DH Labs Silver Sonic Power Plus Cable / DIY Power Cords

@soma70 - I have tried the DH labs Encore and Power Plus bulk cables and compared them to similar gauge Furutech cables....

- Both use extremely high quality conductors
- Furutech is designed/built to withstand harsh environments
- DH labs is better suited for home audio environment

In my opinion Furutech is overbuilt for home audio - the extras lengths they go to and the higher cost of the product is not really warranted from an audible perspective.

For the IEC connector I would highly recommend SonarQuest silver plated copper...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/SONAR-QUEST-CRYO-Ag-Audio-Grade-Silver-plated-IEC-plug-sonarquest-/18135569...

They clamp like a vice and the silver plating is very thick - I’m yet to wear the plating off and they have been inserted/removed many time. They are also well engineered and have very flat contacts that makes for a superb connection.

I have power cables that use the conductors from both DH Labs and Furutech and without taking them apart I cannot audibly tell the difference

Since you appear to be "handy" I can highly recommend the "Power Helix" DIY cable that I have developed
http://image99.net/blog/files/be8de0c383c5434907610d6b55049e69-75.html

I have compared the Power Helix cable to some very pricey commercial products from established brands and the Power Helix sounded better each time

If you are interested in other DIY solutions I will encourage you to take a look at my IC’s and Speaker cables...
http://image99.net/blog/files/4127b5fe2694586e383104364360373b-74.html
http://image99.net/blog/files/d048bbacfce9bcad4a025be804771d9a-76.html

Please note: - I have tried many different conductors when developing each of the cables and the parts identified in the links are what I consider the "best value" 

If you do try any of them let me know how they turn out - I curious to know how they respond in different systems

If you have any questions - just ask

Regards - Steve

Hi Steve. Thanks very much for your advice and recommendations. The  SonarQuest silver plated copper IEC looks like a really good connector for sensible money and clearly you know your stuff!  I have also checked out your website and the Helix range you have developed. Interesting reading and was a great to help  for me to understand both the basic principles and also how far you can take a DIY cable project. Very impressive. I am not quite as "handy" as you kindly suggested but i am definitely up for avoiding over paying for cables whilst also hitting a decent quality. Thanks again, I really enjoyed reading your post and website.

@williewonka 

Just a short note.

Steve,

Thanks for your thoughts on the SonarQuest plugs. I just acquired a PC with Red Copper SonarQuest plugs. As you stated they have an "iron fist" grip and the have great build quality. I've got about 90 hours on them and they sound very good.

I was not familiar with SonarQuest before purchasing my cable. It's good to hear from someone with your experience that they are a solid part.

soma70, I'll give a hearty recommendation for the SonarQuest plugs. Good luck with your project.

Cheers,

Scott

Guys - don't let the look of the helix put you off - it is simpler than it looks

Try out a prototype using generic household wire to get the hang of making the helix spiral.

For the UK use 14 gauge - for north america use 12 gauge

You'll find that they actually sounds better than many store bought cables.

But only use it as a practice piece - solid conductors although good are not practical for power cables in the long term and probably against the local wiring codes.

I use a solid fiberglass rod to wind the conductors around - this can be purchased from a hardware store - a small metal rod would also suffice.

Once you master the power cables the IC's and speaker cables are a doddle

If you cannot get the hang of the Helix, try braiding the three conductors - this also works better than many commercial products. Again, try household cable first.

I have braided both Furutech and DH Labs and found them to be much better than the bulk cable approach. Yes, you have to butcher the cable by removing the three conductors from the outer sleeve, but the improvements are worth it.
Insert the braided conductors into some expandable sleeve, add the connectors and voila - one high performance power cable.

I always crimp and solder small copper spades onto the ends of the wire instead of simply attaching the wire to the plug directly.
I do it to avoid any possibility of the wires from pulling out of the connector - safety first

Regards...