I know nowt.
I have a roll of "2x42 speaker cable" which indeed has 42 strands of
very thin copper wire in each cable (?), and there are indeed two of
them, joined together in a figure of 8 way.
Searching for this, another site suggests that the strands are "0.19mm", >would this be the diameter? Or the radius? I'm guessing diameter, but
you all know what assumptions are like.
This same site also states that the wire is 1.32mm^2 and I am assuming
that this is for each 42 strands-in-total wire, not for both the wires.
So are modern multi-strand wires all made from 0.19 mm strands, bundled
to whatever size is necessary for the wire?
I am not sure of the correct nomenclature with regards to the individual >strands, the greater wire within the insulation, and the name for the
wire made from two (or more, I suppose) insulated wires joined together >(cables?), so please feel free to ridicule my ignorance.
Thanks in advance.
I know nowt.
I have a roll of "2x42 speaker cable" which indeed has 42 strands of
very thin copper wire in each cable (?), and there are indeed two of
them, joined together in a figure of 8 way.
Searching for this, another site suggests that the strands are "0.19mm", would this be the diameter? Or the radius? I'm guessing diameter, but
you all know what assumptions are like.
This same site also states that the wire is 1.32mm^2 and I am assuming
that this is for each 42 strands-in-total wire, not for both the wires.
So are modern multi-strand wires all made from 0.19 mm strands, bundled
to whatever size is necessary for the wire?
I am not sure of the correct nomenclature with regards to the individual strands, the greater wire within the insulation, and the name for the
wire made from two (or more, I suppose) insulated wires joined together (cables?), so please feel free to ridicule my ignorance.
I know nowt.
I have a roll of "2x42 speaker cable" which indeed has 42 strands of
very thin copper wire in each cable (?), and there are indeed two of
them, joined together in a figure of 8 way.
Searching for this, another site suggests that the strands are "0.19mm", would this be the diameter? Or the radius? I'm guessing diameter, but
you all know what assumptions are like.
This same site also states that the wire is 1.32mm^2 and I am assuming
that this is for each 42 strands-in-total wire, not for both the wires.
So are modern multi-strand wires all made from 0.19 mm strands, bundled
to whatever size is necessary for the wire?
I am not sure of the correct nomenclature with regards to the individual strands, the greater wire within the insulation, and the name for the
wire made from two (or more, I suppose) insulated wires joined together (cables?), so please feel free to ridicule my ignorance.
Thanks in advance.
This is speaker wire, for low voltage usage, so just don't ever
use it for mains voltage. It is multi-stranded primarily for
flexibility (likely to vibrate under the influence of the
speaker), and HiFi 'purists' might say there is a electronic
reason for using multi-stranding instead of solid core (or maybe
the opposite, I wouldn't know).
I have used it for light pendants and (slaps wrist) mains table lamps as
well
David Paste <pastedavid@gmail.com> wrote:
I know nowt.
I have a roll of "2x42 speaker cable" which indeed has 42 strands of
very thin copper wire in each cable (?), and there are indeed two of
them, joined together in a figure of 8 way.
Searching for this, another site suggests that the strands are "0.19mm",
would this be the diameter? Or the radius? I'm guessing diameter, but
you all know what assumptions are like.
That's the diameter.
This same site also states that the wire is 1.32mm^2 and I am assuming
that this is for each 42 strands-in-total wire, not for both the wires.
Correct. Calculating the area via pi.r^2:
r=0.19/2
pi*(0.19/2)^2 = 0.02835
42*0.02835 = 1.19 mm2
which is near enough.
David Paste <pastedavid@gmail.com> wrote:
I know nowt.
I have a roll of "2x42 speaker cable" which indeed has 42 strands of
very thin copper wire in each cable (?), and there are indeed two of
them, joined together in a figure of 8 way.
Searching for this, another site suggests that the strands are "0.19mm",
would this be the diameter? Or the radius? I'm guessing diameter, but
you all know what assumptions are like.
That's the diameter.
This same site also states that the wire is 1.32mm^2 and I am assuming
that this is for each 42 strands-in-total wire, not for both the wires.
Correct. Calculating the area via pi.r^2:
r=0.19/2
pi*(0.19/2)^2 = 0.02835
42*0.02835 = 1.19 mm2
which is near enough.
So are modern multi-strand wires all made from 0.19 mm strands, bundled
to whatever size is necessary for the wire?
No, they use all kinds of sizes.
I am not sure of the correct nomenclature with regards to the individual
strands, the greater wire within the insulation, and the name for the
wire made from two (or more, I suppose) insulated wires joined together
(cables?), so please feel free to ridicule my ignorance.
Usually stranded wires are written as 7/0.1 which means 7 strands of 0.1mm diameter wire. You can get many different combinations of diameter and number of strands. Then of course you get multicore cable which might have
9 cores each being of 7/0.1mm.
Electrical power cable is instead measured by the mm2 cross-sectional area, being either class 1 (solid core), class 2 stranded (eg 7 strands in normal domestic sizes), or class 5 or 6 flexible (many more strands): https://tr.prysmian.com/en/media/technical-article/conductor-types-in-cables
- so for example Twin and Earth cable is 2x2.5+1.5 which means two cores of
2.5mm2 plus an earth core of 1.5mm2 (all solid)
Then you have all the different types of cable which usually relates to the insulation and the makeup of the cable rather than the conductors.
And Then you have Americans, who measure it all in AWGs ('gauge') instead. (and their 14/2 means two conductors of 14 awg each)
On 22/02/2026 18:22, David Paste wrote:
I know nowt.
