DIY DC power cables

[richard_crl032]

Hi,

 

Seems to be more critical is about awg sizes i.e. resistance in electricity fundamentals in this SQ improvement discussion on dc power cables with oyaide connectors even before comparing merits of material or brands ?

 

Gotham: 4x22awg or 2x0.325mm2

Canare: 4x20awg or 2x0.519mm2

Neotech: 4x18awg or 2x0.823mm2

Mundorf Au/Ag: 2x1.5mm2

 

My uptone stock 0.7m cable used is awg16 or 1.31mm2 of unknown material type but do not seems to make sense to get Gotham or Canare then from ghent audio.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

 

 

[richard_crl032]

4 hours ago, GryphonGuy said:

 

 

You should definitely try the Gotham GAC-4/1 11301 UltraPro Star Quad DC(JSSG360) cable especially if you have an UltraCap LPS-1.2. The difference is amazing (in my system at least).

Regards
GG

 

Hey GG,

 

Thanks for the advice .. just cannot accept using a lower current carrying one of effective awg19 at 0.65mm for gotham's compared to stock ul1185 awg16 which is at 1.3mm diameter while having added shielding which I believe is not critical in my case of just 0.5-0.7m length.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[richard_crl032]

54 minutes ago, JohnSwenson said:

Hi Richard,

my priority is quite different than yours:

 

#1 geometry in order: star quad, twisted pair, zip cord

#2 insulation material ie the dielectric. Teflon the best, polypropylene, silicone rubber, worst is PVC

#3 gauge

#3 metal type and purity

 

Spend your money on the higher up on the list. In other words don't bother with silver or "6nines" until you already have teflon star quad.

 

John S.

 

Hi John,

 

Thanks and understand but the impatient me could not wait .. just back from local audio contact quartz acoustic to reterminated one end of the stock UL1185 with the oyaide DC 2.5mm at usd25 to fit better (correctly) to my Bel Canto fm1 tuner.

 

Will explore more from Ghentaudio on star quad gotham or canare ofc  (latter preferred again for bigger diameter) which is affordable at usd48 just checked when upgrade itch returns

 

For now, getting the used aka cheaper uptone lps1.2 to be powered by the redundant 7.5A output from the 60w x2 zerozone lps to power the Bel Canto and freeing the 12v used from the zerozone lps to the power my computer grade netgear switch instead of switching meanwell psu makes sense to me ... this dual lps yield more details and transparency with resulting clean background as well as knowing at least lps to the switch 😍.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[richard_crl032]

13 hours ago, GryphonGuy said:

 

 

You should definitely try the Gotham GAC-4/1 11301 UltraPro Star Quad DC(JSSG360) cable especially if you have an UltraCap LPS-1.2. The difference is amazing (in my system at least).

Regards
GG

 

Hi GG,

 

Got weak and ordered from Ghentaudio.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

 

 

[richard_crl032]

2 hours ago, Nenon said:

 

Hmmm, my priority is definitely different than that. At this point, I've received feedback from over 20 people who have done DC cables with the 15.5 AWG Mundorf silver/gold wire, and... with or without shielding... regardless of the geometry they used (some people twisted the wires, others just ran them parallel)... they sounded a lot better than anything else mentioned here. Significantly better, actually. In a good resolving system, replacing the DC cable with a Mundorf silver/gold cable could be as noticeable as replacing a component. The trick is to keep the cables short - 1-2 feet, no more than 3'. 

I am not trying to promote a product but just to spread some more awareness of this amazing wire. I've published a DIY recipe already, and anyone who can solder two wires can make them. Yes, the wire is expensive, but if you have a good audio system, it is totally worth it. 

 

Hi Neon,

 

I heard good things about this mundorf ag/au wire for dc cable locally also but mentioned twisted, straight up, with jssg360 etc. variants are unknown to me and surely that they also made differences for those who can hear "big" difference in the 1st place. Not too surprised also since awg15.5 at 1.46mm2 like stock compared to gotham, canare etc. especially if some diyers twist 2 strands into one.

 

Any comment to these variants else I think many like me will hesitate to venture there.

