EDIT: Yes, no frequency response changes. but different soundstage can lead to a different imaging, lows and highs perception. You get some illusion of getting louder bass or treble, but it's not exactly true. That's why we recommend copper cables for bright combos, and silver or true silver plated copper cables for dark combos.
It's not easy to answer these questions, because many cases are involved: 4 cores vs 8 vs 16 identical cores? 4 cores vs 8 vs 16 thinner cores? Same material supposed, of course. 4 cores vs 8 vs 16 cores, of Litz (enameled/shielded) strands? I'm going to explain my subjective preferences in each case.
I'm not an expert at all, I'm only reading and experimenting by myself.
About capacitance.
It's said that low frequencies travel through the inner part of the conductor, and highs through the output part, surface. Due to geometry and isolation, if capacitance is higher, the current (highs specially) tends to be attracted by the other strands/cores and concentrates in a part of the conductor. Lowering the capacitance, by geometry and isolation, would help the current to use the most part of the conductor.
I don't know if this is proven, but it looks like reasonable to me.
About the effect on the sound, guess (and this is a subjective supposition) it would affect to highs sound stage and background noise, because they are the most polarized frequencies in the conductor (surface). Bigger sound stage and blacker background help to imaging, separation, and details perception.
As always with cables, the effect is subtle compared to other gear changes (sources, phones, tips) and probably won't affect to frequency response in audible frequencies.
If we accept this, we can understand the benefits of geometry and isolation. Litz geometry. Isolation of individual strands (Litz shielding) and of cores (the parallel capacitance I'm measuring lately refers to the latter mainly). The materials with higher dielectric attributes provide better isolation, but they also are stiffer usually.
I might be making/telling big mistakes; please forgive my ignorance, I'm learning day by day.
Once said this, my actual subjective opinion is as follows.
- Identical cores of litz strands. Preference: 16 > 8 > 4 cores, because i get near double or quadruple conductivity. always seek for lower resistance to minimize highs FR alterations in BAs, increase electrical damping factor, and decrease attenuation (refer to my first post in
List of cables ). But in this case, stiffness is 16 > 8 > 4. It has to be taken in account. I'd get the most cores version i can accept[/COLOR] its stiffness.
Also, my measurements indicate parallel capacitance between cores is only a bit higher with more cores version (check measurements of 170 vs 171 in my list). So fewer cores cables of this type also have their advantages. Decide your preference.
- Identical cores of not isolated strands. Preference: 16 > 8 > 4 cores, because same considerations about conductivity and stiffness than in the above paragraph.
I have to check how parallel capacitance grows with number of cores. I'm afraid it was higher than in the last case. Depending of the result, I'll might change my preference.
- More amount of thinner cores (litz or not litz strands). Preference: 4 > 8 > 16 cores, because after measuring some of these cables (same conductor and sleeve material, of course), got better conductivity with fewer cores in most cases. In this case, stiffness uses to be 4 > 8 > 16 cores. I'd get the fewer cores version I can accept its stiffness, always its resistance is lower.
About capacitance, fewer cores cables show lower capacitance between cores (expect higher difference with no-litz strands). But capacitance between strands should be lower in more cores cables (expect higher difference with no-litz strands). I'd wish to find a method to measure capacitance between strands; guess I'd have to measure between individual strands, removing the litz at the extreme, after unsoldering and cutting the wire, much work).
Another consideration about thickness of strands (independent of number of cores). Thicker strands seems to help with bass rumble (low frequencies travel through the inner part of the conductor), and also with other sound parameters. But they are quite stiffer as well. Got good results by using UP-OCC solid cores (one thick strand), insulated by Teflon (or by other material with high dielectric coefficient). I'm replacing many short interconnect cables (which aren't moved frequently) with these wires.
