The
"Molecule" Headphone Cable from DHC
For Sennheiser HD580/600/650/800, AKG, Ultrasone, or attach-it-yourself hardwire
Featuring Nucleotide custom OCC copper wire and a variety of options to make it your own
We specialize in dual layer "Ultra" and triple layer "Chrysalis" styles
The new "Clone" headphone cable option offers enhanced shielding and isolation between left/right channels and from the outside world by separating the 2 channels into their own independent cables - also known as the "Baby Complement," the little brother of our flagship "Complement" headphone cable. Available with any of our "Ultra" styling choices, like this Defcon carbon fiber/teflon styled Clone cable below.
All black...
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I am a research scientist by day and a 24-hour audiophile. I have owned aftermarket headphone cables from existing cable companies and studied their designs, strengths and weaknesses. I began experimenting a while back with my own designs and decided on a cable configuration that looks as good as it sounds: I named it the Double Helix. This cable was a big success and things keep growing and growing. I used to have a variety of cables with different names and wires, but things were getting too complicated. To get my best cable, the price was necessarily over $400 as some parts were sourced from other companies. I want for everyone to have a cable with the performance of my flagship cables of the past. For this reason, I have designed and commissioned my own custom OCC copper wire, which I have named "Nucleotide" wire. This wire will be at the heart of the majority of my product, including my new product - the "Molecule" headphone cable, and its OCC grade of copper is the purest there is. This wire is on par with the finest copper wires in the world and makes for a compact, super flexible, extremely neutral cable - and it will be in every headphone cable. A molecule is arrangement of atoms connected by strong bonds made of any variety of elements - it can be just about anything. With my Molecule headphone cable, there are limitless configurations to allow you to make a cable that fits your budget, aesthetic and practical considerations, and existing gear.
The experience of buying and owning a Double Helix cable is unique to this company. We offer free consulting to put together a single cable or package of cables to meet your needs. We are not vague with the identity of our materials, the reasons for our design choices, or our intentions - our mission is to provide a cable that is both beautiful and functional. For example, our Nucleotide wire is made of the best grade of copper in the world - ultrapure continuous cast copper - and we offer it in headphone cables starting at $160, something you will not find elsewhere. We keep in constant contact via email and chat - we will work with you until you are satisfied that you are ordering exactly what you want, and we provide photos during and after construction to show you the ongoing progress. There is really no request we can't handle - we are very creative and appreciate our customers' creativity - and no detail is too small. We have unmatched support - if you have any questions or need a repair, just ask.
So, why should you even upgrade to a Double Helix cable in the first place? If you cut open your stock Sennheiser or other headphone cable and look inside, you'd see that the signal wires and ground wires are not even individually insulated, just a bit of copper fluff varnished with plastic resin and wound together. The stock wires are puny and cannot deliver the current that high-end Sennheiser headphones demand. For practically all headphone manufacturers, spending the bare minimum of money and time on their cable is 'good enough' and I have yet to see a headphone that people will not choose to recable because the manufacturer's cable is satisfactory. Even my HD800's stock cable, which costs $200+ to replace, put a terrible veil over these amazing headphones' sound.
The Double Helix headphone cable is an easy upgrade with very obvious improvements that can be immediately appreciated - you simply unplug your stock Sennheiser/AKG cable and plug in your new cable. No matter what gear you have, it is a serious upgrade as you are removing the damage that the stock cable does to the signal. For me, when I first ditched my stock cable, the difference was comparable to when I added a DAC, as well as when I moved from a portable headphone amplifier to a full-size amp. I can with no difficulty tell the difference between all the brands of wire I have used in cables as this last link in the chain of your headphone system is vital and makes its presence known. I guarantee that my cable will make a remarkable difference in the sound quality of your headphones - hear what you have been missing and re-discover your music collection!.
Why choose the "Molecule" cable from DHC?
- Made by hand to your specifications - no design is too outlandish and we can develop a new design for your needs on the spot
- In general, our designs are at least as long, soft, flexible, light, and compact as stock cables if not more so. There is no excess rubber or metal on our cables limiting their comfort and usability.
