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Interconnects, speaker wire, power cords. Ask the Cable Guys.

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REVIEW: DIY by Chris VenHaus DIY Silver Interconnects Cable Review by rhyno at Audio Asylum

Posted by rhyno on January 4, 2001 at 08:26:17:
first off:
cdp: denon dcm 560 (weak link i know, but not a bad machine)
pre: joule electra la 100 mk2
amp: conrad johnson mf2100
speakers: merlin vsm-m w/ b-bam
speaker cables: JPS super bi-wire
old ICs: JPS ultraconductors
aux devices: SCE HRS & TDS audiophile hooked in serial after cdp before pre. sounds goofy, but hey, it sounds better in my system.
i used essentially the recipe that chris offers, and i think the following is worth mentioning: A) the deltron RCA plugs are ok at best, but i wouldn't use them again. the lack of a hole in the center plug (for the hot wire) would either require a lot of careful soldering (NOT!) or using a drill & ultra-small bit to drill a hole in this plug for the insertion of the hot wire--i did the latter and am glad i did (more secure connection requiring less solder); also, the ID of the RCA is almost the same size as the teflon tubing he recommends, thus requiring the careful shaving of some of the tubing off the ends where the tube meets the RCA plug--easy enough to do, but a slip up & you can scratch 3 ft of tube quickly. in sum, i wouldn't buy the deltron's again--go for an RCA plug with a much wider ID. (btw: i used the yellow gas pipe tape).
Construction: pretty straight forward, no major issues. after the first cable, its all gravy. you'll learn to use the selective application of tape to hold the wires in place at the ends while spiraling around the barrel--that's about the only trick i learned. also, getting the teflon off the silver wire is a pain--do this on one end before spiraling to reduce 50% of your potential errors which would force you to reduce your cable length (the wire is thin, and if you break the wire while trying to remove the teflon coat, you have to shorten your IC!)
btw: i did not think about directionality of the wires while constructing the cables.
initial sound: clear, detailed, bright! get them out! (my system leans on the bright side as per the denon cdp, where they were used).
after a week or two on the mobie (thanks bob), now hear this:
brightness is 95% gone (i was using Bill Evans XRCD Portrait in Jazz, track 5, which is bright on the master, as per checking with my de-facto reference system, rcrumps!). what i'm left with, when compared to the JPS Ultraconductors, is improved dynamics, better detail, and harmonics to die for--these wires bring me just a little closer. bass articulation is slightly better--can hear the ring of a bass string as well as the 'pluck'. the detail & harmonics together are quite astounding--resin on the bow baby, resin on the bow (Rutter's Requiem).
i did not notice an appreciable difference in soundstage width or depth.
i cannot say these wires offer a particular characteristic, other than a very accurate representation of what is upstream. in my case w/. a denon cdp, i experience occasional brightness (which is the cdp, as the brightness is not there when the wires are hooked up to my mac tuner). i can say emphatically that the burn-in time on the mobie was critical; these wires were ear-bleeders before the mobie, and now i have no complaints. i am unsure as to others results pre/post burn in, but i have the sneaking suspicion that a 2v load per some source components won't be enough to burn these in properly. BURN THEM IN PROPERLY.
correction, one complaint: when used b/w the pre & the amp, i develop a large hum in my mains. if i insert the JPS ultras, hum is gone. (my TV is close by, but the hum is present regardless of whether the tv is on or not). not sure what is causing this, but i use the JPS ultras for the pre>amp connection, and the chrisVH everywhere else. my JPS's have been sold--the CVHs are better, and actually kinda fun to construct too.
also: they're difficult to bend. build 6" too long for your measurements and you'll be ok.
nice recipe chris!
rhyno