I've had my new iMod and Cryo X Silver line-out connector for a couple of weeks now and would like to post my impressions. I'm running the iMod/Cryo X Silver cable into a TTVJ Millett Tube portable amp and listening through either Sennheiser 650s with Cardas cable, HF-1s, or AKG K601s or K501s.
I'm hearing detail I never really noticed before. The sound is quick, clean and clear, but not cold or clinical-sounding, and it's very three-dimensional. I love it! The setup sounds great with all my headphones, but it really seems to work a special magic with my Sennheiser 650s.
I bought the iMod for both portable use and to hook up to my home stereo system later on when the new docking station becomes available. I haven't tried to do any direct comparisons with my home setup (an older California Audio Labs CD player with a tube output stage, running into my preamp and then to a SinglePower PPX3 SLAM) but I can say it compares very favorably. It picks up just as much (and perhaps more) detail as the home rig, but probably lacks just a bit of the authoritative bass...and I attribute that to the portable amp (which is fantastic, but still a portable).
I only have 40 hours (at the most) listening time on the new iMod/Cryo X Silver cable setup now, so if the sound is only going to improve over time, it will likely move from being great to outrageously great!
Thanks Ken and Vinnie. I don't think I'm going to be in the market for a new CD player when my current one gives up the ghost. Even though this setup is not cheap...it's still less money than what I'd likely be spending for a new home player.
“Jumbo Cryo X Silver iMod Dock” 18 gauge Cryo x 20 gauge Silver (4 wires)
“Super Kind” cable. The “Super Kind” is 2 18G (Jumbo) Jena Labs Cryo wires, and 2 20 gauge solid silver wires.
Both the Jumbo Cyro X Silver dock and the Super Kind cable use 18G Cryo wires and 20 gauge Silver wires and I ASSUME that both of them are 4-wires. Please tell more about their physical difference and why one sounds better than the other.
Both the Jumbo Cyro X Silver dock and the Super Kind cable use 18G Cryo wires and 20 gauge Silver wires and I ASSUME that both of them are 4-wires. Please tell more about their physical difference and why one sounds better than the other.
The Super Kind and the Cryo X Silver are identical except that the 20G silver wires in the SK cable are sleeved in a 100% cotton tube, VS the Teflon tube of the Cryo X Silver. Then of course the SK cable is sleeved in 2 PET sleeves. We have found that if you take the same silver wire one in a cotton dielectric and one in Teflon and A/B them its a different sound. The cotton version being slightly warmer and more open.
Hope this helps.
Ken
__________________
Ken--The ALOaudio HF sponsored forum is HERE
Contact me at Audiolineout@gmail.com[/size][/color]
Here is an esoteric iMod and ALO posting. For the past few months I've been listening to an iMod (g4) ALO jumbo silver/copper i/c setup driving my UE10's via an RSA Hornet and frankly I'd been taking them for granted. I have been telling people that I use my RSA Tomahawk/Nano/ALO cryo dock cable for super-portable use and my iMod/ALO/Hornet rig for semi-portable use.
So yesterday I took the superportable unit out (which I haven't listened to for awhile) and, well, to summarise, is anyone interested in buying an ipod 8gb nano? The iMod is so much mind-bogglingly better than the nano. It is interesting because when I first picked up the ALO cryo dock and bypassed the nano headphone jack, it was a huge uptick in sound.
Also, for some reason I thought that the Hornet was uniformly just a slight tad better than the Tomahawk, but actually the Tomahawk is pretty good. Perhaps the Tom has slightly more detail wheras the Hornet has a bigger soundstage and tighter bass (although the Tom has bags of bass as well).
The main difference between my superportable and portable setup is that with the iMod the music lives inside your head, you cannot hear that you have headphones, the music just appears and the singer is in front of your forehead. With the nano, the sound is veiled, you don't have that effortless music feel.
Sorry for the ramble, but perhaps this could be useful info for people. I'm still trying to figure out if I need the 5g imod. Perhaps I'll justify based on portability alone?
So yesterday I took the superportable unit out (which I haven't listened to for awhile) and, well, to summarise, is anyone interested in buying an ipod 8gb nano?
I know how you feel. Before getting my iMod with the Cryo X Silver line out to run into my TTVJ/Millett Tube Portable Hybrid, I was using a second generation 8 gig Nano with a copper line out cable into the same amp.
The difference in sound quality is profound (which was a relief after shelling out the $ for the new setup). Now, my Nano's usage is confined to when I exercise, sans amplifier... a situation where the small form factor of the Nano is great and where the level of ambient noise really precludes critical listening.
Can you give us info on those modded cables that allows the Imod to be charged (while being amping)?
Yes these are made to order and come with a power supply unit. There is a build time as I do not have any made on the self ready to ship. There is a added charge for the ability to charge.
If you want one please email me.
Thanks
Ken
__________________
Ken--The ALOaudio HF sponsored forum is HERE
Contact me at Audiolineout@gmail.com[/size][/color]
Would i need a special cable to play files through a USB connection?
My car stereo connects to my iPod through USB.
Would this still work or would i need a special USB cable to connect it?
Linear Mode
