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Solid core Versus Stranded Speaker cables

Ok for starters I have never tried a solid core Speaker cable until recently. I was very skeptical of the solids performance but I'm glad I tried it. As a matter of fact I tried it and found it to be the best cable I have ever used to date. After much searching, getting opinions from fellow audio enthusiasts and trial and error I happened upon a seller here on Audiogon, JW Audio who offered a 30 day in home trial period with full money returned, no questions asked and took a shot in the dark. That shot hit the bullseye dead center. After receiving the Cryo Nova 12 foot long cables, I was somewhat stunned when I seen the cable, it was nothing like I expected but I connected it anyway. Holy S....t did it make an immediate difference and it keeps getting better. My entire system (Krell) opened up like peeling the skin off a banana. Highs, lows, detail, soundstage, depth, clarity and details that I was missing were revealed. ( and I thought what I had was really outstanding )

Which brings me to the point of this thread. Not knowing what makes a solid core or a stranded speaker cable more desirable aside from the obvious flexibility issues I'm curious to know what my fellow audiocrazies use and why they prefer one over the other or if they even tried both. Anyone willing to give up their opinions on the pros and cons of solid versus stranded speaker cable? I will start that I am a convert to at least this particular solid core speaker wire and unless someone can better it with the 30 day free trial period I do believe it is here to stay.

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stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
audiofreak...boy am I with you.... I got ClearDay double shotgun bi-wire for my Vandersteens, and my word....a jaw dropping clearing of fog. I’m very pleased with it...tried very many cables, but ClearDay (top of the line Wireworld sounds just about identical, but with a bit more ease) is nearly at the top for me.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
auxinput.....I too am using XLR balanced interconnect and find that there is much greater differences with speaker cable....your thoughts?
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
5,112 posts
 
HiFiman5.....you didn't say what Vandersteens you have ....mine are 5A's  and found Audioquest Everest/MontBlanc to be excellent, but to these ears, ClearDay cables work better for me. (WmLowe versions were not good at all in my system)
hifiman5's avatar
hifiman5
1,611 posts
 
stringreen - I have Treo CTs with two 2wq subs. Bet your 5A’s are sweet. You certainly tried some high-priced spreads from the AQ stable. Glad to hear you found cables you like (ClearDay) I have never heard a system wired with ClearDay. Good to know there are other brands out there that mate synergistically with Vandys.

auxinput
1,538 posts
 

@stringreen - sorry, I am still using double-runs of 12awg stranded OFC copper for speaker wire (basic monster cable or stuff from Monoprice - or any equivalent source). I find this excellent and neutral speaker wire. It is actually much better than some lower end exotics (like some Nordost Blue Heavens and other "under $1k" cables). It’s also much better than silver-plated, in my opinion. In fact, I avoid anything silver. Just one tiny element like putting in a silver-plated fuse clip or a silver based fuse will change the sound -- silver will push the upper mids/highs and make the sound more artificial. The ultra-high frequencies will be smoothed out and everything else is smoother too. Not neutral, in my opinion.

I have put all my R&D in power cable and interconnect for the last few years. I have just converted everything I have over to Rhodium plated Furutech (all power cord connectors, fuses, and XLR connectors). My 20awg solid-core braided interconnects used to have gold-plated XLR connectors. Moving these to Rhodium made them the best interconnects I have ever heard. These are absolutely amazing!!!

Speaker cable R&D is on my list, but I won’t get to it for a while. However, I will start with the Neotech NES-3002. It will probably be raw copper wire at the amp end and I will probably use Furutech Rhdium spades at the speaker end (they are all bi-wire and some of my speakers do not have a "wire hole" for raw wire).

I have also noticed that the terminations that some of these manufacturers put on speaker cable really degrade the sound. I have found that, on some cable, chopping off the termination and stripping to bare wire improved the sound tremendously!!!. Not that I am telling you to chop off the ends of several-hundred dollar cables (resale value), but it may make a difference if you choose to.

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