Looking for Solid Core Speaker cables

See here

Mike

Interesting, thanks.

I also consider similar designs to Type 4, e.g. twisted pair or star quad.

Harmonic Technology - Pro 9, 9+, 11, etc.

Multiple, small diameter, solid core OCC wires each individually insulated with foamed PE.

Look into the Acoustic Zen cables too.

Make your own with 12 or 14 gauge OCC copper in Teflon from PartsConnexion

Anticables

There is a person selling a 10 foot pair of Audioquest Indigo speaker cables with spades at both ends.  They are solid core wires.   I owned a 20 foot pair years ago and I am sorry I sold them.  

Every AudioQuest cable is solid core except their glorified zip cord X2 and custom installation FLEX/Slip series. 

Look @ Neotech bulk wire.

I’ve linked solid core copper/Teflon.

They also have solid core silver/Teflon.

I've read about a rectangular solid core wire they make, but don't know where to source it.

https://www.soniccraft.com/index.php/neotech-wire-teflon-solid-cu-c-296_175_183_221?osCsid=tir4aol7aeg62bhkap40e32015

DeKay

@total111 

I used to use these with my Martin-Logan CLSs and they were great.  I told HP about them and so The Absolute Sound did a review of them, which was quite favorable.  They are solid copper (or silver) ribbons.  Weren't very expensive, for the copper, back then.  They have fallen off the map somewhat, but maybe you  can contact them and see what you think.

-docknow

https://bridgeportmagnetics.com/3-functions-of-goertz-cables/

I have been using Clear Day Double Shotgun solid silver speaker cables for years now. They are no longer made, however show up used from time to time.

@total111 this may work: https://www.amazon.com/WORLDS-BEST-CABLES-Foot-Audiophile/dp/B0CD1PPMJS/ref=ast_sto_dp_puis

I have Raven cables and like them. For speakers and interconnects. Price is reasonable. 

I’d recommend Ecosse Cable’s MS2.15 solid core with Monocrystal conductors. 

Silversmith Fidelium.

Cardas cables are also solid core copper and made from multiple strands of small diameter wire configured according to the golden ratio.  Many like Golden Cross or Golden Reference, which are occasionally available used at reasonable prices.

I use Kimber 8PR as they put their "varistrand" grouping of solid core wires in this cable and the 8 version puts a 10 guage total into each leg. A great sounding cable for peanuts.

Side question, I’m not that smart. Do you guys put Anti-Cables in this category or did this whole topic fly right over my midget mind ? Disparaging comments are ok, thanks. Mike B. 

Thanks for all the input. There are so many exotic and cool designs I did not know of. So appreciate all the input.

First, and I did not mention before, I need 3 runs of 21' and 3 runs of 13' of cable. Yes, I tri-amp each speaker which has 3 drivers...so a LOT of cable, which for economical reasons prevent any high-priced stuff in my situation. I am not going to spend 10k on cables ;-) 

Second, when I said "solid core" I had a very narrow definition in my mind. Max. 2 strands in a twisted pair (or star-quad) configuration or very similar minimalistic approaches. The mentioned Kimber 8PR definitely does not meet that standard (even though interesting concept). 

I was more looking for something like this https://jantzen-audio.com/wp-content/uploads/006-0085.pdf

(I ordered some to make some tests...)

And yes, I like the idea of DIY, and while the Neotech stuff looks great, some silver plated copper could work also work well....

https://www.awcwire.com/product/e20-1

I would message Chris Van Haus at VH Audio and see what he can build for you.  He carries many brands of cables and bulk wire with high end terminations.  He will custom build.  I have bought a few custom cables from him; he has always been honest with me as to what it will sound like.

@total111 

Wow!  That takes me back.  Still using Type 4 on one of my systems.  I have a 30-year+  history with Audioquest as a (semi-retired) dealer.  I remember a demo a l-o-n-g time ago of the $1/ft Type 2 against a large, multi-stranded cable we were selling at the time costing many times more per feet.  You guessed it.  The Type 2 sounded better.  We become "solid core" believers on the spot, and became an AQ dealer. 30+ years later we till use AQ internally in our performance mods. Rocket 44 is  our 'go to' cable for most speaker upgrades.

