Solid Core Wiring

[arpinnurmela]

I'm just curious to know how many people have heard about solid core wiring? For reference, there are a number of DIY recipes for making this kind of wiring and a number of people on the internet selling cables based on this idea. A notable mainstream mention should definitely go to AntiCables. I also note that GR-Research uses solid core wiring as well when upgrading the internals of speakers.

Wires definitely take a lot of flack, and deservedly so in my opinion. But earlier this year I started making my own wires and was blown away by the sound quality of this approach. I've since replaced every last stranded wire with solid core wire inside and outside of my hifi and headphone systems. Each replacement was an obvious improvement in SQ.

So I wanted to see how many people have heard of and/or tried solid core wiring and what their impressions were.

 

[Wolf]

I use it to wind my coils.

 

[Slayer]

I'm just curious to know how many people have heard about solid core wiring? For reference, there are a number of DIY recipes for making this kind of wiring and a number of people on the internet selling cables based on this idea. A notable mainstream mention should definitely go to AntiCables. I also note that GR-Research uses solid core wiring as well when upgrading the internals of speakers.

Wires definitely take a lot of flack, and deservedly so in my opinion. But earlier this year I started making my own wires and was blown away by the sound quality of this approach. I've since replaced every last stranded wire with solid core wire inside and outside of my hifi and headphone systems. Each replacement was an obvious improvement in SQ.

So I wanted to see how many people have heard of and/or tried solid core wiring and what their impressions were.

I have some and use it in my truck system. I mainly used it because of where i had to run the wires and had some in my garage.
As far as sound quality goes, I can't say i notice any difference to it vs stranded wire.

 

[SaltyCDogg]

Have you read any of the articles on here where different speaker cable has been tested? If you haven't then I suggest you do.

 

[Inner Space]

I'm just curious to know how many people have heard about solid core wiring?

I have hundreds of feet of it in my walls. It supplies power to all my equipment.

But earlier this year I started making my own wires and was blown away by the sound quality of this approach. I've since replaced every last stranded wire with solid core wire inside and outside of my hifi and headphone systems. Each replacement was an obvious improvement in SQ.

This was a fashion that started about 40 years ago - a guy named Hawksworth (was it?) was the first to shout about it. It has been proved inconsequential many times since. I'm guessing you did no controlled trials, and that you wouldn't detect a difference if you did. Sorry, but absent expectation bias, "blown away" and "obvious" usually turn out to be "oops, can't hear any difference at all."

 

[arpinnurmela]

I have some and use it in my truck system. I mainly used it because of where i had to run the wires and had some in my garage.
As far as sound quality goes, I can't say i notice any difference to it vs stranded wire.

Slayer, are you talking about using the solid core wiring that can be bought at like a Home Depot or ACE?

 

[arpinnurmela]

I have hundreds of feet of it in my walls. It supplies power to all my equipment.

This was a fashion that started about 40 years ago - a guy named Hawksworth (was it?) was the first to shout about it. It has been proved inconsequential many times since. I'm guessing you did no controlled trials, and that you wouldn't detect a difference if you did. Sorry, but absent expectation bias, "blown away" and "obvious" usually turn out to be "oops, can't hear any difference at all."

Interesting... Of course I know about it being used inside of walls, but I was curious about people who have used it for interconnects. I haven't tried AntiCables, but I have been making my own DIY solid core wires air-gapped inside of teflon. And I've done "blind-ish" trials with this stuff with non-audiophiles and audiophiles who've all said they heard a difference. One of the best trials I've done is to put solid core copper wiring on one speaker and use stranded wire on the other, and every time, no matter the person, they hear a difference. I wasn't sure if what I was hearing was accurate, which is why I started doing careful comparisons and bringing in other people to listen.

I'm wondering if the tests have been done with coated solid core wiring (a la AntiCables) or my style. I haven't personally tested AntiCables, so I can only talk about the wires that I've made for myself and others.

 

[SIY]

Depends on the mechanical requirements. If something needs to flex, stranded is better. If something is meant to be fixed in place and not move, solid is better.

For internal speaker wiring, stranded is likely to be a bit better, but if the runs are secure and carefully attached, solid core won't make things worse.

 

[SIY]

Interesting... Of course I know about it being used inside of walls, but I was curious about people who have used it for interconnects. I haven't tried AntiCables, but I have been making my own DIY solid core wires air-gapped inside of teflon. And I've done "blind-ish" trials with this stuff with non-audiophiles and audiophiles who've all said they heard a difference. One of the best trials I've done is to put solid core copper wiring on one speaker and use stranded wire on the other, and every time, no matter the person, they hear a difference. I wasn't sure if what I was hearing was accurate, which is why I started doing careful comparisons and bringing in other people to listen.

