iMod V2 cable !!
May 25, 2010 at 2:51 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 15
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All,

The iMod continues to be a one of our biggest sellers (especially now with our 120GB and 240GB “Super iMod” offerings).  As you are aware, the iMod dock cables for the 5g/5.5g iPod Video units contain the required DC voltage blocking capacitors in the dock plug of our cable.  Since the beginning, we have been using the Black Gate Nx-Hi-Q non-polarized electrolytic capacitors for this application.  They have been our favorite for their small size and excellent sound quality.

These Black Gate capacitors have been out of production, and it has become increasing difficult to obtain them in the quantities we need to meet the demands of all our customers.  As a result, Vinnie Rossi of Red Wine Audio and I have spent a few months researching an alternative.  We viewed this as an opportunity to investigate an alternative capacitor that would enhance the iMod listening experience.  

We are excited to announce that we have found a solution that takes the sound quality of our iMod dock cables to the next level – a paralleled film capacitor approach that meets our size requirements and has exceeded our expectations in sound quality!  We will refer to these capacitors as the ALO iMod V2 caps, and they will be used going forward in our new “ALO iMod V2” dock cables, which will be labeled as such to avoid confusion with our previous iMod dock cables.

Our new ALO iMod V2 dock cables offer a sonic presentation that we feel is similar to the performance and sound of our Auricap iMod caps docks.  The ALO iMod V2 docks offer improvements in micro and macro dynamics, fine detail retrieval, more open soundstage – while retaining the same clean powerful bass response and midrange warmth and tone that thousands of our iMod customers have always loved.

In addition to this new paralleled film capacitors I am making the new iMod V2 cable with the new Audio Line Out LUX-FEP 18awg Teflon OCC wire. Our new product is now more durable yet having increased flexibility in the cable and a better dielectric constant. Additionally, we are able to use the more compact gold  neutrik mini-plugs by lathing the exit hole to accommodate the wires.
 

 

As always, thank you for your continued support and love for the iMod!

Ken
 
 
Campfire Audio Campfire Audio - Nicely Done. Stay updated on Campfire Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.campfireaudio.com/ Support@campfireaudio.com
Jun 7, 2010 at 2:37 PM Post #2 of 15
Ken...... I think I need this!
M
 
Jun 8, 2010 at 9:26 AM Post #3 of 15
Guys - the iMod V2 cable dock cable takes the sound to the next level... these are the best sounding iMod dock cables yet!
 
Ken and I are looking forward to the feedback of those who compare them to the older version...
 
Thanks for all your feedback.
 
Best regards,
 
Vinnie
 
Jun 28, 2010 at 8:23 PM Post #4 of 15
Hey guys, I don't mean to be a downer, but I read the following post and wanted to know your response. It's from this thread:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/497964/which-cable-is-better-for-the-redwine-audio-imod#post_6744650
 
Quote:
sdotfire said:


I'm not sure what caps are in the V2 but Vinnie claims sonically they are better, I prefer BG caps but I haven't tried many other options aside from adding bypass caps and utilizing Elna or other Nichicon caps.  BG bypassed is my favorite but I have to experiment more to figure out the best solution.  The v2 utilizes film capacitors which are quicker but I doubt they have the sub-bass impact, I could be wrong but anything Teflon shielded I stay far far away from. 
 
But I have yet to hear the first option, so take what I say with a grain of salt.  I do however know that Teflon has a negative effect on bare copper.  Not immediately, not even a couple months as seen with copper turning a greenish hue; it's more like a year or so but it does happen.  So if you really are buying this prestine, overpriced IMO, LOD then you should probably get option two if you want this rig to last for years to come.  Teflon is used more out of convienence rather than enhancing sonic quality.  Seriously, it just looks better and is more flexible.  It's not an improvement over PE in anyway moreso a disadvantage that will be seen in the upcoming years.  No one has really said much about this but talk to someone, a chemical engineer, and they will know that Teflon is not as good as PE shielding.  BTW, I happen to be a Chem Eng
wink_face.gif
 so trust me.  I gurantee in about a year everyone will be bashing this new use of Teflonn directly on bare copper.  It would work well with SPC I think but not OCC Copper. 

 
Jun 29, 2010 at 2:02 PM Post #5 of 15
Hey Guys,
 
Yes take that with a grain of salt.
 
Let me clarify that Teflon and bare copper wires on interconnects is nothing new, has been used very effectively for years.  Take a peek at Kimber.com and their products. Kimber makes some of the worlds best interconnects and speaker cables. Teflon is superior, has a better dielectric constant, is tougher, more flexible, less prone to tearing and damage than PE, PVC etc.  Our Teflon/copper wiring costs a lot more, so believe me it is NOT about convenience.
 