- Quotes and order processing in minutes, not days
- Unbeatable value - the only balanced OCC copper cable for HD800 for under $225
- Super high strand count annealed "Nucleotide" Ohno continuous cast 6N copper (OCC) wire with soft, flexible polyethylene insulation. The Ohno copper casting process developed in the 1980s uses heated molds to form the copper into crystals of hundreds of feet in length, preventing crystal junctions and impurities that cloud the signal and pushing purity beyond 99.9999%. Besides making the copper physically stronger, the Ohno process brought immeasurable benefits to the world of audio, in terms of producing a natural sound with shocking detail and ultimate neutrality. No "high purity copper" of unknown quality in our cables, no prejacketed microphone cable or enamel magnet wire masquerading as an audiophile product. We also do not believe in using silver-plated copper in headphone cables as it leads to unnatural, scratchy treble and a hollow, ringing midrange with compromised detail - but as our cables are fully custom, we can build your cable with any wire you choose.
- Our hand-wound "Superstar" geometry isolates left/right channels while maintaining a super-compact, round shape free of microphonics
- We offer a wide variety of connectors hand-picked for durability and performance to suit any headphone system and most headphones with a detachable cable
- Exclusive - ViaBlue of Germany's black aluminum alloy Y-split cover for Sennheiser cables
-"Ultra" dual-layer sleeving styles for a unique look - only at DHC
- Built to last, sealed with epoxy resin and hand-tested extensively to make sure your cables fit well with our reference test setup
- We own all the gear (like HD800s) for which we build cables as we will not design cables we cannot test in a real-world setting
- We build with latex gloves and ultrasonically clean our connectors, use the best Cardas and Mundorf solder, and use mostly cryo-treated parts
- Free parts/labor for 5 years for headphone cables
- Not just headphone cables; we make nearly any cable and have recabled entire recording studios
- Hardwired recabling (Beyerdynamic, Grado, Audio-Technica - headphones with non-detachable cables) available from our partner ZX Audio. The owner is a personal friend of DHC's and will recable your Beyers and Grados with love using our "Nucleotide" OCC copper wire.
- Free consultations for life and one-on-one customer service you won't find anywhere else
Yum!
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Customize and price the Molecule Headphone Cable:
Please click here to customize, price, and order your Molecule cable from the DHC Store!
--> Is cost no object? Are you looking for the most high-end balanced cable there is? If so, go no further, click here and check out the flagship DHC "Complement" cable for Sennheiser HDxxx headphones. Otherwise, continue below. <--
1. Pick a length
2. Pick a headphone type -- Sennheiser HD580/600/650- free. AKG headphone (3-pin mini XLR) - free. Bare wires (no earcup connectors, solder yourself) - subtract $10. Sennheiser HD800 -$60. Ultrasone headphone - $20.
3. Pick a wire - DHC Nucleotide custom stranded copper (neutral, recommended) - free. Pure OCC silver or other wire - contact us for a custom design.
4. Is your setup balanced (your headphone amp has 3-pin or 4-pin XLR connectors on the front)? If so, go to #5, otherwise pick a single-ended (1/4" or 1/8") plug.
DHC has commissioned our very own custom black aluminum 1/4" and 1/8" plugs as a joint venture with our recabling partner, ZX Amateur Cables. They are lightweight and easy to travel with, made with the best possible materials - Delrin insulation and gold-plated brass - and a stylish silkscreened logo. They are now standard on all of our products. We will still carry other 1/4" and 1/8" plugs to allow you to make the choice.
DHC Custom 1/4" and 1/8" aluminum plugs - free, recommended. Furutech 1/4" plug - $20. Viablue 1/8" mini plug - $20. Cryoparts carbon fiber trimmed 1/8" plug - $25. Switchcraft right-angle gold mini plug - $20. Something I haven't listed - $ask.
5. For balanced setups - pick your terminations - Neutrik XLR plugs are great but we do carry some very exciting premium options. The super-expensive Oyaide and Bocchino XLRs come in sets of 2 males, 2 females - necessitating a 1/4" to XLR adapter to be included in the price.
