[Traveller]

Thx to MartinB's post, I finally found a company that offers KimberKable-based mini-RCA interconnects

I use Kimber's PBJ throughout my system (see sig) but looks like there are no mini-RCA using PBJ available

Kimber's productline has however changed since my last purchase and now there is a new entry-level interconnect (Tonik). All Kimber specs can be found here.

I was considering the Timbre mini-RCA interconnect available @ Russ Andrews (UK) but as Kimber inteconnects are uni-directional (the copper structure is more passive in one direction) I would have to shell out ~200EUR ($250) for both 1.0M recording & playback set(s)!

The Tonik option is a bit more reasonable & 1.0M goes for ~ 60EUR / $75 (2x = 120/150).

As I would be using it primarily with my iRiver iHP-120 (for recording & playback), I don't think spending that much on Timbre interconnects make a whole lot of sense.... I don't even have a clue what type of A/D or D/A circuits the iHP-120 uses, but certainly nothing to write home about (op-amps vs. discrete analog components, etc.

)

But before I make my purchase, can anyone name me any device (w/3.5mm mini-jack) that I might consider for future purchase that would actually take advantage of med-high quality interconnects?

Thx for your feedback

 

[Jazz1]

I just purchased Kimber this cable from Headroom Headphones:

http://headroom.headphone.com/layout...tID=0050160060

The WWW page at Headroom claims these are PBJ. Which, I think the original poster was looking for.

Out of the box, what a huge sound improvement over the Monster mini to RCA I was using.

I can tell you I am more than happy with the results. The cable really made my Senn. 600's and AKG 271's come alive. I'm using a new Perreaux headphone amp. being fed by iTunes on a Mac.

The Kimber cable is only three feet compared to the Monster that is about four and one half feet long.

I suppose it is unfair comparison since the Kimber costs twice as much as the Monster. But, for newbies like me it is nice to discover that in some cases you do get what you pay for. My ears tell me that quality cables for line-out computer sound may not be overkill after all.

I can't wait to try this cable out on my iPod dock's line out. the Monster cable, for some reason gave my earbuds incredible amount of buzzing. I don't know why, because they worked with my stereo.

 

[ooheadsoo]

I'm using a nice zu cable pivot. It sounds fine. It can be had for a pretty penny on ebay. You'll have to bid for it, and there are ups and downs. Patience and persistence will be rewarded, but even the standard price for impatient people like me is much less than the standard retail price for zu cables. Capacitance is pretty low. Standard price for 1m is $89.

 

[Jazz1]

Quote:

Originally posted by ooheadsoo I'm using a nice zu cable pivot. It sounds fine. It can be had for a pretty penny on ebay. You'll have to bid for it, and there are ups and downs. Patience and persistence will be rewarded, but even the standard price for impatient people like me is much less than the standard retail price for zu cables. Capacitance is pretty low. Standard price for 1m is $89.

No, they are really horrible

I've got a bid in on them. So ssshhh, don't let anyone know

 

[Traveller]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jazz1 I just purchased Kimber this cable from Headroom Headphones: http://headroom.headphone.com/layout...tID=0050160060 The WWW page at Headroom claims these are PBJ.

Thx for the tip, Jazz, however I decided to go with the Toniks. Since I don't have all that much confidence in the quality of the iHP-120's I/O stages, I decided not to go into overkill mode, lol.

As for Headroom's PBJ, I don't know why it's white - PBJ's red, blue & black - but maybe they [Headroom] took it on their own to shield some PBJ in a white-ish "jacket"....

 

[Jazz1]

Quote:

Originally posted by Traveller Thx for the tip, Jazz, however I decided to go with the Toniks. Since I don't have all that much confidence in the quality of the iHP-120's I/O stages, I decided not to go into overkill mode, lol. As for Headroom's PBJ, I don't know why it's white - PBJ's red, blue & black - but maybe they [Headroom] took it on their own to shield some PBJ in a white-ish "jacket"....

The Kimber I have from Headroom has a bronze sheath on it with yellow and white cables intertwined inside. Are they cooking up their own? I'm really liking these interconnects and might Kimber up my stereo if I can stay away from the Zu's.

I'm eager to try some of the Zu product and have a mini-RCA Pivot coming my way. I'm also going to try one of their powercords on the Perreaux amp. Tweak, tweak.

 

[Traveller]

Quote:

Originally posted by Jazz1 The Kimber I have from Headroom has a bronze sheath on it with yellow and white cables intertwined inside. Are they cooking up their own?

Well, the pic @Headroom looks more like Timbre & actually there is no Techflex braiding visible. Timbre is the "New & Improved" PBJ (eg. replacement for PBJ AFAIK). Last but not least, Kimber uses new RCA connectors for Timbre, Headroom's pic has the classic ultraplate RCA. Maybe you could post a *color* pic of your IC - now I'm damned curious...

 

[Brad Harper]

My Kimber Kable mini>RCA is white and yellow surrounded by Techflex and is 18" long.

 

[Brad Harper]

Another pic.

 

[Traveller]

Quote:

Originally posted by Brad Harper My Kimber Kable mini>RCA is white and yellow surrounded by Techflex and is 18" long.

Hmm, never seen KK that's only two strands per IC (there is usually a dialectric(sp?) braided with the two copper / silver strands).

 

[drp]

Quote:

Originally posted by Traveller Hmm, never seen KK that's only two strands per IC (there is usually a dialectric(sp?) braided with the two copper / silver strands).

Pure conjecture: With three strands exiting the mini (L,R,G), and at the split for each RCA, it makes sense that one ground would follow a channel and an additional ground would be spliced at the Y to provide common ground for the other channel, creating two wires per RCA.

I struggled with the makeup, wanting to build my own Kimber; even emailed Kimber (there's a related post here somewhere). I chose to run two full strands in order to make things a bit more beefy. Pic attached.

I've a ZU Pivot on the way and will A/B, to see how I did if nothing else.

 

[Traveller]

Quote:

Originally posted by drp Pure conjecture.

What... did I explicitly state otherwise?

Quote:

Originally posted by drp I chose to run two full strands in order to make things a bit more beefy. Pic attached.

Sweet! Nice job too! I recently purchased a couple of RCA-Minis from Russ Andrews (UK) & they also make them beefy. Unfortunately I settled for the Toniks which use a thicker (cheaper) dialectric and these puppies are huge / stiff. Not recommended if you can afford to spring for Timbre.

Their KCAG RCA-Minis are simply beautiful and a must for you iPODers ...

 

[drp]

Traveller - Just to be clear, I meant pure conjecture on my part with my guess at construction, not anything you'd written. That would have been rude.....

That KCAG does look gorgeous, thanks for porning; I mean, posting.

Since I have a bit more PBJ, I plan to pick up some high-grade connecters and build another, with a slightly different spin on the construction.

Cheers!

 

[Lil_JV]

Headroom takes their pics in black and white.

JV.