If I wanted to make my own speaker cables, is this a good choice for wire?

@dekay, I've used the Neotech OCC, for my IC and speakers cables per the Helix DIY noted in a prior posting.  For all of them I used 3 solid strands. Effectively 18 awg for the OCs and 14 awg for my speakers (Wirebarn calculator).  I'm intrigued by your comment concerning gauge and the quality of sound you hear.  Have you made or compared awg gauges to make that determination?  Not questioning, seriously interested.  To be complete, I stripped the insulation and ran thru 3 Teflon tubes of wire+1 awg for approx "air" as dielectric.   Return or neg leads are twisted Neotech OCC in Teflon at +1 gauge to positive side.  Helix configuration. 

akgwhiz:

I've compared single runs of various solid core copper (speaker wire) in gauges ranging from 18 to 26.

Also tried doubling up on some of them.

Early on I had more traditional speakers (Reynaud) and later various vintage wide band drivers ranging from 3" to 12".

My favorite spot is single runs of solid core copper in the 22-26 gauge range with the runs not exceeding 12' (or so) in length.

Interconnect wise I use the 47 Labs wire/connectors though I have experimented with "nude" solid core silver and "lab tube" IC's as you described (single runs for +/).

Nude silver was the best (30 gauge), but using it was too nerve racking.

Lab tube silver was not as good as the 47 Labs stuff.

I prefer the 47 and DIY to all the other commercial cables I've tried.

DeKay

If the Helix Configuration Thread is looked into, there is in the latest posts a reference to a PC Triple C wire.

This is the wire that has superseded in its supplied form, the use of Mapleshade Clearview Double Helix in my own system.

I have also bought into this as a second purchase as a Bulk Length, to be used as a Helix configuration. 

I use 47 Labs OTA (26 gauge solid core copper in a VERY thick polyvinyl insulation) and recently tried Neotech 24 gauge/Teflon.

Those tiny 47Labs cables can not work proberly, considering the science and according  to the experience of most pundits.

I just can't seem to find a better cable for all the systems I had over the years ...

I have tried so many wires over the years and currently own PCOCC stranded (Furutech), PCOCC solid core (Harmonic Technology), solid core braided silver (HGA), and others here that I occasionally swap out just for fun.

I can honestly say, that I doubt there are audibly meaningful differences between cables made with ETP copper (100% IACS), OFC copper (101% IACS) and PCOCC copper (102%? IACS).  As an example, even the highly rated Iconoclast speaker cables do not use any type of "perfect surface", "continuous cast", or other fancy processed copper.  The best you can get with their cable line is either OFE (Oxygen-Free Electrolytic Copper - 99.99% pure) or SPTPC (Silver-Plated Electrolytic Tough Pitch Copper), which reminds me of my former DH Labs cables (I remember liking the T-14).  

However, I do seem to perceive differences between solid core and stranded cables and also between dielectrics, with cotton or foamed PE being my favorites.  It is hard to argue with the HT speaker cables that are multiple, small gauge, solid core, strands of individually insulated (with foamed PE), PCOCC copper, resulting in a fairly heavy aggregate gauge of 9 awg or 11 awg, depending on the cable. 

The only thing I have here that I like as well as the HT cables are DIY, multi-strand, solid core copper in cotton cables that are configured in a star-quad geometry with two separate runs for bi-wiring.  The HF run is made from 20 awg wires (four per side) for a 14 awg aggregate per pole, and the LF runs are made from 16 awg wires (also four per side) for a 10 awg aggregate per pole.  For whatever reason, those cables simply sound natural to me and are currently connected to my system.

Not sure why the 47Labs cables are favorites of many but I do understand the preference for solid core copper wire.

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