[dflee]

I had the pleasure of receiving a package of Dave's ICs, D1, D2 and DD (I think the DD should stand for Dave's Deluxe) and gave them a whirl in my system. I stayed with them between the dac and pre for the entire trial due to time restraints and I feel that it is the most revealing part of my system. Played as many different types of music as I had time for which consisted of the following: Edgar Meyer- Bach Cello Suites, Sam Bush- Howlin at The Moon, Edgar Meyer- Hop, Skip and Wobble, Zepplin's First, Springsteen- Devils and Dust, Trevor Pinnic- Mozart Symphonies. Von Karion- Beethoven's Eighth Symphony and Tim O'Brien- The Crossing. Just bits and pieces of each album listed. My system is listed should you be interested.
I started with the D2 and felt it had a strong command of the music and was conveyed quite well in it's weight class. The sound was on the forward side and presentation faired well both through the speakers and head phones. Next up were the DDs. This was interesting in the fact that while they seemed more laid back, they also had more resolution to the instruments sound and seemed to give proper sizing to the instruments. They gave a presentation of the mandolin or violin as a small instrument that has huge sound rather than just a loud sounding instrument. The DD also faired well with speakers and head phones. I did try the D1 but not near as much as the other two. It has the same overall qualities as it's kin but just not in the same quantity. I feel they would make someone a good starter cable at a reasonable price.
Next I put in my single male to double female connectors and put in the D2 and DD for a flick of the remote change while listening to some of the music. The DD remained my favorite thus was used in comparison to my present cable, Morrow Audio M4 with silver bullet connectors. Again using the splitter, I went back and forth during the music and most of the time could not tell any difference between them on speakers and head phones. They really were as close to each other as I could tell. Both produce a great sound stage with the M4 being a smidge more forward sounding which I found to be more to my liking.
I think Dave makes a good looking and sounding IC and feel they are in their proper price range. I don't feel like their over priced and compete with others in their price class.

Don

[jonbee]

Excellent write up. Clear and direct. I'm looking forward to trying them very soon.

[DaveC113]

Thanks for the excellent review Don, I appreciate it!

[dflee]

My reasoning for using both speaker and head phone was to double check and make sure the cables aren't exceeding what each can provide.

Don

[jonbee]

I received the D1, D2, and DD (all single-ended) yesterday, and spent this AM listening to all 3 of these. I decided to post my comments here.
So far I have listened in my office system, which uses a PC music server feeding an Audio-GD 11.32 Sabre DAC, a Magnum-Dynalab MD-208 receiver and custom Selah Audio monitors with RAAL tweeters and 5.5" Revelator woofers. I chose this system out of my 3 because listening nearfield 5 feet away gives a very microscopic view into the sound, while still offering excellent balance, range and transparency. It takes the room out of the picture to a larger degree which I have found to be useful for listening to subtleties of cables, etc.
As I have mentioned here before, I have been in this hobby seriously for 45 years. While speakers are my great interest (~300 pairs owned) I have certainly tried at least 100 models of ICs. The top of my price range is ~$1000/pr, so I have no frame of reference on more expensive options in my systems.
In the last year alone I have used ZU Mission, Varial and Event, Nanotech 207, Anti-Cable ICs, Discovery Essence, LAT 200, Cerious Reference, Grover Huffman ZX, Mojo Lucent, and Acrotec 6N-A2050 in various single-ended and balanced configs.
All these sounded different, some great , some so-so, but at the end of it I had arrived at Grover Huffman ZX as the best I've used. They are very detailed, dynamic and well balanced, with a forward presentation that I like but that may not be to everyone's taste. I wired my 2 best systems with them. At $200 they are a dead steal. They outpointed all the above, most of which cost more. I don't mind going cheap when the goods are there.
 My critical listening used one track only- "O My Seh Yeh", the opening track from Roy Hargrove's Habana cd. Of all 10000 tracks in my collection, this 10 minute track is one is the closest it having it all sonically-  killer horn arrangements, astonishing electric bass, depth, soundstage ambience, percussive dynamics, all recorded perfectly with little or no processing or sweetening. I've used this track as my #1 reference on many systems over the last 10 years, so I know it well.
Enough of the prelims.
My reference IC for comparison was the Grover ZX.
I started with Dave's D1s. I like them very well. They are smooth, well balanced, and did nothing wrong or offensive. They make for very enjoyable listening, with no caveat. A very even handed choice. Not as revealing, dynamic or incisive as the ZX, but I would choose them over any under $200 choices I've used. If your budget is  a bit over $100 I don't think there are any better, period.
However, I was anxious to get onto the main courses.
Next up was the D2. As soon as I fired them up, my first thought was that this is more like it. More open, detailed, with better soundstage definition. VERY well balanced. This is first team performance. I could live with these easily.
Compared to the ZX, they have the same level of detail and range.
The principal difference is one of presentation. The ZX is upfront- like being in the first row, compared to maybe the 8th row for the D2. If you've ever sat in the first row and heard a live trumpet you know how edgy and sometimes painful the experience can be. The ZX gives a bit of that; the D2 is a more "comfortable" presentation. Not rolled off, and perhaps better balanced harmonically.
Of the 2 I lean toward the ZX, but others may well like a little easier sound of the D2.
Next was the DD. After the D2 I was very interested to see how much better it could get. Once again, the first 10 seconds (a bass drum beating in a large resonant space) was a good hint of what was to come. The venue ambience is portrayed more clearly and distinctly than I have ever heard. Harmonics are richer and fuller, but with no obfuscation- just the opposite. Clarity and definition both increase notably, but the presentation is less forward than the ZX, yet with no loss of dynamics and immediacy. This is very good stuff indeed- the best I've ever had in my systems, period. Refinement, transparency and ease- they have it all in spades.
I got on this tour to hear Dave's ICs not because I was interested in changing ICs, but I was interested in his speaker cables and wanted to hear the quality of his work overall.
I tried them in my main system and got the same results, and with a varied selection of music. The DDs are the real deal, at a very attractive price for the quality on offer. Although not really in the market, I know when I hear a great thing. I voted w/ my wallet and ordered a pair of balanced and a pair of unbalanced DDs today.
Congratulation to Dave on these great products. The D2 and DD are not dirt cheap, but along with the D1 they really do offer sound that is worth the tariff at each price level. A very sane choice for top quality sound, IMO.

