Hookup wire for tube amplifier?

Atmasphere some great tips thanks.
Most audiophiles would get more benefit from going to solder school than fussing about copper or silver. I have even heard significant improvements in interconnects from well respected manufacturers that have been re-terminated by solderers who learnt their craft in aviation electronics, and the difference can be illuminating. My advice if you want to go and mod gear, start by learning how to solder properly. Do a basic electronics course at least.
My technician has a different outlook, he sees more dry solder joints than audiophile components in most gear, some of the best looking can have the worst soldering.

Ralph, I believe Cardas draws their ultra pure wire in inert atmosphere (nitrogen I think) to prevent oxidation. I don't know what process is used during drawing for OCC wire. But the oxidation will affect only the outermost layer of the wire, correct? Not the internal portion of the wire.

I agree about having good soldering skills. Some advocate tinning the two wires separately before soldering them together. Others advocate making a good mechanical contact (eg, twisting two wires together) before soldering. Any opinions on this? Any useful links would be appreciated.

As for solder itself, people who have extensive experience and done research into this subject advocate eutectic solder containing the same metal as the wire being soldered together. So a silver solder should be used to solder two silver wire together. However, what do you use when soldering silver and copper wire together. Solder containing both silver and copper? Cardas has quad and tri eutectic solder containing silver and copper, as do nonaudiophile solders I'm sure. I've also seen solder containing copper without silver, which I would think would be ideal for soldering copper to copper.

Correction, Cardas use reducing atmosphere (H+) to prevent oxidation. This would be better than drawing in nitrogen atmophere, as H+ will actually scavenge oxygen. Not sure when Cardas applies the insulation or enamel during this process. I'm not in any way trying to support or affiliated with Cardas, as I have never used any of their wire.