Dave's Cables Interconnect Cable Tour (New Tour With Speaker Cables: Page 10)

jtwrace · « **Reply #60 on:** 10 Sep 2013, 02:44 pm »

Quote from: launche on 9 Sep 2013, 08:03 pm

Honestly, if my system configuration were not soon changing

Great write up as usual. What's the comment above about though?

etcarroll · « **Reply #61 on:** 10 Sep 2013, 07:00 pm »

Hi Dave -

I'll be home the last 2 weeks of Sept, any chance I can get the D2 routed my way? Or the D1?

Gene

DaveC113 · « **Reply #62 on:** 11 Sep 2013, 05:35 am »

Quote from: etcarroll on 10 Sep 2013, 07:00 pm

Hi Dave -

I'll be home the last 2 weeks of Sept, any chance I can get the D2 routed my way? Or the D1?

Gene

Sure, we skipped over you before so I will add you in next.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #63 on:** 11 Sep 2013, 05:55 am »

launche, Great review, I appreciate it.

That's great the DD cable worked well with your system and tastes. I agree it is much different than most silver cables, in my experience silver needs to be extremely pure to avoid producing annoying artifacts. The Duelund wire is 5N or 99.999% pure which is very rare, and the mineral oil impregnated silk insulation is certainly unique and is also a very high quality dialectric. So the DD cable is not your typical silver cable and doesn't fit the stereotypical sound of lower quality silver cable.

I'm also going to add the cable with Neotech silver/gold alloy to the catalog, details in the other thread here:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=116380.new#new

nature boy · « **Reply #64 on:** 13 Sep 2013, 02:40 pm »

mjosef should have the cables now.

NB

mjosef · « **Reply #65 on:** 14 Sep 2013, 01:35 am »

Cables received...warming up the system right now, will report initial impressions later tonight.

Martin

Spinning: Parliament, Flashlight 12" single.

mjosef · « **Reply #66 on:** 18 Sep 2013, 04:40 am »

Took me a while to get the system back to where I like it best. Summers I usually switch to SS, and my sound takes a bit of a hit. With the rapid cooling over the past week I returned to my tube pre and amp over the weekend.
I swapped in Daves' cables last night, after two evenings playing my fav. music have to say these cables are pretty darn good. I think I like the DD best but they are close very close tonally.
Will live with them for a couple days before doing a direct comparison. My CD/SACD player has two outputs so I can easily compare any two cables with the flick of a switch on my preamp.
More later.

System: Yamaha 1800 SACD/CD/DVDA player > CAT SL1 pre> Marchand X/O @250Hz > RA 3205S tube amp >VMPS RM1 mid/hi panels. THe twin 8" bass drivers are driven by a Crown xti 1002 crossed at 340Hz/48dB. off the CAT 2nd output.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #67 on:** 18 Sep 2013, 05:20 pm »

Ok, sounds good...

dflee · « **Reply #68 on:** 28 Sep 2013, 11:04 pm »

Hey Dave, just curious about tour one status. I am looking forward to trying your cables out in my system.

etcarroll · « **Reply #69 on:** 29 Sep 2013, 12:01 am »

I got a pair this past Thursday and burning them in now.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #70 on:** 29 Sep 2013, 12:44 am »

Quote from: dflee on 28 Sep 2013, 11:04 pm

Hey Dave, just curious about tour one status. I am looking forward to trying your cables out in my system.

We are on, but folks are not posting reviews which is a big part of doing the tour. I don't mind of it takes some time to get your comments up but PLEASE don't skip posting up your impressions of the cables. Even had one person like the cables enough to buy them but no review. I invested a decent amount of time and money to get the cables out there, all I ask is to share your impressions and let me and all AC members know what you think of them. Thanks in advance for posting your thoughts of my cables.

@etcarroll, a little burn in is good since they were shipped but they shouldn't need very much time at this point.

ZLS has the other set of cables and will be sending them on to fridays.

poseidonsvoice · « **Reply #71 on:** 29 Sep 2013, 01:24 am »

Quote from: DaveC113 on 29 Sep 2013, 12:44 am

We are on, but folks are not posting reviews which is a big part of doing the tour. I don't mind of it takes some time to get your comments up but PLEASE don't skip posting up your impressions of the cables. Even had one person like the cables enough to buy them but no review. I invested a decent amount of time and money to get the cables out there, all I ask is to share your impressions and let me and all AC members know what you think of them. Thanks in advance for posting your thoughts of my cables.

@etcarroll, a little burn in is good since they were shipped but they shouldn't need very much time at this point.

ZLS has the other set of cables and will be sending them on to fridays.

Indeed. Good, Bad or Neutral, it helps Dave, somewhat like an extended R&D.

Thanks Dave for the tour once again.

Best,
Anand.

DaveC113 · « **Reply #72 on:** 29 Sep 2013, 03:02 am »

Yup, with an audio product measurements are only part of the story... getting feedback is very important for both myself and potential customers. My customers want to have the best understanding possible of what they are getting before they put money down. Even with a 30 day return policy folks don't want to buy unless they are confident they are making a good choice. With feedback comments people can get an idea of the sonic characteristics of the cables and how they work with various systems. And I need feedback to make my product the best it can possibly be.

etcarroll · « **Reply #73 on:** 29 Sep 2013, 03:25 am »

I guess I should have said 'getting them acclimated to my system'.

Quote from: DaveC113 on 29 Sep 2013, 12:44 am

@etcarroll, a little burn in is good since they were shipped but they shouldn't need very much time at this point.

