Why does the gauge of speaker wire matter? Options

[mkop]

I've read some things discussing speaker wiring such as speaker reviews and their is always something like "the included cables are ok but you'll probably want to go and get something thicker." My question is why do I want some huge python of a cable? And what principles are used to decide what size is big enough?

[Pio2001]

Sorry to hear about this.
Either there was a short circuit somewhere, which is likely with thin coaxial cables, especially with one end stripped out for the speaker connection, or with the plugging-unplugging (center of the cinch accidentally in contact with any grounded metallic part), or even the line input muting (can be internally muted by short-circuiting it)... Either the capacity of the coaxial cable added to the speaker cable drove the output stage of the "audiophile-kind-sound-is-more-important-that-security" amplifier into positive feedback.

If all is repaired and one side is abnormally hot, there might still be partially burned transistors : try to play some pure sound at a loud level (but don't blow your speakers, it would be very annoying ! ), and watch for the hot channel to sound clipped.