If you are on a tight budget but in search of a high-quality amp wiring kit, this InstallGear could be exactly what you are looking for.

Even for the price, these features are not too shabby and the kit comes with everything you need to get your amp up and running.

The kit comes with 17ft RCA, power, and speaker wires, as well as a 3ft ground wire, all made of copper clad aluminum (CCA).

While CCA’s quality is comparably lower than that of OFC (Oxygen Free Copper), it gets the work done.

It also comes with a remarkable ANL fuse holder and a100A fuse.

The kit also has a split loom, a remote wire, ring and fork terminals, wire ties, and a rubber grommet — basically, everything you need to install your amp.

4) NVX True Spec 1/0 Gauge – Best Mobile Audio Amp Installation Kit with soft-touch wires

See More Images

With its fuses, fuse holder, wires, cable, terminals, split loom, and other hardware necessary for successful installation of amp kits and at its low price, this 1/0-gauge kit is the best for mobile audio amps.

The parts are all engineered and constructed to offer the highest level of performance while looking good.

5) Rockville RWK0CU 0 AWG Gauge – Best 0 Gauge Amp Kit

See More Images

The cables in this kit are made of 100 percent copper which makes them the best on the market, but also the most expensive. Perhaps that’s the reason why the company is willing to refund you in full should you find a kit with stronger cables than theirs.

The kit comes with an amplifier kit system which, when powered correctly, functions at peak efficiency. The kit works well for car audio system that has over 1000 watts RMS and up to 3000watts.

For the uninterrupted transmission of signals, the kit has silver-tinned and 100 percent virgin copper wire. And for protection of your amp in high-powered systems, the kit comes with solid brass, gold-plated ANL fuse holder.

Maximum power comes from the power and the ground cables which are named Mega Power Cables thanks to their engineering. To be specific, the cables are built with thousands of strands of true OFC strands. The design process involves the use of the proprietary special twisting process that reduces the surface-to-skin impedance loss. This results in zero signal or power loss, and the delivery of full power from the battery system to your amplifier even at a great length of 20ft.

Note that this copper stranded wire is impressively tolerant to hostile environmental conditions, heat expansion, and it’s astonishingly flexible.

The design of the cables also makes for increased current and signal flow, as well as the high amperage carrying capacity.

Installation is made easy with the SuperFlex outer insulation jacket.

6) Kicker CK4 Complete Amp Installation Kit – Best Kit for 1000W Systems

See More Images

A kit with premium quality power and ground wires, this Kicker CK4 is well-designed for amp installations for 1000W (or less) systems. It’s made from 100 percent oxygen-free copper (OFC) wires. OFC provides pure and uninterrupted power transfer optimally.

There also are 2-channel RCA interconnection cables which allow for signal amplification from your receiver to your amp.

7) Rockford 4 AWG Complete Installation Kit – Full AWG

See More Images

This is a full-AWG kit with cables made of 100 percent oxygen-free copper (OFC) and premium-quality brass. And even all the brass parts in the kit are manufactured using the highest set standards of quality.

It comes with all the necessary termination hardware. The cables are long enough, and it has a fuse holder whose fuse holds up to 100amps. It also features two twisted signal cables.

8) SoundBox Connected 4 Gauge Amp Kit – High Power Handling Capacity on a Budget

Don’t let your tight budget deny you the pleasure of a good quality amp installed in your car. This low-priced amp installation kit offers a high peak power handling capacity of 2300watts.  

It has a premium heat-tested in-line and stylish AGU fuse holder which offers a high level of protection for your wires.  

The pair of twisted RCA cables in the kit are well-designed to allow the best signal to pass through.

All the other cables are not too shabby. They are made of Copper Clad Aluminum, CCA, which is, unfortunately of lower quality compared to OFC cables. They are, however, pretty good if you are looking for a short-term solution.

The lower quality of the wires means they won’t hold up too well for long.

The kit comes with everything you need for amp installation: power, ground and speaker, and remote wires, stylish AGU fuse holder, wire loom, RCA interconnect, and other installation accessories like the wire ties.

9) KnuKonceptz KCA Complete 4 Gauge Amp Installation Kit – Excellence on a Shoestring Budget

See More Images

You might know KnuKonceptz for its high product quality and the subsequent high price tags, but this shows that you can still attain excellent music quality inexpensively.

This wiring kit comes with an easy-to-install and stylish AGU fuse holder, as well as remarkable wiring. Both the positive and the negative wires are made using copper coated aluminum (CCA). The use of CCA rather than OFC is the reason for the lower pricing.  The quality of the wiring isn’t compromised as it remains as flexible as other KnuKonceptz wires.

The use of the high-quality AGU fuse holder with the CCA wiring boosts the quality and performance of the amp wiring. This fuse holder is easier to install as it requires little stripping off of the positive power cable, inserting the fuse holder receptacle before you tighten and fasten the screw.

The twisted RCA cables with gold-plated contacts are durable, and they have durable insulation. These cables are flexible.

The quality of the speaker wires is also remarkable, and it works not only great but also feels great.

The other features of this wiring kit include the power wire, ground power, gold-plated ring terminals, and spade terminals, as well as wire ties.

Buying Guide

Amp wiring is a lot more than swapping out the car’s speakers or the head unit. If you are familiar with the basics of car audio, amp wiring should be a simple process, especially with an amp wiring kit.

Car Amp Wiring

The kit enhances the ease with which you make the five main connections – the battery power, ground, remote turn-on, audio input, and audio input. Out of the 5, the first three connections are critical for powering a new car amplifier.

Your battery’s power cable should be connected to the battery’s positive terminal directly, meaning that you have to route the cable through your car’s firewall. For this, the cable should be relatively thick. You might also need the same-gauge-cable for the ground connection although the ground cable shouldn’t be as long as the power cable. For the remote turning on of the amplifier, the remote turn-on wire can be thin, but long enough to reach the speakers from wherever you put the power amp.

