Duelund conversion to DIY Helix Geometry Cabling

Thank you so much @williewonka and @grannyring for sharing your findings and improvements!

I finally decided to pull the trigger and build some helix power cables. I will start with my source components and this is what I plan to do:

Live: 2x16AWG Neotech UP-OCC
Neutral: 2x13AWG Jantzen silver-plated copper
Ground: 1x13AWG Jantzen silver-plated copper

For safety reasons however I will leave the PTFE on the live wires.

I have some questions left before placing my order and would highly appreciate your kind answers:

1. Should I handle the 2 unstripped Neotech wires similar to stripped ones (twisted closely every inch)?
2. Should the twisted live wire be covered in cotton? If so, which diameter is appropriate for 2x16AWG?
3. The ratio for neutral and ground to live is 4:1, correct?
4. Covering the final cable in a cotton or nylon sleeve should be avoided in order to get the best performance, correct?
5. Any thoughts on helix DC cables? Or what is your favorite DC cable recipe to pair with the helix AC PCs?

Cheers,
Markus

Thanks for the update Steve :-)

POWER CABLE update.

In the past couple of weeks I have revised the design of my power cables.
I now use two slightly different variants:

1. For SOURCE components - I use 2 x 16 gauge bare UP-OCC copper twisted together (1 complete twist every inch) inside a single Teflon Tube, with a cotton sleeve over the tube
2. For components that use more power e.g. amplifiers, extension cables and power conditioning/distribution devices - I use 2 x 14 gauge bare UP-OCC copper wire, each wire inside it’s own Teflon tube and then twisted together (one complete twist every 6")

The other wires remain unchanged

• Neutral - 2 x 12 gauge Stranded Silver plated Mil-Spec with Teflon insulation
• Ground - 1 x 12 gauge copper with Teflon insulation from Home Depot

Why two different approaches? - $cost - I like to keep costs down wherever possible

1. the 2 x 16 gauge wires fit nicely inside the PTFE 10 Tube I had available
2. whereas the 2 x 14 gauge, being a larger diameter wire, required a separate tube for each wire
3. you could adopt approach #2 for all cables, but I do not think the difference would be significant

Both of these cables perform noticeably better than the previous version that used a single 12 gauge solid bare UP-OCC conductor inside a Teflon tube

Once again the Schroeder "Double Shotgun" approach first introduced here by @grannyring, continues to provide significant improvement to the performance of all Helix Cables - many thanks.

Regards - Steve

A HELIX SPEAKER CABLE QUESTION - Do I have to use the Beads?

I’ve been asked this question a few times and always respond that the beads provide better sound quality.

But that has always been for cables that use a single wire for the signal conductor.

Things have now changed and the" Double Shotgun" approach is taking off in combination with the (Air) approach of using bare wire inside a Teflon tube
- so if you are using dual conductors in Teflon tubes for the signal wire I now see no reason to use the beads any longer - why?

Well this week I finished a couple of power cables that use dual wires for the Live conductors. These cables were for the more power hungry components in my system, so I used 2 x 14 gauge bare wire, each wire inside it’s own Teflon tube and then twisted together - and the results were excellent

So I got to thinking about power cables and the fact they probably have the strongest EMI influences to contend with of all the cables, i.e. carrying the highest voltage/current of all the cables.

I realized that if a twisted wire pair were used for a speaker cables then it was no longer necessary to employ beads for spacing because

• the wires inside the Teflon tube would gravitate to the center of the twisted wire pair, leaving more space between the outside of the twisted wire conductor and the neutral coil
• also, as the the wires are twisted, each wire "take turns" at being the closest to the Helix coil, therefore disrupting the EMI effect

My next thought - can the diameter of the Helix Coil of the speaker cables be reduced?

• very likely, because the 5/16" rod to form the neutral coil of the mains cables, work so well with dual conductors, it is more than likely a 5/16" rod would be adequate for speaker cables also, because they convey lower powered signals.

To provide a little more separation, you could also use a cotton sleeve over the twisted pair...