Neutrik gold XX-series male 3-pin XLR plugs - $10. Neutrik gold 4-pin XLR - free. Furutech basic gold XLR plugs - $25. New: Cardas flagship rhodium XLR - on sale, $100. Furutech top-line rhodium XLR plugs - $130. Xhadow Precision XLR plugs - $150. Oyaide Focus 1 XLR plug set - with balanced to 1/4" adapter - $400. Bocchino BAXLR plug set with balanced to 1/4" adapter (world's finest - Delrin polymer body, machined OFC copper pins) - $500.
6. Sennheiser cables have a y-split near the top of the cable for left/right. Cover with logo heatshrink - free. Cover with Viablue aluminum alloy y-splitter, filled with cotton damping (recommended, most popular) - $25. With 2 Viablue splitters for 3-pin XLR balanced cables (they have a lower y-split too for their dual XLR plugs) - $50.
7. DHC offers many stylish options for the sleeving of your cable. "Naked" with decorative round braiding style - free. Black techflex braided sleeving (nylon monofilament) - free. Soft, silky black "Super Nylon" multifilament sleeving (recommended - softest and most flexible) or Techflex sleeving - free. Single layer premium sleeving (Reflex reflective sleeving, real clear Teflon) - $5 per foot. "Ultra" dual layer sleeving combination - combine nearly any two exotic sleeving types - $10 per foot, available on nearly any cable. "Chrysalis" flagship tri-layer sleeving combination - includes dual-layer earcup wires - $15 per foot, 6 foot minimum.
8. How do you want your earcup wires/XLR plug wires done? With clear heatshrink, or with black Techflex sleeving - free. With super soft black nylon multifilament sleeving - free. Specialty sleeving combination matching your Ultra style - $inquire as accompanying purchase, some restrictions apply.
8.5.Custom styling cues. Unique to DHC. There are many neat things we can do to make your cable one of a kind. One clear PVC window - $10. Custom carbon fiber art - $15. 2 clear PVC windows - $inquire, appropriate for some cables. Some restrictions apply. Or, design your own style! We love wild cables.
8.75 Want a taste of the Complement flagship cable in a smaller, less expensive package? Try the Clone.
Each channel's wire pair is shielded from one another by cotton sleeving and tinned copper braid, then individually sheathed in your choice of styling (black nylon multifilament is standard). Available for XLR and single-ended (XLR is 2 separate cables, like the Complement. SE features two separate cables twisted together and includes free labor (cover parts/shipping) to go balanced later. For Sennheiser headphones only. Pricing and details at www.doublehelixcables.com/store.
9. Shipping.
In USA (2-3 day Priority USPS) - $5. Overnight delivery - $20.
International - Priority, 5-10 days - $15. Global Express (3-5 days)- $30. Global Express is recommended as international priority flat rate boxes cannot be tracked or insured. UPS 3 day Express International - $90.10. Insurance. $5 for all packages. We recommend this on all orders. Not available on Priority Mail international.
11. Something else? We can make practically any cable - headphone cables are just part of what we offer. Head over to the products page or check out our new catalog to see what else we offer, as we do give discounts for multi-item orders.
11.5 Need an adapter? Adapter costs: Including 4-pin XLR to 1/4" or 1/8", 3-pin XLRs to 1/4 or 1/8", 1/4" to 1/8" or 1/8" to 1/4". These are high quality adapters made with my "Nucleotide" OCC copper wire and black nylon multifilament sleeving. We use Neutrik female jacks and our custom black aluminum 1/4" and 1/8" plugs. The included XLRs are Neutrik XX series gold-plated XLR plugs. Price is a flat $80 for any adapter, $70 for headphone cable customers past or present. Sorry, we cannot go cheaper or use cheaper parts, as we want our adapters to be durable and high performing.
