[548184]

Note: I only use solid core for passive power solutions, so no clue if this applies to analogue solutions.

My preference for solid core is only Neotech and Mundorf while RW may prefer his own brand and diameter sizes.

An example of a power solution can be found here:

https://ghentaudio.com/part/dc-7n16c.html



Since you are in Germany, you may want to focus on Mundorf solutions since after VAT and international shipping the price difference may balance out.

https://www.mundorf.com/audio/en/shop/Cables/MConnect_CUW/

^ It doesn't seem like they have .5mm, but they show an recommended speaker configuration. Note: It mentions solid core, but I don't think it is if you compare with the same product on partsconnexion. Mundorf does have solid core though, it's just difficult to find the model no.

This could possibly be the same cable, but the Mundorf site is vague and doesn't mention solid core:

https://www.partsconnexion.com/MUNDORF-70801.html
https://www.mundorf.com/audio/en/shop/cables/mconnect_sgw/SilverGold,Wire-1x-0,50mm/?card=2808

You can also try:

https://www.banzaimusic.com/Wire-and-Cable/

https://www.banzaimusic.com/Solid-Core-Wire/

but I don't know the quality of those cables. Just that they carry Mundorf products and located in Germany.

If you have no choice but to order internationally, you can try this site:

https://www.partsconnexion.com/neotech-copper-ptfe-solid-hook-up-wire.html

https://www.partsconnexion.com/neotech-silver-ptfe-solid-hook-up-wire.html

https://www.partsconnexion.com/mundorf-hook-up-wire.html

Other options are:

https://www.soniccraft.com/index.ph...3_221?osCsid=751efe004c1b5fa8da9b138236bceae4

if you cannot find the right size, SonicCraft usually has stock but don't know about international.

https://vhaudio.com/wire.html

I heard good things about the solid core on vhaudio, but since I'm only in this for power solutions it doesn't interests at this time. Not sure about international shipping since I'm spoiled with free shipping.

 

[thePhones]

Man, this is all so expensive. Main reason for building it my self would have been the price. But I can get a similar config (solid core, 28 instead of 16 strands, also PTFE insulation) but instead with pure silver in my prefered length for just a few hundreds more minus all the work and risk that it looks ugly or does not bring good results. I did not know that solid core makes a big difference but I even love the improvement in transparancy I got from the pure silver litz cables with my headphones. Also I had silver plated copper on my Edition 5 headphones and I did not like the sound, the pure silver sounded a lot smoother in the high highs.
This is the one I had in mind for my speakers:
https://www.lavricables.com/cables/grand-28-core-silver-speaker-cables/
But I love building things my self if they bring a good result like I saved a lot by building the ferrite bnc cable my self.

Update:…. oh I misread, it is even the price for a pair. So it is even cheaper than building myself

 

[Rob Watts]

How to tell they’re in the right place though, as there are a lot of inches. Is there a particular track one would use ?

So you do it with practice - in the dim and distant past I would spend many hours setting up rooms for hundreds of shows. Experience means that one can set-up a room quite quickly now.

Rob, are you driving the 803 D3 directly from Dave?

No way - it can't drive them at all. I use single ended TT2.

If you could ever provide a measured evidence of this, many controversies would be finally surpassed. Subjectively, I've always found your observations true, but this is just my single experience. This is what I hate about audio, the fact that many people measure the wrong things and nobody seems to really care about going beyond those standard insufficient measurements. We can measure gravitational waves, but for some reasons we still can't get a hold of why cables affect their signals. I wonder why we don't put the right physics to work....

One of the benefits of data in the digital domain is that you can measure artefacts or errors at -300dB - and then listen to the effects of switching them in and out. The problem is that the ear/brain is ridiculously sensitive to errors - a rational person would dismiss them as too small to possibly be detectable. But they are audible, even under single blind conditions. Once you start admitting to errors of -300dB or less as being subjectively important, then you can appreciate why it is that cables sound different but measure identically.

 

[548184]

But I love building things my self if they bring a good result like I saved a lot by building the ferrite bnc cable my self.

Update:…. oh I misread, it is even the price for a pair. So it is even cheaper than building myself

A Rabbit Hole Appears! I believe you may be mixing tubing cores with solid core. Chi-Fi is usually misleading as they may mix words to grab your attention but when you dig down deeper it's not what is described. I avoid anything Chi-Fi or even OEM cables for earphone purposes.

So this may be an Apples vs. Oranges situation.

Yes, DIY is a good thing. I treat experiments as education costs not HiFi expenses. In the short run, it may not pay off but it will in the long run.