Please Note: I have not tried this to date, so I cannot confirm this "by observation" as yet, but the evidence, as it relates to power cables, is very compelling and I feel extremely confident that this approach will make fabricating the Helix speaker cables much simpler going forward, without compromising sound quality.

For the Live conductors I recommend either 2 x 16 or 2 x 14 gauge
- I am currently using 2 x 16 gauge wire inside a single Teflon tube and the result is stunning with a significant improvement in ultra low frequency depth.

Regards - Steve

@abolive - re:...

Do you think the Helix is interesting for RCA/XLR cables ?

 Not quite sure what you really mean by this question and I interpret it as one of the following

1. Would benefit the sound compared to cables you currently have? - I would have to say they yes, definitely
2. Or which would be the better approach for the Helix cables, RCA or XLR? - Either format will perform very well

If you could please restate your question it would help avoid any ambiguity - thanks :-)

RE:  If I like the results, I could rewire my speakers eventually. They have 2 crossovers (bi wirable), what gauges do you think would be suitable for woofer and highs?

I think using the Helix inside a speaker would be an unnecessary complexity. Because of the space you have inside the enclosure you can afford to keep the +ve and -ve wires separated, so no need for the helix geometry.

The issue I faced when rewiring the crossover was getting the gauge I had selected attached to the circuit board. The wire should ideally be very flexible to prevent lifting the copper trace off of the circuit board

That being the case I would recommend the Neotech stranded wires. They use UP-OCC copper and are pretty flexible.

Hope that helps - Steve

I asked @grannyring to sell me some ICs but unfortunately the shipping costs to Europe where insanely high. I will try building them on my own :p
What would you recommend doing first?
My cables are Duelund 16 streamer > preamp, RCA/XLR belden 8402 preamp >amp and WE 16 as SCs. The PC are basic appliance ones.

Do you think the Helix is interesting for RCA/CLR cables ?

If I like the results, I could rewire my speakers eventually. They have 2 crossovers (bi wirable), what gauges do you think would be suitable for woofer and highs?

Thanks guys!

@divertiti 

It was all done thru pm's here. Yes, he preferred them to the Fidelium's and several others he auditioned and I just heard from another forum member that they tried both the Kirmuss Adrenaline's and SS Fidelium's and favored the Adrenaline's as well. I don't have too much of a comparison list except with the Audio Envy cables that were pretty good but for just a little more money the Kirmuss cables are definitely more detailed and image better while still being relaxed and smooth.

@williewonka Thanks for the great idea, I will look into that construction for sure. I tried the DIY Helix speaker cable I made previously with VH audio OCC and Milspec, it still sounds pretty good but compared to other speaker cables, I can hear smearing that's affecting clarity and instrument definition.

@t_ramey Thanks for the suggestion, I am reading correctly that the other member preferred those to the Fidelium? Do you have a link to this comparison by chance?

Just wanted to state that I have not built and tried the double helix image sc’s yet to compare to the Kirmuss. I just built my first set of double helix image with Neotech copper with Teflon and so far they’re great. Waiting on more mil spec wire to arrive to build the naked or air version.

@divertiti 

Before I started reading this thread I had ordered a pair of Kirmuss Adrenaline speaker cable from Audio Archon. They’re the best sc’s I’ve come across so far and not too expensive at $610 for 12ft length which is what they recommend for best sound with their design. Another member here told me about them after comparing them to the SilverSmiths Fidelium.

https://kirmussaudio.com/the-adrenaline-speaker-cable/

@divertiti- too bad about the Fidelium.

You could try building your own cables, but with this style of amp both conductors NEED to be exactly the same and the +ve and -ve conductors would need about a 1" gap between them to avoid induced noise - the only real issue is maintaining the gap for the length of the cable.

