1 more thing:
Enameling a wire is like a lady painting their nails with clear varnish. Chances are she will cover 100% of her nails, maybe 1 day out of 1000 she will miss a tiny spot, nobody will know about it. The litz process is very reproducible, but not infallible. So if a tiny spot is missed, it may eventually react with the air, a tiny bit of oxidation looks like a lot as it can react with the insulation material and make a glowing green dot. I've seen this on two or three litz cables ever, out of over 5000 cable builds. It is very rare, and it was only ever a small spot. Because the rest of the cable is enameled, it has no way of spreading, as the enamel is cured everywhere else. Just like a bit of missing paint on a wall in your house can't spread. That wire was the last one to use the original litz process, it's since been improved and we haven't seen any spots since changing some of the parameters. I can replace the cable for the cost of parts if you contact me via the DHC site.
Any wire can potentially oxidize by air diffusing through the insulation (and some say sweat can go through too, but there's no real way to be sure what it is) and reacting. Litz is the only real protection, or using an opaque insulation so that nobody can see it.
Edit: also, chances are the spot is only on 1 strand, out of 72. each strand in a litz cable is independent. So while it has no way of affecting sound anyway, it's also only taking place on 1.3% of the cable....
Edit: Mike has played with a lot of my cables but not sure he's used a full on silver Complement4. I really think Nevin is in a world of his own right now.
Peter, IMHO - is just, for me, light years ahead when it comes to personal audio cabling. I use other cables with his in a whole system, and now and then, due to system synergy, I pick another main lead:
But 90% of my reference sessions I'm rockin' DHC
I think he'd be making cables FOR DAYS if Harry Pearson of The Absolute Sound were still here today
Nevin: this guy is messing with you all as he owns both
Edit: Mike has played with a lot of my cables but not sure he's used a full on silver Complement4. I really think Nevin is in a world of his own right now.
LoL.... I thought many people will have these two, not _just_ me!
I have yet to try the new cable. Since I have both adapted for IEM use, I will probably need to grab a pair of 2-pin sockets so I will not break the holes on my IEM while switching cables back and forth. So, before my impressions, let's see some cable porns...
Size comparison between the Elite 22 (left) vs Comp4 (right):
Another angle:
One of the new spitter offerings, here's the Honeycomb. Very compact with full of details:
Shinning silverssssssss in the transparent sleeves:
LoL.... I thought many people will have these two, not _just_ me!
I have yet to try the new cable. Since I have both adapted for IEM use, I will probably need to grab a pair of 2-pin sockets so I will not break the holes on my IEM while switching cables back and forth. So, before my impressions, let's see some cable porns...
Size comparison between the Elite 22 (left) vs Comp4 (right):
Another angle:
One of the new spitter offerings, here's the Honeycomb. Very compact with full of details:
Shinning silverssssssss in the transparent sleeves:
Bloody hell @nevin these are IEM CABLES!?!? You high or something? LOVE IT, your're as crazy as Peter, Michael and I are!!!
Ok, so I both love and ******* HATE you right now!
Those are some genuinely gorgeous pictures I have seen of any DHC cables outside of what Peter takes. Incidentally, those cables are MAJESTIC! Look at that build quality LOOK AT IT!
As you can see, the Complement4 is far larger and cumbersome but still somewhat flexible, whereas the Spore4 (not pictured) is a beast and should be reserved for only the worlds best headphones attached a short distance to your setup with the absolute minimal of movement. The Complement4 pictured is, however, extremely beautiful, if a tad masculine, and massively overbuilt to the teeth (well, not far from Spore4 but still OTT). I do love the look of this cable and the Eidolic connectors.
The Molecule Elite 22 above is extremely pretty in transparent sheathing (I've picked the same look, but a more moderate Y-splitter, silver carbon/silver aluminium, to match my Audeze EL-8 Titanium headphones). The Molecule Elite 22 above exudes bespoke, proud workmanship and quality. Now that I have seen your cable @nevin, I seriously can't wait for mine! A head-turner for sure.
