Best Internal Wire for Speakers? Silver? Solid Core?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Levi Jesse, Jan 10, 2021.

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  1. Levi Jesse

    Levi Jesse New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    jonesboro
    I have a pair of Active Studio Monitors (Yamaha HS80M) that are pretty great surprisingly but there's a little bit of detail lacking I feel...

    I'm using them for a secondary reference set to mix with (and also casual music listening) so I can experiment a little with them.

    However I'm wondering would it make a difference if I ripped out the crappy stock wire and then wired the woofers and tweeters with Solid core (Silver possibly?) wire?

    Have any of you modded the internal speaker wiring of your hifi speakers with good results?

    I know active speakers are a little different and couldnt find too much info on this subject with them. But surely a wire upgrade would be noticable on them as well, yeah?
     
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2021
  2. mds

    mds Forum Resident

    Location:
    PA
    IF you believe cables make a difference then I would imagine that internal wiring would be beneficial. What I have noticed though is the equipment all along the path needs to be of a quality that will bring out these differences. Not knowing what will be in the chain one can't say with confidence, but it sounds like you are into giving it a try not only for the possible added sound value but for the experience / fun factor that you will derive, so go for it.
     
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  3. Are you good at soldering?
     
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  4. fish

    fish Senior Member

    Location:
    NYS, USA
    I had my Parker MTM's wired with Flat Ribbon wire (something like this). Others were using it at the time on OB's and Lowthers.
    Very detailed and full ranged are their character overall. Silver is always too bright for my taste.

    [​IMG]

    Also Litz wire is nicely detailed and full range. Easier to get and work with.

    [​IMG]

    When I recently refurbished a pair of KEF Ref. 4's I was pleased (and surprised) at the quality of the internal wiring.
     
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  5. Uglyversal

    Uglyversal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sydney
    Whatever cable you change is only going to be a very short run so I would not count on getting any big change. Most of the limitations you notice are probably due to the drivers and the amp used. If you want to play with the cables I would probably look more at the interconnects you are using to feed them or even your mixer, if it is a little one it probably leaves something to be desired. Cables can make a difference but won't solve larger problems.
     
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  6. Kende

    Kende Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Brampton,ON Canada
    Hi
    I have changed the internal wire in my full range speakers with Duelund tinned copper wire(oiled cotton). Best improvement.
    16awg Duelund for low frequency ,and 20AWg Duelund tinned copper for high frequency. Good review at jeffsplace.positive-feedback.com Also I use Duelund 12awg tinned copper for speaker wire. Now in special price at partsconnexion .com
     
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  7. Ro-Go

    Ro-Go Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hudson Valley
    Exactly what I'll be using when I upgrade my Snells. Gonna use Path Audio resistors, too.
     
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  8. Levi Jesse

    Levi Jesse New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    jonesboro
    Thanks for the replies everyone.

    Forgot to mention that the balanced cables that go from the active monitors to the converters / interface, are very high quality and I'm pleased with them.

    So really the Only other wire in the chain is the internal speaker wiring inside the active speakers themselves really.

    Thus my interest in upgrading those and seeing where it leads.

    And specifically if anyone else had good experience with doing this.
     
  9. thegage

    thegage Forum Currency Nerd

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  10. Levi Jesse

    Levi Jesse New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    jonesboro
    I'm interested in Neotech Solid Core Copper Up-OCC Ptfe wire in teflon.

    The description is...

    "Neotech has been producing outstanding cables since 1980, and has long been a leader in producing wire and cable using "single crystal" UP-OCC, developed by Professor Ohno of the Chiba Institute of Technology in Japan. UP-OCC is at least 99.99998% pure, and has an average crystal size of 125 meters (410ft)! Compare this to the average crystal size of Oxygen Free, which is .02 meters (3/4in).
    The unidirectional UP-OCC has very low electric resistance and practically no crystal boundaries. Accordingly, it is able to transmit electrical signals faster and with less distortion than ordinary OFC and silver wires. All of these features make the pure OCC copper and silver the state-of-the art conductor materials for the audiophile cable industry"

    Anyone have experience with this stuff?

    Another option I'm weighing is a solid core silver wire something along these lines...

    Tempo Electric : Pure Silver Cables
     
  11. Levi Jesse

    Levi Jesse New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    jonesboro
  12. VinylSoul

    VinylSoul Forum Resident

    Location:
    Lake Erie
    I would use 16ga magnet wire. I'm a fan of solid core. Sand the coating off before soldering. It's inexpensive and sounds decent.
     
