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


128x128wig
@mawe - my thoughts...
  • the shielding should "drain" any EMI generated noise created by the current passing through the LIVE conductor
  • this should result in less noise being induced into the neutral conductor
  • this should result in a quieter background
  • the same shielding technique is used on each twisted pair in CAT8 cable, to achieve higher bandwidth transmissions
You might want to try the same thing, but apply the Air adaption i.e.
  • 2x 16 AWG Neotech BARE OCC solid core wire inside a teflon tube
  • then insert that assembly inside a cotton tube
  • and finally insert that assembly into the shielding
  • NOTE: do not use the teflon tape

This would improve the overall performance and probably improve on the quiet background

I assume you are only connecting the shield at the mains plug end of the power cable (i.e. a floating shield) and NOT at both ends.

Keep us posted - steve

Post removed 
@ Steve,
thx for your thoughts.

I was surprised about the positive effect of the “shielded L” conductor, since the LPS only draws approx 60mA at 230VAC. This is a low current load on 2x 16 AWG wires and the induced EMI should be low. 
I would expect, that the positive effect could be even greater on higher current load situations, ie higher wattage devices.

Yes, the shield is only connected on the mains plug, not the IEC side.

2 reasons, I did not apply the “Air adaption”:
- safety / with having a conductive Metall shield on the L conductors I want to be on the save side.
- on my LPS for the digital audio components I do not favour the “naked” sound, could “sound” too lean.
The Following is a report I have made on another Thread.
The Report is about Standard 5 Pin DIN to RCA IC’s, with Three Different Production Methods used for the Wires.
I will assume D.U.C.C is the Purist Copper, then PC Triple C and OCC.
I will assume that D.U.C.C have a crystal shape and alignmement that differs to OCC.

I am in a position to make a PC Triple C Double Helix IC, as the Wire materials are now with me.

The System used is a SS System.
It is familiar to me and I have had appriximately 20-30 Hours of listening to it Prior to COVID, I also got a few hours listening during 2020 when restrictions allowed for it, and when I loaned the D.U.C.C. IC’s
_________________________________________________________

On Friday of this week an opportunity was taken to visit a friend now we can visit to anothers Home in the UK.
COVID restrictions on Travel are eased and well received.

During this Visit the Resident HiFi was on the agenda, as well as Cables.
Three Cables were put to use as Tonearm Phono Cables.

OCC is the resident Cable Wire, D.U.C.C Wireand PC Triple C Wire were to be compared to OCC and each other.

OCC was first in use and it was delivering the performance to the ususal very high standard.

The exchange to D.U.C.C was immediately noticeable, there was a clearer insight to the presentation.
The Vocal became noticeably separated and the space around certain instruments was present.
A richness was also perceived, which was an addition to the authority of the performance.

The PC Triple C was the last up for the demonstration.
This was even more noticeable for the Clarity Perceived over the OCC.
There was a lift and lightness/finesse noticed to be present across the frequency range.
The off centre seat was also offering a insight into the performance with an added information, when not in the Centre Seat the performance did not appear to be at a loss.
The sound stage had taken on a new dimension.
Both the system owner and myself were of the opinion that the
PC Triple C has produced a delivery that is feeling much more real and honest when compared to OCC.
We were as a end discussion wondering how the combination of
PC Triple C and D.U.C.C would combine.
The thoughts were the Clarity of the two wires are very similar, the extra lift and dimension of the soundstage of PC Triple C, along with separation ability and rich tone offering from the D.U.C.C could be a wonderful marriage.
Additional Advice Required.
The Power Amp's as previously informed are going to be altered to be a Balanced Operation, swapping the Chassis Female RCA's for 3 Pin Female XLR's.
Unfortunately I am restricted by the engineers request to use one Connection Port, RCA Connection will not be available.
The suggestion is to reconfigure the Male XLR's if  unbalanced is wished to be achieved at some time.

I am trying to search out a High Puity Metal Female XLR to mount in the Chassis.
I have found Pure Copper with Gold Plating and Tellurium Copper with a Gold Plating.
The Types found with the metal above are not with a Locking Mechanism between the connectors.
Any thoughts on the Quality of a XLR connector/connection will be well received.
 
The Engineer has informed me that the New Cable to be used within the Amplifier will be a Microphone Cable.
I have been thinking this one over and a thought that has developed and not yet discussed with the Engineer, is if the internal wire can be a pre assembled Double Helix Design.
Any thought on adopting this as a approach will be well received.

A Pre Amp that looks like it will be my final Pre', had been on hold as a Build Project, due to having been loaned a version of the same design built as a Stereo Pre'.
My Pre Build is now going to be redesigned and produced as a Balanced Pre, some of the parts are already being acquired.
Again the XLR's chosen for the Power Amp will also find their way onto the Pre' Chassis.
If the Double Helix is a  Good Idea to be used within the Power Amp's then this again will be replicated within the Pre' Builds.
Any thoughts are welcome. 

It is proving difficult to find information on XLR usage reviews from comparisons outside of the sources of infoormation within this thread and the Links that can be sought.