Hook-up wire recommendations for home-brew switchbox

D

Downhome Upstate

New member
I think I'm going to put together an inexpensive 3-input, 2-output switchbox for my Stereomour and the Crack w/Speedball I recently ordered. The Connex dual pole, dual deck, 6-position rotary switches with silver plated contacts retail for $12 apiece, and the house brand Tiffany style gold plated  RCA jacks are $7.50 a pair. What kind of reasonably priced hook-up wire should I use to keep the line level signals clean? I apologize in advance if this is a stupid question. I'm still at the stage where I'm futzing with mechanics as opposed to audio electronics.
 
Well, my largely unpopular opinion is solid silver with Teflon dialectic from, for example, Homegrown Audio. Different opinions on that. Solid core is the way to go though, for sure, whether copper or silver.
 
I think thats it Mike - I dont find silver to be bright, just revealing. IMO many silver interconnects dont have big enough gauge. Better to make your own.
 
It would appear that your switch box gives you an opportunity to easily try out some different types of wire and decide what works for you. Use a different wire type for each set of inputs.

Some would say that you should allow for burn in time before you make any long term decisions.

I would also encourage you to do a blind listening test where somebody else does the set up. Do this with different kinds of music.

ray
 
I'm with these guys.  A switch box is an excellent place to try a new wire.  Or you could put different wire on each input to make an informed decision of which is best for you. 

I would go with the solid silver like Eric.  Maybe because I'm old and my high frequency response is depressed.  Like Eric, it gives me more detail and smoother highs.
 
Hey, guys. I took your suggestions to heart.

I have 2 feet of pcx's 5 nines silver on-hand, so I added another 2 feet to the parts order I placed yesterday with teflon tubing to match. That gives me 1 input and 1 output in 20 ga solid core silver. I added 6 ft of 20 ga. OCC copper w/teflon for the other 2 inputs and remaining output. That'll give me an easy way to listen to the differences and decide what works for my 59 year-old ears.

This is a great community.  8)  Thanks again.
 
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