[jonbee]

Just a quick update. I'm preparing to send these cables to the next tester, so I've just competed a second round of comparisons in my 2 best systems, after listening to the DDs in my main systems all weekend.
As some have noted, the DDs are a warmer presentation than some others, but not overly so. There is no euphonic obfuscation anywhere I can hear it. The top end is a bit more laid back than the Grover ZX and not at all in your face, a good thing, but if a system is already laid back these may not be the best matchup.
At the end there was one question I asked myself- forgetting all the micro-dissection, which do I actually prefer to listen to? When making a purchase, this is the key, IMO.
The answer to me is the DDs. The music just sounds as it should, imo, smooth, easy, yet very clear and open.
The Duelund silver wire is obviously a big factor. I've always been interested in the reverence given to Duelund products, but have choked on the price tag. I have to say I get it now. Dave has done a lot of work to come up with a great balanced IC design that takes advantage of this remarkable wire, and offers it at a relatively affordable price. I love this when it happens.

[DaveC113]

Hi John, I really appreciate the thorough review, you clearly took a lot of time and effort to test out the cables and write about them. 


My goal is to offer a significantly better value for the money than anyone else, and while the value of any audio product depends on synergy and personal preference, I am very happy that I have been able to achieve my goals for at least some folks systems and tastes.

[hanguy]

I had the pleasure of reviewing Dave’s cable in my system over the holiday. I focused on D2 and DD IC.

I installed the cable between my Buffalo III DAC and Van Alstine Avastar preamp. I need a 3m pair between my preamp and amp so I cannot test Dave’s IC in that location. The rest of my system consists of DIY Pass F5 AMP and GR Research Super-V speakers.

The interconnect I have been using between the DAC and preamp was a DIY cable using the very same center conductor as Dave’s D2 cable. The ground return wire is the same but without the Litz configuration and using Eichmann Gold Bullet Plugs. The D2 cable’s sonic signature is very similar to my DIY cable but has a little more heft in the bass and seems a little louder. The weak notes of music come through a little more clearly. I would consider the D2 cables are worthwhile upgrade considering the reasonable price of the D2 and the quality of material it uses.

Next up is the DD cable. This set of cable is in a totally different league. The presentation of the music is more or less the same as D2 but everything just got better. The music is more coherent and the bass is even more solid than D2. The image of everything seems to snap into focus. The image does not get larger than the D2 but it just seem more solid. For the lack of a better term, everything just got more musical. Considering the price difference between the D2 and the DD and the performance differences, the DD represents a better investment.

Mike

[jonbee]

Next up is the DD cable. This set of cable is in a totally different league. The presentation of the music is more or less the same as D2 but everything just got better. The music is more coherent and the bass is even more solid than D2. The image of everything seems to snap into focus. The image does not get larger than the D2 but it just seem more solid. For the lack of a better term, everything just got more musical. Considering the price difference between the D2 and the DD and the performance differences, the DD represents a better investment.
Mike

I concur. The DD and the D3 AND Dave's speaker cables are all very high value performers in the top class of cables.

[DaveC113]

Thanks for the review Mike, I appreciate it! 

[rollo]

I have been saying since I received the DD that they are a very special cable. Period. Duelund wire as well as their caps due to lots of dielectric take serious time to stop changing.
  Initially they sound dark in comparison to when fully broken in. Bass is there but not defined yet. the top extended but not fleshed out meaning the harmonics have yet to appear in their decay and glory.
   With 700 hundred hours on them now they stopped changing. If you own these cables you are going to be surprised as to the end result. Not warm at all. Extremely neutral but without the leanness that usually goes along with neutral. These cables have gestalt [ balls ] that most do not. nothing is highlighted or blown up. 
    I am a top end freak. It better be natural and non Hi Fi sounding. These cables provide that in spades. Once you experience real like tonality and harmonics at first you may think the DD is rich. It is not it is accurate with zero HI Fi attributes. The sizzle, exaggerated sibilance brightness is MIA. Oh and did I say dead quite.
    Now saying all that remember no cable is a "BEST" cable or wire. We can say though accurate tone, harmonics and PRAT is what makes this cable assembly a must try.
    The D2 in direct comparison is different. A bit less meat on the bone detailed and a tad brighter presentation. Does that description mean not good ? Not at all just different. I cannot say that enough. We per ferred the D2 with tubed gear as opposed to SS. Especially digital source.
     Dave the DD is an excellent product. The "best" ? no such thing a "difference" yes Sir and take that to the bank. The difference is staggering Oh and if you like like them you can keep them. Period.



charles


 

[jonbee]

...a "difference" yes Sir and take that to the bank. The difference is staggering Oh and if you like like them you can keep them. Period.
charles

I agree. I just ordered a pair of DDs for my office system, where they really excelled with the demo pair I had. After taking them out to send them back to Dave, I decided I had given up too much by going back to my other ICs.
So my count is 2 pr. D3s (XLR and RCA), 1 pr. DDs, and Dave's 14 ga. speaker cables.
I think these products are a dead steal for the quality on offer, which is why I'm outfitting my 2 best systems before Dave raises the price or (God forbid) gets hit by lightning or something.