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  13. Levi Jesse

    Levi Jesse New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    jonesboro
    Is there a specific type you get? I couldn't find any with high quality copper / oxygen free etc
     
  14. Just Walking

    Just Walking Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Here's the thing. The loudspeaker drivers use many metres of wire in the voicecoils. That will just be regular magnet wire. In that context the short lengths of wire inside the cabinet are not likely to make a major difference. The long lengths of *external* cable are another thing, although their impact is probably more to do with their immunity to RF pickup, and the effect of that on the power amplifier(s).
     
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  15. Tone?

    Tone? Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco
    How in the world is internal wiring which doesn’t even reach a foot make a difference?
    And how does silver wire sound bright?
    Wire is passive. It DOESNT add anything. It just potentially can take away from a signal.

    pardon but this is none sense not remotely based on science.
     
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  16. Chilli

    Chilli Pretend Engineer.

    Location:
    UK
    I'm curious how you can be pleased with the XLR cables to the speakers but then have doubts over the internal wiring. How can you tell where the issue lies?
     
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  17. Levi Jesse

    Levi Jesse New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    jonesboro
    Great question. I have used those cables with other setups and A/Bd them against other cables.

    And there really isn't a "problem" just simply trying to upgrade every wire in this equation for optimal performance
     
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  18. Rachael Bee

    Rachael Bee Miembra muy loca

    A physicist told me that about 90% of signals arc and run on the outside of wires, only 10% goes down the interior of the wire. I saw lightening hit a metal balcony rail and it arced around the rail before it dissipated at the other end. I was testing 2 S-Video cables against each other years ago, one was solid silver and the other was silver coated. I couldn't discern any difference in the picture I got from my HLD-X9 Laserdisc player.
     
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  19. fish

    fish Senior Member

    Location:
    NYS, USA
    Have you tried it? Science? You mean we know it all??

    [​IMG]
     
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  20. Tone?

    Tone? Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco

    Yes it’s science. Ever heard of resistance, capacitance and inductance?

    these have all been tested and show , yes by science that in short runs it doesn’t make a single iota of difference. By MEASUREMENTS. Not anecdotal evidence.

    I also have been modding and making circuits in my guitar tube amps and none of this matters in short runs. so there is your anecdotal evidence as well. Which as far as I’m concerned , means nothing.

    AWG and measurements were made for a reason.
    No we don’t know it all. But until you find measurements and real scientific data then you are just speculating. Nothing more. Lots of tests and measurements have been conducted around this for much more important applications rather than audio. And that is where these measurements and scientific variables have been created.

    If you care to enlighten us with scientific evidence please by all means do so.
     
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  21. fish

    fish Senior Member

    Location:
    NYS, USA
    No, No, No. You just schooled us all so why bother. You're right its all Plecebo. Im selling my cables and heading over to Radio Shack!
    Thanks!!!


    Is Home Depot OK for Wire? Lowe's? Dollar General?
     
  22. Khorn

    Khorn Dynagrunt Obversarian

    Had my speakers rewired with all Cardas internal speaker wire quite a while back. I have absolutely no complaints and it gives me confidence in the wiring integrity and imho it was well worthwhile.
     
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  23. fish

    fish Senior Member

    Location:
    NYS, USA
    Is this guy an Idiot?

     
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  24. Rick58

    Rick58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Eagle, ID, USA
    Despite the naysayers (always) I'll say the power cords make a difference too. I recently upgraded the power cords on my 300B tube amps from stock to Analysis Plus Pro Power Oval Mk II ... I got a 5' and a 10' one ... OK some will chime in and say they have to be the same length ... anyway, I can't swear they made THE difference but with all AP cables (ICs and speaker cables too) my system is the most resolving and I think musical it's ever been.

    How a system provides sonic attributes like depth and solidity of image/soundstage and musicality is not measurable. Try swapping things in and out a couple times for yourself, if you don't hear a difference in things that are important to you, return the component. If you don't "believe" these things can make a difference, fine, I'm not offended. Keep your stock power cords and 16ga zip wire. The changes I perceived certainly COULD be explained by physical measurements (see Analysis Plus page for documentation) but possibly not.
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2021
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  25. Tone?

    Tone? Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Francisco

    I could care less where you go get your cable from.
    obviously you didn’t read what I said and what this thread is about.
    It’s about INTERNAL cable for speakers. So go back and read what I said about lengths.

    And yes there are measurements. AWG being one.
     
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