Monoprice Nimbus Series 16AWG 2-Conductor CMP-Rated Speaker Wire, 250ft

Introducing the Monoprice Nimbus Series 16AWG 2-Conductor CMP-Rated Speaker Wire, a premium plenum-grade cable engineered for safety, reliability, and exceptional audio performance in both homes and businesses. This CMP-rated wire is designed to meet the strict safety standards required for air-handling spaces, with a fire-retardant jacket that has been evaluated by Underwriters Laboratories to minimize smoke development and flame spread in ceilings, walls, and ductwork. Whether you're wiring a state-of-the-art home theater, a distributed audio system across multiple rooms, or a PA setup in a commercial environment, Nimbus Series delivers consistent signal integrity, easy installation, and long-term durability. The 16 AWG two-conductor configuration strikes an ideal balance between electrical resistance, ease of pulling through challenging routes, and robust mechanical resilience, ensuring clean highs, solid mids, and dependable bass across typical room sizes and installation scenarios. At 250 feet per reel, this cable provides ample length for substantial projects, reducing the need for frequent splices and enabling cleaner, more professional results. Monoprice’s plenum-grade design is built to withstand the everyday rigors of professional deployments—abrasion, temperature fluctuations, and repeated handling—while maintaining flexibility for tight bends and complex routing. The plenum jacket’s low-smoke, low-toxicity characteristics help keep indoor air quality high and installation codes satisfied in modern commercial and high-end residential spaces. If your project requires a safe, code-compliant wire that won’t compromise acoustic performance, the Nimbus Series is a compelling choice that blends safety, value, and performance into a single, reliable solution.

• CMP-rated plenum jacket for safe plenum installations: The jacket is specially engineered to meet fire-safety standards for air-handling spaces, reducing smoke production and flame spread in ceilings, risers, and ductwork. UL-listed and validated under rigorous testing, this wire is designed to keep installations compliant with building codes while preserving audio fidelity. This makes it an ideal choice for home theaters, conference rooms, and multi-room systems that traverse ceilings and ventilation paths, where safety and performance are paramount.
• 16 AWG 2-conductor design for balanced performance and easy routing: The 16-gauge, two-conductor configuration provides a practical compromise between lower resistance and flexible handling. This gauge is widely favored for speaker runs in mid-sized rooms and longer pathways, delivering clear highs, well-defined mids, and punchy bass without excessive line loss. The dual-conductor layout also simplifies polarity management and compatibility with a wide range of binding posts, banana plugs, and speaker terminals, making installations more straightforward for both professionals and DIY enthusiasts.
• Durable construction and reliable termination: Nimbus Series wires feature a fire-retardant jacket paired with a robust, flexible construction designed to withstand the rigors of everyday use. The jacket resists abrasion, moisture, and temporary flexing during pulls through walls and ceilings, while the conductors maintain solid integrity at terminations. This combination ensures consistent signal delivery and extended service life even in demanding environments such as high-traffic commercial spaces or rental homes where cables endure frequent handling.
• Long-run efficiency and cost savings: With 250 feet on a single reel, this cable minimizes the need for splices and additional connectors on most longer runs, helping installers save time and reduce labor costs. The generous length also supports multiple speaker connections in larger rooms or multi-zone setups, providing a cleaner, more organized installation with fewer joins. Fewer splices mean fewer potential failure points and more consistent impedance and tone across the system, which translates to reliable performance for everyday listening as well as critical listening applications like home theaters and studio monitors.
• Versatility for residential and commercial installation needs: This plenum-rated speaker wire is suitable for a broad spectrum of applications, from home theaters and distributed audio systems to in-ceiling and in-wall installations in commercial spaces. Its CMP-rated jacket ensures safe, code-compliant use in air handling spaces, enabling flexible routing in ceilings and ducts without compromising safety or audio quality. The 2-conductor configuration is compatible with most speaker systems and amplifier outputs, making it a practical choice for installers who value safety, performance, and straightforward integration.

Technical Details of Monoprice Nimbus Series 16AWG 2-Conductor CMP-Rated Speaker Wire, 250ft

• Conductor: 16 AWG, 2-conductor configuration for standard speaker use
• Jacket: CMP-rated plenum jacket with fire-retardant properties to meet safety requirements in air-handling spaces
• Length: 250 feet per reel, offering ample run length for large rooms and multi-room installations
• Applications: Suitable for residential and commercial audio installations, including ceilings, walls, and risers that pass through plenum spaces
• Compliance: UL-listed and designed to meet stringent safety standards for plenum environments

How to install Monoprice Nimbus Series 16AWG 2-Conductor CMP-Rated Speaker Wire

• Plan your route: Map out the most efficient path from your amplifier or receiver to each speaker location. Account for turns, obstacles, and potential sources of heat or abrasion. Allow extra slack at each speaker to accommodate mounting, repositioning, and future adjustments. A well-planned route minimizes the risk of kinks and damage during installation and helps maintain consistent playback across rooms.
• Prepare the cable: When you’re ready to install, cut the desired length and carefully strip back the outer jacket to expose about 1/2 inch (12–13 mm) of conductor at each end. Use a proper wire stripper to avoid nicking or nicking the insulation. Expose clean, undamaged copper at the ends to ensure a solid, corrosion-free connection with your terminals or connectors.
• Make connections: Attach the wires to speaker terminals, binding posts, banana plugs, or other connectors, paying close attention to polarity. Positive (+) should connect to the speaker’s positive terminal and the amplifier’s positive output, while negative (−) lines go to the corresponding negative terminals. Consistent polarity across all speakers in a system preserves phase coherence and accurate imaging, resulting in a clearer, more immersive soundstage.
• Route and secure: Run the wire through walls, ceilings, or conduit using appropriate supports, clips, or staples. Avoid sharp edges, excessive heat sources, and tight bends that could compress or damage the jacket. Keep the wire away from power cables to reduce potential interference, and neatly label runs for future maintenance or expansion.
• Test and finalize: After installation, test each speaker for continuity and audio output. Inspect terminations for secure contact and verify no damage has occurred to the jacket during pulling. If desired, terminate with compatible connectors (such as banana plugs or spade lugs) for a cleaner, more robust finish. Finally, tidy the installation by trimming excess cable and securing it with cable management solutions that fit local code requirements.

Frequently asked questions

• Is this CMP-rated wire suitable for plenum spaces? Yes. It features a CMP-rated jacket and UL listing, making it appropriate for air-handling spaces and ceiling plenums while delivering reliable audio performance.
• What is the gauge and conductor configuration? It is 16 AWG with 2 conductors, designed specifically for speaker applications and straightforward terminations.
• How long is the spool? Each reel is 250 feet, providing ample length for longer runs and reducing the need for splices during installations.
• Can I use this in residential and commercial environments? Yes. This plenum-rated wire is suitable for both home theater projects and commercial audio installations where safety in plenum spaces is a consideration.
• Will this cable affect audio quality? In typical 16 AWG two-conductor speaker applications, the cable supports clear, stable audio with low resistance for standard room sizes. The CMP jacket serves safety and code compliance without introducing audible penalties when properly terminated.