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General equipment question

post #1 of 11
10/26/09 at 10:34pm
Thread Starter 
This may be a stupid question, but I thought it was worth asking. When making an amp or dac, or just some small electronic project for that matter, what type of wire do you use? i.e. gauge, multi/single strand, copper/silver

Also, what type of solder is best quality wise? I've read silver solder is tough to use, at least compared to 63/37. Does it offer better sound quality, or is it negligible?

Thanks in advance!
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post #2 of 11
10/27/09 at 12:54am
22-24AWG solid-core silver-plated copper. Stranded is fine too, just more of a pain to work with. You can find it really cheap from the eBay seller Navships for like $7 for 20 feet or something.
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post #3 of 11
10/27/09 at 1:01am
Make sure you get the correct voltage rated wire as well - usually 300v or 600v, and if a higher voltage circuit with lots of heat, pfte at 200c temperature rating is also a worthy consideration. Mil spec 16878 (/4) is a good thing to search for.

Do not scrimp on wire. Period. Does not have to be spc, or .00000000000000000 OFC, but it does have to meet voltage rating and temp rating (min 85c).

Oh, and for mains and heater current, 18awg is more like it.
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post #4 of 11
10/27/09 at 1:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pabbi1 View Post
Oh, and for mains and heater current, 18awg is more like it.
Yes, I should have mentioned this. High-current wires, ones carrying high voltages or power supply, should be bigger.
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post #5 of 11
10/27/09 at 3:27am
I like solid core copper wire simply because it's easier to deal with. Stranded is fine, too, but takes a little more labor.

Teflon insulation is worth it, too. It costs more, but doesn't melt or scorch when you accidentally touch it with your iron.

Plain 60/40 Kester or Radio Shack solder is great. It works and flows like a dream. Making a solid physical connection is the primary goal when soldering, so I use what gives me the best joints.

Everything said about appropriate gauge and temperature ratings is right on.

My philosophy is to make sure the construction is as solid as possible. That outranks all the little boutique tweaks for me.
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post #6 of 11
10/27/09 at 3:50am
x2 for teflon coated. Maybe I have missed the boat, but I always find solid core more difficult to work with. Maybe I am using the wrong gage. Stranded always seems to make better connections when soldering, IMO.
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post #7 of 11
10/27/09 at 10:09am
There isn't a single type of wire you can use for the whole thing. For low voltage/current signals, you probably want to braid or shield the wire to prevent noise. Same for any radio signals. Probably the same for connecting potentiometers to the case in the middle of the circuit. For the audio output, you might want to use a heavier gauge wire than necessary to lower the impedance. For power and ground lines you probably want an even heavier gauge. 1/16" - 1/4" solid copper rectangle or round strips would be cool here for a power amp, but is probably overkill for a headphone amp.

I wouldn't use silver for general use--at least not when you first start--because it's harder to solder, but it has its uses. But you also want to have some fun and make it look cool, so keep an open eye and ear.
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post #8 of 11
10/27/09 at 5:20pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the great suggestions guys, really appreciate it. So how would these do?

50 ft 24 AWG Silver Teflon Wire Black Orange 19 strands - eBay (item 380166213557 end time Nov-07-09 09:58:14 PST)
25 ft 18 AWG Silver Teflon Wire Black White 19 strand - eBay (item 380171805832 end time Nov-25-09 08:09:32 PST)

Would these most likely cover all my needs as far as wire goes for an amp?
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post #9 of 11
10/27/09 at 7:47pm
Looks good to me, if you like stranded. It's really a personal preference but I am not a fan of the stuff. But the type and gauge is good - 24awg for signals, 18awg for power should be perfect.
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post #10 of 11
10/27/09 at 8:59pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juaquin View Post
Looks good to me, if you like stranded. It's really a personal preference but I am not a fan of the stuff. But the type and gauge is good - 24awg for signals, 18awg for power should be perfect.
I used solid the cmoy I just built and it was too rigid for me. I like something easy to work with, so I think I'll stick with stranded. Now to buy the cable and MAX kit! Thanks for the help!
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post #11 of 11
10/28/09 at 4:22pm
I am surprised that this hasn't been linked to
Getting Started in Audio DIY
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