It sounds like you've had good experiences with the AQ cables you mentioned.  Today's market has many legitimate offerings, and I'm sure there are some strong "bang for the buck" options for you out there.  But, I'd certainly give the newer AQ offerings a look before pulling the trigger.

Trying some Duelund DCA cable might change your mind on the merits of solid core. There is good reason many use it as internal speaker wire. Run the stuff bare and it will complete with far costlier alternatives. I am convinced there is something to the waxed cotton insulation that makes this cable outperform most others, solid core or otherwise. 

Tara Labs Time & Space (with return) were a great option years ago and they still sound good in my auxiliary system. I think Stereophile liked them a lot at the time. Solid core so they're a bit stiff but a very good choice if you can find a used pair.

Albedo Silver cables are absolutely fantastic from their entry level Blue Cable on up.  https://albedo-silver.com

Anti Cables, I swear by them, amazing clarity and bass... Currently running the new Flex 4.2 , one of the best bargains in HiFi, blew away much more expensive cables I had before like Audience ... 

I use Acoustic Zen for everything else, they make my favorite interconnects and power cords, I tried the Anti-Cables power cord and it was terrible compared to to my Acoustic Zen Krakatoas 

I never tried the interconnects but I doubt they can compare to Acoustic Zen Absolute that I use, but I would try them someday

I run Morrow Audio SP-7 speaker cables and am very happy with their performance.  I’d suggest their SP-6 line as the best bang for your buck.  

I appreciate all the input. But please stick to my ask and talk about solid core design

Looking into the Acoustic Revive Range of Speaker Cables using PC Triple C Wire is well worth taking the time to do so.

There are Speaker Cables with Solid Wire in both 0.9mm and 1.1mm.

I use the 0.9mm and all other used Speaker Cables are Superseded b this one.

I would really like to the trial the 1.1mm on my collection of owned Speakers, to see why it is their most highly rated and if 1.1mm is able the be a betterment as a  synergy.

.

@total111 said:     05-30-2025 at 02:26pm

Second, when I said "solid core" I had a very narrow definition in my mind. Max. 2 strands in a twisted pair (or star-quad) configuration or very similar minimalistic approaches. The mentioned Kimber 8PR definitely does not meet that standard (even though interesting concept). 

Probably fine for Home Theater sound, not so much for audiophile 2 channel stereo, IMO.

This is a quote for Morrow Audio speaker cables. It pretty much mirrors other audiophile manufacturer’s speaker cable designs.

No doubt Morrow is well out of your price range though. But you’ll get the idea...

The Morrow Audio Design: 
Morrow Audio signal cables use ONLY solid core OFC (oxygen free copper) wire, NEVER stranded.  Morrow claims using this solid core wire eliminates all stranded wire distortion effects allowing you to hear much more information that was lost from the smearing effect that stranded wire produces.

2.  Many Other Cables Use Large Gauge Wire:
Different frequencies tend to ride at various depths in the wire structure; the highs, mids, and lows tend to separate which causes time and phase errors in the signal. This is commonly known as the “skin effect”. When large gauge wire is used, this problem is even greater, resulting in phase and timing errors. The soundstage is reduced and instrumental timbre is distorted.

The Morrow Audio Design:  Morrow Audio signal cables are made with only small gauge wire. The different frequencies ride at the same plane in the wire, resulting in less phase and timing errors. Morrow Audio claims this produces more accurate sound, a larger soundstage and accurate instrumental timber.

Morrow Audio SP7 Loudspeaker Cable

Note: 2.  Many Other Cables Use Large Gauge Wire:

What you are looking at buying?

.

.

I agree with small gauge wire! 

From the picture in the link it looks that one channel is twisted and hence the whole construction might just be star quad (which I like on paper). Question is really what "small awg" really means? Audioquest Type 4 seems on the larger side with 2x17awg and 2x20awg. 

As my speakers have 99db or more efficiency I definitely dont need thick wires. I am thinking 2x18awg and 2x20awg at the max or even 4x20awg. I know not typical orthodoxy but Acoustic Revive and Morrow (and DNM) seem on similar path..

As my speakers have 99db or more efficiency I definitely dont need thick wires. I am thinking 2x18awg and 2x20awg at the max or even 4x20awg. I know not typical orthodoxy but Acoustic Revive and Morrow (and DNM) seem on similar path..

