I have built the Helix cables for a few years now and have tried the many combinations suggested as they were made available on Steve’s site. I have recently switchover a Neotech 2 x AWG18 UPOCC power cable for a 14 AWG Duelund PVC on my Bryston 3.14 DAC streamer. I am quite surprised by the results. The Duelund seems to handle the sound texture way better than the Neotech version. Less harsh on the high frequencies, better instruments separation and a small increase in the spatial details department. My guess is that the cable type have more noticeable effects on low level source components than preamp and amp. Experimenting is the only way of finding what suits your ears.best.
Duelund conversion to DIY Helix Geometry Cabling
I have been an avid user of the Duelund cabling for over two years now and have used them exclusively in my system with great results. I have built many for friends and have used a full loom of interconnects, speaker cables, power cords and an extensive wiring modification for a previously owned balanced power conditioner utilizing Duelund 600V PolyCast wiring which was transformative. My cabling desires can be a little addictive as I have owned and evaluated 40+ brands of cabling costing more than an entire stereo system!
Over the past six months I stumbled upon a thread here on Audiogon in regards to a Helix designed cabling and as you probably already know, I just had to look a little deeper into this cable design…After a month of studying and sourcing parts, I decided to reach out to the designer/architect, Williewonka who gave more insights and philosophy on how the cable came into existence.
That conversation got the ball rolling in converting one of my KLE Duelund interconnects to Steve’s Helix designed which only entailed replacing the neutral with a Mil-Spec 16 AWG silver-plated copper wire with the neural wire being 3 times longer than the signal wire and of course the “Coiling” of the neutral wire : )
After the modification was complete, I was not sure what to expect from the Helix cabling but I was quite shocked with the results with “ZERO” burn-in time…The sound stage became much wider/deeper with a much tighter/focused image and clarity/transparency is like nothing I have ever heard in any cabling regardless of cost. In fact, I just sold a full loom of a commercially designed Helix Cable that’s renowned around the world and has more direct sale than any cable manufacturer; these $200 DIY Helix Cables walked all over them…
I believe you will hear the same results as I have and have heard back from friends who have already modified their Duelunds with the same results; WOW! Remember the cables will need 200+ hours to burn-in and settle into your system. My system is now 90% DIY Helix to include IC, SC, PC and Coax with each cabling adding its beauty of an organic and natural presentation that draws you into the fabric of the music.
You can tailor the sound of your cables using Duelund, Mundorf silver/1% gold, the outstanding Vh Audio OCC Solid Copper or Silver with Airlok Insulation or your favorite wiring and you can change it at any time…
http://www.image99.net/blog/files/category-diy-cables.html
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/difference-in-sound-between-copper-and-silver-digital-cables
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/adding-shielding-to-existing-cables
Enjoy,
Wig
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@norco74 and @pindac - gentlemen, thank you for your posts above. They contain excellent information, in that they provide alternate thoughts/products/feedback for other readers to ponder and try out. As I have said many time throughout this thread, if you have a favourite wire or connector, then try it. The forumala posted on my web site is just a starting place. But for me it is also the final state of my nation. The expense (time and money) has been significant and I like the sound I now have, so for the time being I’m sitting back to enjoy the music. I would encourage people to try different wies and connectors, because they all make a difference. You may find a combination that may or may not suit your ears, so be aware that it can be time consuming and costly in order to select te combination your ears find most satisfying. The really nice thing is - the Helix Geometry makes those differences very noticeable, which makes everything a little easier. Regards - Steve |
@sasho - please use this wire calculator in furure to calculate wire diameter As yu can see the diameter of the 14 gague wire wil be 1.6277 mm so the inside diameter of the tube should bs around 25% larger, which is 2.034mm You will not get an exact match, so opt for the one closest to the calulated amount Regards - Steve |
- 942 posts total