Does it matter the wire gauge used in interconnects?

Most of you are generally going to use stranded wire conductors, so awg is not so critical.  Of course, you'll have more capacitance issues with larger awg, so don't go super large like 16awg or larger.  Instead, do multiple wires of 20+ awg if you want more wire for less resistance.

If you are using solid-core conductors, then I would say that 20awg is the largest you want to go unless you combine different awg.  Anything larger than 20awg solid-core will start to lose high frequency response.  In my extensive testing, 20awg is the sweet spot if you are only using one size.  22awg has excellent high frequency detail, but loss of bass power.  18awg starts to lose high frequency resolution.

The alternative is to combine different sizes.  You could combine an 18awg and 21/22awg solid core wires.  The smaller wire would provide the high frequency response and the larger wire carries the bass power.  Audioquest speaker wire is designed just like this.

Interesting, I may try my hand on the double helix method grannyring refers to.
But, then I also agree with auxinput comments about using too thick of wire aggregate. Thus my original question.

ozzy

Two VH Audio 18 gauge solid core sounds best. Many of us who have built these know first hand. Better than one 18 gauge on its own. Nicely extended top end. TFA on the negative for single ended or ground/pin 1 for XLR. This recipe just works. The VH Audio 18 gauge solid core silver Airlok is even better, but very costly. I made a Helix design USB cable with it as the data conductors and TFA 16 gauge as ground. The sound is stunning. Just stunning as a USB cable. Yes, I had to modify the rear of the usb connectors to fit these heavy gauge conductors. Once again these gauges sounded better than the usual 24-30 gauge conductors used in usb cables. Why? Well the experts can argue, but folks that have listened and compared agree. I know this goes against the USB “white paper” articles. Go figure. Trust your ears every time.

No problem fitting the double design in a connector as I have done it many dozens of times. I can give some tips if one is pretty skilled with a soldering iron.

I would not mix copper and silver as part of the twisted pair double.  I would not use different gauges either.  The negative and/or ground conductors on ICs simply need a good quality stranded conductor that is easy to coil into a Helix, keeps its shape, and offers enough flexibility or spring to stretch evenly across the length of the cable.  The TFA is ideal for this. Many others don’t work nearly as well.  

Thanks grannyring for the additional information. Since I have already ordered the materials I will try a single run first. Perhaps later I will try the dual runs.

ozzy

Grannyring, I'm new to cable making but am ready to give the double Helix a try.  Under that arrangement, would i be twisting a "+" and a "-" together, repeating this and then twisting the 2 separate sets together every 4", or twisting 2"+"'s together and 2 "-"'s together before twisting the 2 sets together every 4 inches?