But to accomplish the spacing I would fist start with a "Dollar Store" design, just to see how well this approach works

• Buy some "alphabet blocks" that children play with - like these
• Joqutoys 1.65” ABC Wooden Building Blocks, 26PCS Stacking Alphabet Letter and Counting Block Set with Storage Bag for Toddlers, Stacking Blocks - Amazon Canada
  
• Buy some small screw-in eyelets - like these
• CEEYSEE 300 Pcs Small Screw Eye Mini Screw Eye Pin Peg Self Tapping Screws Hooks Ring for Arts Crafts Projects (YJY1), Screw-in Hooks - Amazon Canada
  
• insert an eyelet on opposite sides of the block
• thread each wire through the eyelets on the blocks to maintain spacing
• Connect the wires and space the block evenly
• This approach will also hold the wires off the floor - bonus :-)

Using this approach you could then make the conductors from 2 x 16 gauge UP-OCC bare twisted wire inside teflon tube, since we know this approach yields very good results

Once you hear the results you can fabricate a more "attractive" method of maintaining the spacing

PLEASE NOTE - I have never made this type of cable before, so I am just brainstorming here, but based on my experience with the Helix cables I believe it would work very well

BUT if you want a commercially available cable, other than the Fidelium, one of the best cables for this style of amp would be Nordost, from the HEIMDALL 2 model and above, because they are low inductance AND low capacitance and should achieve a very good signal transmission with this type of amp.

Regards - Steve

Thanks @williewonka , Fidelium caught my eye too but unfortunately they're not making them at the moment. The Mogami one you linked uses Mogami connectors right? I do see Take Five some using Neotech but they are NES 3004 II which are stranded, not solid core. NES 3001 seems like they would be ideal.

@divertiti I would give these a try- 

https://silversmithaudio.com/fidelium-cables/

Inakustik is another great performer, but a little expensive

The are reasonably priced and from everything I have read/watched they are great performers at a "reasonable" price point

Search the forums for observations of other members

This one used the Neotech UP-OCC copper mentioned on this thread

Mogami 3103 Deluxe Deep Cryo Treated - Speaker Cables - (takefiveaudio.com)



Regards

Thanks @grannyring and @williewonka for your insights on the different wire types. My system is very revealing and could be bright if not carefully matched. I have ordered some of the Neotech wire to give it a try. Do you have any recommendation for speaker cables suitable for a balanced differential output amp?

To make things more confusing several of us use 2 - 12 gauge Neotech on the live of our power cords. I use this for amps, preamps, and conditioners. I use 2-14 gauge Neotech live conductors on all else. None of it stripped for the power cords.That is the recipe I like the sonically and safety wise.

What is good and fun about this is that the general design just works and you can decide what you want to do with the reported variations. They all sound fantastic and no one choice can ever be best in all systems and for all preferences. 

@celo - apologies for any confusion - I do realize there is a lot of new information on this thread with so many different options and individual preferences of contributing members.

I do endeavor to update The HELIX web site as soon as possible, but there can be a bit of as lag between what is posted here - and what is posted on my site.
- An example of which is the use 2 x 16 gauge wires for the Live conductor of the power cables, which is not currently posted on the HELIX site

This thread is much more active than The HELIX site, with other members providing feedback on their variants

Members feedback lately has been pretty active, with several very worthwhile contributions from other members

Hopefully this will level off and allow others reading this thread for perhaps the first time to digest the wealth of information it offers

But for a less dynamic read, The HELIX site is a good place to start

Regards - Steve

@williewonka OK. The thread had few additional brands/types of cables so it was confusing. Now, it is more clear if you still stick with your preferences on your website. Thank you. 

@t_ramey -

For the HELIX IMAGE POWER CABLE and the HELIX IMAGE (Air) POWER CABLES
:
GROUND CONDUCTOR is 1x 12 gauge stranded wire from any hardware store

NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR is 2 x 12 gauge stranded silver plated Mil-Spec wire

The Live conductor is the only one that varies - please see previous post immediately above this one

Regards - Steve 

@celo - apart from this very latest update the web site is up to date - Including how to build the HELIX IMAGE (Air) variant.

