Cable Asylum

Why solid cable instead of braided wire?

69.118.195.89

Mr Steed

In Reply to: RE: Not a recommendation for Romex posted by Mike K on October 23, 2024 at 08:14:55

I use a single strand of cat5 cable I stripped apart.
Yep, one single strand.

Follow Ups:

Opposite End - Jotaro 15:23:28 10/25/24 (0)
I'm at the other end of the spectrum.

7awg multi-stranded tinned copper wire here: Duelund

J.
RE: Why solid cable instead of braided wire? - mojul 10:42:07 10/24/24 (3)
Be sure that your Cat5 uses teflon and not PVC!
PVC has memory effect and smears the sound due to the high dielectric constant and by the way cotton has the lowest dielectric constant.

One single core Cat5 (24AWG) is enough as speaker cable to drive (0,25-0.5W) horn speakers but not enough for speakers with higher drive effect.
Cat5 is plenty enough for tweeters in x-overs, but bass's needs a little more, about 20AWG.

I have made dirt cheap interconnects using 24AWG Cat cables with the KLE Innovation classic harmony copper bullet plug design and they sound much better than many expensive commercial interconnects.

I learned about single core cables and saved a lot of money by reading "The SuperCables Cook Book" by Allen Wright:
"As it's only the low frequencies that can sink deep into a conductor and still maintain energy - they are the ones suffering major time smear when THICK cables are used for interconnect or speaker energy transfer."

You can read about DIY Cat5 braided speaker cables and single core interconnects at VH Audio (he uses KLE Innovation plugs on interconnects ;-).

https://www.venhaus1.com/diycatfivecables.html
https://www.venhaus1.com/diysilverinterconnects.html
mojul
- teflon or PVC - Mr Steed 17:32:27 10/25/24 (2)
  How can I tell?
  I can't imagine the cable is marked.
  
  Years ago I had a homemade FRIED Model H subwoofer.
  Peerless 85486 drivers IIRC.
  I had a ARC D250 MKII and then a Carver LightStar 2.0
  I used Fulton Gold speaker wire.
  Two pair, paralleled.
  A speaker builder/ owner of Carolina Audio called me and said I should
  remove the Fulton and replace it with a single strand of cat-5 cable.
  I thought he was NUTS!
  But I tried it.
  My Carolina Audio speakers are wired with a single strand of cat-5 cable.
  They are transmission line speakers using a 4" metal driver by Ted Jordan and a 7" metal driver form him also.
  Anyway I'd like to try what you've mentioned.
  
  TIA
  
  I went from speaker wire thick enough jump-start a bulldozer to
  wire a piece of wire that would of melted if I tried to start that bulldozer.
  - RE: teflon or PVC - ketchup 13:13:40 10/29/24 (1)
    Teflon has a much higher melting point. Maybe get known pieces of teflon and pvc and do some tests with a heat gun.
    
    Sharpie tends to not stick to teflon, so try writing on it. Just some thoughts off the top of my head.
    - plenum cable - Mr Steed 20:38:01 10/29/24 (0)
      Now I remember.
      When putting in computer network cables the ones that went trough a drop ceiling had to be Teflon coated for fire resistance.
      IIRC the Teflon was only on the outside of the pvc wrapped inner cables.
      I used to have lots of those cables at one time.
      So I don't see how having cables wrapped in Teflon can have any
      effect for audio.
      Any idea?

Post a Followup:

FAQ

Post a Message!

Forgot Password?

Moniker (Username):
Password (Optional):
	Remember my Moniker & Password (What's this?) Eat Me
E-Mail (Optional):
Subject:

Message:	(Posts are subject to Content Rules)

Optional Link URL:
Optional Link Title:
Optional Image URL:
Upload Image:
E-mail Replies:	Automagically notify you when someone responds.

To view your new posting or follow-up, click on the RELOAD or REFRESH button on your browser.

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Parts Connexion