Have you ever skinned a speaker cable?


I'm thinking about removing the outer cover from some speaker cable
and using just the inside wire.

The cable is just too unbendable as-is and I think I have enough to cut in half and double-up (make 10 gauge into 5 gauge).

Anyone try this before?
128x128dweller

Showing 4 responses by dweller

Almarg: Thanks for the contribution!

I don't really "need" 5 guage wire but I need to satisfy my curiosity.
I currently use Harmonic Tech Pro-9 which, IMO, dumps current like nobody's business -Really great macro dynamics. I have some HT Pro-11 that I'd like to experiment with to see what will happen (i.e., if I skin and double it).

Yes, I know I have too much time on my hands...
Update: I purchased some WBT "Midline" (less than $1000 ea. LOL) banana plugs for the amp end of my HT Pro-9s.

Since these have been reterminated many times, the wires that connect to the equipment are short.

I decided to remove about six inches of outer jacket to reveal more wire.

The outer coating was tougher than I thought and the inner
wires are wrapped as Mitch2 said.

The large (woofer) conductor uses 8 Teflon coated 20 gauge solid core wires (no foaming here) and the small (tweeter) conductor uses smaller (22? 24? gauge).

Some of the 20 gauge were broken but I was in a hurry so I did my best and twisted everything together and screwed on the WBTs. I didn't have the patience or a good wire stripper to do the job right but will return in the future (where does one purchase a precise stripper for 24 gauge wire?).

The sound does not appear to be affected.

Given the toughness of the Pro-9 outer jacket, I've changed my mind about skinning the darned thing.
02-02-14: Ebm
"Why would you do that??"

"Because it's there".

Seriously, the Pro-9 is more than 15 years old and I'm thinking of new speaker wire in the near future.

I wanted to strip off the outer casing to see how the inner wire would sound on its own.

For new wire I'm thinking: Wireworld Eclipse-7, Synergistic Element Tungsten, Nordost Tyr/Valhalla series I or Shunyata Python Ztron.

Anyone have advice?