DIY cables

How many new cable manufacturers have there been over the past 20 years? How did all those people start out? 

I'm not saying they beat all the cables I've never tried in my system, but I made vh audio's silver interconnects and really like them (https://www.venhaus1.com/diysilverinterconnects.html). Pictures available in my system. Better than the old MITs they replaced, and better than my previous diy attempt using duelund tinned copper.

At least I know what materials are going into the cables, and that no-one's going to beat my diy cables' silver purity no matter how much they charge. Not a bad place to start.

williewonka1,999 posts02-24-2020 12:37pm@audiomaze - take a look at these...

http://image99.net/blog/index.html

The perform great, having exceptional dynamics, clarity and details and an enormous image..

Wow, the direction of the wind makes a difference. CCW vs CW. Once again silver clad over copper in the construction, BRIGHT? SIZZLE?
What type of speaker system are you using, round, planar, electrostatic?
I just can't handle the ear bleeding HF that silver cladding on anything causes. Man oh Man, same with a lot of single hard dome speaker setups. Couple that with this type of cable, COTTON TIME, for me.

The planar/ribbon systems I use or have used, they will boil your ears
using this type of anything, IC, PC, Speaker any and all connects. But a LOT of people I met at shows an such, just love that type of SUPER bright reproduction. I'll pass!  How was it recorded, what was the intent? I like Line Source speakers for the most part, most other people like Point Source speakers. Haya different folks, ay?

The network SPEAKER cables I built are sounding better all the time..
About 260 hours or so now, go for it, well worth it..

Regards

@oldhvymec - RE:...

Once again silver clad over copper in the construction, BRIGHT? SIZZLE?

Silver cladding is NOT the problem, niether is solid silver - it’s the type of insulation and the cable geometry that causes the ear-bleading distortions you are hearing.

The right geometry and insulation having a low dielectric constant allows the HF details through with clarity, smoothness and amazingly fine detail.

But - just for people that prefer the sound of copper I do include a Duelund Tinned Copper version of the Helix Interconnect and the speaker cables and power cables only use Duelund Tinned Copper.

As for MY speakers - Gershman Audio Sonograms - they have conventional drivers.

But that’s just my opinion - and BTW, one shared by a couple of people that have actually used my cables on their Maggies and reported great results

As the old saying goes - The Proof of the pudding is in the eating - not the speculation based on one’s experience with OTHER cables that just happen to use silver cladding - they are very different cables

The other thing with DIY - you are free to use whatever wire you like - it's the geometry and insulation that is important here!

So until you try them...….
.
Regards - Steve

Silver cladding is NOT the problem, niether is solid silver - it’s the type of insulation and the cable geometry that causes the ear-bleading distortions you are hearing.

I've yet to hear a pure silver SC or MC cable I couldn't deal with, same with pure copper. Like I said some people love that bright, sound and call it good. I can walk up on a clad system and tell it most of the time. I've heard a few XLR cables I actually liked. But speaker cable, I'll pass. I haven't heard them all that's for sure. Same with most hard dome tweets.
I'm a LS kind of guy. A single BOILING, tweet just makes me walk away.

As for the insulations, dielectrics I've been tinkering, BIG difference, for sure, BUT clad wire, not for me. When you say Tinned Copper, what is tinned copper? The terminal ends are tinned? I'm not following. Conductors are currently my main focus. BUT Cotton, silk, teflon, hollow tubes of silicone, I'm tinkering, interesting results too. VERY interesting... SILK skirts, certain types of cotton NOT BATTING, TEXAS brown cotton
lot and lots of different kinds of cotton, YUP!!!
Currently, mercury in a solder sealed glass tube with pigtails either end
Interesting sound, tungsten, on the way.

Yea I like DIY, keeps me kinda out of trouble, read my amp meltdown issue. CABLES. LOL

Regards

williewonka2,011 posts

I read through a lot of the information you offered. Interesting indeed.
I read your ears follow a pretty common pattern of most folks.  That is the problem, mine don't. When I was tested for over 40 years for occupational hearing loss, HF sensitivity was an actual issue for me. I tested over 18kh in my mid 30s, at retirement, with my exit, still above 16kh at 65 years then. To be candid I really wasn't trying to ace the test, I wanted to leave... Enough testing...

They  had a theory and finally an answer. The bones in my ears were deformed. The same defect that made my ears VERY sensitive, left 3 of my cousins deaf from birth, theirs being to a greater degree. 
I met a guy at a clinic at Stanford that was being treated for the same thing. A trial with these inserts that really helped. He could hear above 24 kh. He was a music guy to.. wrote reviews for something in the audio field.  He was in his mid 30s also. Lived with cotton in his ears...Believe me when I say it's a curse and a blessing, or a blessing and a curse.. 

I'd love to give the builds a go... I get an hour a day from the old hands.lol that's it.. May be the perfect combo now. Thanks for your information and sharing.  Best results on your future formulas...

I'll keep an eye out..