Has anyone ever tried cables made with OCC (Ohno Continuous Cast) Copper?

@pindac

Thanks for your post but it appears PC-OCC is still being used by many long after Furukawa decided to cease the production. Interestingly, the PC-Triple C came from FCM (Fine Chemicals & Materials), part of the Furukawa Group and its wholly owned subsidiary.

“FCM proposed copper for audio and video applications, which is obtained in a process similar to forging. As emphasized in the Acoustic Revive company literature, one of the first companies to offer complete cables using this kind of copper, the new process is clear reference to the Japanese tradition of forging swords. Copper wire is repeatedly compressed (struck), which reduces its volume by 70%. The strokes are made at a certain angle and direction, determined through experiments. This process is not so much concerned with removing copper impurities, as these would have been eliminated at an earlier stage, as with achieving the most compact arrangement of individual crystals, bridging the transitions between them, and therefore reducing a diode effect, i.e. uncontrolled electron hopping between the adjacent crystals. The repeated compression of copper also pushes out the air and oxygen molecules present in the material. The obtained copper has been called PC-triple C, from ​​Pure Copper-Continuous Crystal Construction. In the final production stage, the conductors are subjected to an aging process, where larger crystals coalesce with each other, forming monocrystalline areas”.

I am pretty happy with my current Japanese cables which uses PC-OCC copper but do have plans to try a cable using the PC-triple C in 2023. From what I’ve read, the PC-Triple C sound more open, energetic in the midrange and in the treble than with the PC-OCC cables. The bass is not as dense but more articulated. What has been your experience with PC-Triple C? And what brand you’re currently using? 

The following is a Copy/Paste Edit from another Thread I have contributed to.

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"Acrolink Stressfree 6N,7N,8N, are using an Ultrapure Wire produced by Mitsubishi referred to as D.U,C,C.

This wire is the competitor to wire supplied by a rival Company Furukawa.

Furukawa stopped production of the Licensed Wire OCC and replaced it with their own unique forged wire production which is a Wire PC Triple C.

I have been using Cables with wires D.U.C.C, PC Triple C and have but am yet to use PC Triple C/EX.

I have these wires as Power Cables, Interconnects, Speaker Cables, Cartridge Tag Wires. These will eventually become internal signal wire used on owned devices. Working out which wire might be the best will need a little thought and might need a EE in attendance to help with the final selection process.

There is an individual I have introduced to PC Triple C and the impact it has had had been quite substantial. They have bought in their own Brands and have also now used it as I have, but with the additional use, being their Phonostage has it as internal wiring and their Tonearm now has it as Internal Wand Wiring.

There passing on this information to another has gone viral on another forum and many are converts to the use of it, again it is seen to be used at all interfaces.

There is only one Commercial offered Tonearm using PC Triple C as the Wands Internal Wiring.

What is missed is that the Two Wire Types, D.U.C.C and Triple C when used in combination, work extremely well.

The perception of PC Triple C, when introduced is that an additional clarity is present, it is offering a reveal further into the recording. In use it is able to make the OCC wire be perceived as it has a smearing effect when A/B compared. The difference detected is similar to the level that OCC could show the unattractive elements of an OFC Cable as a comparison to OCC.

D.U.C.C, in comparison to PC Triple C, has a similar perception of Clarity, but does have a Hue of Richness, which for me is an attraction. The hue of richness referred to has been picked up on a few systems I have loaned the Cables to. It is detectable during A/B comparison.

I know in one system the PC Triple C DIN>RCA Phono Cable was preferred over the OCC one in use. In another System the D.U.C.C was preferred in use between Phonostage and Pre-Amp' with a Silver Wire Cable used on the Tonearm DIN>RCA and between SUT > Phon'. 

I can’t explain how a combination of Cables in use will benefit another system, but in my set up, the D.U.C.C is used between CDT>DAC and SUT > Phonostage.

The Cart' Tag Wires are PC Triple C, the SUT windings are Copper.

The DAC and Phonostage both have PC Triple C Power Cables.

There is no reason why Acrolink with the D.U.C.C Wire in use will not thoroughly impress, but the real edge for a system might be found if the two above wires are used in combination.

If an individual really wants to experience an uplift in performance and one that is not imagined possible on a Single Ended Cable, use Low Eddy RCA connectors on both Cable and Chassis. I have heard PC Triple C used with this methodology; it is the method I am to adopt. This is a notable experience, indelible for all the right reasons and if the effect on my system, is as heard on the system it was demonstrated on, it will be a game changer. "

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I hope this is off help with your inquiry.

I will be coming away from Single Ended Cables and commence using a Balanced System. At present the only Connectors for Both Chassis and Cables are found with an OCC Male / Female connection.

Maybe one day a PC Triple C Male / Female connection will become an option.   

OP - no brainer for me when I moved to all OCC solid core cabling.  I make all my cables and you can find OCC bulk cabling and low mass connectors (ETI/KLE, AECO, etc) at reasonable pricing from several places.  Partsconnexion and Venhaus being my two go to sources.  

I agree with others that there are so many different variations out there and you really need to build/listen/eval based on your system or systems.  Fun for us DIY'ers that like this sort of thing.

I've been experimenting with several different configs and found the "Helix" design with OCC copper has won out without question.  

For me, I'm not looking to change/color the sound as some cables claim to do.  I have always followed the adage of good conductors, good connectors (or no connectors) and secure connections get me where I want to be.

@pindac - I finally should have my AR Triple C XLRs built this week.  I'll post my impressions over on the DIY Helix thread...

Zafino Cable.

@mbolek Thank You for informing me.

This one will be of real interest; I have others who were introduced to PC Triple C through me directly as a result of loaned Cables for Demonstration and also via me due to impressions made and shared from demonstrations given.

The reports are quite impressive from those who I do not know.

I or nobody else I am aware of has reverted back to a previous used Wire in a Cable.

As said one individual even cannibalized a Cable and used the PC Triple C Wire to produce Tonearm Wand Wires

As the XLR is in theory a Low Eddy Connection and the PC Triple C is a Cable that can really impress, I look very forward to the update on the Helix Thread.

When the Speaker Wire was used there was a need to burn in, which took about an hour, something happened, in that time and the A/B to the older cable in use was quite something, the Triple C superseded it without any reservation.

I am not familiar with a XLR Configuration, there might be a need to give it a Burn In Period as I had with the Speaker Cable.