Good hookup wire

[heady 0]

Hi all, I used a very thin stranded copper wire for connecting the parts on my amps. I don't like it as it is too fine but the insulation is more heat resistant than most as it doesn't shrink back during soldering as much as others.

 

What do you like to use most? Please share what and where you got it. I am sure many of us will be interested.

 

Thanks

[aaa 0]

Use bare wire and tape where needed?

[av98m 0]

Use bare wire and tape where needed?

You're kidding, I hope.

[Firefox 0]

I'm wondering what you meant by thin. It's a relative term. I've used 30awg wire in amps before and I don't feel it's too thin. It's just right if you handle the wires properly.

[jtfoo 0]

For me, I use Belden cat-5 cable for low level signal. Cheap cheap at 80ct a meter, and you get 8 strands so effectively 80cts for 8m. Easy to work and bend into shape. And it's teflon insulated, like heady mentioned, resistant to heat.

For power supply , I stripped those powercord for computer. Again also cheap cheap or in my case free. Take from my company.

[heady 0]

Hmm, looks like Cat5 and power cables are quite popular choice for wires. But jtfoo, Cat5 too stiff to connect to input, vol pot and output sockets right? Or do you use it also for these points.

Thanks.

[jtfoo 0]

Hmm, looks like Cat5 and power cables are quite popular choice for wires. But jtfoo, Cat5 too stiff to connect to input, vol pot and output sockets right? Or do you use it also for these points.

Thanks.

Cat 5 individual strand not stiff at all, at least to me. Last time I use coaxial cable for input signal, damn siong. When I switched to cat5, so much easier, and if you twisted them, noise level can be low.

 

For output I use individual strand for the Kimber 4TC speaker cable. The 4TC makes up of 8 strand of wire. Those 4TC are left over from my diy jumper for speakers.

[bpribadi 0]

I use my fav S-VHS coaxial cable for input > pot > Op-Amp input, and also from Op-Amp output to Headphone socket. They are really hum resistant and quite small and flexible (striped out from the outer jacket). The coaxial itself the diameter is around 2mm. For LED, power, etc, cat5 will do.

[digi01 0]

我喜欢用电脑的散线，还有一种工业电缆（通常用在电梯控制电路里）非常容易焊接，而且有足够的强度。

比如这个：

[heady 0]

Firefox, I agree thin is relative, I have no objective standard to compare except it looked thin although it has much more strands than those really cheap wire sold in SLT for hookup.

 

jtfoo, I wll certainly try using cat5 wire which I have lots of.

 

bpribadi, ok, now I know how you use the s-vhs cable. Do you think it is good enough for headphone extension as well?

 

I hope all the gurus will continue to share. This thread is interesting.

[bpribadi 0]

Do you think it is good enough for headphone extension as well?

 

Haven't tried it for extension. But I think should be good if you are looking for cable that can effectively suppress hum. Sound wise, I heard the unshielded one sounds better.

 

[tropicalrips 0]

anyone tried something call "4 meg" lines?

the "4 meg" actually stands for 4 mega bytes, they are used by comms people, i used to hav those when i was working in the comms industry.

these are used for lease lines, and also for connections in cell phone base stations

its very similar to cat-5, with 8 wires in 1 cable, the difference is that the wires are multi-strand, not single core like cat-5.

these cable are able to carry a maximum bandwith of 4mb, thats why we call it "4 meg" lines

cat-5 is 10/100 which means maximum bandwith is 100 mega-bit, compared to the 4 mega-bytes used on lease lines