However, the takeaway should be that the cable on the left, the Molecule Elite 22, has EXACTLY THE SAME functional design (internal strands, components, build, etc) as the cable on the right, the Complement4, except the latter has better shielding overall.
This is what I've been trying to get across; if you want a (DHC) TOTL cable but with added flexibility (from the Molecule line) for any headphone, at home or away, you now can through the Molecule Elite 22.
Should you want an at-home only cable, the Complement4 and Spore4 are the other TOTL cables.
DHC with three TOTL choices, to cater to any audiophile who want the best from their cans. <3
For me, as much as I love the thought of having a Complement4, until I get end-game at-home-only cans (Audeze 2016 LCD-4 200 Ohm, HiFiMan HE-1000, Mr Speakers Ether or Ether C, Focal Utopia), the Molecule Elite 22 is a far better choice for my setup.
LoL.... I thought many people will have these two, not _just_ me!
I have yet to try the new cable. Since I have both adapted for IEM use, I will probably need to grab a pair of 2-pin sockets so I will not break the holes on my IEM while switching cables back and forth. So, before my impressions, let's see some cable porns...
Size comparison between the Elite 22 (left) vs Comp4 (right):
Another angle:
One of the new spitter offerings, here's the Honeycomb. Very compact with full of details:
Shinning silverssssssss in the transparent sleeves:
@nevin
Your DHC cables look absolutely stunning sir.
If i may ask for some impressions of the sonic differences when using the elite22 with your iem collection.
Before I begin, this is NOT A REVIEW, I only just got the cable, but this is an extended post nonetheless, with lots of pics in spoiler tags, information, and hopefully helpful advice. Some of the contents of this post I have spoken about in the past but here it is possibly more concise and, perhaps, easier to understand.
---
So guy's, got two things to unbox and show you all.
Only one of those things is relevant for this thread, but I'll add some bonus pics of the other thing I received at the end of this post.
First up, my Double Helix Cables Molecule Elite 22 OCC Silver Litz 4-Wire (22AWG) balanced cable!
It has a silver carbon/aluminium Y-splitter, 2x custom 3D printed Audeze EL-8 Zync connectors, and super slim Eidolic 2.5 mm TRRS balanced jack.
This is for my Audeze EL-8 Titanium headphones (part of the 2016 EL-8 updated lineup).
Yeah, this pure silver (22 gauge!) cable is so pretty and AWESOME!
My parcel also came with a second DHC ultrashort adapter (2.5 mm to 3.5 mm) because I lost my original on a London trip back in April, foolish me. I do have a mass produced, longer, super cheap DHC adapter also but that is a spare.
Just a big head's up the lighting in my room is crap and even using the great Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge Plus, I could not get the best natural tone, so these are raw pics without any filter, etc.
Sorry.
Next are some comparison pics with my older Molecule Elite Fusion 4-Wire balanced cable (which originally started life as a single-ended cable till January this year, when Peter re-terminated it for me).
This Fusion cable has a steel helix Y-splitter.
Now, how about comparison pics between three of my four DHC cables, eh?
(I’m not going to post my DHC Prototype Molecule 4-Wire 25awg copper single-ended cable, with mini-XLR stereo and Eidolic right-angle 3.5 mm jack for AKG K 712 headphones. That cable is mentioned here but not relevant for this post).
First up, three cables shown below in the comparison pics, are (from top-to-bottom):
- DHC Molecule Elite 22 Silver 4-Wire (for EL-8 series),
- DHC Molecule SP Symbiote Fusion 8-Wire (for IEM, in my case Heir Audio 4.Ai),
- DHC Molecule Elite 4-Wire Fusion (for EL-8 series).
(The Fusion cables are a mix of copper and silver strands together).
As you can see in some comparison pics, this cable is not just beautiful, but has other cool stuff.
The Symbiote Fusion 8-Wire is much thicker than the Molecule Elite Fusion 4-Wire.
However, the Molecule Elite 22 4-Wire is much thicker than Molecule Elite Fusion 4-Wire, and yet is near comparable in size to the monster Symbiote 8-Wire!
How? Why?
