How do you think this AC power will be?

I have tried the DH Labs Power Plus with the Sonar Quest.Connectors

It is better than a stock power cable and about s good as Furutech 10 gauge bulk cables, but without the expense.

The Connectors are one of the best out there -  I use them on all of my cables

If you want to improve the  sound considerably but with minimal work I would make the cable itself by simply braiding three  12 gauge conductors. Cover with expandable nylon sleeve for e professional finish 

Take a look at thisTake Five Audio wire - it is perfect for power cables
https://www.takefiveaudio.com/products/332-mil-spec-12-awg-silver-plated-copper-cryo-treated-black/

It does come in 10 gauge, but only in black

For the ultimate power cable take a look at the Power Helix
http://image99.net/blog/files/category-002ahelix-power-cable.html

I am yet to try a better power cable - I've tried cables between $1000 and $1500 and it beats them hands down.

People that have built the Helix have said they outperform their considerably more expensive power cables from established brands

Improvements include
- more expansive image
- faster dynamics
- more clarity and detail

Hope That helps - Steve

Good to hear. I based my purchase upon you Helix design information as it mentions those products but without getting into any kind of DIY. DH Labs has a sale going on now on must of their bulk wire. So I jump on it. I just didn’t want to build anything just yet. I’m still one of those guys that have not heard a difference in power cables but I haven’t given many a try. So I don’t have much to compare them to.

I just got my DH Labs cable in the mail today. Wish I had seen the sale... Waiting on more supplies to make the Power Helix Cord.

Thanks for the tutorial Steve.

Guys - If you have any questions - just ask - happy to help

In terms of inprovements that can be acjieved....
- the Helix Speaker cables offered the most noticeable improvements
- the IC's were perhaps the next best
- the power cords are a little more complicated

The power cords improvements were most noticeable on components that have a less capable power supply - like source components.
- e.g. my Bluesound Node 2 streamer/DAC improved significantly, whereas my amp, although improvements can be heard - I found I had to listen more intently for subtle improvements in the music - such as the reverberations in venue acoustics. Live perofrmances excell in this area

The sound once all cables are of the helix design is very aluring and based on feedback from others that have tried them, confirms an almost holographic like 3d image that appears to make the speakers invisible and a level of clarity that allows music to be played at louder volumes without listner fatigue.

Of course, much of this has to do with room acoustics as well - so you job is not done quite yet

Just remember to allow the requisite time for burn-in - it is very important to achieve the best possible results

BTW - I changed the web site a little yesterday - for the power cables due to some recent findings...
- I now also recommend the Silver Plated Mil Spec for both the live and neutral conductors.
- it perfroms as well as the DH Labs and Furutech wire
- it is more affordable
- and you don't have to strip out the conductors

But if you already have the Bulk cables from either DH Labs or Furutech then you might as well use that.

Regrds - Steve 

Thanks for that. 

So you’re saying you can buy just the 10 gauge mil spec wire I read of the 12 gauge and braid it to achieve some great results also without going into the full helix power cable, is this correct?

Let me rephrase that question,

in your very first post you mention taking just the 10 or 12 gauge mil spec wire and simply just braiding it to achieve some very good results, correct?

@todd1010 - that is correct - the braided mil-spec wire will provide better sound than both the DH Labs and Furutech bulk cable.

If you have already purchased the DH Labs wire you can remove the outer sleeve and braid the three conductors for great results. apply some expandable sleeve for a more professional finish.

However - the Helix will provide better results than the braided PC,

If you are braiding the Mil-spec wire I would use the 12 gauge, because 3 x10 gauge mil-spec wires would be a really heft cable.

The Helix geometry allows you to build a thiner Power Cable...
- the live wire is 10 gauge
- the neutral is 2 x 12 gauge wires - combined makes a 9 gauge wire
- the ground can still be a single12 gauge wire
- the neutral and the ground also provides sheilding for the live wire

The ground is only there in the event of a catostrophic component failure, in which case, a breaker (or fuse) will trip. A 12 gauge wire is more than capable of handling this type of event in a home audio system.

The biggest advantage with the Helix is that it eliminates line noise and allows a connected component to work as designed.
- Whereas power cables that adopt a more standard geometry like the DH Labs and Furutech bulk cable  actually introduce noise into the PC.

Cleaner power = Better Sound Quality 

Hope that makes sense - Steve

Great. 

I have ave already ordered and I’m just waiting on the Sonar Quest end plugs. I ordered directly from the main site and have not gotten any information about shipping or anything. 

I order there here and probably paid more than ones on eBay or wherever but I was afraid to buy some knock offs. 

@todd1010 - I always order this pair from this store KAMKAM0770
https://www.ebay.com/itm/SONAR-QUEST-CRYO-Ag-Audio-Grade-Silver-plated-IEC-plug-US-main-plug-sonarquest/181355696313?hash=item2a39a450b9:g:J~oAAOxyhXRTKcHi

Never had any issues with his stuff and he is quick

Regards

The Helix geometry allows you to build a thiner Power Cable...
- the live wire is 10 gauge
- the neutral is 2 x 12 gauge wires - combined makes a 9 gauge wire
- the ground can still be a single12 gauge wire
- the neutral and the ground also provides sheilding for the live wire

I have been reading your methods on making them from your website and am planning to make them since I have some cables left. I have read around and some do have different gauge sizes for E,L & N. May I know what is the reason having them in different gauge sizes? Also have you tried using smaller gauge size for ground side(thicker size) with L and N using same gauge ? I have tried using same gauge for L & N with doubling up the ground wire by twisting each ground cable to L and N side. It was a very nice improvemnt when i compared to another cable i had that was much more expensive than this diy version.