I have a roll of "2x42 speaker cable" which indeed has 42 strands of very thin copper wire in each cable (?), and there are indeed two of them, joined together in a figure of 8 way.
Searching for this, another site suggests that the strands are "0.19mm", would this be the diameter? Or the radius? I'm guessing diameter, but you all know what assumptions are like.
This same site also states that the wire is 1.32mm^2 and I am assuming that this is for each 42 strands-in-total wire, not for both the wires.
So are modern multi-strand wires all made from 0.19 mm strands, bundled to whatever size is necessary for the wire?
I am not sure of the correct nomenclature with regards to the individual strands, the greater wire within the insulation, and the name for the wire made from two (or more, I suppose) insulated wires joined together (cables?), so please feel free to ridicule my ignorance.
Thanks in advance.
This is speaker wire, for low voltage usage, so just don't ever
use it for mains voltage. It is multi-stranded primarily for
flexibility (likely to vibrate under the influence of the
speaker), and HiFi 'purists' might say there is a electronic
reason for using multi-stranding instead of solid core (or maybe
the opposite, I wouldn't know).
On Sun, 2/22/2026 2:20 PM, Andrew wrote:
On 22/02/2026 18:22, David Paste wrote:
I know nowt.
I have a roll of "2x42 speaker cable" which indeed has 42 strands of very thin copper wire in each cable (?), and there are indeed two of them, joined together in a figure of 8 way.
Searching for this, another site suggests that the strands are "0.19mm", would this be the diameter? Or the radius? I'm guessing diameter, but you all know what assumptions are like.
This same site also states that the wire is 1.32mm^2 and I am assuming that this is for each 42 strands-in-total wire, not for both the wires.
So are modern multi-strand wires all made from 0.19 mm strands, bundled to whatever size is necessary for the wire?
I am not sure of the correct nomenclature with regards to the individual strands, the greater wire within the insulation, and the name for the wire made from two (or more, I suppose) insulated wires joined together (cables?), so please feel free to ridicule my ignorance.
Thanks in advance.
This is speaker wire, for low voltage usage, so just don't ever
use it for mains voltage. It is multi-stranded primarily for
flexibility (likely to vibrate under the influence of the
speaker), and HiFi 'purists' might say there is a electronic
reason for using multi-stranding instead of solid core (or maybe
the opposite, I wouldn't know).
The Skin Effect applies at any frequency, to one extent or
another. Using a multitude of tiny strands, is an attempt
to conduct the AC frequencies better (for a given total cross-section
of cable).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_effect
When you take Power Systems, they make you work out
the skin depth at power line frequencies. There is
still an effect at 50Hz.
From a Google:
"at 50 Hz or 60 Hz the skin depth in copper is around 9 mm (Fig. 1a, b).
This is partly the reason for the high-current busbars in low-voltage
switchgear to be made with copper bars not thicker than 10 mm
"
Paul
The Skin Effect applies at any frequency, to one extent or
another. Using a multitude of tiny strands, is an attempt
to conduct the AC frequencies better (for a given total cross-section
of cable).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_effect
The Skin Effect applies at any frequency, to one extent or
another. Using a multitude of tiny strands, is an attempt
to conduct the AC frequencies better (for a given total cross-section
of cable).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_effect
On 23/02/2026 14:15, Paul wrote:
<xxx>
The Skin Effect applies at any frequency, to one extent or
another. Using a multitude of tiny strands, is an attempt
to conduct the AC frequencies better (for a given total cross-section
of cable).
-a-a-a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_effect
Multiple strands in speaker wire are for flexibility.-a If skin effect is
an issue you'd use eg Litz wire where each tiny strand is insulated.
bugger to solder though.-a A molten NaOH bath is a good way to strip it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litz_wire
On 23/02/2026 16:20, Simon Simple wrote:
On 23/02/2026 14:15, Paul wrote:
<xxx>
The Skin Effect applies at any frequency, to one extent or
another. Using a multitude of tiny strands, is an attempt
to conduct the AC frequencies better (for a given total cross-section
of cable).
-a-a-a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_effect
Multiple strands in speaker wire are for flexibility.-a If skin effect is an issue you'd use eg Litz wire where each tiny strand is insulated.
Not necessarily. There is no doubt that stranded non Litz wire is better than solid core for longish runs of e.g. audio and indeed HV grid cables.
How *much* better is the issue.
In general for signal applications the whole cable impedance is very low relative to the end point impedances.
Which is why e.g. CAT 5 house wiring is solid core.
About the only domestic application - and its marginal - where
stranded makes a difference in signal levels is audio speaker cables.
A
bugger to solder though.-a A molten NaOH bath is a good way to strip it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litz_wire
Haven't seen it in years. They uses to use it for the long wave part of ferrite road aerials in portable radios. And in some valve sets
In general a transistor to add gain is a lot cheaper than a litz wire
coil. :-)
Usually stranded wires are written as 7/0.1 which means 7 strands of 0.1mm diameter wire. You can get many different combinations of diameter and number of strands. Then of course you get multicore cable which might haveCheers!
9 cores each being of 7/0.1mm.
This is speaker wire, for low voltage usage, so just don't ever
use it for mains voltage. It is multi-stranded primarily for
flexibility (likely to vibrate under the influence of the
speaker), and HiFi 'purists' might say there is a electronic
reason for using multi-stranding instead of solid core (or maybe
the opposite, I wouldn't know).
Technically it was known as doorbell wire.
Definitely OK up to midfi levels for audio. Bigger stranded silicone
cable is made for serious power levels and best bass damping or for any
high current wiring needing low resistance and good mechanical flexibility
I have used it for light pendants and (slaps wrist) mains table lamps as well
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