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LOD quality?

post #1 of 15
1/26/10 at 10:40pm
Thread Starter 
I'm looking at many different LODs for my ipod. I have three choices:

One is a basic adapter for $10, another a silver plated copper for $25, and the third pure copper for $40. Is there really a noticable sound difference between these three? I really need help from an LOD expert!

IPOD LINE-OUT-DOCK FOR HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER, BEST DEAL! - eBay (item 250557840182 end time Feb-02-10 08:58:37 PST)

IPOD LINE-OUT-DOCK FOR HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER,Pure Copper! - eBay (item 250555967138 end time Jan-29-10 10:11:42 PST)

line out dock with stereo jack for iphone ipod touch - eBay (item 280450863117 end time Feb-12-10 05:08:30 PST)
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post #2 of 15
1/26/10 at 10:50pm
Get the least expensive one. $40 for a short piece of cable in unacceptable to me.
I built a couple of LODs with different cables. Couldn't hear one single improvement (or degredation!) by using copper, silver-plated, silver and gold wires.
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post #3 of 15
1/26/10 at 11:05pm
Hmm im also curious about thoughts on their pure silver cable. seems reasonable?

IPOD LINE-OUT-DOCK FOR HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER,Pure Silver!
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post #4 of 15
1/26/10 at 11:17pm
Say what you want, but I love Hong Kong
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post #5 of 15
1/26/10 at 11:31pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by anetode View Post
Awww, and I built mine for $19 worth of parts...
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post #6 of 15
1/27/10 at 12:44am
If only it worked with 2g iPod touch... (and if only they were making them that cheap for the Fuze!)
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post #7 of 15
1/27/10 at 1:30am
LOD quality IMO is all based on the build, if its put together poorly then it wont last long. craftsmanship has a lot to do with SQ and the components used, someone who is mass producing them will probably use components of lower quality that won't last as long. and along with cheap components also comes some degradation of a clean signal; its arguable how big of a difference "high quality" components(wire, solder, connectors, etc) make, but it all comes down to personal preference

i would either try your hand at making your own or paying a little more and buying it off someone who isn't rushing to make a quick buck. the plus side of building it is that you will learn how it all goes together and if it doesn't work then you will know how to fix it. the plus side of buying it from an independent is that it probably wont break in the first month of use, but its not guaranteed. however most people who make them as one offs will probably be willing to replace the faulty cable if their workmanship is the problem

just my $0.02
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post #8 of 15
1/27/10 at 2:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LintHart View Post
Hmm im also curious about thoughts on their pure silver cable. seems reasonable?

IPOD LINE-OUT-DOCK FOR HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER,Pure Silver!
yea that is interesting.... but i cant spend anymore money today .... wife doesnt know what i bought in the last week or so.
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post #9 of 15
1/27/10 at 4:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by debitsohn View Post
yea that is interesting.... but i cant spend anymore money today .... wife doesnt know what i bought in the last week or so.
HA this is always a common problem.

as a side note, im sure this has been talked about to death but copper is supposed add warmth and silver is about detail. so does that mean that silver is alot colder than copper for sound conduction?

whats the deal with silver lined copper then? warm with a hint more detail?
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post #10 of 15
1/27/10 at 9:35am
I very much agree with the comment about build quality being important. That was a major factor in my buying from Russ Andrews. Whatever you think about his theories on wires, his build quality is outstanding. I could have bought his cheaper copper LOD but went for silver as I do think that silver makes a difference. The silver LOD was not a silly price IMO. YMMV. Basically, if you can afford top notch cables. Buy them. If you cannot, dont.
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post #11 of 15
1/27/10 at 10:16am
Yeah, mechanical integrity is real difficult to achieve in a half-foot-long cord. Those just fall apart every day. Unless they're dipped in molten silver.
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post #12 of 15
1/27/10 at 1:30pm
if you want a nice durable one, here's what i can recommend:

IPHONE LINE OUT DOCK WITH CABLE & PLUG (BLACK COLOR) - eBay (item 290339664189 end time Feb-09-10 09:28:29 PST)

I own this one, and all i can say is that it's very durable... I didn't think so initially, but it turns out that the guy used some very good glue, since it has yet to break even when i bend it in all kinds of directions...

btw, it looks nice too... SQ is good, but i also doubt that cable affects SQ much, if not at all...

As said, i think you should concentrate on durability, especially if you're travelling with it....
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post #13 of 15
1/27/10 at 1:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by LintHart View Post
Hmm im also curious about thoughts on their pure silver cable. seems reasonable?

IPOD LINE-OUT-DOCK FOR HEADPHONE AMPLIFIER,Pure Silver!
From the page:
Quote:
To complete this audiophile cable, i used Switchcraft 3.5mm gold plated plug. When you use this cable, you will taste the most detailed music.
Mmm, I just had a delicious punk rock, with a side of indie, sauteed in a fine acoustic guitar sauce...
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post #14 of 15
1/27/10 at 1:42pm
Don't lets debate SQ of cables. It has been done to death. It is much cheaper to believe that they make no difference. I am fortunate enough to be able to buy quality, so I do. I also like my rig to look pretty.
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post #15 of 15
1/29/10 at 10:04pm
Yea I think it has mostly to do with the build quality followed by the materials used. If you aren't spending a lot on a cable I'd suggest to go with the cheapest because you won't be able to tell the difference.

Once you get some higher quality equipment you might be able to hear the differences in sound from changing cables and whatnot; that's when stuff really gets expensive :/
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