@tjbhuler  - There is a growing consensus within the "cables community" that having a thicker neutral  than the live/signal provides improvements in sound quality. 

Perhaps the lower resistance of the neutral plays a larger role in the performance of the connected components?

I wanted to test this theory out, so I simply doubled up on the neutral and it worked.

I initially used 12 gauge  for the live/signal and 2 x 12 for the neutral. It outperformed the 1 x 12 neutral  version of the cable.

For the Ground Wire I generally use 12 gauge regardless of size of live/signal (provided the live/signal is not over 10 gauge) because it is required in the event of a catostrophic component failure. There is no need to go to a smaller gauge (thicker) wire for the neutral - it provides no benefit

RE: 

 I have tried using same gauge for L & N with doubling up the ground wire by twisting each ground cable to L and N side. It was a very nice improvemnt when i compared to another cable i had that was much more expensive than this diy version.

I am assuming you twisted one ground around the neutral and another ground around the signal?

It would perform better than store bought cables because it is a Helxi design (variant).

It must have been a pretty thick cable?
- but I do not know if it would provide and benefits over a standard single spiral helix geometry.

Perhaps if you opt for a PC using the standard helix design you could compare them and report back?

The helix design provides the following physical attriibutes
- it is extremly flexible
- it is no thincker than a comparable bulk mains cable of a similar gauge

I have made cables with 18 and 16 gauge wire and they also work very well with the components.

Hope that helps

Glad you are trying the Helix cables - I think you will like the improvements

Regards - Steve

Hi Steve

Thanks for the reply much apprecitate it.

I am assuming you twisted one ground around the neutral and another ground around the signal?

 Yes thats correct, twisting them was quite a pain and hooking them up with the connectors was also quite a challange. 

I will get them done as soon as my ac plugs have arrived. It will definitely be fun doing a comparison with different designs. 

Just giving some updates as to my power cable build. 

I finally received my Sonar Quest end plugs. I made both of my amp power cables susing the DH Labs Red Wave 10guage cable and although it’s a very nicely made cable I like the bulkiness of the cable however I do not like how much stress I got to be on the inside of the end plugs. 

I almost fell its it’s to much wire. The other power wires I made are perfectly fine with how they fit and sit while plugged in. 

I haven’t had had much time to listen to my system since the cable change but I can’t say that it sounds better/worse but I doesn’t hurt to have the power cables or at least decent ones. I’ve rad that I may notice some improvements to equipment that doesn’t have larger more capable power supplies so that’s why I’m still going to make the one for my Bluesound Node 2 which is a different end plug than the IEC. 

This is is why I may just end up making willywonkas helix design. 

@williewonka 

I'm putting together my order for making your Helix power cables instead of using my DH Labs stuff. I have one question:

If I'm wanting to make two of them for my mono block power amps in 10 Gauge, should I just replace the live wire you have mentioned in your instruction site to 10 gauge? If you feel this is not necessary and I should just use the 12 gauge mil spec wire for everything then I will. 

@todd1010 - for your mono blocks...
- I would use a single 10 gauge Mil-Spec for the live
-  2 x 12 gauge Mil-Spec for the neutral (i.e. 9 Gauge combined total )
- 1 12 gauge Home depot wire for the ground

WRT the DH Labs cables you have made - they require about 60 hours burn-in before they even staret to sound better than theri initial perofrmance, but it does not get too much better - better dynamics.

If you used Sonar Quest plugs you should have heard better imaging from the start.

Hope That Helps

@willywonka

Yes, I thought that was the way.

Im going to be making two 10 gauge cables for my mono blocks and two 12 gauge ones for my preamp and Bluesound Node 2.

Do you think it’s to big of a power cable for the preamp or the Bluesound?

@todd1010 -  My experience has been that 12 gauge is large enough for lower power components - DAC's Streamers.

I tried a 10 gauge on my DAC and it proved to be no more effective than the 12/13 gauge cables I had.

I have a 12/13 gauge cable on my Node 2 at the moment

Regards - Steve

@elizabeth - I have to agree with you WRT it being difficult to maintain uniformity for the length of the cable

However I have adapted my braid as follows...

1. attach the three conductors to the IEC connector
   
2. Plug the connector into an unused component
3. cross the neutral and ground wire behind the live wire
4. ensure the ground wire is touching the live wire where they cross
5. bring the ground and neutral wires to the front
6. Cross the wires over the live conductor
7. now ensure that the neutral wire touches the live wire where they cross
8. complete this process for the length of the cable

It’s not so much a braid, but a modified helix where the neutral and ground wires are wound around the live wire in counter rotating directions

I keep the distance between crossing points to around 1-1.5 inches 

Using this technique you can better control the tightness of the braid and the spacing of the cross-over points.

Hope tat helps - Regards Steve

Thank you sir!