So the Total Airhead comes with a cable? How is the quality of this cable?
Does anyone know of a retailer with 90 degree adapters for the mini jack?
Thanks!
The interconnect cable that comes with the TAH is a Straightwire brand cable, which I'm perfectly content with. You may want to read the following article before purchasing a replacement for the TAH supplied cable.
The Straightwire mini is o.k., nothing to write home about. Its only real advantage is that it has two right angle plugs and is better than Rat Shack. Other than that, its sound is unspectacular.
Electronics guys... we have our plusses and minuses. With advent of digital everything, we're being phased out
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Quote:
Originally posted by DeanA
The interconnect cable that comes with the TAH is a Straightwire brand cable, which I'm perfectly content with. You may want to read the following article before purchasing a replacement for the TAH supplied cable.
DeanA,
I wouldn't want this (probably well meaning, but narrow minded) know it all having ANYTHING to do with my hi fi equpment! Tin ears and a narrow mind are a bad combination!
DeanA,
I wouldn't want this (probably well meaning, but narrow minded) know it all having ANYTHING to do with my hi fi equpment! Tin ears and a narrow mind are a bad combination!
Okay - but when using a portable setup, will you really be able to hear a difference between a $17 cable, which is what comes with the TAH, and a $30-$40 mini to mini interconnect cable?
There are audible differences, even with cable this short and portables. If you search for the two recent reviews of mini-mini cables done by cajunchrist and me, you'll see what I mean. We also agreed totally on the samples that both of us listened to.
In the mini-mini camp, I think the best performance for the price is the Markertek. If you go higher in price, you should consider the Bolder cable Audio&Me mentioned. I'm waiting for a revised cable from Twisted Pairs Designs.
The TPD mini-RCA is an excellent cable, and I think it's far superior to the RadioShack and Straightwire variants. Another thing to try is two standard interconnects and an adapter (RadioShack makes one in gold).
Only the Straightwire comes with a right-angle plug. And only RadioShack offers a right angle mini adapter - but they do not offer it in gold yet.
Originally posted by the cajun
No, it's not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Warning: That's the mono mini to mini NOT the stereo mini to mini, which is what you want. Another user got burned because they ordered the mono mini, be sure you order the RIGHT ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not sure the cable Headroom ship with the TA is a Straightwire cable (even though they say it is on their website), because it looks (and sounds) nothing like other straightwire cables, including the ones they used to sell. I have both the old Straightwire cables and the new so-called straightwire cable. The old version was a much more substantial cable and sounded a lot better, with deeper bass and a fuller, richer sound. The new one is a little smoother and a little more detailed, but it is also a little thin and bright sounding. I prefer the old straightwire. For that matter I prefer the Radio Shack cable to the cable that ships with the TA.
Another cable worth checking out is the Oehlbach cable that comes with the Porta Corda. I'm not sure whether Jan Meier will make this cable available separately, but this is a very nice sounding cable, which has made me curious about the rest of the Oehlbach line. (Jan, if you're reading this, please offer the complete line of Oehlbach hi fi cables on your website!).
Oh, and before I forget, cables make a big difference, even at this level and these prices. I wish I had a dollar for every guy with a multimeter telling us cables make no difference.
SHAman who knew of Head-Fi ten years prior to its existence
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I don't have any cables worth mentioning but am interested in trying some out.
Perhaps the old boys with the multimeters simply can't HEAR the difference and as such, feel compelled to prove that their hearing is just as good as that of others.
Oh, and before I forget, cables make a big difference, even at this level and these prices. I wish I had a dollar for every guy with a multimeter telling us cables make no difference.
Ross
I agree Ross, the right cable can make the difference between a good budget setup and a so-so one. But, the law of diminishing returns applies most strongly at the low end. A $200+ hand built silver wire interconnect with truly great mini-mini connectors would yield little sonic benefit over the $15 Markertek mini IMHO.
ross,
just wanted to jump on the bandwagon for your great post
cajunchrist,
Quote:
A $200+ hand built silver wire interconnect with truly great mini-mini connectors would yield little sonic benefit over the $15 Markertek mini IMHO.
i'd agree with you if your prices were correct. however, 4 feet of silver cable from homegrownaudio will cost you about $10, termination will run you a couple of dollars (although i do assume canare has a minimum order requirement, but that just means more connectors for DIY). that'll yield about a 10" interconnect that, while i haven't heard it, should be sonically superior to the markertek cable. it's also short enough to connect my JMT built amp to my portable without having to coil the wire and deal with capacitance issues. add silver solder from wbt or homegrown audio and the whole project comes to a few dollars more than the cheapest options here.
If you build it yourself, yeah. Get somebody else to build it for you, and the costs go up. You can save tons of money if you build things yourself. What I meant by hand built was, not made by a machine.
cajunchrist,
ah, i misunderstood and thought you were referring specifically to the cable i suggested earlier - pretty accurate description of it.
once again, not to take anything away from the cables mentioned here, but soldering a mini cable is ungodly easy, and i personally hate soldering rca connectors because of the long time it takes to get them hot enough (i always seem to melt the teflon ring). even if someone here didn't want to solder, i'm sure you could find someone willing to do it for a beer. hell, mail it to me (along with the beer, don't forget the beer) and i'll do it.
Yep, I'm gonna get an inexpensive soldering iron and put a new connector on my V6's as my very first soldering attempt. I'm sure it will be quite easy, and very satisfying.
Electronics guys... we have our plusses and minuses. With advent of digital everything, we're being phased out
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Quote:
Originally posted by cajunchrist Yep, I'm gonna get an inexpensive soldering iron and put a new connector on my V6's as my very first soldering attempt. I'm sure it will be quite easy, and very satisfying.
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