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Chris' Custom audiophile cable service

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Chris_D
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Chris' Custom audiophile cable service

Post by Chris_D » Sun Apr 01, 2018 10:56 pm

So being a singleton, no kids and a more 'sedate' lifestyle these days affords me the time to indulge in my hobby of messing around with audio gear.

My current passion is for building my own bespoke headphone cables and interconnect cables. No really, stay with me; it's actually quite rewarding in a subdued kind of way. The subtle differences in sound signatures using various combinations of cables and gear can range from subtle to positively eye-opening. It's always a revelation to hook up gear which you thought had it's place in your audible perception/appreciation domain only to change a cable and transform it into a completely different character!

It got me thinking that as I do this as a sort of hobby that maybe I could turn it into a mini-enterprise and offer bespoke cables for sale.
I'm amazed by what some of these online retailers are charging for what I can very easily produce myself for a fraction of the cost!

Hence, if anyone's interested in upgrading their headphone cables or hifi interconnects drop me a message and I'll see if we can work out a deal.

To give you an idea of prices take a look at Toxic cables website - they have some bloody expensive gear up for sale there including a $1000 dollar pure silver headphone cable! I can make the same cable using exactly the same cable-type for a fraction of what they charge!!!
https://doublehelixcables.com/product/m ... le-cables/

To you dear forumites I offer a choice of 4 cable types which all have their own individual sound signature:
8core silver-plated copper (for balanced cables),
4 core pure 5N OCC copper,
4 core pure OCC silver, and
8 core super lux gold and silver plated copper hybrid cable:
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Can make you a nice balanced cable, as well as conventional single-ended:
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Your choice of connectors; MMCX, Sennheiser, Shure, mini XLR, XLR etc:
IMG_20180327_234244.jpg
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If you have a dedicated headphone amp with a balanced output I guarantee you will benefit from an upgrade cable:
IMG_20180328_165654_HDR.jpg
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Any takers? Drop me a line....
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Chris' Custom audiophile cable service

Post by Chris_D » Mon Apr 02, 2018 8:49 am

Cheeky bump as I posted this late last night and many won't see in the 'new posts'. 8)
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Chris' Custom audiophile cable service

Post by Beedub » Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:11 am

i have no idea where this would benefit me, but it looks as cool as F and i love the fact their another member doing his own thing behind the scenes, your product appears to be of very very very high quality !!! GL man!!!
Last edited by Beedub on Mon Apr 02, 2018 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Chris' Custom audiophile cable service

Post by Chris_D » Mon Apr 02, 2018 1:19 pm

Beedub wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 11:11 am i have no idea where this would benefit me, but it looks as cool as F and i love the fact their another member doing his own thing behind the scenes, what your producinh appears to be of very very very high quality !!! GL man!!!
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I might add that I use solder with a high silver content, for better conductivity.
Might sound a bit anal/overkill, but the devil's in the detail :wink: :thumbsup:
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Post by Beedub » Mon Apr 02, 2018 2:37 pm

so let me be clear....

i could send you my bose headphones and you can upgrade the wiring to get me better results??? would this also work on things like my xbox headphones etc??? silly request but i do game for down time, and im always wearing headphones, ALWAYS.

Can you make HDMI cables etc of similar quality ???

Such a cool sideline business!! really impressed lol.
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Post by Nictrix » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:22 pm

I actually thought this was a late April Fool as it just looks like shoe laces to me :lol:
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Post by MrPT » Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:29 pm

I used to make my own cables and still terminate long runs myself. Can see the appeal and the value for money for others - good luck! :thumbsup:
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Post by Marlon » Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:10 pm

Moved to Forum Codes and Services as per Forum rules
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Post by 1000rr » Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:22 pm

Audio Note and Kondo silvers all round a few years back, I had the bug good and proper.....even my Audio Physics where re-wired with AN silver cables, the biggest waste of money ever for the outlay, they sounded fab, but nowhere near worth the money.... a friend made some interconnects up for me for my AN phono stage with silver wire and solder and they sounded just as good at a fraction of the price......the Audio Note cart, however, was something else!

Home made cables are the way to go, but my soldering skills are poo. Good luck :thumbsup:

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Post by Chris_D » Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:25 pm

Beedub wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 2:37 pm so let me be clear....

i could send you my bose headphones and you can upgrade the wiring to get me better results??? would this also work on things like my xbox headphones etc??? silly request but i do game for down time, and im always wearing headphones, ALWAYS.

Can you make HDMI cables etc of similar quality ???