@total111 

.

Combined Wire Gauge Calculator

4x20awg?

Is that 4x20awg for the Pos and 4X20awg for the neg? Or 2x20awg for the pos and 2x20awg for neg?

4x20awg _  effective gauge 14awg

2x20awg =  effective gauge 17awg (slightly larger than 18awg) Too small, IMO...

I second the recommendation of Anti Cables but if you are using a tube amp you might also try Alpha Core Goertz. They have very low impedance and inductance but higher capacitance so they sometimes don’t work well with certain solid state amps.

Solid state, but again super high efficiency speakers, so while the amps have plenty of reserves, typically I would stay within one watt....

DNM has two cables, one is ~16awg and one is ~18awg. Only one conductor. So 2x20awg could work .... however, as I have longer runs (20') the combination of a 18awg and a 20awg might be perfect....I'll will try and see...

The longer I am in this thread the more I realize that we all have always insufficient data and backgrounds to have a one-size fits all approach. Way to many differences in amps and speakers (including crossovers, which my speakers dont have). Hence in the end, with limited (by definition) experiments, I will be stuck with a few experiments around a star-quad config.

Cheers all. Fascinating how diverse the market is...thanks for all the input

@total111 Wrote:

Way to many differences in amps and speakers (including crossovers, which my speakers dont have). 

What speakers do you have?

Mike

Tocaro 40F (single driver, 98db sensitivity, 40watts at 8 ohm) and

Tocaro 50F (3 drivers, hence tri-amping, no crossover, 103dB sensitivity and 3x 40watt at 8ohm)

They are the informal heirs of the (in)famous Rehdeko, which in my mind where a stroke of genius.

The Tocaros are super fast, toe tapping galore and very resolving....

@total111 I have been down the route of Branded Cables and had a lot of experiences with a large Variety of brands.

Too many unsatisfactory audible end sounds was instrumental in prompting myself to look at things differently, which was to see which Wire Types were being used and which of these were receiving a lot of good reports on the impression made.

After a period of trying out Wire Only as a Speaker Cable, using a range of wires for comparative purposes. I ended up at very fair monies outlaid with what I will refer to as a Standard Copper - OFC - OCC with length produced as Stranded Wire and Solid Wire. The investigation got a little more costlier when Mapleshade Solid Wire was introduced.

Over a long period of time the Mapleshade proved to be the wire type I was to become most impressed with.

My not coming of the Gas, introduced me to other more modern concepts on Wire Production, where uber Production Companies such Furukawa and Mitsubishi   had ventured into producing Wires where they were not under a license to do so.

I ended up with both PC Triple C and D.U.C.C wire to try out and in the case of the PC Triple C, this was a stranded and solid wire being trialed.

Strictly limited to Speakers Only, the PC Triple C Solid Core has Superseded all other used Cables selected for this role.

In relation to wire Type for other Interfaces both PC Triple C and D.U.C.C have found a place of permanency.

As for PC Triple C, I have now experienced it in use as initially Cartridge Tag Wires, which evolved into it being used as a Tone Arm Wand Wire, Speaker Cables in a Variety of Systems as Stranded and Solid Core, Umbilical's, Power Cables, Internal Device Hook UP wire, Internal Wire on Speaker Cabinets. In some cases O have been able to hear it A/B compared to the earlier version without Triple C in use.

My introducing others to PC Triple C caused quite a large number of adopters of the wire over a not too extended period. This new group were the cause for the levy to break on where the wire type will be best used in a Audio System.

My experiencing Triple C in use across a range of placements has not yet showed up a positioning for it, where it has been felt the recollection of the earlier version has been the better option. 

Thanks much @pindac very interesting.

Where can you buy PC-Triple C wire?

Which AWG do you use? 

Do you use twisted pairs or star-quad or do you even "braid" twisted pairs or just single strands? (Mapleshade seems to use several designs..)

Hi @total111, Mapleshade is a twisted wire referred to as the Clearview Double Helix.

