I am about to transfer my circuit from breadboard on to strip board and I was just wondering whether the type of wire/cable I use will affect the signal. I am looking for wire that is cost efficient and will not affect the signal.
I am currently using insulated copper wire on my breadboard and was thinking of using the same wire on my strip board. I do have same speaker cable that I am going to use from the amplifiers output, to the speaker.
What wire would you recommend for me to use?
Thanks!
I am currently using insulated copper wire on my breadboard and was thinking of using the same wire on my strip board. I do have same speaker cable that I am going to use from the amplifiers output, to the speaker.
What wire would you recommend for me to use?
Thanks!
Different parts of the circuit have different requirements; there is no universal "best", otherwise wire catalogs would be much thinner. The key things to keep in mind are:
1. Sufficient diameter for the currents in a particular spot.
2. Mechanical issues (e.g., floppiness vs. rigidity).
3. Thermal issues (what are the nearby circuit elements and how hot do they get?).
4. Noise pickup and radiation issues (shielded vs non-shielded, twisted versus parallel, triboelectric effects).
5. Solderability.
6. Insulation strength (what is the difference in voltage between the wire and nearby conductors?)
7. Social issues (are you trying to make a properly functioning circuit or one that also needs to impress gullible audiophiles who have faith-based beliefs in magic wire properties?)
1. Sufficient diameter for the currents in a particular spot.
2. Mechanical issues (e.g., floppiness vs. rigidity).
3. Thermal issues (what are the nearby circuit elements and how hot do they get?).
4. Noise pickup and radiation issues (shielded vs non-shielded, twisted versus parallel, triboelectric effects).
5. Solderability.
6. Insulation strength (what is the difference in voltage between the wire and nearby conductors?)
7. Social issues (are you trying to make a properly functioning circuit or one that also needs to impress gullible audiophiles who have faith-based beliefs in magic wire properties?)
For most purposes an appropriate thickness tinned copper wire with PVC insulation will do the job, from DC up to VHF frequencies. The copper can be solid or stranded. An audio exception is cables carrying low level signals, which may need to be screened or use twisted pair.
When I am soldering, I burn PVC insulation frequently. I've got a couple of rolls of teflon insulated 24 ga wire in different colors, but at $50-$60 a 100' roll this is limited. ERDE wire (formerly Kynar) for wire wrap comes up surplus some, and is sold at surplus houses in the 28 ga and 30 ga varieties. These wires are solid and pretty flimsy so they should be used only in the early stages of an amp where currents are low. But the insulation doesn't burn easily, and the solid wire makes nice curls around leads for a stable joint before you solder it.
As I do tube projects too, I bought the teflon wire in the 600 v grade. this is not protected against mechanical abrasion like MTM or THHN non-plated wire, but who is going to be poking around inside an amp with the power on?
In plating, I like tin-lead, but it is getting hard to get anymore with the paranoia in Europe against all the 1 kilogram of lead computer monitors going to the dump after 15 months service, extending to hifi projects. Silver plate wire is okay but I've had 100' rolls of silver plate wire stolen by the shipping department and I had to go through the hastle of sending back the 1 lb substitute shipping put in the box (a relay one time) and getting the replacement sent.
For speaker wire, at 60 W/ch and 8 ohms, I find 10 ga extra flexible 3SO cable sounds better on top octave Steinway piano, than 16 ga 17 strand zip cord. The pitch was stable on 10 ga. Unstable pitch on a piano would be intermodulation distortion, since they aren't built with vibrato at the factory. I got my 3SO cord out of the factory dumpster, since the insulation was nicked and it wasn't suitable for 460 V service in a wet area anymore. You have to use the switchcraft right angle 1/4 phone plugs on 10 ga speaker wire, the regular axial Pamona plugs aren't big enough around to clear it. Mcmelectronics is not selling 10 ga speaker wire, and the "monster wire" and all that hoo-hah seems to be extra flexible factory type wire in an especially fragile insulation package for techno-snobs. If you want to buy 3SO cord in the extra flexible variety, mcmaster.com sells it, with rubber insulation - no PVC in extra flexible.
BTW the pvc wire mcm is selling is all 300 v rated - good only for transistor projects, and marginal at PA wattages where the hot can go to 170 v peaks on a 1300 W amp.
As I do tube projects too, I bought the teflon wire in the 600 v grade. this is not protected against mechanical abrasion like MTM or THHN non-plated wire, but who is going to be poking around inside an amp with the power on?
In plating, I like tin-lead, but it is getting hard to get anymore with the paranoia in Europe against all the 1 kilogram of lead computer monitors going to the dump after 15 months service, extending to hifi projects. Silver plate wire is okay but I've had 100' rolls of silver plate wire stolen by the shipping department and I had to go through the hastle of sending back the 1 lb substitute shipping put in the box (a relay one time) and getting the replacement sent.
For speaker wire, at 60 W/ch and 8 ohms, I find 10 ga extra flexible 3SO cable sounds better on top octave Steinway piano, than 16 ga 17 strand zip cord. The pitch was stable on 10 ga. Unstable pitch on a piano would be intermodulation distortion, since they aren't built with vibrato at the factory. I got my 3SO cord out of the factory dumpster, since the insulation was nicked and it wasn't suitable for 460 V service in a wet area anymore. You have to use the switchcraft right angle 1/4 phone plugs on 10 ga speaker wire, the regular axial Pamona plugs aren't big enough around to clear it. Mcmelectronics is not selling 10 ga speaker wire, and the "monster wire" and all that hoo-hah seems to be extra flexible factory type wire in an especially fragile insulation package for techno-snobs. If you want to buy 3SO cord in the extra flexible variety, mcmaster.com sells it, with rubber insulation - no PVC in extra flexible.
BTW the pvc wire mcm is selling is all 300 v rated - good only for transistor projects, and marginal at PA wattages where the hot can go to 170 v peaks on a 1300 W amp.
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