We cannot expedite your order as it is only fair to fill orders in the order they are received. If there is no backlog of orders and your parts are in stock, your cable may very well ship within 24 hours. We can consistently provide an accurate time frame and if you are about to leave on business or vacation, we can arrange the address at the time of shipment and pick the appropriate shipping method so that the items reach you.
Now, email doublehelixcables@gmail.com and place your order, or use our order form. Just let us know what you want and we will send an invoice, or ask for advice and we will go from there. We prefer that you check out at doublehelixcables.com/store in order to save time, however.
Place your order or ask a question:
Now you can configure and buy your headphone cable in just a few clicks at the DHC Store!
Or, use this form to let us know what configuration you'd like - if you have any preferences please be specific.
***TESTIMONIALS*** - These are all cut and pasted from emails and headfi threads.
Headfi thread 1 - If you've got your new DHC cable and have tested it out, post all your reviews here!
RGS9200M on head-fi posts his impressions of the Complement:
The Double Helix Complement balanced cables totally transformed the sound of 800s for me. Highs, lows, mids, sound-space, you name it, everything is different and far better. They are magnificent. I really did not expect such a dramatic change. I'll give some more impressions later.
iPodPJ on Head-fi gives his impressions of my Complement HD800 cable:
I just received a loaner cable from Peter at Double Helix Cables. It's his flagship Complement cable, and his personal one as well. It is by far the best HD800 cable I've tried; best headphone cable I've tried. I've been listening to it for most of the evening. The channel separation and soundstage are larger than life. Both channels are completely separate cables, and I feel that is the main reason it performs so well. It uses very good wire, too. I will be having him make me one shortly. It's brought new life to the Phoenix. (Peter also has a Phoenix, HD800, and the DAC that came before the Ref1 (I forget which model) so I'm sure that is one reason this cable pairs so well with them.)
Just thought I'd mention that since I'm enjoying this amp once again.
First mini-review of my flagship $1100 OCC silver Complement HD800 cable:
"If I die, I will be buried with your cable."
- Dan
"I have just received the cable. I must say it is very well built, feels very solid. Right now i'm listening to some of my favourite songs with this cable on my HD800 and i'm very happy with this combo. Everything is much more musical with fuller body compared to what i have from the stock HD800 cable. Here is how my combo looks like:
:
I hope i will have more time to listen to music this week end and maybe a short impression on Head-fi a bit later. Thank you again for the great cable and especially for the super fast shipment. I sure will deal with you again in future...
-- anh
"I am finally done with my initial testing of the Double Helix vs. stock 650 cables. I tested them on my iPhone 3G, lossless > ALO Cryo SXC > p-51 > Double Helix 650 cable. I also tested the cables on a more powerful home amp, an Arcam. Results using the Arcam were more pronounced than with the P-51. Tests were run after over 100 hours clocked on each cable. The stock cable was better after 100 hours than when new, as was the Double Helix. The results showed, to my ears, that the Double Helix cable was the winner. The reasons are simple:
1) Stock cable sounded constricted compared to the Double Helix. It was harder to distinguish separate sounds, instruments and voices on the stock cable vs. the Double Helix cable.
2) In addition to the ability to hear sounds, instruments and voices more clearly, the entire soundstage was much larger and more alive with the Double Helix.
3) Voices with the stock cable seemed flat, almost recessed into the back of my head. With the Double Helix cable the voices moved forward and had way more space (air) around them.
4) Bass with the stock cable was pretty ample but lacked definition and clarity displayed when the same cuts were played using the Double Helix cable.
5) High end was also clearer but not harsh.
6) Overall I found the sound of the Double Helix cable to be smoother, clearer and more musical sounding than the stock cable.I am sorry that I haven't had the pleasure of comparing the Double Helix cable to the other fine options out there. The Double Helix is a very worthwhile upgrade compared with the stock cable. Peter at Double Helix does some solid job building his cables and takes the time to let you design all aspects. He is helpful and communicates well throughout the process. The bottom line for me is that the stock cable is packed up and in a drawer while the Double Helix cable is connected to the 650's. If anybody has any questions or comments I am "all ears"."
