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Recommended Solid Core Wires for DIY Speaker Cables

99.110.160.105
Posted on January 4, 2016 at 10:51:07
pete1
Audiophile

Posts: 323
Location: San Diego, CA. USA
Joined: August 8, 2008
 Happy New Year to all.
I am moving my equipment rack to a new location in the room and need different lengths for the speaker cables. I'd like to construct the cables using solid core copper wires. Years ago, one of the recommendations was Radio Shack 18 gauge hook-up wire. What is the latest thinking and recommendation? I am also open to bulk cables that only require termination, $5/foot or less.
My advance thanks for your input.

 

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RE: Recommended Solid Core Wires for DIY Speaker Cables, posted on January 4, 2016 at 20:30:57
The Dill
Audiophile

Posts: 2199
Location: Portland, Oregon
Joined: July 1, 2004
Contributor
  Since: February 3, 2016
 Here you go.

 

RE: Recommended Solid Core Wires for DIY Speaker Cables, posted on January 5, 2016 at 15:53:17
rwiley
Audiophile

Posts: 1050
Location: Southeast
Joined: February 20, 2001
 Solid core unterminated @ $5.00/ft.

 

Excellent suggestion, posted on January 5, 2016 at 18:35:33
madisonears
Audiophile

Posts: 1587
Location: midwest
Joined: September 6, 2006
 It's not the best available, but it is perhaps the best value. It is the only model AQ has not changed over the years, and with good reason: it is simply impossible to make it better without making it much more expensive. Does anyone know how long it's been available? I bought mine about 15 or so years ago for the mains and I still use it in a very good basement workshop system.

Peace,
Tom E
berate is 8 and benign is 9

 

RE: Recommended Solid Core Wires for DIY Speaker Cables, posted on January 5, 2016 at 19:08:58
Duster
Manufacturer

Posts: 17117
Location: Pacific Northwest
Joined: August 25, 2002



If your application only requires a moderate run of speaker cable per channel, and you can expand your budget a bit more than your stated price point, this DIY design might be of interest:

23 AWG x 8 solid core OCC copper conductors with Teflon dielectric true litz-wire cable, with braided cotton rope implemented as a vibration dampening core to help mitigate characteristic litz-wire resonances. The aggregate gauge is only 17 AWG, so that matter should be considered a budget related compromise.

You would need to order a longer length of cable than a run without the cotton rope core, since the 8 braided wires will need to be expanded large enough to allow the core to fit into the center of the braided wires. The diameter of the rope is likely 10-15mm which is advisable for the particular braided cable, but ask the seller for the exact size before ordering.

23 AWG x 8 solid core OCC copper braided litz-wire cable - $8 per foot:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Braided-OCC-solid-core-Copper-Teflon-wire-for-audio-hifi-diy-Speaker-cable-/141847475502

Pure cotton stage rope - $5.13 per 3 meter length - $7.33 per 5 meter length:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Professional-Stage-Rope-Magic-Accessories-Pure-Cotton-Magic-Tricks-Magic-/171918238816

Disclaimer: I have no direct experience of the products nor the build, so YMMV.

 

RE: Recommended Solid Core Wires for DIY Speaker Cables, posted on January 9, 2016 at 09:37:44
Dave Garretson
Audiophile

Posts: 2448
Joined: June 14, 2005
 If you can stretch your budget a little, consider 10awg or 12awg Rio Grande .999 dead soft silver(or the equivalent gauge made up of a bundle of 20awg or 24awg strands), pulled through a cotton or silk tube. At 12awg or thicker you can bend the solid core end into a hook or loop that will hold its shape around a binding post and require no termination. Silver is so cheap now that it is hard to resist.

 

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