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Has anybody tried using single solid core cables?

At a recent hi-fi show an exhibitor auditioning $47K speakers repeatedly asserted the following: "Any solid core wire, even $0.03 a foot is better than any multi-strand available. Experiment for yourselves, you will be amazed."

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
wolf_garcia
6,767 posts
 
I use Diamondback XLRs for balanced runs from my DAC and from the preamp to amp, RCA King Cobras from my phono pre to the preamp (Mogami Neglex from my turntable to the phono pre), a VDM5 silver sp/dif from my streamer and a VDM3 from my CD player. Nothing fancy, just things that seem to work well in my rig, and most all bought on the used market. I also use a cheap solid core AQ IC to my second amp which is a rarely used outdoor speaker driver. All of these cables are beautifully built and finished...but it's bungees...all bungees. I think generally AQ makes well executed stuff, but haven't used any of their newer things.
kacz
177 posts
 
Solid core is all I use now. I make my own from home depot wire.

Actually last night I made some solid core 12 gauge romex power cords for my mono amps. I'm blown away at how much the sound improved. Super fast and tight, very detailed but natural, a lot more open and airy with a much better soundstage. Better bass. Everything was just so much nicer.

I already had solid core interconnects I made
darkstar1
180 posts
 
I have the SA Mantra 10s. They are your speakers as monitors (one step down). Before I had the SA 505 there entry stand mount. I have always used solid core exposure wire due to having an used exposure amp. I have had great results with these solid core wires. While researching newer cables someone on another fourm told Me his SA 505s were great behind solid core wires. This leads me to believe soild core are a good match for System Audio Speakers.

I would try the cheap wire first. If good go to a nicer pair used before you go crazy. I thought I saw 8 ft pair of exposure wire for 100 bucks. PM and I can direct you to ad. (No affiliation with seller).
kacz
177 posts
 
So I decided today to change to stranded wire for my power cords. The solid core were way way to stiff.

However I went up a gauge. And made them a foot shorter. So they are now 10 gauge that I bought at home depot (14 feet for $25!!). Copper is copper.

The sound is better, more natural, and better imaging and depth, clarity. Basically everything rounded up a notch.

Pretty much wire thickness is king. Solid core is best but thicker gauged stranded can beat it out since it's got more conductive area. Which the 10 gauge does and sounds amazing. Another reason is I think the stranded gets a better connection when screwed down, it forms into the clamp better. And also the cord can bend and it's not tweaking and sits better in the outlets.
agisthos
516 posts
 
If you want to see how good some cheap solid core cable can be, try the new DNM Resolution, which is 1.30mm width, and has a fixed spacer for consistent distance between each leg.

As Nonoise said earlier, try wiring the solid core cable direct (especially speaker cables) because the connectors often really color the sound.
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