Best DIY power cable. Why not make?

@sophie999 - apologies for the delay - been busy :-)

RE: -

Is there a huge advantage in twisting conductors around each other vs just running them next to each other?

Yes there is an advantage to twisting conductors - it actually reduces the effect of EMI/RFI - it’s called the "Proximity Effect" - look it up on the web.

You will find postings that trivialize the impact of this effect, but it is my belief it has a far greater impact on cable perofrmance than those postings makes you believe.

WRT:

@ Williewonka: So I can just use the cheap monoprice wire for the ground component next to higher quality wire for the signal component?

Correct! - but to add to that...
- I believe the neutral conductor can be of lower quality than the signal/live conductor, but it should be of a heavier gauge than the signal/live conductor.
- and the ground should be at least the same gauge as the signal/live conductor
- there is no benefit in making the ground a larger gauge or from a higher quality material

If you think of the conductors as a garden hose ...
- water in a 1/2" diameter hose has a defined pressure.
- attaching a smaller hose to the 1/2" hose would increase pressure and impede water flow in the 1/2" hose
- attaching a larger hose to the 1/2" hose would reduce pressure and enhance water flow in the 1/2" hose.

Due to many other factors it is not a "complete" analogy - but it gets the point across...
- a larger neutral conductor is better for all cables, i.e. Speaker and IC’s as well
- to keep it simple - I just make the neutral twice the gauge of the live/signal conductors

I believe there there are formulas for the ratio of Signal/Live and Neutral conductors, but for the DIYer - getting the exact gauge for the neutral may be problematic.

So - to summarize the three conductors
- SIGNAL/LIVE - highest quality material possible for best results
- NEUTRAL - lower quality than the signal conductor but 2x the Live
- GROUND - any grade will suffice - same gauge as the Live conductor

Having said that - the quality of the neutral highlighted on my web site is actually very good and can be used for both signal/live and neutral conductors. But the finished product is just a "tad’ less responsive than the DH Labs/Furutech cables mentioned.

BTW- you may find comments elsewhere that mixing different gauge conductors in a single cable is not advisable
- but during my cable journey I have not found anything to support this view
 
Hope that helps - Steve

@dgarretson - I agree with your design approach - specifically for that application - it makes a lot of sense.

May I suggest braiding the three main conductors - not twisting them - it should improve dynamic performance and noise floor even further.

My helix design is for individual component power cables only.

I’ve never dealt with balanced power - thanks for that info.

Regards - Steve

I may try your recipe for the next one.  So far, I'm using a variation of a VH Audio recipe: hot and neutral in a twisted pair, surrounded by the ground wire in a counter-spiral.  For shielding, that bundle is slipped inside a braided copper tube that is grounded at the pronged plug and floated from the IEC plug.  These PCs are killers with Furutech FI-48 ends.  For the next one I'm trying the new Oyaide AP-and AC-004 connectors.  The Oyaides are more economical and look well designed.

Nanotec Systems #308 wire and Furutech FI-11 connectors make a nice PC at reasonable cost. Add a few pennies worth of black heat shrink tubing to the ends for a professional look.