Mega IC Shootout

[Soundstage]

After going through this excellent thread and the glowing report on Helukabel ICs, I was tempted to pick up a couple of pairs. So I called up Ms. Promedia, spoke to Mr. Nikhil, confirmed that these were available and requested him for his bank details to transfer the money online, as I do not reside in Mumbai. I was assured that the details would be sent to me by SMS in a day at the most.

Since no SMS arrived, I called Mr. Nikhil again after 3-4 days and received the same assurance. Still when no SMS came after a few days, I called them up again, spoke to a lady who too assured she would get back to me soonest. However, 2 weeks later, still nothing.

I am sorry, but I do not think I would want to deal with a seller who has such a lackadaisical approach towards his customers.

 

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[amit11]

I also had similar experience...seems they don't deal in this cable any more... reaponse is too late...we have to follow up all times..

Sent from my SM-N9208 using Tapatalk

 

[jls001]

Here's a crazy recipe for an excellent sounding unbalanced or balanced interconnect.

Raw material is Duelund Coherent Audio DCA 16GA 16 gauge wire. This is a replica of the Western Electric WE16 wire.

The oil impregnated cotton insulation is stripped:

Strands carefully unwound and inserted into raw cotton tubing:

Finished cables:

 

[prem]

The 30 awg tinned copper cable recipe came from David Berning and I requested Joshua to make me one. Thanks Joshua. Mine is a balanced cable. I also have the Belden 8402 balanced cable. The 8402 is shielded and the 30 awg is unshielded.

In my system the 30 awg sounds a bit more open. The 8402 is more musical. The 30 awg sounds a bit more lively. The 8402 has a bit more low level information probably because it's shielded. The 8402 has better upper bass. The 30 awg has better upper mids which adds to its liveliness. Both are very good cables and should work well in most systems. Both the cables get the music right

 

[jls001]

Thanks for the concise description, Prem :thumbsup:

Since my chain is longer, I have to use both Belden 8402 and the new Duelund 30 gauge wire (just to expand on what Prem mentioned in his post above, each of the 26 strands of the 16 gauge cable is a tinned copper wire of 30 gauge).

In my case I run the 30 gauge from buffer to power amp so that it benefits both the digital and analog chains.

I also find that it brings an openness and effortlessness to the sound, and complements the Belden 8402 very well.

I briefly tried a full Duelund chain from phono stage to buffer, and then buffer to power amp. I felt it was an improvement so in future I may build another cable.

Though my sound is a bit light in the bass and not dense in general, the slight deficit of the Duelund in mid bass does not bother me because my current preference is an airier sound overall.

For those who can DIY cables, it is one of the finest cables one can make.

 

[G401fan]

If you follow recent posts on the Jeff Day blog, you'd get the impression that Duelund is the last word in cables, a musical epiphany of overwhelming proportions, and that all other cable manufacturers should pack up and go home.

http://jeffsplace.me/wordpress/

 

[prem]

G401fan, I have both the Duelund 16 awg and the original Western Electric 16 awg speakers cables. They are both very very good. The magic I think is because of the tinned copper. In fact Western Electric 16 awg speaker cables are used by many high end audiophiles in Japan having very expensive rigs. I too have owned expensive cables in the past but there is something magical about these 16 awg tinned copper cables. Definitely worth a try. For once I think the hype is justified

 

[Soundstage]

In my earlier post I had related my disappointment in ordering ICS from M/s Promedia long distance.

Well, I still needed to buy some ICs and happened to be in Andheri last weekend, just 10 minutes away from their office, so decided to give them the benefit of doubt and try again. I mean, what could go wrong if I just confirmed the availability over the phone, walked across to their office and made a cash purchase?

So, I called them up on Friday evening, spoke to the gentleman in question, asked him if 4 nos. were available, accepted the price quoted and told him I would come over in person to collect the items the next day by 12 noon. He agreed, asked for my telephone number to text me his address. Next morning, at 11 am, there being no SMS, I called him again and told him I'd be at his shop/office by 1 pm. At 1 pm, called him again to get his location, but found the phone just ringing with nobody answering at the other end. Kept trying till 2.30 pm, but to no avail.