"After listening to Peter's (Double Helix) cable it is amazing that the headphone manufacturers go through the process of making a good headphone only to supply what seems like average cable with it! My cable is so open and accurate it sends a tingle down my spine listening to this at times, the soundstaging is nothing like i have heard before with strings have a resonance to it that sound like it is live from even from a studio recording and vocals i can hear the smallest details in sound down to even them breathing in and the natural sounds of saliva in their mouth on some artist which i have never heard before not even on my 10k home hi-fi setup! Drums are again so life like in the different range of bass it goes through down to a nice realistic bass rumble in the background rather than a thudding bass i have heard on some phones with the same track's. Over all the tonal balance is superb and it is an open, neutral and analytical sound which is my bag anyhow, but i have to say compared to the stock cable that came with my AKG's it was worth every penny to upgrade. Which brings me to Peter, the messiah for me of how customer support should be in reality (if only big companies adopted this policy like Peter does!). I had the choice to have the cable how i wanted and he talked me through every step with various options on what material to have cable wise for sound which did not take too long really, the long process was how to pimp the aesthetic side of the cable to how one wants their cable to look, which after a thousand emails back and forth and the patience of a saint from the creator Peter I finally decided on a look and the type of materials to use to sleeve the cable. What I liked about Peter's approach was he would always reply the same day 99% of the time and a lot of them within the hour! and would always email photos to how this or that may possibly look like to help me decide."
"I got my DT990/600 headphone cable from Double Helix and so far it's been great. The cables are definitely a lot nicer than the stock and gives me a more enjoyable experience with them. I highly recommend getting a new cable not only to improve your sound but also to give your cables a sexy makeover. And the prices are priced fairly so it doesn't feel like you're being ripped off. Overall a very honest and involved dealer."
-- Ben
"Just received my HD650 cable, totally agree with previous posters, veil now gone and way more clarity and crispness, gotta say Peter replies almost instantly to any questions via email, would recommend him and his workmanship.
"Bought an HD650 cable from Peter. Made a huge difference in my current set-up. The detail is enhanced in both the highs and lows. Fast shipping, pleasure to deal with and the cables look gorgeous. I wouldn't hesitate to order another cable from him again."
"I've been away from home and haven't been able to let you know
how much I love the cable. I now have a new and better set of phones, thanks to you!
A much cleaner, richer and better balanced sound that has me listening until the wee,
small hours... much to my wife's chagrin... bass is tighter, overtones extend up into infinity....
Thank you! You are a true artist!"- John F
"As for your K702 cable, it sounds very tight, punchy, fast paced and the amount of detail that can be heard and the realistic tonal qualities of the insttruments is uncanny. It also is so spacious & accurate with the soundstaging and it sounds like it is doing it with ease as it is very fluid in delivering the sound. As for people that have been saying the 702's do not have enough bass, baffles me as maybe it is true in comparison with say the HD650's which you will know, might be palatable, but people have actually stated it lacks bass? but i am not finding that with your cable and think even though the 702 might not be the most punchiest or heavy bass i have ever heard it is a realistic understated bass going on that only really rumbles on the low ends when needed to mirroring the artist recordings very well. Thanks Peter for everything you have done so far, customer service has been second to none and it has been very pleasurable to deal with a genuine nice guy as yourself along the way as well as getting a top product (custom made, a very rare thing that happens to me!) at the same time which i thoroughly enjoy every day ......... : )"
- John B
"Things are sounding better by the hour. Already, much beyond anything experienced with the Cardas Cable. It's hard to quantify differences, especially since I have no real audio critiqueing vocabulary. But here a few nouns that seem very apt so far ...Breadth, Articulation, Clarity, Sparkle, Precision, Impact, Extension, Musicality. Last evening, some female vocals (Jennifer Warren) seemed a bit subdued, though very clear and sweet. Today they have a bit more presence in the mix. I trust this trend of gradual extra projection of the female vocal range (1.5-3K hz, i'd guess) will continue for a bit. I hope so. But I don't want it become pronounced. I am so delighted. Excited, actually! If my pleasure persists unabated this will go down as just about THE most immediately rewarding investment I've ever made in high-end hi--fi ... and probably the finest value I've ever obtained.
