Has anybody tried using single solid core cables?

12-30-13: Charles1dad
I try to avoid all encompassing statements or proclamations as there are always exceptions.

+1. Well said, Charles. To me the main usefulness of an unequivocal all-encompassing statement such as the one quoted by the OP, that not only excludes the possibility of exceptions but also fails to take into account the possibility that component dependencies may be involved, is that it helps to (negatively) calibrate the credibility of the person making the statement.

Arcamadeus, I'm not sure from your post if you mean four 18 gauge wires total (one for + and one for - on each speaker), or four wires for each speaker (two for + and two for -), or possibly even four wires for + and another four for - on each speaker.

Given the low impedance of your speakers (nominally 4 ohms, but most likely lower than that at some frequencies), if the length of the run is typical, say 6 to 12 feet, I would recommend that you use at least two of the 18 gauge wires for each polarity (+ and -). Or else use heavier gauge wire.

Also, you may find that you obtain better upper treble extension if you twist the + and - conductors together, say 3 or 4 times per foot. That will lower inductance, which if the + and - solid core conductors are physically separated might be high enough in relation to the speaker impedance to have perceptible effects in the upper treble region. The longer the run, the greater the likelihood of that effect being audibly significant.

Regards,
-- Al

My question before I ditch my multi-stranded Audioquest Indigo cables in favor of 4 individual single solid core 18 gauge cobber cables from Home Depot for my newly acquired SA Mantra 50s, has anyone tried using single solid core wires?
Arcamadeus

The AQ Indigo+ is solid core construction.
http://www.audioquest.com/archives/

Speaker cables >> Spiraled Hyperlitz >> Indigo+
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Another + for the Clear Day Double Shotgun speaker cables.
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I'm not sure why cables have to be thick since speaker source impedance for back EMF is mostly resistive but it will lower inductance of straight wire. Skin effect starts at gauge 18 in copper at 20kHz. Stranding wires will make it worse because current will flow toward outside jumping from strand to strand thru impurities while skin effect still exists. Better solution is to use insulated strands. Placing them in regular fashion puts them in magnetic field of each other still allowing some skin effect. Better solution is to place them either on hollow tube (like in Indigo) or as a tape so that each strand is only in magnetic field of neighboring strands. I don't know what is audible and what is not but Indigo was great improvement over thick stranded Monster Cable (that was plain horrible). Later I found Indigo to be thin sounding and replaced it with Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun that I will likely keep forever. It is total of gauge 6 and I have no idea why.

Jea48, good call on the Indigo. Maybe the OP has a counterfeit.
I'm another who has come back to solid core cables and at this stage am no longer searching. My preference is copper and am happy with the older Audioquest cables such as Crystal or any in that vein.
Not sure about using household wiring but if you have it on hand and are curious, give it a try and let us know.