 

For me, I am a believer in cables at a price point used to tune one's system to their preference and its limitations but main improvement are from hardware itself and the technologies involved ... as in my case of adding secondary lps of uptone lps1.2 that yield favorable outcome for my bel canto fm1 tuner with quieter background that yield more details and transparency. Not a believer of wishful owners that a single cable as a minute part of one's system is as good as replacing a component at least generally and not a worse matching component .. else a joke to our hobby and advanced technologies to not needing the usd430 uptone lps1.2 and just add mundorf au/ag to my 1st level zerozone lps 🤪

 

Think I will stop with the Ghentaudio's gotham and perhaps at the risk of getting anal on this dc cable thingy but if you can help me to fabricate best mundorf au/ag variant of 0.5m with oyaide 2.1mm to 2.5mm, I will be interested to buy it from you and provide a review of any difference with stock terminated with oyaide 2.5mm and ghentaudio's gotham jssg360 in my not too bad resolution by speakers and headphone ... ymmv if course but test of the pudding at least for my ears then.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[richard_crl032]

1 hour ago, Nenon said:

 

My point was that no matter what geometry you use with this wire (i.e. twisted or parallel wires), a cable with the 15.5 AWG Mundorf silver/gold wire sounds better than any other DC cable discussed here. At least to my years and in my system, but also to 20+ other people in their systems. 

 

Sure, the geometry and shielding makes a difference too. I did not say it did not. In fact, one of my first tests was with two identical cables but different shielding, one with JSSG360 and one without, connected to my cable modem. And yes, I could absolutely hear a difference. The fact that I could hear a difference of the shielding on a DC cable to my cable modem was quite shocking and an eye opener. 

 

I have tried both, twisted pair and parallel wires. My preference at the moment is to have the wires parallel, with the wires inserted inside an unbleached natural cotton sleeve. As for shielding, there are places where I like JSSG360 and places where I don't. However, as a starting point for people who want to try making this cable, I would recommend to do a twisted pair and JSSG360 shielding. Can't go wrong that way... 

 

Obviously some common sense should be applied when you read my posts, and it would be best if you can see from my point of view. I have a very resolving system and multiple very expensive power supplies. The more improvements I make to my system the more resolving it becomes, and the easier it is to hear small changes. If we go back in time two or three years, replacing my DAC had less of an impact than replacing the DC cable (e.g. feeding the JCAT XE USB card on my server) today. 

I am not suggesting that everyone would hear a difference between DC cables in any system. Most people won't, but those with very resolving systems would. Those with zerozone LPS may not hear very big difference with DC cables. And of course it would not be a good idea to spend more money on DC cables than the LPS. Upgrade the LPS first, and if you can hear clear differences between the Gotham, Neotech, and other DC cables mentioned here, maybe it's time to try a cable with the Mundorf silver/gold wire. 

Hi Neon,

 

Thanks for the sharing on the mundorf au/ag dc cable variants if one wish to diy .. perhaps later but still no confidence to do it well or needed as yet.

 

Sorry for not being clear .. the zerozone lps 7.5v is powering the uptone lps1.2 and the dc cable is to replace the stock awg16 of uptone for 12v  ..  will share if indeed any difference upon receipt of Ghent's gotham from stock terminated one end with Oyaide 2.5mm dc connector for my Bel Canto.

 

Not sure what lps meets your requirement of a discerning lps but uptone lps1.2 ok ?  Btw, zerozone is based on below just in case and hope these amb guys knows what they are doing then:

 

https://www.amb.org/audio/sigma22/

 

Meanwhile, indeed it irks me to see statements by cables owners who believe their latest cable remotely equals to change to better equipment .. regardless their passion and often in hardball manners.

 

You may also want to share your system setup for us to understand your lps, sources dac, speakers/headphone etc. and where the mundorf ag/au dc cable is used to understand the mentioned high resolution needed to discern the big improvement.

 

Cheers 

 

Richard

[richard_crl032]

Hi Neon,

 

Noted and thanks again !

 

All good and hope to get mundorf au/ag cable to mod one of the dc cable some day to know the difference albiet not expecting anything like in your setup as it is only for my bel canto fm1 tuner.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard