The key to DC++ is finding a good hub. I'm a music afficianado, so I usually hang around a few small indie and alternative music hubs. They have a small ammount of users, but everyone on the hub knows their stuff and if you want, say, the full Pixie's Dig for Fire EP you could find it no problem. The new Britney Spears? Well, you may have to go elsewhere. As for connection, I'm blessed with a broadband connection that regularity hits 500-600kb\sec, even on DC++. Also, in the hundreds and hundreds of gigs I've downloaded via DC++ I've never got a fake file (KaZaa drives me nuts for this).
As for some hubs worth connecting to, for things like Top Gear I'd connect to mkd1.no-ip.com or gute.no-ip.org.
If you're also into indie, check out anti.gotdns.com and broken.no-ip.org.