You may want to wait to see if RW weighs in on which solid core brand he recommends. He is usually more practical while I am a little bit more eccentric, so the cost may get cut down. I recommend experimenting with Cooper and if you like the results, then you can consider Silver at another time. The Cooper seems reasonable especially if you keep the length short for the prototype. Another issue is if Mundorf only offers Silver versus ordering Cooper internationally which is an auto $50+ expense. So if you can get a good deal locally on Mundorf Silver solid core, that may be more optimal than pursuing Cooper internationally.

But I think you are headed in the wrong direction if you are interested in solid core. Solid core is a different beast than the OEM cables you mentioned. You also have to account for the oven heat treatment of your own DIY custom solid core cable. Off the shelf solid core cable will not provide that service if even pre-made solid core cables are available for sale. It's a bit like oven heat treating your own oscillators. You cannot underestimate the power of oven heat treatment. ATM, I'm not aware of any 'Add to Cart / Basket' pre-made solid core cables available for sale. Only the DIY path, but I haven't looked into this as I rather control my own raw materials if reasonable.

For earphones, I would not build myself. I calculated the Mundorf at 12-wires and it's just not justifiable. I rather a professional handle this use case.

But for speakers, I would DIY solid core as there is less margin of error, less movement and speaker placement is not always constant.

 

[Jawed]

A litz wire is a bundle/weave of solid core strands:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Litz_wire

where each strand is insulated from the others in the wire.

There are extreme designs such as this:

https://www.lessloss.com/cmarc-rca-interconnect-cable-p-221.html

which uses 192 solid strands, each 0.125mm in diameter, woven-together at various scales to make a single wire. For an RCA cable another wire is braided around the first wire, so that's two sets of 192 solid strands for a channel.

 

[Kentajalli]

And most cheap earphones use braided wires, which are thin solid core, individually lacquered (insulated) , sometimes woven together (4 core bundles). That would keep the whole cable soft and tangle fee.
you can pick them up at dollar shops.
The only issue with them is highish impedance .
makes for good interconnect or USB cable.
A cheap option if anyone is after individual insulated solid core cable.
What are we talking about again?

 

[548184]

Let's just drop this, it's de-railing the thread. Technically, any Marketing department can call their cables "Solid Core".

In this context, it's one conductor (>= .5mm) per wire that I use for power purposes and RW uses for his 803D.

I just wanted to point out to thePhones that they are completely different cables (A zillion strands versus one "solid" core) and uses in case he/she is deciding on Purchasing vs building their own.

It would be terrible to get bait and switch thinking it's "solid core" when we are talking about solid core in the context of one conductor (>= .5mm) per wire. This is a good amount of coin, so I wanted to point out the differences.

It's a good time to end the solid core discussion. Maybe RW can talk about how super capacitors in the TT2 benefits speakers...

 

[ZappaMan]

And talk about internal regulators in tt2 as some people use external regulators.
I find it interesting, what role can a regulator play when the energy is being held in a capacitor prior to being consumed…

 

[Hifi2jungle]

Dear @Rob Watts,

Just bought an Mscaler and a Dave. Currently, i am feeding my Focal utopia directly out of the headphone amp of the Dave. Would you recommend an additional headphone amp for easy to drive headphones or is the headphone amp in the dave so good that an additional amp would have a bad impact on the sound?

Thanks for your feedback in advance.

Best,

Marco

 

[Rob Watts]

Dear @Rob Watts,

Just bought an Mscaler and a Dave. Currently, i am feeding my Focal utopia directly out of the headphone amp of the Dave. Would you recommend an additional headphone amp for easy to drive headphones or is the headphone amp in the dave so good that an additional amp would have a bad impact on the sound?

Thanks for your feedback in advance.

Best,

Marco

It's a very easy headphone to drive - Dave will give you 111dB SPL without clipping. That is ear damaging loud. So unless you want to colour the sound, (distort it plus loss of transparency) don't think about another amp. It will only damage musicality and transparency.

 

[Hifi2jungle]

It's a very easy headphone to drive - Dave will give you 111dB SPL without clipping. That is ear damaging loud. So unless you want to colour the sound, (distort it plus loss of transparency) don't think about another amp. It will only damage musicality and transparency.

Thanks Rob, that was what I do feel as well. I have tried many dacs and headphones in the past. No other DAC came close to Dave HMS. I am looking forward to 2022 and what's next. Cheers.

 

[Kentajalli]

. . . . I am looking forward to 2022 and what's next. Cheers.

Mojo2 - that's what's next!
perhaps, one for the road?

 

[Hifi2jungle]

Mojo2 - that's what's next!
perhaps, one for the road?

It is my educated guess that there will be something new in terms of upscaling for dave.

 

[Triode User]

It is my educated guess that there will be something new in terms of upscaling for dave.

No need to guess. Rob has told us that will happen later next year.

 

[Hifi2jungle]

No need to guess. Rob has told us that will happen later next year.

Oh really? Did not get this one. Any more information on this?