Well, that's the secret to the Molecule Elite 22 line. I've posted about this (though I was not the world’s first owner of the Elite 22 but amongst the first, mea culpa), and yesterday Peter posted on FB a review about his Complement4 cable by Audio Bacon. Go read and refresh yourselves.
In basic summary, a 4-Wire Complement4 construction is NUTS, having an '…array of 14 bundles of ultrapure single-crystal litz silver bundles are arrayed into a cylindrical-tube layout inside each Complement4 Integrated Wire'.
The internal cable structure is then encased in a ridiculous amount of cable sheathing, really OTT (though the Spore4 line is even nuttier...) (link to quotes and Complement4 storepage here).
The thing is, Peter has somehow took the functional parts of the Complement4 cable (the actual internals), then used new 22AWG cable strands and the tech behind the flexible, everyday Molecule line, and combined them all; '…the same overall strand count in a 4 wire cable as our previous 8-wire [Molecule Elite] flagship…' and '14-bundle OCC pure silver litz structure and carbon based core as our Silver Complement4…' (link to quotes and Molecule Elite 22 storepage here).
A heavy-duty 4-Wire construction was transplanted from one cable line to another.
Essentially, the Elite 22 IS a Complement4 without the crazy shielding, and lower price point, better as a new TOTL everyday cable. WORTH EVERY PENNY!
The Elite 22 was also created to showcase that, outside of IEM cables, 8-Wire for on-the-head style headphones is unnecessary. DHC can do a better constructed, sonically greater, cables using a 22AWG copper or silver cable in a 4-Wire construction.
He he he, can anyone guess what headphone those cables on the left are from? They are part of the other thing I received today
Hope you enjoy this!
^^
@scootermafia, thank you so much for making me these awesome cables, and for your friendship.
I know you've been posting to me on FB Messenger but I was in the zone typing this whilst enjoying the tremendously effortless and harmonically rich Molecule Elite 22 pure silver cable... <3
I posted some of the below to a Head-Fi'er on the Onkyo DP-X1 thread via two posts (links to the original posts are here and here), but thought parts of it maybe useful on this thread as well. I have very lightly modified the posts:
---
People have mentioned great aftermarket cable makers, but I'll add to that and list makers of stellar cables, in random order, and at any price point (cheap or expensive):
I think Kimber Kable Axios line looks great, but I've not heard them.
Ditto with Nordost and WyWires headphone cables.
Personally, I would talk to Peter of DHC ([@]scootermafia[/@]) as I believe he makes the best cables, but you must wait a long time for a cable to be built, and it might be expensive.
PETEREK is the next best but waiting time could be a concern.
Forza AudioWorks could be an answer of cheap, fast and good quality. May not be TOTL but certainly high quality regardless.
If you have the budget and want the best cables, go for Double Helix Cables.
If you don't want to pay that much but still want amazing cables, PETERK and Moon Audio Dragon Series will be great.
If you want a cable at a budget, Forza AudioWorks.
Two things I would like to say:
Do NOT opt for gold and copper or gold and silver cables. Gold is a poor electrical conductor, worse than copper and really, really worse in comparison to silver.
This is really basic, school science, never mind advanced academia.
Those who like their gold infused cables may do so because of different tones in terms of sound, previous unknown knowledge of gold's electrical properties, placebo, or buyer's remorse.
Having silver in a cable, whether as a combination between copper and silver, or pure silver alone, does NOT mean music will be cold, analytical, harsh, sibilant, etc. It is thought these ideas are borne from the way humans observe certain colour cues, because warmer colours like copper and gold give the impression of warmth, whereas silver, titanium and aluminium give of a colder impression and feel.
Silver cables, especially pure silver, if done well, allow music to be effortless, organic, holographic.
Lastly, I personally don't think cables themselves have specific sound signatures. The whole point of getting audiophile cables is to have better electrical conductivity, lower noise floor, and reduction of noise itself from EMI, RFI, etc.
By reducing noise, the amplifier you use will not need to unnecessarily work and amplify any noise coming from the cable, and the transducer (speakers or headphones/earphones) won't need to playback that noise.