1. HELIX IMAGE POWER CABLE:
GROUND CONDUCTOR is 12 gauge stranded wire from any hardware store

NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR is 2 x 12 gauge stranded silver plated Mil-Spec wire

the LIVE WIRE CAN BE ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING depending on your own preferences and in descending order of performance

1. 1 x 12 gauge Neotech UP-OCC solid copper (i.e. the best perofrmance)
   
2. 4 x 18 gauge VH Audio UP-OCC solid copper
3. 1 x 12 gauge Duelund wire with the Polymer insulation (IF FLEXING IS AN ISSUE)
4. 1 x 12 gauge Mil-spec stranded wire from Take Five audio - A LOW BUDGET VERSION  
   

2. HELIX IMAGE (Air) POWER CABLE
Ground wire is 12 gauge stranded wire from any hardware store

Neutral is 2 x 12 gauge stranded silver plated Mil-Spec wire

LIVE WIRE CAN BE ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING depending on your own preferences and in descending order of performance

1. 2 x 16 gauge Neotech UP-OCC copper, BARE WIRE - twisted together inside a single Teflon Tube - EXCELLENT FOR SOURCE COMPONENTS
2. 1 x 12 gauge  Neotech UP-OCC copper, BARE - inside a single Teflon Tube - EXCELLENT FOR HEAVIER DUTY APPLICATIONS like amps and power conditioners

Although I have not tried it to date I believe a 2 x 14 gauge  Neotech UP-OCC copper, BARE WIRE - inside a single Teflon Tube should prove to be slightly better than the 1 x 12 gauge version

IF you amp is over 600 watts I would probably consider using a   2 x 12 gauge Neotech UP-OCC copper, BARE WIRE - inside a single Teflon Tube

PLEASE NOTE: - these are my preferences to date.

Any other variants discussed in this thread are preferences of other members and I DO NOT track those because it would be very complex.

But I do try to incorporate some ideas discussed here - like the Double Shotgun approach

Hope that helps - Steve

I have been meaning to make these cables (at least the speaker cables) for a long time. I have been following the thread. Steve and others have put so much work and time for everyone. THANK YOU.

I feel like things got confusing lately though when new cable options were talked about. I wonder if is there anyway to update the cable selection on your website Steve? I feel bad asking you this when you put too much effort already.

@williewonka

Steve, just for clarification on these pc’s. You are using 2x16g wires in their own teflon tube for the hot/line and 2x16g wires in their own teflon tube for the neutral and 2x16g mil spec wires for the ground?

Thomas

Sorry, I just looked again at your image page and see what the design is. Trying to wrap my head around all the designs of each of the cables is a bit daunting at the moment but once I start building things will get clearer.

HELIX IMAGE (Air) power cable update - from my earlier post dated 02-14-2021 8:05am above

So the wire arrived this week for my 2 x 16 gauge version of the Helix IMAGE (Air) power cable and I’ve had the cables in the system for a couple of days burning in but the improvements where noticeable from the first track.

The old cables had 1 x 12 gauge BARE Neotech UP=OCC solid copper inside Teflon tube with cotton sleeve.

The new cables have 2 x 16 gauge BARE Neotech UP=OCC solid copper twisted together inside Teflon tube with cotton sleeve. The Teflon tube was the same diameter as on the 1 x 12 gauge version
i.e.
PTFE 10 Tubing - Thin Wall Teflon Tubing In A Variety Of Gauges - (takefiveaudio.com)

Since I was just upgrading the existing cables the Neutral remain unchanged - 2 x 12 gauge silver plated mil-spec stranded copper

Well, the Schroeder Double Barrel approach has triumphed yet again !

The improved articulation of the music was the most noticeable, with a more expansive image, where the placement of the instruments just seemed to be very precise, with pinpoint accuracy. The old 1 x 12 power cables were very good, just not THIS good.

There now seems to be more layers I had not noticed before and on some tracks I now hear little things e.g. bell strikes that I had not noticed before - so clarity had improved also.

As I listened, there was a nice smoothness to the upper end, especially the violins. The mid’s had a nice natural fullness to them and the bass went deeper but again with even more textures than previous iterations of the cables.

By comparison, the older cables makes me think they were perhaps a little on the "Clinical" side, because I very much like this new warmth.

Will the 2 x 16 gauge version work for Amps?

• right now, this appears to improve the low end a little
• however, the improvements over the existing 1 x 12 gauge version were no where near as apparent as with the source components
• I think I will move to a 2 x 14 gauge version for the amp to see if it yields any significant improvements.