There are always going to be those who will complain about pricing and whatever else, but ALO Audio is all about providing the highest level of customer service and continuing to make the finest sounding and best quality products specifically for portable audiophiles.  As for the Black Gate cap vs the proprietary new film caps we are using in the iMod V2 dock, as mentioned above we prefer the sound of the film caps. I remember having a conversation with Pete Millet a while back about this and he was adamant that film caps were better. I did not believe him at the time, but he was right. Again there may be some who disagree with our preference and that is ok.  This hobby is all about personal preference.  But the iMod V2 dock with our paralleled film caps has no lack of bass in comparison to the BG caps. Its funny that you’ll find people commenting on our products regarding their price, design, etc. without actually listening to them.
 
Thank you,
 
kb
 
Campfire Audio Campfire Audio - Nicely Done. Stay updated on Campfire Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.campfireaudio.com/ Support@campfireaudio.com
Jul 1, 2010 at 1:46 PM Post #6 of 15
OK Guys, let me say this much....I talked to Ken over the phone the other day and he really is a great guy.  I even told him who I was here on head-fi and you would think that he would be upset but really he wasn't.  He told me that he strives to make the best cables to do what he loves, which is something I think he and all these distributors/manufacturers do.  That was one thing I took out of CanJam....everyone of these companies are run by stand up guys.  Maybe one isn't.....but I will get into that later LOL! 
 
Also, I bought the new iMod v2 cable for myself, that's why I said take this with a grain of salt because I have yet to hear it....so I decided to do it and not only did Ken sell me that but he gave me a little deal.  He gave me a deal after I did what I did?!  That's unbelievable.  I have to admit though I am truly brutally honest and will do a direct comparison to my TWag BG LOD and the new iMod V2 with no bias...I promise you that.
 
That being said, I have heard of Teflon having a negative effect on bare copper but it has been used for years as Ken proclaimed on his forum page.  That is true, and only time will tell.  To my own ears, I will be the judge, but again this whole audiophile thing is relative.  Completely subjective IMO  What may sound good to one person's ears may be the anti-christ for others. 
 
Apparently, the Teflon used is a new and better dielectric which should in theory produce a better cable.  I just wanted to let everyone know that I did buy this LOD and as of now TWag is my favorite, but I will know for sure soon enough.  But either way both Craig and Ken have SUPERB customer service and are again just great guys.  I never meant to bash him personally I was just repeating what was told me by some of my colleagues (I work at 3M in the IATD division with a bunch of smarter Chem Eng's than me) but I could be wrong.  That's why I sacked up and bought one in order to find out if this is the holy grail of wires...as of now I love TWag but I am not biased and will provide an in-depth review of the two in a variety of sources. 
 
But I truly was amazed at how genuinely nice Ken was to someone who had just thrown a kink in his upcoming product line, that shows me a lot about his integrity and character.
 
Craig is also one of my favorite people to deal with, I need to make it clear that these guys don't battle with each other.  At CanJam they were sharing thoughts and ideas, it was just an overall collaboration to make us, the consumer, get our hands on the ultimate products which produce musical bliss.  For now, my TWag is among the best.....but Ken makes great products too.  I hope that everyone understands this, the audiophile community is not about bashing or burning bridges but rather coming together and helping everyone out!

 
Jul 1, 2010 at 6:29 PM Post #8 of 15
Hey guys. I'm very sorry if I made the quotations seem like an attack either personal or professional. I posted the comments as a means to lead to a discussion from both parties. As a new member, I'm trying to figure out which products are good and which ones are bad. I've read many great things from ALO and believe them. ( The SXC cable is great!) However, I also feel it's important to trust one's ears and not simply praise or hype up a product solely on a name-brand basis. So many times as a consumer have I been mislead or disappointed with the quality of certain products just because of it's name brand ( *cough* BOSE )The comments from sdotfire intrigued me and wanted to know Ken's side of the story.
 
Props to both Ken and sdotfire. Not taking either side of the argument   as a personal attack and realizing that they both have the same goal: obtaining the greatest sound possible.
 
Thanks Ken for your time. We all know you're very busy!
L3000.gif

 
Jul 2, 2010 at 1:15 AM Post #9 of 15
Hey Guys, Thank you all for beng so dam cool. I could not agree more. Tolkencatholic, no worries it all good these are all good questions and things people should and do bring up. I really want to do the rigth things and make the best stuff I can. i have not intentions of selling junk, ignoring warranty issues and not taking care of the people who suport my business and family, if I did I would be quickly out of business and doing something diffrenent very quick.
 
Sdotfire, I told you not to worry about the post, you did not have to do that. It certainly was nice talking to you. Craig at Whiplash does make some killer goods and is a VERY cool dude, the competition is healthy, good for consumers and keeps both of us on our toes :wink:
 
If anyone does call me and I do not pick up, happend A LOT sorry. Please leave a message somtimes it takes a few trys to get me to stop and call back.
 
