Amp Internal Wire

I could imagine the stuff before the transformer affecting the DC supply’s voltage stability. But without a measurement showing it, it seems more hopeful than factual.

The stuff after the power supply is harder to measure. 

Knowing Mundorf is amazing and silver makes a great sonic difference.

How do we know ^those two things^ are true?

Rickysnit, I've done this, both the power inlet, fuse holder and internal wire to transformer, and the speaker wire from amp board to binding posts (along with upgrading binding posts), in a Perreaux PMF3150.  Also replaced the RCA inlets with KLE Pure Harmony with VH Audio 21awg silver occ wire.  All done in stages with testing in between.

What kind of testing?

@theaudiomaniac

Like I said, @holmz , all yours. Crazy posts draw out crazy people.

How would we know it is crazy?
There are no measurements or rational indicators to go by.

I can see inductors and transformers making a difference.
And the even capacitors and wire dielectrics.
It would be nice if someone could quantify some aspect of it.

All that needs to be done is some before and after of the DC power supply rail voltage. Without that, it seems like a story or myth.
But if it has some damage or needs rewiring, then changing it probably makes some sense.

Internal Wiring

Wiring is the signal path of any amplifier, and it does make a difference in both durability and performance. We use 18 gauge Military Standard 16878 teflon coated, silver plated copper wire. This is expensive (besides being a mouthful!), but is used in mission-critical applications like the Navy’s AEGIS cruisers. Teflon coating provides heat-protection for decades, where common PVC-coated wire will crack and degrade over time. The 18 gauge wire provides greater signal capability than a trace on a printed circuit board, and ensures that the amplifier will be stable under any condition, and will never limit the dynamic range or transient abilities of your amp.

They use that Tefzel stuff in plane and race cars, and it is also great at not chaffing through the insulation. But an amplifier is not usually vibrating like a race car or fighter jet, or rocket launch.

I use it myself, but it will not make an amplifier magic without the circuit design providing some of the magic.

It is much the same way that the most expensive saffron in the world, will not make a pork roast taste any better. But it might help an Indian curry .

I'm not getting into the debate over conductor material but would recommend Teflon for the insulator.  Why?  High melting temperature so less likely to damage it while soldering and then there is the whole low dielectric absorption thing.

Well the melting point seems like it should be the last reason to use teflon.

The teflon dielectric constant (k) is ~2, and I think that PVC is k=~4.0.
Cotton has a k around 1.3-1.4

K=2 is a lot lower than 4, so that is a good (and better) reason to use teflon over PVC.

like the Navy’s AEGIS cruisers. Teflon coating provides heat-protection for decades, where common PVC-coated wire will crack and degrade over time. 

There is some degradation from UV, drying out, and maybe other things.

How much heat is generated in the tube equipment? The insulation only needs to insulate the wires electrically. They do not need to be insulted for heat and cold, like a wool jumper, or down jacket.

And they do not need protection from heat. The insulation is to protect them from arcing or shorting.

It is not like the amp is mission critical, or crashing over waves 24/7 in a way that requires the insulation to not chafe over time.

I would still be using the teflon before I would use consider using PVC, just not for the reason of heat protection.

I have heard VH Audio’s UniCrystal OCC single solid core copper and their silver wire with purity of 5n (99.999%) is very good.VH Audio uses a foamed fluoropolymer insulation and not a solid fluoropolymer or teflon. It has been proven to keep the voltage more stable, reducing energy breakdown point to point by 30% over teflon.

• What is energy breakdown?
• Are there some plots that show the voltage is more stable?
  • Is that DC supply voltage?