The difference in findings between the source components and the amp is no real surprise.
Since my Bryston B135 amp has seperate transformers/power supplies for PRE-Amp and L & R channels. Whereas the power supplies in my source components are not of the same ablity.

I chose 2 x 16 gauge simply because it fit into this Teflon Tube that I had on hand

So why does 2 x 16 work better than 1 x 12 ???
Here’s an extract from the article in this link...
electricity - Do electrons jump from one wire to another if they are of different materials? - Physics Stack Exchange

If electrons were not able to flow between two different conductors in contact with one another, we would not be able to make any connections in an electrical circuit that feeds loads. So obviously they can flow between conductors in contact with one another (twisted,or otherwise).

The term "jump" invokes the wrong impression that electrons need to leap through the air from one conductor to another, although as explained below arcing is possible at the conductor interface.

Although electrons don’t have to "jump" between the conductors, it is more difficult for electrons to cross between two physically different conductors due to microscopic irregularities at the contact surfaces with points of contact and areas of non contact. Overall, this gives rise to what is referred to as contact resistance at the interface. Contact resistance, which is greater than the resistance of the conductor themselves,

So taking this into account, even IF the two wires ARE touching it is "almost as if" they were insulated from each other until they reach the ends, where the solder provide a better "path" for electrons to move across

So then, with two strands of wire twisted together - the impedance of the "conductor" is half that of a single wire.

But the conundrum here is - why aren’t 4 wires even better?

I have tried 4 x 18 gauge VH Audio UPP-OCC copper in AirLok insulation (effectively a 12 gauge cable) and it was not as good as the 1 x 12 gauge in Teflon, but of all the combinations tried 2 x 12 seems superior - strange ???

Getting the very best out of the Helix IMAGE (Air) Power cables is very much dependent on the components in the system.

You could opt for a single "architecture" e.g. 2 x 14 gauge Bare wire inside Teflon for all power cables.

You may opt to insert each wire inside it’s own teflon tube or twist them together inside a single tube

Personally - i am going to stick with the 2 x 16 gauge in a single tube for Source components.

And perhaps a 2 x 14 gauge bare wire twisted together inside this larger teflon tube
Convoluted Teflon Tubing - Convoluted Teflon Tubing Flexes Without Kinking - (takefiveaudio.com)

As always - I will keep you updated on the outcome

But try the Double Shotgun method - it works - REALLY WELL !!!

Cheers - Steve

I have a system that tends to be a little on the bright side, and emphasizes any glare or upper mid grit or grain.  For my I.C.s I found that if I replaced the silver plated mil-spec ground wire with Neotech stranded copper with teflon, that combo gave me the benefits of the helix geometry while also keeping my system from getting too revealing of less than ideal recordings. I have never tried the VH audio wire, but it sounds like that might work exceptionally well in my system too.  I am also happy to sacrifice a little detail and resolution for warmth and musicality.  The stranded copper ground wire didn't add any mid-bass emphasis or loosen up the bass in general, so the effect seemed limited to a more neutral / relaxed upper midrange and treble. 

Here Are my impressions after working with both the Neotech wire and the VH audio wire with the Teflon insulation in tact. I find the Neotech wire to be warmer, bigger soundstage, and slightly better dynamics. I am a sucker for a big stage and warmth so therefore prefer the Neotech.

The VH Audio has more air and sparkle and also reveals inner details slightly better.

In terms of stripping off the Teflon and the sonic differences between that and leaving the Teflon on the Neotech wire, here is what I found in my system based on my preferences. Removing the Teflon opened up the sound a tad and improved details and resolution. However, I found this could be too much of a good thing in my system. I lost a little of the darkness and warmth that I do like with the Teflon in place. In the end I preferred a stripped Air USB combined with the Teflon left in place on my ICs. . I found that balance to be perfect for me and my particular taste.

My system is very resolving and easily reflects any small change I make. I am certainly biased towards the warm, rich and full bodied end of the sound spectrum. I even like a little bit of darkness with the stage set back. I will easily sacrifice detail for warmth and a midrange centric sort of sound. My ears are VERY sensitive to upper mids and are easily upset if there is the slightest bit of extra energy there. 

