Duelund conversion to DIY Helix Geometry Cabling

Steve,

One question.  When I was almost finished with my solid copper interconnect project (I have 9 interconnect pairs), you tried OOC5N silver wire and pronounced the results as even better than the copper.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr 😀

So, I made one set and I also was very pleased with the results.  I have two, maybe four more locations where I could replace the copper interconnects with silver. Even though these would be 1 meter long, the cost could end up being prohibitive.

 
What do you think of making making interconnects with two OOC5N solid silver, bare wires for the live side, with  a OOC 6N PTFE solid copper wire for the neutral?

@toolbox149 - I only ever use Solid silver for the Signal wires, because as you said, it becomes very expensive if using solid silver for the Helix as well.

My apologies if I did not really make that point clear in previous posts

RE:

What do you think of making making interconnects with two OOC5N solid silver, bare wires for the live side, with a OOC 6N PTFE solid copper wire for the neutral?

Perfect! - also I DO NOT use the "AIR" adaption for the neutral - I just use OCC wire with Teflon insulaton.

I did try using the air adaption, but it made no difference to sound quality

Regards - Steve

Thanks Steve,

I gotta say, of all the things/tweaks I have ever tried, these cables, run shotgun style with another cable, have surpassed everything else I’ve done; including upgrades to some of my components.  I didn’t think my setup had enough quality to sound this good, but your cables elevated my system from “very, very good” to “ holy crap”.

The overall improvement in SQ was easily more than I would ever hope for when upgrading a component.

Thanks

Tim

@williewonka, Some kit arrived earlier than expected, for a change, so I made up an IC using 2 x 24AWG solid AG in separate ptfe tubes with SOCT-18 for a 3.5:1 neutral with KLE Absolutes.

My previous build used the twin 19AWG CCC that pindac introduced. I now have about 105 hrs play time and they sound really very good. A huge upgrade which left my wife and me with big smiles. 

I removed the CCC pair and replaced them with the 'recipe' above. Straight from my grubby hands and into the system so no run time at all. We heard a cleanly detailed, open sounding, leading edge/transient monster. I heard percussion coming from places not aware of before. It was providing more important information than the CCC.

We both felt that we heard more upper register detail with the overall gestalt a little on the lighter side, which did not surprise me. After some time I left the 24AWG Ag in place between the Oppo and line-stage and then connected the CCC's between the line-stage and amp. Hellooo, head and foot-stomps.

I understand that the pair of AG IC's will change with more play time but the sound right now has improved to the point where before, one of us would dive for the volume control with screwed up face because of screechy female vocals. Not so much now. Some tracks, previously unlistenable became tolerable. Large orchestral works, normally congested and brash on my system were now better rendered and instead of skipping allowed us to hear the musical intent, and if still not pristine was at least listenable.

Prior to these helix delights I could listen only to about 20% of my files, now I think it's closer to 50%. This alone to me is worth the cost of entry 😎

Next build will be 'standard recipe' : 2 x 20AWG bare AG in tubes with 3.5:1 SOCT-16 neutral.

NOW for the biggest 👍 My wife, always supportive, is now actively encouraging me. This morning I got the " building any more?" glint.

@toolbox149, I am hearing what you described and believe it or not, after last nights  session, considered adding a third 24AWG AG strand which would end up about 19AWG and easy enough to do.

Steve has tried, I think, 4 strands in parallel and claims no improvement heard, which gives me reason to be cautious.

However looking at what Kimber has done they seem to be successful with their Varistrand cable using multiple different gauges. I am now considering paralleling 26, 22 and 18AWG all in individual tubes together giving 1.28sq. mm, close to 16AWG overall.

Any brave souls out there willing to buy all that silver and experiment?