Incredible way of running a business!

 

[amit11]

I too had some similar experience. Seems they are less interested in retail selling.

Anyways...coming to IC,..i too had tried many options, brands, hand made etc. I had finally got mogami 2803. After that i needed one more and i thought i will go for a cheaper one.. purchased two - three different ones..but finally once again i ended up buying another set of mogami 2803. I was thinking to myself if i would have gone for it in the first place itself.
So my point is mogami 2803 is such a good cable that i dont think cables twice its price can compete with it. There is something to mogami 2803 which makes it so likeable and after listening to it, it is difficult to like any other cable.

Sent from Note5

 

[jls001]

IAt 1 pm, called him again to get his location, but found the phone just ringing with nobody answering at the other end. Kept trying till 2.30 pm, but to no avail.

Incredible way of running a business!

That's seriously unprofessional of Promedia:sad:

 

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[jls001]

In my case I run the 30 gauge from buffer to power amp so that it benefits both the digital and analog chains.

I'm facing a curious and strange problem with the Duelund 16 gauge IC I made. I was away for quite some time from home (5+ weeks). When I came back, I switched on my setup but couldn't hear a sound from either analog or digital sources.

After isolating everything in the chain I found that the Duelund 16 gauge IC were showing open when tested with a multimeter continuity beeper. Curious, I checked further and found that one wire showed about 56 kOhms and the other nearly 70kOhms. An IC shouldn't be more than a few milliohms so needless to say this IC behaves like an open circuit and is useless. I'm at a loss how to explain this. Oxidation of the tinned copper wire?

 

[panditji]

That's seriously unprofessional of Promedia:sad:

And then they will complain that Indian customers don't buy from them...

 

[Nikhil]

I'm facing a curious and strange problem with the Duelund 16 gauge IC I made. I was away for quite some time from home (5+ weeks). When I came back, I switched on my setup but couldn't hear a sound from either analog or digital sources.

After isolating everything in the chain I found that the Duelund 16 gauge IC were showing open when tested with a multimeter continuity beeper. Curious, I checked further and found that one wire showed about 56 kOhms and the other nearly 70kOhms. An IC shouldn't be more than a few milliohms so needless to say this IC behaves like an open circuit and is useless. I'm at a loss how to explain this. Oxidation of the tinned copper wire?

Josh,

That is really interesting ... I guess you might be right.
Mumbai's humidity in the monsoon is very high and could be the reason.

Something to keep in ming with the unshielded Duelands I guess.

Regards

 

[blackscorpio]

Where could we get the Duelund Coherent Audio DCA 16GA?

any place in Hyderabad?

 

[prem]

It's only available from Parts Connexion in Canada or from Hifi Collective in U.K.

 

[dheerajin]

It's only available from Parts Connexion in Canada or from Hifi Collective in U.K.

Prem,

I can bring it from US. What do you think about it compared to Mogami 2803 IC.

 

[sann]

Hi Joshua,

Do you think the WE16GA would also exhibit this characteristic?

 

[prem]

@Dheerajin, the Duelund 16 awg is a speaker cable.

@Sann, I dont know why Joshua had this problem with the Duelund 30 awg ic. If its got to do with moisture, then its unlikely WE cable will have the same problem. WE cable has some rubber or could even be pvc sheath around the wire. The cotton covering is over and above this sheath. In case of Duelund there is no sheath. Theres just a cotton covering. So I guess its more susceptible to picking up moisture

 

[dheerajin]

Dheerajin, the Duelund 16 awg is a speaker cable.

Oh my bad..
By the way my speaker cable is tinned plate copper(supra quadrax) supplying only low and mid frequency to speakers. Do you think tinned plated copper exhibit the same characteristics as duelund.

 

[prem]

I wouldnt know Dheerajin. I have only heard WE and Duelund tinned copper speaker cables. I like both of them. Both these cables are fairly similar sounding

My suggestion is if you like what you have right now, leave it as it is. Cables are a never ending thing. Every cable will bring its own, small differences to the sound