Wire types.

Delta Wave · « **on:** 9 Jan 2012, 03:46 pm »

I'm going to build a phonostage. What would be better to use, solid or stranded wire and why?

Speedskater · « **Reply #1 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 07:19 pm »

Inside a chassis and/or on a circuit board - use solid wire.
It's easier to work with and it stays put.

rollo · « **Reply #2 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 07:35 pm »

Quote from: Speedskater on 9 Jan 2012, 07:19 pm

Inside a chassis and/or on a circuit board - use solid wire.
It's easier to work with and it stays put.

Excellent advice. Just choose the proper ga. for intended use. Copper or Silver a personal choice.

charles

Delta Wave · « **Reply #3 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 07:48 pm »

Thanks! What gauge for where? I'm eying some 18 & 16AWG solid silver.

Speedskater · « **Reply #4 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 07:56 pm »

18 & 16AWG for a phono stage?
Try 22 to 28AWG.
Electrically even smaller than 28AWG is OK, but very small wire is hard to work with.

bregez · « **Reply #5 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 08:22 pm »

I like using the 22AWG, 7x30 stranded, silver-coated copper, Teflon insulated belden wire (Mfr. Part#: 83005 002100). It is semi rigid like solid wire and easy to work with. A lot cheaper than solid silver wire, which is probably around 7 USD /ft. (22AWG).

Delta Wave · « **Reply #6 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 10:12 pm »

What about for the RCA & XLR ins & outs? Same smaller gauge?

bregez · « **Reply #7 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 10:36 pm »

Quote from: Delta Wave on 9 Jan 2012, 10:12 pm

What about for the RCA & XLR ins & outs? Same smaller gauge?

If the runs are short, just use 22AWG. Depending on the layout of the phonostage, you may want to shield the "ins".

Speedskater · « **Reply #8 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 10:37 pm »

Inside the chassis?
Sure the same small stuff.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #9 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 11:05 pm »

Quote from: Delta Wave on 9 Jan 2012, 03:46 pm

I'm going to build a phonostage. What would be better to use, solid or stranded wire and why?

As vinyl cartridges use very low level signals, maybe you would consider this below:

SET Man · « **Reply #10 on:** 9 Jan 2012, 11:08 pm »

Hey!

I like good solid core wire for inside, 22ga-18ga work well for me.

Take care,
Buddy

Delta Wave · « **Reply #11 on:** 10 Jan 2012, 12:52 pm »

Thanks for your input folks!

jneutron · « **Reply #12 on:** 10 Jan 2012, 02:08 pm »

Quote from: FULLRANGEMAN on 9 Jan 2012, 11:05 pm

As vinyl cartridges use very low level signals, maybe you would consider this below:

Hawksford's analysis was fully debunked many years ago. The test setup was improperly done, parasitics were ignored, and he used magnetic steel wire within the test yet ignored it's permeability and the consequent hundredfold increase of internal wire inductance.

Jn

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #13 on:** 10 Jan 2012, 11:39 pm »

Quote from: jneutron on 10 Jan 2012, 02:08 pm

Hawksford's analysis was fully debunked many years ago. The test setup was improperly done, parasitics were ignored, and he used magnetic steel wire within the test yet ignored it's permeability and the consequent hundredfold increase of internal wire inductance.

Jn

Hi;
OK, thanks for your input. Could you clear what is the recommended wire so for power tubes amps??
The outputs are big triodes (GM70 or 805).
Thanks

jneutron · « **Reply #14 on:** 11 Jan 2012, 02:01 pm »

Quote from: FULLRANGEMAN on 10 Jan 2012, 11:39 pm

Hi;
OK, thanks for your input. Could you clear what is the recommended wire so for power tubes amps??
The outputs are big triodes (GM70 or 805).
Thanks

The current is not large, the impedance of the circuit is high. Use whatever you want, it really isn't going to impact the circuit operation. Nor is stranded/unstranded, unless your going into rf. Just make sure the insulation is capable of the voltage, temperatures, and bending radius of the layout, and that the conductor is capable of the currents. Other than the physical aspects of the application, insulation material is NOT going to make a difference.

Most people do not realize that a wire in air will have the conductor voltage on the surface of the insulation, so there is NO dielectric charging. It's mainly air.

Cheers, jn

Delta Wave · « **Reply #15 on:** 11 Jan 2012, 02:50 pm »

Quote from: jneutron on 11 Jan 2012, 02:01 pm

The current is not large, the impedance of the circuit is high. Use whatever you want, it really isn't going to impact the circuit operation. Nor is stranded/unstranded, unless your going into rf. Just make sure the insulation is capable of the voltage, temperatures, and bending radius of the layout, and that the conductor is capable of the currents. Other than the physical aspects of the application, insulation material is NOT going to make a difference.

Most people do not realize that a wire in air will have the conductor voltage on the surface of the insulation, so there is NO dielectric charging. It's mainly air.

Cheers, jn

Some good info there, thanks. Some things I would have overlooked.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #16 on:** 11 Jan 2012, 11:02 pm »

Quote from: jneutron on 11 Jan 2012, 02:01 pm

The current is not large, the impedance of the circuit is high. Use whatever you want, it really isn't going to impact the circuit operation. Nor is stranded/unstranded, unless your going into rf. Just make sure the insulation is capable of the voltage, temperatures, and bending radius of the layout, and that the conductor is capable of the currents. Other than the physical aspects of the application, insulation material is NOT going to make a difference.

Most people do not realize that a wire in air will have the conductor voltage on the surface of the insulation, so there is NO dielectric charging. It's mainly air.

Cheers, jn

OK, Thanks for that infos, I appreciated it.

andyr · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Jan 2012, 11:30 pm »

Quote from: FULLRANGEMAN on 9 Jan 2012, 11:05 pm

As vinyl cartridges use very low level signals, maybe you would consider this below:

Yes, I follow Allen's advice.

No stranded wire anywhere in my system - save mains cables.

I/O wires are 3x26g teflon coated for signal; 1x21g for ground ... all twisted together.

Regards,

Andy

*Scotty* · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 12:41 am »

From the opposite side, I don't have any solid core wiring anywhere in my system. Even my loudspeakers are wired internally with the same wire used in the rest of the system. The preamp and amplifier use a mix of 14ga. and 12ga. stranded wire. Here are images of my preamp showing how it's wired.

Here are some pictures of how my power amp is wired.

Notice in particular that all of the input wiring is kept separate and not bundled together. This greatly reduces capacitive coupling between the sources feeding the preamp thus helping to preserve channel separation and preventing crosstalk between sources so you don't hear the FM radio while listening to the CD player.
Scotty

Delta Wave · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Jan 2012, 12:22 pm »

Quote from: *Scotty* on 14 Jan 2012, 12:41 am

From the opposite side, I don't have any solid core wiring anywhere in my system. Even my loudspeakers are wired internally with the same wire used in the rest of the system. The preamp and amplifier use a mix of 14ga. and 12ga. stranded wire. Here are images of my preamp showing how it's wired.

Here are some pictures of how my power amp is wired.

Notice in particular that all of the input wiring is kept separate and not bundled together. This greatly reduces capacitive coupling between the sources feeding the preamp thus helping to preserve channel separation and preventing crosstalk between sources so you don't hear the FM radio while listening to the CD player.
Scotty

Nice and clean, I like it.

Although I've never built a home audio component, I've tweaked plenty o' guitar amps and my field is Robotics where clean, miniscule wiring is a must.