Bought some new Blue Jeans! Woohoo!

Happiness is finding a pair of cables you can easily live with and totally enjoy!

 

Very similar except there is plastic around each copper wire in the Taras(I hacked it off on the ends, most was clear but one was blue). The idea is that the pieces of metal that do end up making contact (to each other or the binding posts) get cranked down and create the highest ratio of real area of contact:apparent area of contact. IE create the most metallic bonds in those regions. In getting the highest ratio, you minimize micro-arcing and Eddy currents. Fine multi-stranded wire (like original Monster) does the opposite. And even though the actual area (both apparent area of contact and real area of contact which will be even less) of contact being made is small, I think it is plenty.

 

Regarding area of contact, multi-strand wire has a greater surface area and would therefore allow for more contact with a binding post. Likewise, they’re less prone to metal fatigue, especially if ‘cranking’ pressure on them.

 

IMHO the amount of contact being made with the Taras is plenty. Fatigue takes many cycles. IMHO Compressive pressure is not harmful to course copper wire or fine copper wire unless you are removing and attaching the same cable hundreds of times. Im not worried about the thick Tara copper at all.

 

wow, bunch of BS

 

When I linked the SSI Cable Technology page in #34 and said "Whole. Lotta. Nothing.", I thought it ended at the "editors choice awards". Ive since seen that they offer some points below the editors choice awards and wanted to comment.

Here was the link

SSI Cable Technology

The 3 points below the Editor's choice awards (btw that site is annoying, pop-up bubbles of customers with recent purchases?)

1. Cables that use stranded wire.

I like that they insulate their individual "solid core" strands. Other than that...whatever.

2. Cables that use large gauge wire.

Whatever.

3. Cables that use heavy insulators.

Generally Agree. Air isnt heavy, is it?

 

I'm currently trying a set of Iconoclast balanced cables between my preamp and power amps (monoblocks).

I've generally been somewhat of a cable skeptic - not that they can't sound different/better, but that the value just isn't there vs other audio system investments. But I think my system is now at the level where significant improvements in any components will likely cost a lot more than trying some better cables. Since BJC offers a 30 day return policy on these - even for custom lengths, I decided to try them.

I decided on the Iconoclast cables because both BJC and Belden are no-nonsense companies, and Belden has the technology and expertise to both design and manufacture a cable to consistently high standards. I have an EE background (although haven't done any real EE work in a few decades), and I found Galen's technical arguments make a lot of sense.

You can argue whether Iconoclast has optimized the right parameters, and if doing so really makes enough of a difference to justify the price. But at least they are transparent about their design philosophy and how the cable is constructed.

I've tried a number of less expensive cables for this connection including BJC and DIY cables made from DH Labs Pro Studio, Parts Connexion "The Natural", and Neotech NEI-3001 Mk III.

The Iconoclast cables cost several times more than any of these other cables. So far, I'm pretty pleased with the way they sound. I've only had them in my system for a few days, but the most obvious things I've noticed is increased sharpness/dynamics on the start of notes, such as percussion and guitar string plucks, and a more sustained decay on piano, bells, etc. It's kind of a cliché, but I've also noticed some background sounds that I hadn't noticed before on songs I've listened to many times.

While the improvements (and I do consider them improvements, not just differences) are clearly there, I'm still not sure whether the value is there. But if they sound any better after they've settled in a bit more, they will probably cross that threshold for me.

 

Haven't plugged them in yet, but these are some impressive speaker cables just based on weight and looks. Looking forward to hearing them