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

@mbolek - Whilst I have not had the opportunity to try Zavfino cables for myelf I have read their product literature in depth regarding their application of:

  • UP-OCC wire
  • advaned insulations
  • advanced cable geometry techniques

However, the latest Helix bare wire in Teflon Tubes adaption has proven exceptional

  • this adaption took the Helix to another level of performance
  • and I now use 5N solid UP-OCC Silver in Telfon tube for the signal wires in Interconnects

I think you will be surprised (in a good way) by the Helix, even when compared to very good cables like Zavfino.

As for.....

I’ll be hard pressed to build anything that looks......

Agreed! - Zavfino do build a very nice looking cable!

  • but you can use one of the many expanding sleeves out there to "pretty-up" the Helix cables
  • It iwll not impact performance
  • I don’t use it because it is a complexity I do not need to unravel each time when trying out new things on a cable

For me, this journey has not been a "competition" between the Helix and other brands

My goal was to:

  • develop a cable that delivered great sounding music
  • for a modest price
  • that ordinary people with modest resources could build for themselves

it all stared with a an idea for a different approach to cable design and some old LAN cables

  • along the way many other DIYers contributed significantly to getting the Helix Cables to where they are today
  • My thanks to you all 😊

So if you do try the Helix cables - post your "cable recipe" and findings here

  • it’s always good to hear observations from others 👍

Regards - Steve

 

 

I have quite a stock of PC Triple C Wire to produce my Helix Cables.

I am behind with this as a task in hand as with many other tasks to be completed.

The Dual Mono Balanced Pre is still to start, as well as the conversion of the Power Amp's to Balanced, so it is not too much of a pressure at present to achieve the Cable Build. 

I have been talking about my impressions with PC Triple C and loaning my assembled Interconnect Cables produced with this wire to other HiFi enthusiast friends, many of whom are sure that the OCC wire already in use, is not going to be improved upon.

There are, as a result of my interventions and passed on word of mouth reports,  new reports becoming regularly seen on the usage of the wire, which is slowly bringing to fruition a host of individuals starting to replace their OCC wire with the PC Triple C wire Interconnects. 

It would be great if a respected authority on the Helix Design could adopt the PC Triple C wire and produce a build with this different wire design.

Not too long ago, I would have claimed to have had a gut feeling that something that could impress was achievable, as that was my own singular experience, with the recent activity, I am feeling very confident there will be something on offer that has not been experienced, and will create a positive response.     

@williewonka 

Hey Steve, I'm curious why you switched to smaller wires in the silver cable build? Was it just the associated cost or other, more technical, factors?

 

Thanks,

Ron

 

@bigslacker RE: 

I'm curious why you switched to smaller wires in the silver cable build?

$COST was the main reason.

  • I figured that if this combination provided noticeable improvements I could alway try the heavier gauge in the next cable if I thought it was required
  • but the results are so good that I have decided to try the 2 x 20 gauge Silver with a 1 x 16 guage UP-OCC copper with Teflon insulatoin to see if the double helix Air is really required

The 2 x 20 gauge Silver compared to the 2 x 18 gauge copper had more "body" and sounded more complete and warmer, with a nicer image and faster dynamics.

 

I'm not sure the 2 x18 gauge solid silver would be worth the additoinal cost, but you could always try it and report back

I'll post observations on my second cable here.

Regards - Steve

 

 

 

@pindac - can you provide a link to this wire so I can take a look at it please - thanks

The only thinng I have found to date is the Furutech CCC bulk power cable, which is stranded.

  • Stranded wire does not perofrm to the same level as solid wire.
  • Os there a solid CCC witr avaolable - if yes - please provide a ink

When you say that others a prefering the CCC to UP-OCC are they comparing soolid wire to solid wire?

Mant Thanks - Steve