When 12 Gauge Wire is Not 12 Gauge

[Descartes]

For loudspeaker cables almost any reasonable electrical or audio cable will do. You don't need the good bulk cable manufactures like Belden, Canare or Mogami. Those are for interconnect cables.

Agreed, except if one wants cables to last a life time then Mogami W3104 with 4 conductors 12AWG are outstanding or the W3103 with 2 conductors 12AWG

 

[Speedskater]

Yep, with some hi-fi cables, you never know how long they will last.
But, connectors and installing connectors might be a bigger consideration.

 

[nebunebu]

This makes me wonder, how does a regular lamp wire measure?
Is there any benefit to have a solid core vs stranded wire?

 

[somebodyelse]

This makes me wonder, how does a regular lamp wire measure?

Depends what you mean by 'regular lamp wire' but probably good enough for short runs. I'm guessing it's parallel or slightly twisted pair, similar to most generic speaker cable, so resistance is the parameter to look at.

Is there any benefit to have a solid core vs stranded wire?

It shouldn't, at least within the range of 'normal' speaker cable sizes, environments and non-faulty insulation.

 

[Sal1950]

This makes me wonder, how does a regular lamp wire measure?

Just depends on how thick it is.
All else equal, the thicker, the lower the resistance, the better it will be.

Is there any benefit to have a solid core vs stranded wire?

Not really, solid core has the problem of being stiff and inflexible.
Otherwise they will be the same if the measured resistance is the same.

 

[tyreman]

I have been using the Belden 12 gauge gray sheathed 5000UE (I think it is listed as) with bananas soldered on each end for a number of years.
Previously had the their Belden 14 gauge to did a bunch of a/bing with the 2 types never really heard a difference

 

[Sal1950]

I have been using the Belden 12 gauge gray sheathed 5000UE (I think it is listed as) with bananas soldered on each end for a number of years.
Previously had the their Belden 14 gauge to did a bunch of a/bing with the 2 types never really heard a difference

Probably never will unless the distance is like 500ft

 

[tyreman]

Probably never will unless the distance is like 500ft

yes pretty much what I figured to

 

[Sal1950]

yes pretty much what I figured to

It's all a matter of resistance, distance, and ohms law.
Good cable is cheap, just run the thickest you can afford and put any worries to bed.

 

[pseudoid]

It's all a matter of resistance, distance, and ohms law.

Recently, I read a good rule-of-thumb that cable "skin-effect' is less than 1% at 20kHz; so as to not matter much even in long-runs.
Even if that "1% rule" is inaccurate, the impact seems something that will not make me lose sleep.

 

[luedriver]

the images of the first post are not appearing for me, in a rush now to look them up

 

[amirm]

Yes, sorry about that. I should have captured the files rather than link to them.