I'm wondering if the tests have been done with coated solid core wiring (a la AntiCables) or my style. I haven't personally tested AntiCables, so I can only talk about the wires that I've made for myself and others.

Try doing this with actual controls.

 

[arpinnurmela]

Depends on the mechanical requirements. If something needs to flex, stranded is better. If something is meant to be fixed in place and not move, solid is better.

For internal speaker wiring, stranded is likely to be a bit better, but if the runs are secure and carefully attached, solid core won't make things worse.

I've replaced the internal cheap wiring of cheaper speakers with air-gapped solid core, done this one speaker at a time, and it is "obvious" to my children and wife who aren't audiophiles at all. It's been a beautifully simple upgrade to all of my AJ Pioneer speakers and Elac speakers. Stunning clarity with it inside. Makes the speakers sound much more expensive for very little money and a couple of hours of work.

 

[SIY]

I've replaced the internal cheap wiring of cheaper speakers with air-gapped solid core, done this one speaker at a time, and it is "obvious" to my children and wife who aren't audiophiles at all. It's been a beautifully simple upgrade to all of my AJ Pioneer speakers and Elac speakers. Stunning clarity with it inside. Makes the speakers sound much more expensive for very little money and a couple of hours of work.

Try using actual controls. And read up on Clever Hans when you have a chance.

 

[DSJR]

In the UK, it was Denis Morecroft and then prolific reviewer James Michael Hughes who vociferously promoted it forty years back in the UK.

Best not say too much more except that any sonic difference isn't always better, especially when unshielded twin conductors spaced as in 300 ohm AM aerials with RCA's on each end can pick up taxis and other nasties and the fact that the DNM speaker wires add huge series resistance. I now firmly believe that cross section tells all where speaker wires are concerned. The change in speaker frequency response never worked for me I have to say...

No objective proof, but the solid 15A or 30A in-wall mains cabling 'we' tried wasn't always the best quality copper (it was copper back then and may still be now).

These days, any mention of solid core interconnect and speaker wiring makes me want to run a mile in the opposite direction...

 

[arpinnurmela]

Try doing this with actual controls.

I've been fairly careful to get a good comparison. There are some audiophiles I've made this for, who have replaced their far more expensive speaker wires and interconnects with my DIY wires. One guy replaced MapleShade wires with my simple DIY wires. I've had audiophiles continue to purchase more wire from me, so I guess that says something. Selling wires is a horrible hifi business to be in, so I'm definitely not looking to compete with AntiCables. More just discussing the topic.

 

[SIY]

I've been fairly careful to get a good comparison.

Except for using basic controls. Seriously, try it.

 

[arpinnurmela]

In the UK, it was Denis Morecroft and then prolific reviewer James Michael Hughes who vociferously promoted it forty years back in the UK.

Best not say too much more except that any sonic difference isn't always better, especially when unshielded twin conductors spaced as in 300 ohm AM aerials with RCA's on each end can pick up taxis and other nasties and the fact that the DNM speaker wires add huge series resistance. I now firmly believe that cross section tells all where speaker wires are concerned. The change in speaker frequency response never worked for me I have to say...

No objective proof, but the solid 15A or 30A in-wall mains cabling 'we' tried wasn't always the best quality copper (it was copper back then and may still be now).

These days, any mention of solid core interconnect and speaker wiring makes me want to run a mile in the opposite direction...

I looked into trying out some of the in-wall wiring, but decided against it, partially due to the copper quality, but more because of the usually cheaper quality coating. There are people who use solid silver air-gapped in teflon, which is what prompted me to try it with both solid silver and solid copper. I just bought my own 99.9% copper and put it inside of teflon tubing.

 

[arpinnurmela]

Except for using basic controls. Seriously, try it.

SIY, your quote at the bottom indicates to me that you might have some physics background. I did grad school for theoretical physics back in the early 2000's. Do you have a suggested trial I could do that would meet your suggestion?

 

[Koeitje]

SIY, your quote at the bottom indicates to me that you might have some physics background. I did grad school for theoretical physics back in the early 2000's. Do you have a suggested trial I could do that would meet your suggestion?

ABX double blind.

 

[arpinnurmela]

ABX double blind.

I did this with my non-audiophile wife and it was pretty easy for her to ID the cable.

 

[arpinnurmela]

What do you all think about taking one of my solid core interconnects and comparing it to both a stranded interconnect and the lossless file using Audacity via the ADC of a Schiit Hel (1)?

 

[JW001]

What do you all think about taking one of my solid core interconnects and comparing it to both a stranded interconnect and the lossless file using Audacity via the ADC of a Schiit Hel (1)?

To be specific, what is it in solid-core interconnects that makes it electrically superior to the stranded ones?