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Solid core Versus Stranded Speaker cables

Ok for starters I have never tried a solid core Speaker cable until recently. I was very skeptical of the solids performance but I'm glad I tried it. As a matter of fact I tried it and found it to be the best cable I have ever used to date. After much searching, getting opinions from fellow audio enthusiasts and trial and error I happened upon a seller here on Audiogon, JW Audio who offered a 30 day in home trial period with full money returned, no questions asked and took a shot in the dark. That shot hit the bullseye dead center. After receiving the Cryo Nova 12 foot long cables, I was somewhat stunned when I seen the cable, it was nothing like I expected but I connected it anyway. Holy S....t did it make an immediate difference and it keeps getting better. My entire system (Krell) opened up like peeling the skin off a banana. Highs, lows, detail, soundstage, depth, clarity and details that I was missing were revealed. ( and I thought what I had was really outstanding )

Which brings me to the point of this thread. Not knowing what makes a solid core or a stranded speaker cable more desirable aside from the obvious flexibility issues I'm curious to know what my fellow audiocrazies use and why they prefer one over the other or if they even tried both. Anyone willing to give up their opinions on the pros and cons of solid versus stranded speaker cable? I will start that I am a convert to at least this particular solid core speaker wire and unless someone can better it with the 30 day free trial period I do believe it is here to stay.

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noromance's avatar
noromance
9,892 posts
 
@digiman14. I am so with you. I used 14 gauge solid core mains Romex as speaker wire and it saw off Clear Day solid silver wire among others which sounded muted by comparison. I have since splashed out on $20 per foot pair 14 gauge OCC copper wire in Teflon which brings a snap into focus quality to the music along with more detail, insight and sweetness.
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pistha
31 posts
 
@digiman14 - when you say solid core - do you mean like romex power cables? Or is there a place solid core cables are sold?

Solid core here. Tried it 20 years ago, never went back.
@noromance - do you get bare wires and wrap teflon cover on it?
wolf_garcia
6,722 posts
 
I started using Audioquest speaker cables back when they were stranded (!), and those looked sort of like Kimber cables do now (late 80s I think, and I still have those in my basement Cable Museum). That was the first time I'd actually heard speaker cables sound better than whatever I was using before those. I ran into Bill Low last year at an audio shop nearby and asked him about using a set of Type 8s I have as a simple biwire solution, and he suggested some Rockets and explained why...bought the Rockets, he was right.
mesch
3,523 posts
 
Wolf, which Rockets did you buy?
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