Again all thank you for being so tolerant and very very cool.
 
Ken
 
Campfire Audio Campfire Audio - Nicely Done. Stay updated on Campfire Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.campfireaudio.com/ Support@campfireaudio.com
Jan 5, 2011 at 1:37 PM Post #12 of 15

That is a joke right! You're customer service sucks, i emailed you several times when my V2 dock stopped working and you never replied and then when i phoned you you have a bitch fit saying how busy you are and i should email you. You had the nerve to ask that i pay for return shipping and $50 repair fee when the dock was only 2mths old. Worst customer service i ever received.
 
Quote:
Hey Guys,
 
Yes take that with a grain of salt.
 
Let me clarify that Teflon and bare copper wires on interconnects is nothing new, has been used very effectively for years.  Take a peek at Kimber.com and their products. Kimber makes some of the worlds best interconnects and speaker cables. Teflon is superior, has a better dielectric constant, is tougher, more flexible, less prone to tearing and damage than PE, PVC etc.  Our Teflon/copper wiring costs a lot more, so believe me it is NOT about convenience.
 
There are always going to be those who will complain about pricing and whatever else, but   ALO Audio is all about providing the highest level of customer service and continuing to make the finest sounding and best quality products specifically for portable audiophiles.  As for the Black Gate cap vs the proprietary new film caps we are using in the iMod V2 dock, as mentioned above we prefer the sound of the film caps. I remember having a conversation with Pete Millet a while back about this and he was adamant that film caps were better. I did not believe him at the time, but he was right. Again there may be some who disagree with our preference and that is ok.  This hobby is all about personal preference.  But the iMod V2 dock with our paralleled film caps has no lack of bass in comparison to the BG caps. Its funny that you’ll find people commenting on our products regarding their price, design, etc. without actually listening to them.
 
Thank you,
 
kb



 
Jan 6, 2011 at 6:23 PM Post #13 of 15
I've never received anything but prompt and professional services from Ken at ALO Audio. 
 
Just my experience from purchasing a bunch of products from ALO audio. 
 
FWIW,
 
CJ
:)
 
Jan 6, 2011 at 11:19 PM Post #14 of 15
Agreed, cj3029.  ALO is one of my favorite companies in this industry to deal with.  I've had nothing but prompt replies to my questions and by far the fastest shipping around.
 
Jan 7, 2011 at 10:53 AM Post #15 of 15


Quote:
That is a joke right! You're customer service sucks, i emailed you several times when my V2 dock stopped working and you never replied and then when i phoned you you have a bitch fit saying how busy you are and i should email you. You had the nerve to ask that i pay for return shipping and $50 repair fee when the dock was only 2mths old. Worst customer service i ever received.
 
Quote:
Hey Guys,
 
Yes take that with a grain of salt.
 
Let me clarify that Teflon and bare copper wires on interconnects is nothing new, has been used very effectively for years.  Take a peek at Kimber.com and their products. Kimber makes some of the worlds best interconnects and speaker cables. Teflon is superior, has a better dielectric constant, is tougher, more flexible, less prone to tearing and damage than PE, PVC etc.  Our Teflon/copper wiring costs a lot more, so believe me it is NOT about convenience.
 
There are always going to be those who will complain about pricing and whatever else, but   ALO Audio is all about providing the highest level of customer service and continuing to make the finest sounding and best quality products specifically for portable audiophiles.  As for the Black Gate cap vs the proprietary new film caps we are using in the iMod V2 dock, as mentioned above we prefer the sound of the film caps. I remember having a conversation with Pete Millet a while back about this and he was adamant that film caps were better. I did not believe him at the time, but he was right. Again there may be some who disagree with our preference and that is ok.  This hobby is all about personal preference.  But the iMod V2 dock with our paralleled film caps has no lack of bass in comparison to the BG caps. Its funny that you’ll find people commenting on our products regarding their price, design, etc. without actually listening to them.
 
Thank you,
 
kb


 


We have no repair fees if the cable is less than a year old so I have no idea what your talking about. All of our warranty information is disclosed and in writing on the website http://www.aloaudio.com/warranty/ Furthermore the RMA process is very easy, all you do is fill out the RMA form located on the website and send it back to me, very easy and you need not call us to hear our "bitch fits" about how busy we are.
 
Again if anyone has any warranty problems ALO audio will take care of them if they are under the warranry period, just go to www.ALOaudio.com/RMA This much quicker than caling or emailing for guidance of warranty issues.
 
Thank you!
 
Ken
 
Campfire Audio Campfire Audio - Nicely Done. Stay updated on Campfire Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
https://www.campfireaudio.com/ Support@campfireaudio.com

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