Specs & Pricing

Equipment
Report
Dual Connect
DC-I100 interconnect
The sound of a pure gold interconnect cable
Neil Gader
Gold’s mystique is as gripping today
as it has been throughout the ages,
and this charismatic metal continues
to be a source of enchantment for high-end
companies as well. From gold-plated preamp
knobs, phase plugs, RCA inputs, footers, record
clamps, and a galaxy of accessories, nothing
can match its timeless glow for exclusivity. In
the world of audio cables, where copper (and
sometimes silver) is the norm, gold is still held
in high regard for its signal-carrying prowess
and its unparalleled resistance to oxidation.
Which brings me to the Dual Connect DC-
I100, a one-meter .999-fine gold monofilament
interconnect. The DC-I100 combines
solid gold conductors of a very fine gauge
(checked the price of gold lately) in a dual
configuration within a thin helix tubing of
Teflon. Jewel-like to the touch, its construction
is first rate. Underscoring Dual Connect’s
commitment to high standards, the Eichmann
Bulletplug RCA connectors have a 24kt gold
overlay of the standard pure silver, rather than
the less conductive gold-plated brass that’s
more common to the breed.
The sound of the DC-I100 is warm with
a near-rosy midrange patina. It’s cliché to
characterize its sound as having a “golden”
aura but after a few minutes of listening,
the descriptor is unavoidable. On Sinatra’s
“Angel Eyes,” for example, from Only The
Lonely [Capitol], the DC-I100 brings a dark,
mellow, effortlessly smooth foundation to
his legendary pipes, with a slightly forward tilt
through the mids and vivid presence. There’s a
subdued quality in the treble—perhaps linked
to a reduction in microdynamic action—
that imparts a more relaxed perception of
Specs & Pricing
ELECTRUM AUDIO
electrumaudio.com
info@electrumaudio.com
Price: $1090/meter, RCA;
$1290/meter, XLR
ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
Sota Cosmos Series III turntable;
SME V pick-up arm; Shure
V15VxMR cartridge; MBL 1531
and Simaudio Moon Supernova
CD players; MBL 7008 and
transients like rapidly hammered piano keys,
tambourine rattles, or quick-wristed rim shots.
The Dual Connect doesn’t quite crackle with
the last word in speed and authority, but to its
credit neither does it grow edgy or harsh.
Like a spritz of sonic Endust, images are
polished to a sheen—enough for them to
maintain distinct positions on the soundstage.
And because there’s no etch of artificiality
to vocalist Dianne Reeves on the Good
Night, and Good Luck soundtrack [Concord],
her voice sounds like a single distinct body
rather than like divisible fundamental and
harmonic components. If you’re system has
the resolution (and the MBL system I have
on hand most certainly does), then you’ll
discover the Dual Connect is gently rolled at
the frequency extremes. For me it’s of little
consequence, but it will be an issue if you’ve
got an ongoing flirtation with the bottom
octave. However, during complex passages
that easily trip the highest harmonics, say a
piano solo or massed strings, there is some
attenuation of transparency. The result is the
sense that the harmonic profile of a sustained
note doesn’t hang in the air as cleanly, that its
borders have become shrouded and slightly
indefinite.
In my experience, cabling adds the last bit
of spit ’n’ polish to a great system, but the
results are rarely predictable. And personal
listening biases play a crucial role. In this
$1000 range, each competitor brings strengths
and weaknesses. The good news, however, is
that it’s easy to assess these relative merits and
demerits by auditioning a variety of wires. To
the list of usual suspects I would confidently
add the Dual Connect DC-I100. TAS
Chapter Précis amplifiers;
Kimber Kable and BiFocal XL
cabling; Wireworld Silver Electra
& Kimber Palladian power cords;
Richard Gray line conditioners;
Sound Fusion Turntable stand
76 December 2006 The Absolute Sound