2. cables
  3. 1212608134

Stranded vs singal core conductors and skin effect

Yea, Yea, I did a search. I did find similar topics, but I still don't know which solution is preferable. Many mega-buck cables utilize solid core. Is solid core a better solution (conductor, etc.)? Isn't it the geometry (twisting, braiding, etc.) that addresses the skin effect issues? Are there other scientific reasons for utilizing stranded wire vs singal core? I am really considering making some DIY speaker cables. If for no other reason, than just for kicks - sounds kind of fun. I have read up on so many different theories. I realize that inductance and resistance are extremely important factors, as well as capitance, and for whatever reason, it must be a challange to design a cable with extreamly low measurments in all three categories?? I don't really fully understand why. HOLD ON - I don't want a complete lesson here. I'm just seeking some input from the engineering-minded or the knowledgeable DIY community as to which type of wire offers the best conductivity (and other factors??) for designing a DIY speaker cable. Additionally, which geometry is the preferred method?
2chnlben

Showing 2 responses by palerider

palerider
46 posts
 
There`s a lot of legends around this theme. One is that thicker cores gives skin-effect, that`s just a farytale as long as we talk about audio frequenses.
In princip there should be no multicore anywhere in a system if you want the ultimate. Not only do the signal run blindly between the different conductors and by that generating a lot of distortion/energy loss, houndreds og hairthin conductors do not work as well as onr thick even if it does teoreticly.

I`ve done a lot of research on this, in any level from ic`s to powercords. Not any solid conductor will do, the best stranded might outperform some solids. Flat/foil is not optimal, even if the legend tells so.
The whole powercircuit from trafo secondarys and all the way into the speakers voice-coil should are were sensitive to resistance and should be done in heavy gauge solid core. One of my best uppgrades was a set of custom-built trafor for my poweramp, completed with a set of solid core powercords.
palerider
46 posts
 
Cables are pure simple physics, no big deal. Thick solid are the optimal solution, but every other configuration also gives a signal, it just ain`t that pure and powerful anylonger.
More to discover