You cannot get rid of noise completely, but the more that noise is diminished in cables, and the more noise floor is lowered, then the amplifier has more power and reserve power to amplify music rather than noise, as does the transducers to playback music rather than noise.
Noise also affects DAC's and phono amp's but I hope you get the general gist.
Increasing electrical conductivity is also key; this means electrical signals from source to amp to transducer can be quicker, thus reproduction of music more accurate (whether that is neutral or musical depends on your equipment and tastes of course; music should be fun to you). The fastest known speed of source to ear of audio is real life music, and that cannot be replicated, but using advanced equipment and better cables, we can try to be just as fast.
So, for me, when some says this cable sounds this or that, I translate that as the cable having reduced certain noise but not others (own noise, or allowed some other noise to get through), as well as how good of an electrical conductor that cable is. We can only make opinions on how a cable sounds compared directly to another cable.
The big thing to understand is that noise is audible, and can be from the entire gamut of the sound frequency (whether audible or not). Noise is not specific to a set of frequencies. I hope this highlights how difficult for manufacturer's, in many industries including audio, find it difficult to reduce noise, but we are much better at this than ever before.
In my case, my Double Helix Cables Elite Molecule 22 OCC Silver Litz (22AWG) 4-Wire balanced cable does indeed sound different to my previous DHC Molecule Elite Fusion (copper and silver litz) 4-Wire balanced cable that I use with my Audeze EL-8 Titanium headphones.
The differences are similar to what I spoke about pure silver cables; my new DHC Molecule Elite 22 Silver cable is breathtakingly effortless, supremely holographic, almost no grain when I listen to music, and much wider and taller soundstage.
My previous DHC Molecule Elite Fusion was amazing over the stock El-8 cable but it now sounds a bit congested, grainy. and a tad slower, than my new silver cable.
I don't attribute this solely as 'sound signature' for each, but that one cable is better at lowering noise and has better electrical conductivity over the other. I could have only made these impressions by directly relating one cable to another. For example, if I described the sound difference of my older DHC Molecule Elite Fusion over the the stock EL-8 cable (and I had never heard the silver one), the comments I made about the my Silver cable would (nearly) describe the Fusion cable vs stock.
It is difficult to wrap anyone's head regarding cables and benefits, but the above is my take on this.
As long as you, the reader, researches well and continue to seek help and support of this community, you'll be fine.
My DHC "Molecule Elite 22 OCC silver litz (Tier 3, 4) 8-wires pure Silver Peptide OCC litz",that I just received last month is not as good as the "new" 4 Wires version ? ?
the DHC " Molecule Elite Molecule 22 OCC silver litz (Tier 3, 4) 8-wire pure Silver Peptide OCC litz" that I just received last month is not as good as the "new" 4 Wires version ??
The Molecule Elite Cable you have there is not the Elite 22, because the clue is in the name; 22 refers to 22AWG silver. The older Molecule Elite 8-Wire used thinner wires (25AWG), hence why it is an 8-Wire.
It will sonically be very close to the Molecule Elite 22 4-Wire (22AWG), which is near in size to the 8-Wire (25AWG) because of bigger wire gauge used per strand in the former.
Peter will NOT be making ANY Molecule Elite 22 8-Wires, because that would be stupidly huge, bigger than Complement4 and Spore4 without shielding.
Peter is thinking of getting rid of the 8-Wire line because, with the newer 22AWG copper and silver spools he has, he can make 4-Wire cables as big as older 8-Wire cables, and the sonic differences, though small, will be better.
Also, because the 25AWG strands are thinner, they are perfect for IEM use, so 8-Wire IEM cables will still be available.
The Elite 22 is also a Complement4 construction without the crazy shielding.
In spite of all of this, Peter only took stock of a small batch of 22AWG copper and silver spools recently, and did field-tests with the closest of his customers, those he trusted. He did this to see if the new 22AWG wires were sonically better, easier to make, and commercially viable prior to commercial soft-launch.
These spools are recent, so people who bought a Molecule Elite Silver 8-Wire Peptide would not have known about the Molecule Elite 22.