It is this Wire that sparked an Interest in the Thread shown in the Links.

 https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/diy-helix-geometry-cabling 

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/duelund-conversion-to-diy-helix-geometry-cabling

There is plenty going on within the Linked Thread to convince an individual expressing an interest in Speaker Cables,  Umbilical Cable in the Signal Path or Power Cables, that a little experimentation can hit the right configuration for their purposes.

I have been in a uncertain situation with my audio equipment, as a Home Overhaul is to change things and when complete will be quite different to what I have created to date for a set up for my audio. This has stopped me doing certain things with Cable. I have a large reserve of PC Triple C Wire in Stranded and Solid, with a PC CCC / EX Wire also awaiting its usage. Again my system in late 2024 / early 2025 has been converted to Balanced, when I am once more settled the Wires will be used to produce Cables as outlined in the Links.

In the Links it is also able to found in the Original Thread, that I had encouraged a couple of individuals to use PC Triple C. On Page 16, it is possible to see the copy / pasted comments below, that area report by one builder with experience of other Wires used for same designs of Cable 

" I like the Triple C XLRs very much.   I believe they out perform my previous OCC builds.  Just sensing more clarity, better voicing, overall info that I haven't heard previously with my go to music.

This is a 30" cable with AECO copper/silver XLRs.   (2) 19awg bare Triple C conductors (+, -) inside teflon tubing.  Neotech 16awg for ground (Helix wrap).

May look at replacing some internal hookup wire with the Triple C.   Good stuff..."

In the UK there is commonly a reference made to using ZenMarket to get access to Vendors of the Wire.

@total111  Silver plated may be too spitty or sibilant for your speakers.

And yes, I like the idea of DIY, and while the Neotech stuff looks great, some silver plated copper could work also work well....

The Tocaros are super fast, toe tapping galore and very resolving....

Thanks @noromance Do you have experience with Tocaros? 

@total111  Afraid not. They look interesting. Quad ESL57 with Neotech solid copper OCC.  I run solid core silver on Spendors in a second rig. You really have to get the correct cable for the specific combination. For example I swapped mine between systems and they did not work at all.

@noromance take the speed and smoothness and beauty of your quads and combine it with the oomph and authority of your spendors and you get an idea of the tocaros

@total111 --

Mundorf CUW210GY/OG solid core enameled copper wire (originally a coil wire), 18AWG (1mm conductor diameter) with a teflon insulator. Using them over my JBL 2405 Alnico tweeters (105dB sensitivity), and a few days ago received a new length of the same cable/AWG to try out with my 111dB sensitive EV DH1A + HP9040 CD horn instead of my Mundorf solid core ~15AWG Silver/gold wires (1.5mm conductor diameter, 99% pure silver and 1% gold), also teflon insulated. The latter are great (and expensive) speaker cables, and I’ve owned them for over 15 years with no intention to ever let go of them, but they’re not necessarily the very best match with horns as sensitive as the EV horns that cover 5 octaves and are coupled to SS amps, which I’m about to find out. I suspect their amp won’t deliver more than a few hundred milliwatts for most of my listening, and with power levels that low it may exacerbate differences in conductor material, potential material blending and conductor thickness. One has to factor in possible phase variations with larger conductor diameters (i.e.: above ~1mm diameter) in a wider frequency spectrum due to skin effect, and with speakers as sensitive as yours you are likely to benefit from relatively thin wires like the above mentioned Mundorf copper wires (top to bottom), solid core not least. 

I agree with Anti-Cables.....hard to go wrong.

I highly recommend AirTech cables by the Italian company Audio Analogue. They offer three lines: Omega 2, Evo 2, and Zero — all made with 7N OCC solid-core conductors. These cables sound phenomenal. If you’re interested, check their website to find the current U.S. distributor. Honestly, I’d be surprised if anyone wasn’t satisfied with them.

thanks all!

12AWG seems WAY too thick for -at least- high efficiency speakers. Too much copper IS detrimental. 

AntiCables uses solid core, even the 4.2 Flex cables are 9 individual solid core cables.....and are great value. Paul uses the Flex cables in most of the rooms he provides cables at trade shows.

If you're open to DIY, then that opens up a whole other world

Wavetouch audio speaker cable is solid core. It’s the most accurate (close to original music) spkr cable. Alex/Wavetouch audio

WTSC sound

Original music