Need insulation for 16 ga. solid core wire for PC

[tom1356]

I want to make a power cord but I need insulation for 16 gauge solid core silver wire.
I bought this rubber coated stuff in the picture a few years ago but I can't remember where I got it.
Thanks
Tom

[AndrewT]

What a waste!

[tom1356]

What is it you don't like about my power cords?

[AndrewT]

Hi,
I'm not sure about using solid core silver for interconnects.

But I'm even less sure about any advantage for a power cord.

[tom1356]

You have no idea what you are missing.

[jneutron]

Originally posted by tom1356
You have no idea what you are missing.

Perhaps you can enlighten us?

Cheers, John

[tom1356]

Solid core silver wire is the only wire I use. If you are able to put aside your $$ prejudices you may find there are good reasons for silver to sound better.
Silver is the only metal that doesn't arc. That is the reason that silver wire and silver connectors sound better. It is also the reason contact enhancing treatments are less effective with silver connectors.
Some systems may have problems that are to big for silver wire to make a difference in, which is partly responsible for some people not hearing a difference.
If you have a revealing system and good ears you will hear more detail and a lower noise floor with silver.
The pictures my stereo produces are simply better and clearer with silver throughout the system.

You have been led to water...drink up.

[astouffer]

What arcing takes place on your power cord or interconnects? The only arcing that could take place is with a mechanical switch and that could be replaced with a triac.

What effect does silver have between the miles of wire between the power company and your house? How about the run from the pole to your breaker panel? Its most likely aluminum. How about the leads of the transistors or tubes you are using? The tubes are probably some ferric alloy and the transistors are copper with some kind of tin plating. Adding some silver wire here and there is like putting a band aid on cancer.

[pwillard]

Hear, Hear.

Nothing you do that goes from the wall outlet to your unit will make up for the hundreds of feet of copper/aluminium between your outlet an the local power transformer feeding your home.

If it DID make any difference at all, it would be UNDONE by the actions of the mains transformer. If it makes you feel good... use silver on the mains feed but saying that 3 feet of silver wire ahead of the mains transformer makes an audible difference you can hear is just making me laugh.

It makes more sense to make a nice braided power cable. Go for good looks versus saying SILVER = MAGIC at MAINS AC levels.

Me? I'd save the silver cable for INSIDE the cabinet.

The Old Curmudgeon...

[jneutron]

Originally posted by tom1356
If you are able to put aside your $$ prejudices you may find there are good reasons for silver to sound better.

I have no $$ prejudices. So far, you have provided nothing of any substance to substantiate your assertion.

Originally posted by tom1356

Silver is the only metal that doesn't arc.

Where did that information come from?

Originally posted by tom1356

Some systems may have problems that are to big for silver wire to make a difference in, which is partly responsible for some people not hearing a difference.

Again, what problems?

Originally posted by tom1356

If you have a revealing system and good ears you will hear more detail and a lower noise floor with silver.
The pictures my stereo produces are simply better and clearer with silver throughout the system.

Again, your assertions remain unsupported by your statements with regard to silver. I do concur that a revealing system and good ears will provide more detail and a lower noise floor, but you have not provided anything to show that silver was the reason for an improvement.

Keep in mind, I have not said you are incorrect. Just that what you are saying has not been supported by your words.

Originally posted by astouffer
What effect does silver have between the miles of wire between the power company and your house? How about the run from the pole to your breaker panel? Its most likely aluminum.

I swore if I heard that "miles and miles" of wire argument against line cords again, I'd scream..arggh.

Originally posted by pwillard
Nothing you do that goes from the wall outlet to your unit will make up for the hundreds of feet of copper/aluminium between your outlet an the local power transformer feeding your home.

See above..

Originally posted by pwillard

If it DID make any difference at all, it would be UNDONE by the actions of the mains transformer.

Again, see above..

The power cord from the amp to the wall outlet forms a ground loop with the IC's and the source chassis. If you examine Faraday's law of induction, you will see that any conductive loop which encloses a time varying magnetic field, will generate a voltage.

That voltage will cause the input ground of the amp to move relative to the ground of the source chassis. This will cause bad, bad stuff to occur to the music.

This effect is the mechanism which also causes ground loop hum..

Originally posted by pwillard
It makes more sense to make a nice braided power cable. .

Braid is not thick enough to stop audio frequency magnetic penetration. It can only stop rfi, but will do nothing for ground loop. I would not bother with the braid.

Cheers, John