Does it matter the wire gauge used in interconnects?

kijanki, audio2design,
You guys really know your stuff. Thank you for that very helpful information.
So for now, the plan is to use 20 gauge soft .9999 solid silver wire with oversized PTFE tubing and braiding the cable slightly.

I was thinking of using Xhadow XLR connectors but they don't seem to be available anymore. When I look at the XLR connectors that are available they seem to use a lot of metal in there design, which to me seems like it could affect the sound.
Is there any XLR connectors that use minimal metal like some of the RCA connectors I have seen?

ozzy

ozzy, are you speaking of the outer case? You want something like carbon fiber or something. Darker? No shiny outer case?

They make them with good internals. Just about everything you can think of.. Stick with something that stays clean, inside. I’ve seen silver, inside, kinda spendy, rhodium, nickel plated everything (:-)) Carbon fiber outside.

I’ll look https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32972013684.html

The wire composition, dielectric and cover more than anything with XLR, the size to big is to big. Weight for one and I think if you go to big it does loose a certain twinkle. I know it takes forever to break some of the pure silver in. Not that is sounds bad, but it change for 2-300 hours..

Regards.

Before you build your cables check out this thread:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/duelund-conversion-to-diy-helix-geometry-cabling
 I built a short pair of these with 18g vhs copper and Furutech plugs and they sound great.  For years there has been much commentary on wire gauge, skin effect and I never would have used a wire this heavy in an IC based on that.  But you know what, my ears say they sound great!  Solderless termination, superb quality parts=great sound.  Give it a try.

Thank's for the help. I'll check out that information.
I guess I like the Xhadow XLR's because they use screw connections, thus eliminating solder.

ozzy

There’s a guy on ebay, cjwebber_89, who makes interconnects out of Duelund wire, with versions at 26 awg, 20 awg, and 16 awg. in shielded and unshielded versions. He says the shielding/no shielding makes a difference to the voicing, and recommends 16 for smooth/rich and 20 for clarity/detail. Just reporting; claims AFAIK unsubstantiated.

More Duelund 16 gauge here.
https://jeffsplace.positive-feedback.com/%e2%99%ab%e2%99%aa-2016-jeff-award-for-the-duelund-coherent-audio-dca16ga-tinned-copper-tone-wire-%e2%99%ab%e2%99%aa/