How many strands for 14 gauge speaker wire?

[Nada190]

How many strands are there supposed to be for 14 gauge speaker wire? I'm trying to decide between 295 strands and 71 strands of wire.

 

[RealBeast]

The strand count varies -- the more stands, the thinner the individual strand. The key to being 14ga is the total cross sectional area of the copper strands, and those are very close no matter what the strand count. Those with higher strand counts are more flexible and easier to route though.

Some will argue the "skin effect," which means that much of the current flows near the surface of stranded wire, but that is negligible as far as I have ever read.

 

[Recycled]

RealBeast is correct.

295 strands will be more flexible, while 71 strand will be less flexible, assuming both are 14 guage wires.

--Andy