Your cable might have been ordered a while back and being made before Peter even got the 22AWG spools.
Bear in mind, all companies update and evolve their lines, and this can happen at the discretion of the manufacturer. Peter wasn't trying to swindle anyone; if the 22AWG cables were not good enough, there would be no Molecule Elite 22 Line. I personally know of some wicked cable spools Peter has had that are insane but not commercially viable, so they will most likely never see-the-light-of-day, never mind being sold to anyone.
I would recommend contacting Peter and see if he can assist you with your cable if you wish to upgrade, but otherwise, to re-emphasis, your cable is not that far of sonically to the Elite 22.
Hope this helps.
Oh, just to add, those are some pretty cable you got there <3
The Molecule Elite Cable you have there is not the Elite 22, because the clue is in the name; 22 refers to 22AWG silver. The older Molecule Elite 8-Wire used thinner wires (25AWG), hence why it is an 8-Wire.
It will sonically be very close to the Molecule Elite 22 4-Wire (22AWG), which is near in size to the 8-Wire (25AWG) because of bigger wire gauge used per strand in the former.
Peter will NOT be making ANY Molecule Elite 22 8-Wires, because that would be stupidly huge, bigger than Complement4 and Spore4 without shielding.
Peter is getting rid of the 8-Wire line because, with the newer 22AWG copper and silver spools he has, he can make 4-Wire cables as big as older 8-Wire cables, and the sonic differences, though small, will be better.
The Elite 22 is also a Complement4 construction without the crazy shielding.
In spite of all of this, Peter only took stock of a small batch of 22AWG copper and silver spools recently, and did field-tests with the closest of his customers, those he trusted. He did this to see if the new 22AWG wires were sonically better, easier to make, and commercially viable prior to commercial soft-launch.
These spools are recent, so people who bought a Molecule Elite Silver 8-Wire Peptide would not have known about the Molecule Elite 22.
Your cable might have been ordered a while back and being made before Peter even got the 22AWG spools.
Bear in mind, all companies update and evolve their lines, and this can happen at the discretion of the manufacturer. Peter wasn't trying to swindle anyone; if the 22AWG cables were not good enough, there would be no Molecule Elite 22 Line. I personally know of some wicked cable spools Peter has had that are insane but not commercially viable, so they will most likely never see-the-light-of-day, never mind being sold to anyone.
I would recommend contacting Peter and see if he can assist you with your cable if you wish to upgrade, but otherwise, to re-emphasis, your cable is not that far of sonically to the Elite 22.
Hope this helps.
Oh, just to add, those are some pretty cable you got there <3
I will stick to my curent cable which indeed sound already very very good, plus... I must confess that I prefer the "look" of the square 8 wires better than the 4 bigger wires
I will stick to my curent cable which indeed sound already very very good, plus... I must confess that I prefer the "look" of the 8 wires better than the 4 bigger wires
You already have one of the most insane silver OOT cables on the planet, and not only do they look gorgeous, they will sound effortless, grainless and holographic compared to almost any other cable out there.
Those cables are meant to last.
I own a Symbiote SP Fusion 8-Wire balanced cable for IEM use, and do like the look and feel of the square structure, but I personally prefer the bigger 4-Wire 22AWG gauge construction as it's more flexible than 8-Wire 25AWG and just as big.
In any case, enjoy them, post impressions, and more pics please!
(I'm going to amend my previous post to state 8-Wire IEM cables are staying. 22AWG strands is too big for IEM use, but 25AWG is fine).
The 4 bigger wires thing is just an experiment, functionally the cables have the same amount of silver in each, just a different layout. Some people will prefer 4 big wires, some will prefer 8, I may only offer 8 wire for IEM in the future as IEM benefits more from the more compact packing arrangement of the wires.
The 4 bigger wires thing is just an experiment, functionally the cables have the same amount of silver in each, just a different layout. Some people will prefer 4 big wires, some will prefer 8, I may only offer 8 wire for IEM in the future as IEM benefits more from the more compact packing arrangement of the wires.
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