- Noel N
"Well I just got my aftermarket Double Helix Cable and I can say that it makes a perceivable difference in the nature of the sound. For me it seems fairly night and day. Things just sound faster. The highs have more presence to be sure and the bass is a bit more impactful. When I say the highs have more presence I dont mean the very tip top of the highs, more the 7-14kHz range maybe. The speed and the highs are where the real differences are though. The HD650 "veil" is something that can only be recognized by its absence, and its absence is profound."
-- dBs
"When I first installed the cable it sounded quite a bit better than stock, but still kind of muffled in the mids. Then I listened for a few hours yesterday and it really began to open up noticeably during that session. More extended highs, better defined bass, and much more transparent in the mids... As far as I'm concerned, I don't need to be shopping for any more cables for my HD-650s."
-- Jim
He is a very nice person to work with! I ordered a nice interconnect from him, very beautiful! Really recommended if you are looking for custom cables. He will help you with your choice!
-- Pagail118
Just want to let you know that the cable arrived and it sounds as nice as it looks. I'm not quite sure about the break-in stuffs but it sounds good since the moment i plugged it in. I can tell you that the sound is:
1. More focused (can better single out the instruments)
2. Has more overtones and sustain (snare drums and chimes)
3. Refined midrange (more bite in violins)
4. Clearer vocals
5. Tighter bass (more distinct bass notes without loss in bass slams)
In the end, I consider this a significant upgrade from my previous cable. My wife also noted the difference. Since her ears are more tuned to expensive gear (we've visited few high-end stores before), her confirmation that your cable makes a huge positive difference proves that I'm still sane.
You will be recommended to my friends.
-- Amri
"Transaction went smoothly with fantastic customer service, i would happily buy from him again. great work, thanks!"
-- Darek
What gear does DHC use?
The owner of DHC uses Sennheiser HD800s and HD650s, Audiotechnica A700, Etymotic ER4P, and Beyerdynamic DT770 headphones with a Macbook Pro, Audio-Gd Phoenix amplifier, Audio-Gd DAC8 DAC, Monster HTS5000 power conditioner, Denon DVD-1920 SACD player. For cables, he uses a Cryoparts TWCu wired "Defcon" styled cable for HD650, Nucleotide wired Complement cable for HD800, Nucleotide recabled Etymotic ER4P (not available for retail), Nucleotide recabled Audio Technica A700, and a custom 4-pin mini XLR jack installation to 4-pin cables for the Shure SRH840. There's a custom "Metagenome" USB cable from DHC and a custom OCC silver BNC cable connecting the Macbook through a Sonicweld Diverter to the DAC8.
Double Helix Cables - Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. Double Helix Cables (the company) is not affiliated with Fidelity or Warren Audio, and is not to be confused with the Warren Audio Double Helix Series Cable. By placing an order you affirm that you will abide by this disclaimer. By loading this website you agree to indemnify DHC from all harm done by any DHC product. All sales final due to custom nature of cables - no refunds once your order is paid and your order's parts are sourced. Delays caused by acts of God (parts shipments getting lost, etc) are unavoidable occasionally - we will give you a discount on your next order if there is a substantial delay, at our discretion. Defective cables will be repaired free of charge within 5 years of purchase if it is determined that the customer is not at fault, in which case the customer must cover parts cost. The customer is responsible for shipping any defective cables back to DHC. LOD (iPod) cables have a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects and service past this period or in the event of accidental damage is $20 per incident, including return shipping. Customers who do not opt to purchase shipping insurance are responsible for covering parts cost for their cable to be rebuilt in the event of the package being lost. Solidcore wire products (Mundorf and other silver wires) are not covered by parts warranties - do not bend excessively. Tinkering with your cable will void your warranty. Once part of a cable is built your order cannot be changed, however it may still be possible to modify your order before it goes into build. Anything you email me can/will be used in the testimonials section - I appreciate the reviews and kind words!