The last two connections are the ones for the audio input and output. Guided by your setup, you need either speaker wire or the combination of RCA cables and the speaker.

Considering all these essential connections and the fact that most (if not all) cars don’t come with cables or wires needed, you have to buy a car amp installation kit. The kits vary, as mentioned above. What this means is that you need a checklist of what the ideal toolkit has. Your checklist will guide your amp kit buying decision.

What makes the best amp wiring kit?

Below are the things you need in your checklist. These are the things that make the best car amp wiring kit.

What’s in the kit?

Your ideal amp kit is made using high-quality wiring materials, including all the basic connections needed for the installations. The wiring should offer sufficient length, and there should be zip ties to keep the connections needs while holding all those cables in place during and after installation.

The essential items in your wiring kit include:

• A high-quality remote wire
• Premium-quality RCA cables -16ft or longer
• Positive wire made of high-quality stranded conductors about 18ft long
• A ground wire
• High-quality fuse holder and fuse
• Crimp ring terminals for both positive and negative power wires
• Zip ties
• Speaker wires
• Length of the installation wires

The worst that can happen during the wiring of a new amp is the wire being too short. Before you order your kit and start the installation process, you should anticipate the average length of wires required. To be on the safer side, opt for longer wires.

When a cable is long enough, it will reach the battery’s positive terminal effortlessly, and also connect the fuse holder along to the amplifier. The extra length will allow effortless connections over curves and bends. For this level of flexibility in connection, consider getting an 18ft cable.

But, the matter of cable length doesn’t end there. You also need to make sure that your remote wire and the RCA cables are long enough. For this, anything between 15ft-16ft will work.

Keep in mind that getting a kit with longer wires is a plus because it means that you move the amplifier around to different locations when you need to.

What length of wiring cable is considered very short? Well, a length of 12ft or less is really short and will be insufficient unless you are mounting the amplifier under the chair. A 12ft cable hardly reaches the car’s rear. In short, short cables are just problematic.

Wire Sizing and Quality

Never trust an advert or take the manufacturer’s word when looking at wires. You may find that a kit advertised and sold as an 8-gauge is smaller or more of a 10-gauge. This is because of the use of bigger insulations which leave you with smaller wires.

Before you buy a kit, ensure that the sizing of the wires is done according to the standards set by American Wire Gauge/ AWG chart. The wires sold should be sized according to this chart, always. This applies to all wires, including the speaker wires.

Other than the legitimacy of the wire’s size, you also need to confirm the material the wire is made of.

Is Pure Copper Superior to Copper-coated Aluminum Wires?

With recent reports pointing to the rising prices of pure copper, an increasing number of companies have been using lower quality materials to make amplifier/ speaker wires. The copper-coated aluminum wiring (CCA) results from the combination of copper over the aluminum wire to cut costs.

While the CCA is cheaper than the pure copper wire, pure copper wires have a higher conductivity. Aluminum is also less flexible than copper.

RCA Cables

Choose a long RCA cable that accommodates all the curves you’ll encounter during installation. The RCA cable connects the car’s subwoofer to the amplifier by wiring your subwoofer’s output to your amplifier’s input.

Speaker Wire

Though you can purchase it separately, a kit with this wire is a good kill. Like the RCA wire, this wire should be long. You need the speaker wire when installing the amp. It ensures that all the car audio speakers receive signals from the installed amplifier.

Fuse Holders

The selected kit should come with an affordable and high-quality fuse holder.

But, you cannot and shouldn’t buy any type of fuse holder. The fuse holder purchased will make a huge difference between how long and complicated the installation process is.

The fuse holder in your wiring kit also determines how well or terribly your wiring and the fuse holds up to heat, vibration, and moisture. A cheap fuse holder is neither heat resistant or moisture resistant. What this means is that unless you are strapped for cash, and you cannot wait, the cheap fuse holder should be avoided. You might also choose a cheap fuse holder if you are looking for a temporary solution.

Note that the molded fuse holders are best rated for the smaller amps and they use 10-gauge cables making them unsuitable for high power demands.

This brings us to AGU and ANL (rounded and rectangular respectively) fuse holders. These holders are an excellent choice for amp wiring, and they let you see clearly the fuse element should it blow.  Both fuse holders also have a large conductive area to pass current.

While the AGU holder is more stylish than the ANL, both holders pass the style test.

If you have to choose one over the other, note that the AGU fuse holders are easier to install, are compact, and also dirt and moisture resistant.

Ring Terminals

Some amp kits have ring terminals, which are incredible additions for making solid and highly reliable power connections for positive and negative wiring cables.

When it comes to ring terminals, even the inexpensive gold-plated terminals work great.  To secure the terminals, you can use a high-quality crimp tool or vise grip plyers after stripping between 3/8 and ½ inches of insulation off the amp or speaker wires.

The ring terminals also come in handy in securing bolt studs that connect the amplifier’s power wiring.

Other than gold-plated ring terminal, there are crimp lug terminals. The latter tend to be difficult to crimp, and you should avoid them unless you have the right tools needed to attach the wires securely.

Kit Size

Before you order your kit, determine the size of wire you need for the terminals. If your wire is of the wrong size, fastening the wiring on the amp securely will be a huge hurdle. And if some of the wire strands are free, they may short out later.

If in doubt, amps a maximum size of 8 or 4 gauge wires.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, your decision comes down to your budget or how much you are willing to spend on the amp wiring kit. The kits reviewed above are among the best am wire kits, and they suit different needs well.

Real 100 percent copper wiring will certainly cost you a lot, but it handles a higher electrical current. CCA wiring is cheaper than OFC and the most common on the market.