[rcdejesus]

i was very fortunate to be given the chance to purchase this LOD from Sir Craig of Whiplash Audio a week back. Here is my take on this wonderful premium LOD.

*Please note that I've been in this hobby for less than a year, do take my opinions with a grain of salt.

Feel free to correct me if i have mistakes on terminology.

WHIPLASH AUDIO SCSC Ag LINE OUT DOCK

i won't go into detail on the specifications of this LOD, you can access it on Whiplash Audio's website:
Elite SCSCag Viablue LOD - Whiplash Audio - iPod and iPhone Cables - Cables

BUILD QUALITY
My first reaction when i first held it in my hand: Quality materials used built with high standards in mind! The Viablue plug easily catches your attention. Though larger than most plugs available, it looks and feels more durable than its competitors. It fit my P-51 Mustang's port without hindering the volume knob and my Denon D5000 plug into the headphone port.Techflex was also used as sleeving to protect the silver wires inside. I work in a manufacturing plant where techflex is commonly used to protect moving cables (on automated robots). I can definitely say it can and will protect those precious silver cables inside. Also, it is not as flexible as other sleeves, protecting the wires from overbending.

Viablue Plug

Techflex and the Line Out Dock Connector

Connected to my P-51 Mustang and Ipod Touch 2nd Gen.

SOUND QUALITY

*For the test, the equipments i used were:

Source: Ipod Touch 2nd Gen
Amp: RSA P-51 Mustang
HPs: Denon AH D5000, UE Triple Fi 10 Pro
LODs to compare it with: EFN's low profile SCC LOD, Fiio LOD, Aviation Grade Silver IC connected to an Ipod Dock.

HIGH MID (used UE Triple Fi 10 Pro)
I found clearer vocals, percussions, cymbals using this LOD. Though comparable to EFN's LOD on clarity, The SCSC Ag LOD also defines them. Vocals, Guitars are distinctly separate from one another. Whiplash Audio also wins handsdown on detail. There are heaved breaths heard thru this LOD that i did not expect were there. I don't know how to put this, but the "tang" heard on cymbals and guitars are not as harsh anymore.


BASS (used Denon AH D5000)
Having known the qualities of Silver, i really thought that this LOD would totally kill the bass on the D5K. Boy, how was i wrong!

Impactful, well deep, well defined,and clear lows came out of my headphones.

CONCLUSION:
Being new to this hobby, does this LOD justify it's 89usd (introductory price) price? Would a consumer like me, a head-fi newbie, buy it? YES. There is significant improvement on the sound from my portable rig that would entice me to buy it. Though i haven't tried other high end LODs, i can put Whiplash Audio's LOD offerings high on my priority list.

 

[mrarroyo]

Nice pics and write-up, enjoy your new toy.

 

[H-ermes]

Hello,

I've bought the same cable. I'll publish a small review when I'll use it a little bit more.

H.

 

[rcdejesus]

Hi too! I'm using it now with my Super.fi 5 Pros. This LOD brings out the details on the mids. Really nice item. = )

 

[scootermafia]

SCSCag is in my experience the best hookup wire on the market today, it's pretty hard to improve upon. Enjoy!

 

[guitarplayer]

Craig is doing some great work with my wire, I highly recommended his products. Plus, he is a prince of guy to deal with. Keep up the good work.

Nice write up.

Peace,

Lee

 

[williamchc]

Quite interested, seems that it's cool.

BTW, this cable is 7N or 6N? I'm confused

"Using cryo'd 24awg Solid Core thats UP-OCC 99.999998% pure."

"The base metal used is an unidirectional UPOCC, being almost free from impurity (up to 99.99998% pure silver) "

 

[guitarplayer]

Frankly, it is incredibly hard to measure anything over 4 nines (or 99.99%, .9999%) unless GDMS is used. That extra bump in purity (and extra steps to measure it) really bumps the price up. FWIW--I spec 6 nines, the "extra" nine must have been added accidentally.

However, please don't get hung up on wire purity, it is more "bragging rights" than anything else. I don't really want to get into a discussion of
"how pure" the wire is, as in the grand scheme of things, it is not one of the more important aspects of how a given wire will perform.

Other aspects/properties of the wire are much more important than the purity. Where the raw stock is sourced, how the wire is manufactured, what the impurities are in wire, how/if it is annealed, how the insulator is applied, and even how the wire is treated and spooled are much more important than the purity, IME.

In any event, there is more to wire than meets the eye, and purity is only one indicator of overall quality. After 25 years of doing this, I am still learning what makes a "good" audio wire.

