Dave's Cables D4 interconnects and 14 gauge speaker wire

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Stercom

I really wasn't looking for different cables. My Auditorium 23 interconnects and speaker wire always sounded musical. I knew they weren't the most "detailed" cable but they never sounded edgy or bright - which is a big no, no for me.  I had recently switched over to battery power by using a Red Wine Audio Signature 57 integrated amp. The Auditorium 23 cables seemed like an ideal match - no need to change and no need to try anything else. However, Dave at Dave's Cables was getting excellent reviews on AudioCircle and offering free trials of his various cables. His D3 cable was making the rounds and seemed like a great value. Dave and I exchanged messages. He ended up sending me not only the D3 interconnects but his 14 gauge EC-UPOCC speaker wire as well.

I first installed Dave's speaker wire and left in my Auditorium 23 interconnects. Immediately, there was a richer, fuller lower-end and the midrange seemed more focused and natural. The soundstage was bigger and deeper. For $425 I knew these were staying in my system. I put Dave's D3 interconnects in next. I was expecting yet another step forward in sound quality. What I got was sound that was too forward and hyped. It sounded very revealing and "detailed" but nothing I could listen to for more than a half-hour or so. I exchanged more messages with Dave. He ended-up sending me his DD interconnects and his D4 interconnects. He certainly is a trusting individual considering I hadn't paid him a deposit or purchased anything! Since the DDs are made of Duelund 1.0 silver I expected they would sound very much like Shindo cables I had used in the past. I was right about that. Dave's DD interconnects are excellent. They are balanced and natural sounding. Very easy to live with.

What came next I truly did not expect. The D4 interconnects have it all. Absolutely clear and detailed but with a natural warmth to the sound. The soundstage is expansive but precise. The low-end is solid but with natural decay and impact. Nothing is hyped but, on the other hand, nothing is hidden. I decided to use D4 through-out my system. Dave built mine with a cotton techflex and black fabric heat shrink tube to secure the ends, the combo gives the cables a really cool vintage look. I needed shielding for my turntable and step-up transformer so he used a layer of cotton techflex between the cable and the shield, then a drain wire over the shield, then another layer of cotton techflex to finish them off.  The D4 has parts quality you would typically find in cables 3-5x the price and the Neotech silver/gold alloy wire is amazing... Dave indicates for the same gauge it is double the price of Duelund 1.0 silver. Well worth it in my opinion. Highly recommended!

jonbee

Re: Dave's Cables D4 interconnects and 14 gauge speaker wire
« Reply #1 on: 20 Jul 2014, 11:19 pm »
Very interesting review. Matchups are everything, it seems.
I had the same experience with the speaker cables. Very rich and powerful, yet clear. A real steal at the price, too.
For me, in my main system, which can use a bit of a "lift" on top, I found the D3 to be just right, while the DD was a bit too laid back. However, in my office system, I prefer and use the DD.
Haven't heard the D4. Reading your comments makes me afraid to try them. Too much temptation?
Thanks for the thoughts.
« Last Edit: 30 Aug 2014, 06:49 pm by jonbee »

Stercom

Re: Dave's Cables D4 interconnects and 14 gauge speaker wire
« Reply #2 on: 21 Jul 2014, 10:34 am »
Very interesting review. Matchups are everything, it seems.
I had the same experience with the speaker cables. Very rich and powerful, yet clear. A real steal at the price, too.
For me, in my main system, which can use a bit of a "lift" on top, I found the D3 to be just right, while the DD was a bit too laid back. However, in my office system, I prefer and use the DD.
Haven't heard the D4. Reading your comments makes me afraid to try them.
Thanks for the thoughts.
I agree the D3 could be "just right" - in the right system. There are a lot of variables that go into what we hear as being "correct." The music, our room, our equipment, our musical taste, our age, how much we had to drink, etc... (not really kidding about the drinking, ha!) Thats the beauty of a cable manufacturer letting you listen to his cables -  in your system - before you buy!

Stercom

Re: Dave's Cables D4 interconnects and 14 gauge speaker wire
« Reply #3 on: 22 Nov 2014, 07:36 am »
jonbee - I saw from another thread that you decided to make the move to the D4s. Congrats!