Such a cool sideline business!! really impressed lol.
If your headphones have a cable with 2 connectors at the headphones (MMCX, mini XLR etc) as per the photo below then yes I can build you a cable.
Unfortunately I don't break open headphones to rewire them if theyre hard-wired...as it usually ends up in tears and plus it takes fekin ages to rewire them. Ultimately it becomes more frustration than reward :roll:
LCD2s.jpg
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I steer clear of HDMI cables too as there are about 20 small gauge wires in those cables, terminating in what I can only describe as a cable contortionists' soldering nightmare! :lol:
WIth interconnects or headphone cables there's usually only between 2 and 8 cores to deal with and when its' 8 cores theyre usually paired by twisting together before soldering, so 4 wires to solder essentially. Easy peasy, feet smell cheesy :lol:
I question the value of expensive digital cables too to be honest. With audio signals it can be a marginal to noticeable gain, but with digital, hmmmm.
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Post by Chris_D » Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:26 pm

Nictrix wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 5:22 pm I actually thought this was a late April Fool as it just looks like shoe laces to me :lol:
:rofl: :thumbsup:
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Post by Chris_D » Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:31 pm

1000rr wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 6:22 pm Audio Note and Kondo silvers all round a few years back, I had the bug good and proper.....even my Audio Physics where re-wired with AN silver cables, the biggest waste of money ever for the outlay, they sounded fab, but nowhere near worth the money.... a friend made some interconnects up for me for my AN phono stage with silver wire and solder and they sounded just as good at a fraction of the price......the Audio Note cart, however, was something else!

Home made cables are the way to go, but my soldering skills are poo. Good luck :thumbsup:
Now THAT'S some seriously tasty gear you've got there 1000rr.! I bet it sounds stellar.
Can see a Miles Davis album cover there - you're obviously a jazz fan?
I'm enjoying a DSD copy of Larry Young live in Paris at the mo - insanely good listen. I just discovered Martin Kratochvil too. More quality jazz shennanigans.

I can't believe what some of these so-called boutique audiophile comapnies are asking for cables these days! I'm really thinking of jacking in my day job and turning to high-end cable manufacturing.... :lol:
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Post by 1000rr » Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:40 pm

Cheers!

I no longer own it, I sold it which paid for a house extension and refurb not long ago. I got to the stage that I was listening to the equipment, not the music..... spoilt the enjoyment. Started off with transistors, then into valves with Tube Technology integrated EL84, then Unison Research, then some Art Audio monos with Border Patrol power supplies, the single ended monos with silver trannies....added E.A.R phono stage with Audio Note mc transformer, Notts Analogue ace space with heavy kit and dedicated power supply, mystic mat, AN cart, Kondo silver wire throughout, Silver wired passive pre amp.... meridian transport with TT DAC... 10 years of upgrading and spending silly amounts...Kevin at Definitive Audio had some serious business off me!

I was forever chasing a deeper, wider soundstage with razor sharp detail and musicality..... I now have apple based multi room with ceiling speakers and subs in the house, and dare I say it, I’m enjoying the music more. :thumbsup:

Yep, Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, my fave album, ever. I like all sorts from Cafe Del Mar to Led Zep with everything in between.... the kids are massive music fans which is great in my book.and they both own and listen to great vinyl systems thanks to me.... my hobby lives on in them, I gave them both some silver cables for Xmas that my Mate made me, they where chuffed. :thumbsup:
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Post by Chris_D » Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:05 pm

1000rr wrote: Mon Apr 02, 2018 7:40 pm Cheers!

I no longer own it, I sold it which paid for a house extension and refurb not long ago. I got to the stage that I was listening to the equipment, not the music..... spoilt the enjoyment. Started off with transistors, then into valves with Tube Technology integrated EL84, then Unison Research, then some Art Audio monos with Border Patrol power supplies, the single ended monos with silver trannies....added E.A.R phono stage with Audio Note mc transformer, Notts Analogue ace space with heavy kit and dedicated power supply, mystic mat, AN cart, Kondo silver wire throughout, Silver wired passive pre amp.... meridian transport with TT DAC... 10 years of upgrading and spending silly amounts...Kevin at Definitive Audio had some serious business off me!

I was forever chasing a deeper, wider soundstage with razor sharp detail and musicality..... I now have apple based multi room with ceiling speakers and subs in the house, and dare I say it, I’m enjoying the music more. :thumbsup:

Yep, Miles Davis, Kind of Blue, my fave album, ever. I like all sorts from Cafe Del Mar to Led Zep with everything in between.... the kids are massive music fans which is great in my book.and they both own and listen to great vinyl systems thanks to me.... my hobby lives on in them, I gave them both some silver cables for Xmas that my Mate made me, they where chuffed. :thumbsup:
That resonates with me actually. I just can't get past a certain investment level when it comes to gear. The most I ever spent on a single item was €900 on a pair of LCD2 Classics and €500 for a Chord Mojo. What a combination! After I started using it with DSD files I thought to myself: I couldn't possibly need anything more in obtaining the 'ultimate enjoyment factor' when listening to music! That was after auditioning a pair of €4000 LCD4's and similarly expensive Focal Utopias.

Let me know if you ever need any cable goodies...
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Post by 1000rr » Mon Apr 02, 2018 10:13 pm

Will do. I may shout you up for some for the offspring. :thumbsup:
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