Yes, I know. Everyone has already done this, but this was my turn. Very glad I did. I will be putting my Slate cables up for sale in short order.
Nothing too fancy, but I did get a reasonable deal on some teflon coated UP-OCC copper wire. I discovered, while researching Litz braiding, an unusual weave with some research to support superior performance. The down-side is that it is not a braid and requires the construction of a sort of loom and a weaving process. After a couple of days of that I used some heat shrink on the entire length to minimize mechanical issues.
I then finished them out and terminated with a reasonable copper/silver banana using a relatively high silver content solder.
My first impression is very good. I auditioned what I could before I started to get some impression of a range of sounds in my own system.
I find these have as good detail retrieval as the entry level JPS, a nice expansive soundsage, and an unusual characteristic of eliminating harshness, which could be described a sibilance in vocals.
After repeated listening to Dusty in Memphis Rhino remaster on CD and my Atlantic LP I very distinctly notice any hotness to the vocal is non-existent.
All this is to say, If you have the mind to do something like this I can confirm that you can get a very good result without paying a huge price. Although these were not cheap, and took a good 20 hrs to make, I am very glad to have taken the chance.
Thanks to everyone that answered questions and published their own opinions and discoveries.