AND NOW - FOR THE TECHNICALLY MINDED....

Unwanted Energy Storage in Cables - Dielectric Constant | Lectromec

A very good CONCISE (and easy to understand) article 

Happy Reading - Steve

@ divertiti - I have tried both Neotech and VH Audio UP-OCC wires in identical interconnects and I was unable to tell the difference when both wires are bare - i.e. as a twisted pair.

I cannot find Parts Express bare UP-OCC wire - please provide a link

Parts Connexion does have a bare UP-OCC bare wire

The UP-OCC process is quite precise and the Parts Connexion bare UP-OCC wire SHOULD BE of a comparable quality to both Neotech and VH Audio.

But I think the improvements observed are more related to the insulation (or lack of), when opting for the Teflon tube method, which contributes greatly to the clarity, details and image, regardless of wire brand

The Bare wire in the Teflon tube was, for me, the icing on the cake!

Compared to some of the other changes I’ve made over the past 8 - 10 months this was one of the more significant.

Before deciding to post my observations of the Bare Wire approach I applied a lot of thought about the issue of oxidation, but as I proceeded changing all my cables I was able to see how the oxidation over that time was much less of an issue than originally anticipated, i.e. provided the ends of the Teflon tube was sealed.

It became evident over that time, that this particular change was well worth the additional effort, since the risk of oxidation was in fact quite low and the benefits so compelling

So - "The Juice", was definitely worth "The Squeeze"

Hope that helps - Steve

@williewonka and @grannyring  Thanks for the input as always. If I want to go for convenience and buy a ready made wire, is the VH-Audio OCC copper with airlok better or the Neotech OCC with Teflon better? How does the Parts Express naked wire compare to those two when they are all stripped naked? If I can get away with ready made wire and not sacrifice too much, then I will go for that, if using the teflon tube is indeed much better, then I will suck it up and do it.

How did you “order” them if I may ask? I assume you mean you are going to build them? 

Just ordered 6 helix Power Cords after reading this thread including one for my Sony Video Projector.  I sure hope these are as good as advertised and my last PC purchase.  

I’m with @grannyring

• the lighter gauges do not sound as good as 2 x 18 gauge for interconnects
• my a 4 x 18 gauge copper or silver conductor did not sound as good as my 1 x 12 gauge for power cables
• I’m about to try 2 x 16 gauge bare wire for power cables
• I’m still evaluating 2 x 18 gauge for speaker cables compared to my 1 x 14 speaker cables - it is extremely close.

There seems to be something about the double conductor approach for live and signal conductors when used in the Helix design, but I cannot think of a reason - as yet

Even before this thread started, myself and others in Europe had tried 1 x 24, 1 x 22, 1 x 20, 1 x 18 and 1 x 16 gauge wires, and 1 x18 gauge came out on top.

I’ve also read of many "cable theories" on this forum

• my favorite is the one that cites a minimum length for a Digital cable of just over a meter as being optimal
• but my 18 inch HELIX SPDIF proved otherwise

Now,  I do not dispute the observations of others that have great success with smaller gauge wires. HOWEVER, they are NOT using the Helix geometry.

Regards - Steve

Don’t know if it’s because of the winter weather or they’re being really nice but the Neotech wire and KLE connectors I ordered from Parts Connexion was shipped next day air and for free and in my possession. Just need the mil spec wire and some tubing and I’m ready to build some double helix ic’s.

@divertiti - WRT UP-OCC bare wire - from  my post  dated  02-14-2021 8:05am

https://www.partsconnexion.com/product50050.html

Regards

@walkern - I have tried the speaker cables without beads, but I prefer them with beads - the sound is just a little more relaxed, with slightly improved clarity and with a slightly larger image - it was NOT a huge difference

But that is with MY ears on MY system. And it was a couple of iterations ago, so I was not not using the bare wire in Teflon tube - it was using the 2 x 18 VH Audio with Airlok insulation

I guess the thing to do would be to try it without the beads and see if you like the sound.

