Hook-up Wire: Duelund DCA16GA vs Neotech STDCT-16 vs Cardas 15.5 AWG

Has anybody tried new Duelund 600 volt Cu-Sn 12 AVG and 20 AVG cables?
How do they sound compared to regular Duelund DCA20GA and DCA12GA?

Hi @grannyring ,

I understood you.
You wrote: " compared to the cotton 12ga it will not sound as open, real, and lively due to the synthetic covering".
What I want to say, these drawbacks may do a sound of synthetic covering 20ga more balanced compared to lean sounding 20ga cotton version.

Regards,
Alex.

Hi @pumpweel ,
I like  Neotech LEGENBURG.
I use this wire in my amplifier and phonostage for many years.
But I'm curios if I can improve the sound of my amp using Duelund Cu-Sn wires.

Hi @grannyring ,

Duelund 600volt 20 avg can be used for headphones cables. Cotton isolation is not as durable as plastic one.

I'm also thinking about to upgrade 50 cm long run of cables from RCA inputs to input selector in my 300B integrated SET. Now I use a twisted pair cable made from Neotech Wire 22awg LEGENBURG Rectangular wire.

1. I think the Duelund 16AVG will be difficult to install to input selector switch because width of this wire. (I need to solder 16 wires to this thin switch).

2. And Duelund 20AVG can be sound too lean and hollow.

3. So, I think that 600 volt version of 20AVG can sound more like Belden 8402, not as open and detailed like the cotton version of Duelund 20AVG but more balanced.

4. I also can leave Legenburg Rectangular as is. It is very good sounding wire. It has smooth, bloom and clean sound. But it is not as detailed and good in instrument separation and sound-stage like Duelund cables.

Regards,
Alex.

Hi @pumpweel ,
I had some such experience before.
I used LEGENBURG 22ga for tonearm to MC step-up transformers interconnect cable.
I changed it to Duelund 20ga cotton version.
At first Duelund sounded cooler with less midrange bloom. But separation, soundstage, transparency, high frequencies extension - everything was better with Duelund.
After some beck-in time, Duelund started sound lusher too.
But MC cartridge interconnect works with very small signal and with integrated amplifier input signal this wire can behave a little bit different.

I also made interconnect cables with  Duelund 20ga and 16ga.
20avg sounded faster and brighter.
16ga sounded more balanced, fuller with more information in low mid-range and upper bass and very natural, lush vocals.

Regards,
Alex.

Yesterday I updated cables from Werner Jagush crossovers to Altec 604"E" speakers.
I used Belden 9497 and I update it by Duelund Sn-Co DCA16GA.
I use 16ga cable for both mid-base and compression drivers.
Despite zero break-in time Duelund cables sounded notably more transparent, more refined with much more low level detail. I also noticed more open and airy sound from Duelund cables. I don’t noticed a big difference in general tonal balance and vividness.
So  @grannyring is right - cotton insulation is much better for SQ compared to plastic one.
The difference of sound between Belden 9497 and Duelund DCA16GA id very clear.
For me was much more difficult to compare Belden 8402 interconnect to Duelund DCA20GA because totally different tonal balance. Belden 8402 has more right tonal balance for my test.

Hi @pumpweel ,

I compared two pairs of interconnects.

One is built from a twisted pair of Duelund DCA20GA 1m length.

The second built from a twisted pair of 22awg LEGENBURG Rectangular 0.5m.

Both cables are with Swithcraft RCA connectors.

I did comparison using interconnects from my Chord Qutest DAC to 300B integrated amplifier.

Interconnects build from Duelund sound more open, vivid, dynamic, with much more realistic tone. On other hand, LEGENBURG interconnects sound more refined and with more small level detail resolution. LEGENBURG midrange bloom coloration irritated me on classical piano record. Duelund tone was is much more on point on every kind of records.

This comparison made me want to upgrade internal wire to Duelund in my 300B integrated.

It has 50cm wires between input RCA and source select switch.

But it is too much job. I need at least 3 hours that nobody will disturb or interrupt me.

I’m am to busy now with my work and family ...

I did another comparison between 

Duelund DCA20GA and 22awg LEGENBURG Rectangular interconnect.

As test record I used Schubert quintet D956  with Jascha Heifetz, William Primrose, Gregor Piatigorsky.

Legenburg sounds smoother with better instrument separation. On other hand, Duelund DCA20GA gives drama, dynamic, energy that is almost completely missed with Legenburg cable.

I forget to say.
The goal of compaction between Duelund DCA20GA and 22awg LEGENBURG Rectangular interconnect was to decide -
should I change 22awg LEGENBURG cables in my 300B integrative amplifier to DCA20GA or not?
Or maybe, I should think about changing LEGENBURG cables to DCA16GA?

Hi @grannyring ,

1. " ICs made with the Duelund 16ga sound better to my ears than the Duelund 20 gauge. Better mids, bass and stage size. "
I’m agreed with you. I think it also sound more dynamic.

2. Duelund 16ga it is also fantastic, magical speakers wire.
I changed Belden 9497 wires to Duelund 16ga between external crossover and Altec 604 dynamics. (I have been using Duelund 16ga between
Amplifier and crossovers for almost a year) . The difference in sound between Belden and Duelund is huge. I didn’t expect such changes because both wires are Cu-Sn and both are 16 AVG.
The sound much more open, base is much better, high frequencies are more detailed and more air, dynamics is huge and speed is like in live performance. The sound also is much more refined and detailed.
Sadly, but despite Duelund 20ga is a good cable, it is not as successful and magical cable as 16ga.

3. In my integrated amp, a have long 50cm input wires for 3 inputs.
The input selector switches both signal and ground wires.
In total input selector has 3 inputs and 1 outputs. Each inputs and outputs has 4 pins (Left+, Left-, Right+, Right-). There are in total 16 pins.
I’m not sure how I can solder 16 x 16AVG wires to this tiny input selector.
I need to think about it...

4. Did you try to combine Duelund 16ga and 20ga in one interconnect.
For example 20ga for + wire and 16ga for - wire?

Regards,
Alex.

Hi @grannyring ,

Did you compared  DCA16GA vs  DCA12GA for speakers cables?
What is a difference in sound?
Do you prefer DCA12GA?

Regards,
Alex.

OK.
I have 97.5dB sensitive speakers and 7 Watt amplifier.

In the end, I decide to replace hook up wires in my 300B integrated. 
I was using Neotech Wire 22awg LEGENBURG Rectangular for many ears in this amplifier.
I exchanged it to Deuelund DCA20GA wire from RCA inputs to input select (50cm) and
Deuelund DCA16GA wire from input select to volume control (10cm).
For volume control I use constant Shinkoh 90K resistor shunted by DACT 100K step attenuator.
The sound changed dramatically.
Much more dynamic. Much more high frequency resolution and air.
Soundstge is bigger in all direction, better separation between instruments.
A tone of guitar strings, piano, violins is more real.
Legenburg wire added upper bass bloom that made sound more lush and warm.
But, with Duelund wire in my integrated, the sound of my system still has enough meat on bones. 
The impression - the bottleneck was removed from my system.
The next step is changing  Legenburg to Duelund wire in my DIY phonostage...

I don't have experience with multistrand Neotech wire.

Neotech Wire 22awg LEGENBURG Rectangular is not bad wire at all! It has very lush, musical sound with very good midrange.
I just say, Duelunc Cu-Sn is much better.