Interconnects: solid or hollow core wire?


Which makes for better interconnects, all else being equal, single core or hollow core wire? Thin or thick gauge? Experience first, theory second!
pmboyd

Showing 4 responses by rodge827

All Solid Core DNM Wire in my system. DNM HFTN IC's and the Stereo version speaker wire. Very natural and a good bargain. Do a search and read all about them.
To address the bass issue that Agisthos mentioned, DNM has developed two different solid core speaker cables. The Precision Speaker Cable (the thinner of the two) is designed to be used for speakers above 90db. I used this in my old 300b to Lowther speaker set up with great results. The Stereo is designed to be used in speakers that are under 90db. This is a "thicker" cable that DNM made for high current amps and harder to drive speakers. DNM found through customer feedback that the Precision wire wasn't doing all it should in this configuration. I am now using the Stereo in my curent set up and have no desire to change it out.
Rodge
Agisthos,
Thanks for the info on the Downsize Audio cables, I'm going to look into them.

Devilboy,
I went from Crimson to DNM cables....The DNM IC's with the HFTN upgrade ($500.00) are really something special...perhaps system dependent?

Mrtennis,
Mr. Boyd asked the question and well, I have used both stranded and solid core cables and prefer solid core. I agree with you in the sence that we should allow our own ears (awesome measuring devices that God gave us) to decide the outcome. Perhaps Mr. Boyd is trying to find a good place to start and not blow a lot of cash in the process. :-)

Rodge
Devilboy, Here are a couple of copies to response's that I wrote about Crimson, and the HFTN on DNM IC's.

"A few years ago I did a demo of Crimson IC's and speaker wire in my system. At the time I was using soild core silver coated copper IC's made by Virtual Mode (no longer around due to the makers retirement). The V-Mode cables also had ferrite cores built into the source end to combat EMI and RFI. Speaker wire was Audio Consulting cryoed solid core silver wrapped in cotton tubing.
The Crimson speaker wire was sent first and immediatly replaced the Audio Consulting wire. The sound balanced out and was very pleasing. The IC's showed up a few weeks later, and were burned in using the Isotek burn in disc 24/7 for a week. Then I listened for another couple of weeks before comming up with my conclusion. With a complete Crimson compliment my system was a little too flat and boring. The cables took the life right out of the music. A little to overly polite for my taste, so back in went the V-Mode IC's and everything came back to life. The Crimson IC's went back to the dealer, but the Crimson speaker wire stayed for the next three years until I changed to a solid core wire that knocked my socks off. Please refer to your "Solid core/Hollow core" thread."

"Look into DNM IC's with the HFTN upgrade, 1m w/Eichmann plugs is $500.00. The High Frequency Termination Network or HFTN is designed to eliminate most if not all RFI on the line. Very hollographic and the closest to no cable at all, IMHO. You will get to hear all of what your upstream components can do."

You can read a more in depth description of the HFTN on the DNM websie.

Overall I preferred the DNM Cables to everything else that I had listened to. When I did the comparison, my system was close in style to a friend who has all Kondo wire in his. DNM delivered closest to what I was hearing in his big mega-buck horn system, which as it pains me to say is the best system that I (and many other testosterone driven masters of our own universe) have ever experienced. Look up 6Moons Road Tour Exit 1, you'll see what I mean, and his system is now way better since the review.

Crimson makes a very good cable, one that would be on the short list of recommendations. I'm not going to get into tonal quality, imaging, soundstage, highs, bass extension, etc. Since I feel that so much of these qualities come from the gear and room as well as the cabling. In my system DNM just sounded more to my liking. I recommend it so that someone else may like it also, and get off the cabling merry-go-round as I have.

Rodge