Let us know how they turn out

Regards - Steve

I've replaced all my AC cords and ICs with Helix designs and am very happy with the results.  Now it's time for speaker cables, and I am very interested in trying the "Air" version.  If I'm using bare 14 gauge OCC copper in a teflon tube (for the 'hot' lead) do I still need to use the beads?  Seems like if the bare OCC wire is spaced away from the neutral / ground wire by the tube then the beads would be superfluous? Anyone tried this without the beads?

Multiple 18 gauge simply does not sound as good in power cords as we have been there and done that. Not in the Helix design. Not even close in our listening tests. Same is true with ICs and speaker cables using the Helix design. Multiple 22 gauge does not sound as good as two 18 gauge. Been there, done that with my own line of cables and now the Helix. In my own Duelund line 16 gauge sounded better than 20 gauge for ICs. 12 gauge sounded better than 16 gauge for speaker cables.

With the Helix design the same holds true. Just because others do something different does not make it right or sound better in this design. The proof is not just found in white papers or books, but also through the time consuming and laborious process of building and carefully listening over time. We have done that and put the hours of hard work into this process.

No shortcuts here, just real man hours, hard work, careful listening over break in time, money and a big dose intentional curiosity.

BTW,
this „skin effect“ together with the insulation material is responsible for high frequency performance of the cables.

PVC coated conductors sound more „muffled“ since PVC has a high dielectrics and „ restricts“ or „ interacts“ with the electron flow on the surface of the conductor.
This gets better with insulation material which has a lower dielectrics constancy like PE, even better PTFE, more better foamed PTFE, cotton and best is an „air gap“, slimmer wire in bigger PTFE tube.

This is being discussed here now for some time and people having positive results.
Especially when using thicker wire it is even more important to reduce the effect of the insulation dampening effect on the outer surface of the conductor.

In one of my first posts here I brought this idea up to use a PTFE tube.

@divertiti
there is more than resistance...
electrons travelling on a conductor...
there is an effect, called skin effect, which basically means, that higher frequency are manly travelling on the outer surface of a conductor and lower frequency more inside a conductor.
For audio frequencies 20Hz to 16kHz the most balance is achieved with wire gauge of 24 (0,5 mm dia).
With thicker dia this gets out of balance.
Some people like this kind of „sound“ more.
Im my opinion this is very much depending on the quality of your equipment. If it has a tendency of being „sharp“ or edgy or on the lean side, thicker wire will „cure“ or „tame“ this at the expense of loosing micro details.
To reduce resistance many cable companies use multiple runs of 24 AWG wires. My max wire gauges are:
IC 22 AWG
SC 20 AWG
PC 18 AWG

For balanced IC (only when your sending and receiving equipment is truly balanced/ symmetrical) I prefer the VH Audio receipt with 2x 24AWG for + and - signal. GND can be 18 AWG.

The Helix design is superior for unbalanced RCA ICs, as ist reduces noise and crosstalk.
But for balanced ICs noise is not an issue and keeping + and - separated as with the VH Audio receipt makes more sense for lower capacitance and crosstalk and inductance.

@mawe Thanks, can you elaborate on why multiple of 24g sound better than 18g? Wouldn't thicker conductor offer lower resistance?

XLR ?
smooth and cheap - Vampire gold plated
high resolution and neutral - ETI Kyro
cheap but a bit edgy - Neutrik silver plated

I‘m not a big fan of 18g for IC cables.
There is a reason why all high end cable manufacturers use a multiple of 24g

just my 2 cents

Gents, I'm currently using all Mundorf Silver Gold wire in my interconnects and AES cable, thinking about upgrading to the OCC coppers that you found superior. Can you share in sound quality terms how they are better than the Mundorf Silver Gold?

I'm not really looking to peel the wires into bare wires, how much would I be giving up if I just used the VH Audio OCC wire w/ airlok as is?

Lastly any recommendations on XLR plugs?

I'll report back in a few days once the cables are completed and given 100 hours to burn in.
All cables (spdif, usb, analog rca) will be constructed using 99.99% 18ga solid core copper cable bulk in a double double configuration. One teflon tube for each signal wire and 1 cotton  sleeve for each neutral wire. Rca connectors will be gold plated brass, nothing special. This is the poor man's version of the helix lol!!