ZLS has the other set of cables and will be sending them on to fridays.

rklein · « **Reply #74 on:** 30 Sep 2013, 01:46 am »

I got the Dave's XLR cables from Anand about three weeks ago and am just now posting my impressions. My apologies for not posting earlier. Two business trips and care giving for my Father-In-Law doesn't leave much time for hobbies now a days...

My listening was conducted with Dave's XLR IC's and then unexpectedly, I also received a package full of Dave's RCA IC's. Most of my listening was done with the XLR version.

The setup for these listening sessions were as follows:
Source: C.A.P.S. v.2+ with JRiver feeding an Exasound E20 MKIII DAC
Amp: Modwright KW-200 Integrated
Speakers: DIY'd Selah Audio TRT Model
Speaker Cables: MG Audio Planus 2's

I listened to a variety of classical recordings which included:
Beethoven String Quartets recorded by the Cleveland Quartet
Mahler 2nd Symphony - DSD version recorded by Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra
Madrigal Movement from Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet recorded by The Cleveland Orchestra/Maazel
Toccata & Fugue from the DSD recording by The Jacques Loussier Jazz Trio
Promenade from the Lucky To Be Me album recorded by Taylor Egsti

I found Dave's XLR cables to have a very nice quality overall. There was no lacking bass. The mids to my ear had a bit softer quality than the Furutechs that I have been using. The highs were also a bit (and I mean just a wee wee little bit) more subdued than the Furutechs as well.

One of the traits of Dave's XLR cable which really showed up during my listening of the Beethoven Quartets was the speed of the cable. What I mean by this is that I could hear the inner voices(2nd violin & viola) a bit more clearer on the Furutechs. In addition, the faster figures (16th note runs) were a bit clearer on the Furutechs as well.

This in not in any way saying that Dave's XLR cables lacking. I am nitpicking. Unfortunately, I am cursed with a classically trained ear and where Dave's XLR cable might shine on other genre's of recordings, I preferred the house Furutechs in these listening sessions. In addition, the MW KWI-200 leans on the side of warmness. Especially, in the mids. (in a very musical way) so I think Dave's XLR cables were just too much of a good thing. In a bit bighter system, the XLR's might just be the ticket!

What was totally unexpected was when I decided to go ahead and try Dave's DD RCA cables. I really had no intention of using them as I run balanced but I went ahead and ran them between the Exasound E20 MKIII DAC directly to the Modwright KW-200 Integrated using the HT Bypass, thereby bypassing the Preamp section of the KWI-200 and using the VC from the E20.

The resulting sound was VERY NICE!! Not as transparent as the previous setup but lemme tell you. I really didn't care. The overall presentation was extremely clean without being harsh. I then went ahead and tried the D1 and D2 cables but my favorite (by not a small margin) was the DD.

On every recording it just sounded good. Sometimes I would be wanting to hear more information but then told myself to just chill out and enjoy myself. Well with the DD cable that is exactly what I did.

For what Dave is charging for some very well constructed cables, you really can't go wrong.

I appreciate being part of this tour and again my apologies to everyone, especially Dave for being tardy with my comments.

Regards,

Randy

jtwrace · « **Reply #75 on:** 30 Sep 2013, 01:49 am »

Quote from: rklein on 30 Sep 2013, 01:46 am

Amp: Modwright KW-200 Integrated

I thought you had NC400's?

Guess not.

rklein · « **Reply #76 on:** 30 Sep 2013, 01:57 am »

I do have the NCore monos. Just trying something different to see if I can simplify my system. The jury is still out....

The Modwright does a GREAT job in the midrange. Not sure how Dan accomplishes this with a piece of SS gear. However, the NCores are more dynamic and also more transparent.

Regards,

Randy

jtwrace · « **Reply #77 on:** 30 Sep 2013, 02:04 am »

Quote from: rklein on 30 Sep 2013, 01:57 am

I do have the NCore monos. Just trying something different to see if I can simplify my system. The jury is still out....

The Modwright does a GREAT job in the midrange. Not sure how Dan accomplishes this with a piece of SS gear. However, the NCores are more dynamic and also more transparent.

Regards,

Randy

Ah ok. Did you try the cables with the NCore setup?

rklein · « **Reply #78 on:** 30 Sep 2013, 02:16 am »

Quote

Ah ok. Did you try the cables with the NCore setup?

Unfortunately, no. Between business and my wife's Dad, my plate is full.

Plus, I have been breaking in the Modwright 24/7 and when I listened I wanted it to be with what I had been listening to for the last month. For me at least, if I start changing too much equipment and inserting too many variables my ears start to play tricks on me. Sort of like Audio Overload! If I were able to keep the cables (which isn't feasible) for longer I might have tried them with the NCores.

Regards,

Randy

DaveC113 · « **Reply #79 on:** 30 Sep 2013, 02:32 am »

Thanks for the review Randy.

Again, I'm happy the XLR cable did so well when put up against a much more expensive cable... I am a Furutech dealer and the cheapest set of XLR cables on the list retails for nearly $1000, and the others are well over $1k. The D1 XLR is the cheapest version I can make and will retail under $200, if I were to make a D2 or DD version of the XLR it would be much better, and also more expensive.

I am also happy you liked the DD RCA cable, it is made with the best parts I can find within reason... the Duelund 5N silver wire is really something special. And the cable is under $500... You also noticed the cable is extremely clean without being harsh, which is my goal and what I consider the best cable... one that allows you to hear as much detail as possible but without any harshness or annoying artifacts that would cause fatigue.