First, cable price is no indicator of how good a cable sounds. It is likely more related to the physical thickness of the entire cable system, which often is some wire, layers and layers go whatever, and some nice techflex
Years back I obtained some DNM interconnect- the price was right (free). Found them to be quite good, but not out of the ballpark great. They were quite relaxed and did nothing wrong at all. No idea what I eventually did with them. FWIW, I generally use shielded ICs. |
The musical coherence of the Dnm is what sets it apart. I bought some nordost heimdall 2's. More bass, faster, more transparent yes yes yes. However a chocolate cake ain't always tastier when it is bigger, sweeter, creamier or More salty (yes cakes do have salt 😜)
The Dnm is something you can listen to more easily and have a way of delivering music in a calm and insightful way that just works. The nordost is utterly exhausting at times. |
DNM Cables are a real sleeper in the audio cable business. I have been exclusively using DNM for the last 4 years. I picked up my first set of unterminated precision speaker cables from Simplifi Audio to use in my Lowther Medallion 2 Horns. I had purchased the cabinets from a guy in Salem MA, and got the Lowther DX4's from Lowther America. I rewired the internal wires with the Precision wire and replace Crimson speaker cable with the Precision. WOW everything dramatically improved. It was one of those sit up and notice moments.
I'm currently using factory terminated DNM Stereo Speaker wire on my Shelby + Kroll Monitors. The Stereo version is made for speakers with a sensitivity <90db. The Stereo wire is a gauge or two thicker to handle higher output amplifiers.
Very important if you purchase the wire unterminated be very careful not to kink or crack the wire. This will cause severe problems in playback.
I'm also using DNM HFTN IC's they run about $500.00 a 1m RCA pair. Seriously look into these IC's, very neutral, and transparent. The music just flows like there is no cable at all. Also the best most tuned bass of all the many cables I've tried.
R
Very important |
http://www.dnm.co.uk/cables.html for uk online ordering..
click on online shop to order cables
http://www.simplifiaudio.com/online_store/dnm_cables_store.html used to be listed as a usa supplier of dnm cables but not listed lately as a contact at the dnm home site i did order a cable from the u.s. site last year but had problems with u.s. supplier,,so i ordered the other cables right from the dnm home site no problem had the cable in about week as far as the bare ends ,,the solid core cable is only 1.3mm in diameter and the precision2 is .82 mm in diameter but the cable is pretty stiff , |
Two quick questions. Can these be purchased in the us or only mailorder uk?
Secondly if unterminated is the bare end flexible enough to use woth vintage speaker screw connections. Thanks |
forget all the overpriced overhyped garden hose cables ,and associated snake oil,,,dnm precision is the way to go ,my $3300 garden hosers went on the selling block after 3days of listening to the dnm precision 15 bucks a foot bargain of the century amazing wonderful cable for the money ,lets the music come thru as it should ,many of my pals also haveeen the light,when they tried them in their systems,,, |
Just like DNM Amps, his speaker cables are equally as good. Why pay more? |
Thanks.
In fact, I have written to Denis Morecroft of DNM and he has provided me with a helpful explanation:
"In brief, depending on the length (to some extent), the small diameter of the copper is an advantage.
The things you read about cable in the technical hi-fi press are generally wrong because the writers look only at the interface and they do not take into account the requirements of the amplifier and the problems that can be caused by overweight cables.
Excess/complex cable cross section causes magnetic distortion--ie the back emf is not identical in signal shape to the forward emf because the large amount of copper in the cross section which causes the formation of eddy currents. This is basic physics we were taught in our school days--the current in the cable induces and opposing current back into the cable. If the induced current is not collected evenly into the same cross section eddy currents will form. Multi stranded cables will definitely have this problem so stranding of the cable to increase flexibility is a no-no with audio cable.
An ultra-tight coupling between the speaker and the amplifier is not needed and it is even a disadvantage. For example most makers of high quality amplifiers use a resistance of 0.25 ohms in the line to improve low frequencies. The feedback system sees an ultra-low resistance cable as being more reactive than one with some distributed resistance.
In a nutshell these are the reasons why the cable needs to be just low enough in resistance for the task in hand.
If you need to use a very long run and the resistance goes up, then the decision is a balance between two factors.
1) is the passive effect of the slight variation in frequency response that may be inaudible
2) the active dynamic and magnetic errors caused by a low resistance cable and its interface with the feedback circuit of the amplifier which you can definitely hear." |
Greeni: Just so you know, I have a 14 foot length of DNM speaker cable going to my speakers. No problems whatsoever. Have fun! |
Devilboy
I trust that your evaluation of the neutrality of DNM is an accurate one. Actually I througoutly enjoy my DNM interconnect and is going to get their speaker cables as well. My comment above was only concerned with listening impression (which some might find) as compared with other more expensive cables but as you said price notwithstanding, these cables may well be the ones being more coloured. |
Greeni: Let me make this perfectly clear: I think that the DNM cable goes as low as it has to. Many cables do something extra and exagerate other frequencies such as the bass which make you think that it goes deeper, or is more extended in the highs. I used to have Nordost Tyr balanced intc's and I think they, as with most other so called "high end" cables, manipulate the sound to impress people in the quick 10 minute demo, but when you really listen to music, you realize that live music doesn't sound like that. Everything with the DNM is more neutral and clean, which is what I want to hear when listening. I don't want to hear what the engineer in the cable factory wants me to hear. |
2chnlben: I originally just had the DNM speaker cable. What a huge difference! Deffinately get the speaker cable first. It's a solid core cable. |
I have the DNM interconnect with eichmann bullet plug. A tad light weighted and the musical notes do not go as deep as some other more expensive cables I heard. Nevertheless it is amongst the transparent and vivid cable I have heard.
I am interested in their speaker cables as well but I need longer length and not sure of the effect of these very small gauge cables on the amp to speaker interface. |
Devilboy,
The feedback here so far appears to focus on ICs. I have been reading about and I am interested in solid core speaker cables. What is your take on JUST the DNM speaker cable? Is this a type of magnet wire (as used in the "Anti Cable")?
Thanks. |
Dear Sir;
Yes, I recently purchased DNM after recommended by a fellow audiogon member. Previously I was using Kimber Hero and here is my comparison:
1) Hero's sound stage is bigger than DNM
2) Hero separates instruments better than DNM
3) Hero's bass is more pronounced and tighter than DNM
4) Hero emphasis is on the high and bass while the mid is not as smooth (but detailed) as DNM
5) Overall, Hero is more 'detailed'
6) DNM's female voice and piano sound more like "real" than Hero
7) DNM's emphasis is smooth mid-range
8) DNM is overall more balanced musically
9) DNM sounds very intimate in low volume
10) DNM doesn't sound as good in higher volume
11) DNM has less "sparkle" in treble than Hero
12) DNM is probably good for long term listening, and/or for your bed room system.
My setup:
Vienna Acoustics Beethoven Baby Grand
YBA Integre CDP/AMP
Analysis Plus Oval 9 SC
Oyaide XXX Plug
Oyaide Tunami PC
DNM Reson & Kimber Hero (I ended up keeping both as either one is good at what it does in its own terms).
Before Hero, btw, I had PBJ and I can unequivocally say Hero and DNM are better: they are in the different league all together.
Hope this helps.
Best, |
I use DNM. Easy to work with (light/flexible) and sound good to me. Your ears are working. |
I tried them a while ago, ended up canibalizing their Bullet Plugs for use on other ICs. Not bad, mind you, just didn't especially impress me. I'm now using Morrow Audio ICs which are at least as inexpensive and sound more open and musical to me. Must be a system synergy thing. Glad they worked for you, Dave. |
