Speaker Cables? why all the hype for expensive speaker wire?

OK - so far - No one has stated what contributes to a good cable

So if anyone is interested - here is the "Coles Notes" version of what to consider WRT cables...

First the metallurgy...

1. UP-OCC silver will achieve the fastest and most detailed sound
2. Next is UP-OCC copper
3. Five nines silver
4. then OFC copper
5. then everything else

Solid wires will always outperform stranded wires

Plated and alloy wires tend to degrade the performance of the" base" material of that wire - which to some peoples ears sound "smoother" or less articulate

Then the insulations used on the wires

1. Air will provide the most clarity - it is hard to achieve but the closest you can get is bare copper inside a larger teflon tube
2. Cotton is next
3. then Foamed Teflon - like AirLok from VH Audio
4. then Teflon
5. finally anything else - PVC, rubber etc

Finally - Cable geometry

1. Helix (like anticables interconnects)
2. ribbon (i.e. like Nordost)
3. Complex geometries (i.e. like Cardas)
4. braided

So a good cable will "generally" adopt an approach using the higher numbers from each of the sections above in some manner

There are some cables that adopt the "weird science" approach, such as magnets, batteries and liquid cables, but they are highly specialized

Regards - Steve