My system is pretty basic . 
Dedicated windows laptop with ssd drive and fidelizer using Tidal --> Schiit Eitr USB to SPDIF converter --> Theta Ds Pro Prime --> NAD C316BEE amp --> Diy speaker cables using Mogami W3104 and copper plugs + steelshot for resonance control --> Holimar Reference tower speakers ( Argentinian brand, not very known worldwide.
all my system is fed by a DIY star wired power strip and counter helix diy power cables using a Shunyata helix patent. industrial grade conectors. TT is a Thorens TD 124 mk ii in a high mass plinth.

 Thanks for the help and i'll keep you updated. 

@brunorivademar - even using just bare copper wire you should hear a significant improvement in details, clarity and image size, mainly due to the reduced noise of crosstalk between conductors and noise generated by insulation

Eventually moving to better quality wire and connectors will bring much improved dynamics, larger image, improved clarity, more details.

But it will be educational to hear about YOUR cables - i.e.

• wires/connectors used
• your observations on the improvements of sound quality
• system components

They will assist other readers thinking of dipping their toes into the waters of the Helix :-)

If you have any questions just ask - someone is always willing to help

Regards - Steve

Hi everyone!
I will start building my Helix image Air interconnects over the next days. I've been out shopping for a few things already and I can't wait to have them finished!
Basically I will be swapping a freebie USB printer cable, a freebie pair of 1 dollar analog interconnects and a digital SPDIF for these.
Unfortunately I wont be able to use KLEI plugs or the recomended cables at the moment, just normal naked solid core copper cable. But I think I'll be allright for now. I will upgrade later. 

 I want to thank Steve and everyone else involved in the project. You guys are the best!

@williewonka thank you for your reply :)

Digital Coax Helix Air Update:

I finally made some time last week in upgrading my already outstanding Digital Coax Cable to the "Air" version utilizing 2 separate teflon tubes slightly twisted; placed on my Audiodharma Cable cooker for a few days and another 4 days of constant signal/settling.

As Steve has noted, more clarity, transparency, wider/deeper soundstage, sharper image focus and music just flows much easier allowing the listener to take in more of the artist intent.

I have owed and evaluated around 10 Coax and None are even close to my double or "Air" Helix Digital Coax; they all sounded clinical and digital but the Helix is full body, musical and Real sounding...

Wig

Steve I think you should consider this for ICs or whatever cable has two conductors on the positive. Don’t twist two bare conductors together and put in one Teflon tube. Put each bare conductor in a smaller Teflon tube and twist the pair. This is a true double IC and not more like a stranded or heavier gauge conductor. Food for thought. This must be done on the USB data conductors of coarse.

i have done this with silk rather than Teflon with outstanding results. 

Good to know, thanks...

WIRE PROVIDER UPDATE !!!

I have just learned that Parts Connexion sells a 6N OCC bare wire
- it’s more affordable than Neotech and VH Audio
- AND less work if you are building the HELIX IMAGE (Air)

They do not have a 12 gauge (for power cables) but you could do a double barrel approach using 12 x 14 gauge (equivalent to 11 gauge) for the live conductor - but it IS a more expensive option to the 1 x 12 gauge Neotech wire I am currently using

OCC6N Wire 14awg 6N OCC Solid Core Copper BARE (partsconnexion.com)

HELIX CABLE UPDATE:

I have just updated a pair of speaker cables to the (Air) option using bare 2 x 18 UP-OCC Copper (VH-Audio) and I am not really hearing any improvement compared to the bare 1 x 14 gauge Neotech - they both sound awesome.

I have the wire on order to try a bare 2 x 16 gauge (effective 13 gauge) power cable live conductor to see if the double barreled approach yields some benefits , so stay tuned for that update in a couple of weeks  

Regards - Steve

@abolive - I just took a look at the Hypex web site and there was no mention of it using a Symmetrical Balanced Design, so I think you are OK using the Helix Speaker Cables.

But from what I read the unit does requires a balanced input, so the single ended Helix Cable is not compatible - you will need to build the XLR Helix instead

Regards