[Exitao]

Which gauges of wire should be appropriate for IEMs like Shure or Etymotic?

I apologise if this is a "dear God, not again" question.
I'm on mobile and maybe it's Android Chrome's fault, but I can't get the search function to give me an input thingy, and in the wiki section on wiring it doesn't say anything about gauges.
Is there a way to have that added to the wiki?
Most of the wire recommendations (and tutorials) I've seen around the web are for over-the-ear headphones and when replacing plug ends, the wires seem much thinner gauge than mic wire.

TIA for your answers and patience.

 

[Pingupenguins]

Tips from a pro. 26 AWG 1mm OD is good enough for almost every headphone I got my hands on. but if you're working on Etymotic's you might have to get some 32 AWG litz which is really no better than a stock wire. Good luck! 

 

[jcx]

26 gage for iem?
 
no one ever heard mechanical stiffness, microphonics from the wire weighting, tugging the iem in your ear?
 
or the silly flex catching dragging on clothes, sending vibrations up the wire?
 
might as well try one of the paralleled CAT 5 diy speaker cable formulas for headphones

 

[Pingupenguins]

  26 gage for iem?
 
no one ever heard mechanical stiffness, microphonics from the wire weighting, tugging the iem in your ear?
 
or the silly flex catching dragging on clothes, sending vibrations up the wire?
 
might as well try one of the paralleled CAT 5 diy speaker cable formulas for headphones

 
Depends on the headphones and wire. Small headphones with no strain relief and straight down cables definitely impart some cable noise, however a lot of around the ear headphones have no issues. Not to mention the huge removable cable market once you put some memory wire on that puppy. Not to mention strand count and jacket material play a big role in cable noise. CAT 5 is low strand PVC wire. Which is really bad for IEM wiring. 
 
I've almost never received a complaint saying the cables were too noisy. 
 
PS. Microphonics is the phenomenon where mechanical waves get converted into electrical signal. Might want to review your terminology buddy.