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I would like to know what is the best wire to use to connect the outputs of an amplifier to its binding posts.
In particular id like to know what the recommendations are with regard to:
* Conductor material: copper, OCC copper, silver
* Conductor construction: solid core, stranded, Litz
* Conductor gauge
* Insulation material
Regards,
wcvb
Follow Ups:
But, ring terminals correctly crimped to stranded wire may be more practical. #12 should be just fine, since the lengths are short.
There may be just as many personal opinions about what is the best wire to choose to connect the outputs of an amplifier to its binding posts as there are about internal wiring for loudspeakers, bi-wire jumpers, and the myriad of speaker cables, for that matter. I have a rather practical attitude towards the topic, with an audiophile twist.
I have no desire to replace the stock wiring of the amplifier outputs to the binding posts of any of my power amplifiers, but if I needed to do so for some reason, I would likely select what I consider to be an advanced version of typical hookup wire by pulling the conductors out of a particular AudioQuest cable product that's actually very inexpensive, rather than try to experiment with various solid core copper or solid core silver wire options which might present quite unpredictable sonic signatures (good, bad, or indifferent):
AudioQuest Flexible Series – FLX/DB-14/2:
http://www.audioquest.com/flexible-series/flxdb-14-2
-snip-
SEMI-SOLID CONCENTRIC PACKED CONDUCTORS: Semi-Solid Concentric Packed Conductors are used in some of AudioQuest's AC power and speaker cables as a cost-effective, flexible alternative to typical stranded conductors. Semi-Solid Concentric Packed Conductors use fewer, larger strands that do not change position down the length of the cable. While solid conductors are the complete solution to strand distortion, Semi-Solid Concentric Packed Conductors avoid many of the distortion mechanisms of stranded conductors.
-snip-
IMO, medium strand count conductors would be a better sounding option for this application than fine stranded conductors which tend to soften the sound, and the Semi-Solid Concentric Packed Conductor wire lay is a modern approach that some Japanese cable makers are implementing these days (at least a version thereof). Additionally, while not as advanced as OCC single crystal copper wire, AudioQuest's Long Grain Copper is considerably better than the ordinary metallurgy of typical stranded copper hookup wire.
AudioQuest FLX/DB-14/2 (per ft.) 14 gauge, 2 conductor In-Wall Speaker Cable:
http://www.onecall.com/product/AudioQuest/FLX-DB-14-2-per-ft/Speaker-Cable/_/R-89068?id=89068
Simply pull the conductors out of the jacket to use as hookup wire for an amplifier output to binding post application.
just my 2 cents, YMMV
I like AQ products. I've owned many over the years at all price levels, including Anaconda IC's and several kinds of speaker cable. They all perform very well at their intended purpose.
But why bother paying for cables and then tearing them apart when there are so many kinds of decent chassis hookup wire that will work just as well?
Personally, I favor OCC solid copper with teflon insulation, such as that produced by Neotech, which seems to work as well as, or perhaps better than, anything else I've heard. In such short lengths as used inside an amplifier, no fancy geometry or treatment seems necessary. Twist the two legs (not the two channels) loosely if it makes you feel better or if they must run near the power supply. Better to route them away from power supply altogether, if possible. Unless your amplifier puts out power in the fractional horsepower range, 14ga or even 16ga is adequate.
I also believe the binding posts themselves have as great an impact on sonics as the few inches of internal wire. Cheap plastic ones do not sound as good as the Vampire copper base.
Peace,
Tom E
Pulling what would likely be less than a 1 ft run of wires out of a jacket is about as easy as it gets in the world of DIY efforts. My post clearly states that the intent is to opt for a better-than-typical hookup wire rather than attempt to use unpredictable sounding solid core wire for a power amplifiers *speaker level* hookup wire. That said, my favorite hookup wire for a *signal level* application is 22 AWG solid core OCC single crystal copper/Teflon wire. Now, if I were to use OCC solid core wire for a power amplifier output to binding post *speaker level* hookup wire, I would also use no larger than 22 AWG solid core copper conductors due to the skin effect of solid core copper wire, and I would implement no less than 14 AWG aggregate gauge for the particular *speaker level* application, which would then require a twisted bundle of 6 x 22 AWG solid core wires per pole, which would indeed "seem like a lot of trouble" for a very short length of *speaker level* hookup wire, when a better-than-typical 14 AWG stranded conductor would serve the purpose, quite well, IMO.
not worth two cents. my mileage varies.
.
In every case, I used the best-possible conductors I was aware of.Currently I'd use nothing but Neotech UPOCC solid conductors in Teflon. Probably I'd start with 18g. copper and add 20g. AND 22- or 23g. silver. But as short as this cable is, probably I'd used all-silver conductors. Again, all Neotec UPOCC metal and all Teflon insulation.
One of our sponsors, Sonic Craft, sells this stuff.
Here's a pic of one of my McCormanck DNA-750s with its new speakercable.
----------
Tin-eared audiofool, large-scale-Classical music lover, and damned-amateur fotografer.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Albert Einstei
Edits: 08/16/12
So I do not change internal anything.
Stuff like that is for the young and foolish
zing!
...the amp's cable driving the binding posts?
Not me.
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Tin-eared audiofool, large-scale-Classical music lover, and damned-amateur fotografer.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Albert Einstei
...but what's that got to do with using the SAME cable internally?
So my question remains--every time we replace our speakercable with better ones, we should change the amp's internal wiring?
IMO it's LOTS easier to install the best-possible cable internally...ONCE. After all, there can't be more than a foot or 3 in there.
----------
Tin-eared audiofool, large-scale-Classical music lover, and damned-amateur fotografer.
"Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted." Albert Einstei
18 gauge solid silver with a teflon jacket. Change the speaker cables to your heart's desire and whatever your wallet is capable of doing but, at the very least, you know the internals of the amp are good to go with anything you throw at it.
And we're only talking about maybe a foot of wire each in a pair of monoblocks.
Silver in teflon may work for you but made my 45 amp an ear-bleeder. The late, lamented, 28 ga. solid XLO copper in Teflon was just right for signal, to my ears. Still is.
Lately, in my Simple SE I'm using Cardas 23.5ga Litz Wire. It's also going in my current P-P KT-88 project.
Inches of cable do make a difference. Everything makes a difference if the circuit and your ears are any good.
Oh, and the conventional wisdom about using component leads to eliminate wire runs is just plain wrong. I don't spec top quality magnetics and hardware, then use "pot" metal to hook things up. Component leads get cut to the nub and soldered to quality wire, which BTW, doesn't wind up being any longer than the component leads. DUH! (Ignore rant for PCBs)
LIBERTY ONCE LOST,
IS LOST FOREVER
-JOHN ADAMS
Do you cut off an inch or two of component lead so you can solder another wire to the part? I believe the extra solder joint would affect sonics more than an extra inch of wire. Most quality components have copper leads. What wire is so superior that you can detect a difference of a few inches?
Besides, soldering to a "nub" on a capacitor could lead to destruction of the cap. Even an inch or two of lead will dissipate a lot of heat before it gets to sensitive dielectric layers.
Peace,
Tom E
Interesting. Can you post a picture?
Regards,
Geoff
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