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


https://www.partsconnexion.com/DUELUND-86376.html

Duelund Dual DCA16GA 2x16 awg, Tin-plated, Stranded Copper, Oiled Cotton Speaker/Interconnect Cable

 

I'm thinking this wire and adding some quality banana plugs or RCA connectors to make interconnects.  Is 2x16 enough or should I double up?  Is shielding an issue?  Thanks!

tubeguy76

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.

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

I wasn't aware that the 47Labs wire were any popular, or even known of by most audiophiles.😉

Thanks a bunch for sharing your experiences and observations; I've tried many cable recipes over the years, diy or manufactured, including some of the designs you mentioned.

I just can't get away from small gauge solid core, single run, no twist... even though I know there must be something better.