I have PS Audio, they look stranded to me. According to their web site they use "multiple gauge and shaped conductors". I take this to mean stranded as opposed to a single solid. I have had no interest in Audio Quest since the days I was a dealer for them. I intend to use stranded, what anyone else chooses to use is up to them. I could post some web sites that describe the superiority of stranded in listening tests but there are doubtless others that prefer solid; again I think it is one of those areas where personal choice rule. My original post only described what I intended to do and my general impression after looking at some forums and cable companies; it is only my opinion and nothing more.
Cable Options from Breaker to Receptacle
There seems to be a number of products suitable to run from the main panel to the receptacles. I currently use Romex 10 gauge copper, but wonder if a more pure copper would make a difference. The run is not that long, so silver may also be possible. Manufacturers include:
Neotech
Cardas
Oyaide
Acrolink
Belden
Looking at Neotech, they even make a 9 gauge copper 'speaker cable' with a very robust housing. Also, a braided silver raw power cable which is incredibly expensive, but possibly with huge implications on the sound. Of course, these would be very difficult to maneuver in some situations.
It is difficult to do head-to-head comparisons, so perhaps people can relate their experience or speak to the use of these raw cables in building power cords.
Thanks
Neotech
Cardas
Oyaide
Acrolink
Belden
Looking at Neotech, they even make a 9 gauge copper 'speaker cable' with a very robust housing. Also, a braided silver raw power cable which is incredibly expensive, but possibly with huge implications on the sound. Of course, these would be very difficult to maneuver in some situations.
It is difficult to do head-to-head comparisons, so perhaps people can relate their experience or speak to the use of these raw cables in building power cords.
Thanks
- ...
- 15 posts total
My suspicion has been that the power cords and cables that utilize a multitude of separately insulated small gauge conductors have been inspired by Litz wire, which is a technique that has long been used in high frequency applications, transformer applications, and inductor applications, for reasons that are explained in the article. I have seen lots of claims and "theories," to use Risch's word, alleging that similar principles to those that are behind Litz wire apply to audio power cords and speaker cables (with the novel addition of the "strand jumping" distortion theory). None of those claims that I am aware of, though, are backed up in a quantitative manner. Given that skin effect is utterly inapplicable at 60Hz, and at best very slightly applicable at 20kHz (and completely inapplicable even at 20kHz if the wires are thin), in the absence of plausible quantitative technical rationale skepticism would seem to be justified. Which is not to deny that many of those cords and cables may provide excellent performance in many systems. However without a well established technical rationale and understanding, system dependencies figure to be unpredictable, and the correlation between price and performance figures to be loose. IMHO. Best regards, -- Al |
Hi Al, A lot of this hobby is based on theory. In the end it all depends on the listener..... Maybe all the aftermarket cable designer/manufactures are reading from the same page. Here is another one. http://www.nordost.com/Odin-Supreme-Reference-Power-Cord-P35.asp Jim |
Rtn1, Solid core in-wall wiring http://www.audioexcellenceaz.com/wire.htm Note: As Mofimadness said in his post make sure the in-wall wiring is Listed and approved by UL and or CSA for the intended use. |
- 15 posts total