Cable Options from Breaker to Receptacle

I am looking at the same thing, there are some good threads on Audio Asylum on this. Unfortunately the product I decided to get, Diamond Handiwire, has been discontinued. My tech friend had just rewired his shop and recommended a Carol cable 8 gauge he had used. When he checked it too had been discontinued; both of these were stranded copper designs. I think the general feeling is that stranded is better than solid but likely some will feel otherwise. As I am trying to get a good result without spending excessively I am going to stick with a fairly conventional cable, spending a couple of dollars a foot probably. Belden has one that fell into that range when it was recommended on AA a few years ago but when I checked it had gone up to $10. I suspect that silver and exotic construction will improve the sound but at a diminishing rate of return.

Just because more use solid than stranded doesn't make it better. Look at the forums and see the opinion of those who have compared the sound qualities of each. My tech friend, who has over 30 years experience, also told me to get stranded. I saw very few who had tried both and liked the solid better on the forums.

If stranded is deficient in some manner then the makers of the more expensive brands of cable are doing a good job of disguising it. Although I have no intention of paying $18 or more a foot there are many on the market that are in this range or above and all are stranded that I have seen. Of course price is no guarantee of quality. I was only stating the path I intended to follow and give my impression of the prevailing attitude on the posts I had read. I did say "likely some will feel otherwise". It would seem to me that if stranded had serious deficiencies it would show up in power cords, I have several bigger than 10 gauge and all are stranded. In any case there are many who are happy with either alternative and this appears to be another of the audio debates not likely to be resolved.

I have PS Audio, they look stranded to me. According to their web site they use "multiple gauge and shaped conductors". I take this to mean stranded as opposed to a single solid. I have had no interest in Audio Quest since the days I was a dealer for them. I intend to use stranded, what anyone else chooses to use is up to them. I could post some web sites that describe the superiority of stranded in listening tests but there are doubtless others that prefer solid; again I think it is one of those areas where personal choice rule. My original post only described what I intended to do and my general impression after looking at some forums and cable companies; it is only my opinion and nothing more.