Peace,

Lee

Quote:

Originally Posted by williamchc /img/forum/go_quote.gif Quite interested, seems that it's cool. BTW, this cable is 7N or 6N? I'm confused "Using cryo'd 24awg Solid Core thats UP-OCC 99.999998% pure." "The base metal used is an unidirectional UPOCC, being almost free from impurity (up to 99.99998% pure silver) "

 

[williamchc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by guitarplayer /img/forum/go_quote.gif Frankly, it is incredibly hard to measure anything over 4 nines (or 99.99%, .9999%) unless GDMS is used. That extra bump in purity (and extra steps to measure it) really bumps the price up. FWIW--I spec 6 nines, the "extra" nine must have been added accidentally. However, please don't get hung up on wire purity, it is more "bragging rights" than anything else. I don't really want to get into a discussion of "how pure" the wire is, as in the grand scheme of things, it is not one of the more important aspects of how a given wire will perform. Other aspects/properties of the wire are much more important than the purity. Where the raw stock is sourced, how the wire is manufactured, what the impurities are in wire, how/if it is annealed, how the insulator is applied, and even how the wire is treated and spooled are much more important than the purity, IME. In any event, there is more to wire than meets the eye, and purity is only one indicator of overall quality. After 25 years of doing this, I am still learning what makes a "good" audio wire. Peace, Lee

Lee, thanks for your information and explaination

 

[bikeboy999]

Quote:

Originally Posted by H-ermes /img/forum/go_quote.gif Hello, I've bought the same cable. I'll publish a small review when I'll use it a little bit more. H.

It has been a little while, any comments on the LOD cable? Let us know how many hours have passed and what has changed.


B

 

[H-ermes]

I do listen to a wide range of kind of music (classical ; R&B ; Jazz ; Electro ; ...) on my iPhone. I do own IEM (Shure SE 530) and I felt that the sound was "hollow". Then I decided to buy an amp (cMoy built by J. Seaber) and a LOD cable.

As I listen to music when I'm traveling (subway, train), working (in an openspace) and relaxing (home), I hoped that my Iphone + HP amp + LOD cable would do that job without any problem. After ordering the stuff online, I received my LOD cable from Craig.

First, Craig is an amazing seller. Ask him a question, he'll answer quickly and precisely. I do appreciate that, because even if he sell something online, he's very professionnal.

I get my cable 10 days after ordering it. The shipping cost was really well estimated and he did ask to overpay for the international shipping. Thanks for that.

But, and this LOD cable ? Does it worth the money or not ? Is it damn good ? Or not ?

I pluged my LOD cable, my SE 530 to the cMoy and let's go. I was just amazed. It was Daft Punk, and the sound was so deep, powerful, that I felt my iPhone was "alive". Bass, mids, high, everything was here. Well balanced. I then replace the LOD cable with a mini to mini cable. The sound was less dynamic, less puncy. The difference was unbelievable, it was just a cable, but what a difference a cable can make !

I tought, okay, it should be that kind of music - Electro - that maybe helps. I've tried after with Bach, pop music (Prince), French songs, Jazz... and everytime, I rediscover the songs / tracks I listened to. It was just a cable. And this cable made the difference.

The only thing I noticed, was sometime a connection problem with the dock connector. Then I've contacted Craig, told him the problem I get. Kindly, he told me that was not normal and acceptable and he offers me a new cable for free. I decided to buy me a new cable from him (LOD to RCA) in order to experience this sound on my HIFI equipment.

If you're lokking for a good cable, I guess you just found it. Order it to Craig, and you won't be disappointed.

Just one more thing, I've paid my cables. Craig did not give them to me : what I write is what I think. The best proof I was satisfied, is that I order more stuff from him.

H.

ps : I did not received yet the replacement cable, I'll comment this post after...

 

[rcdejesus]

my thoughts exactly, sir h-ermes! = )

At first i was very skeptical if a cable has significant change on my rig's SQ. I'm also contemplating an offer from Sir Craig for a recable of my Triple.Fis using the same SCSC Ag cable. reccommended seller indeed.

 

[H-ermes]

I've received today the replacement cable promised by Craig.

No problem anymore, this cable is a really amazing one.

H.

 

[Likwid]

I bought this cable about a week ago from Craig, absolutely love it. I have been using one of his older LOD's for a while now and this wire is just fantastic. The build quality is great too, you can tell that Craig puts a lot of time into planning and building these.

 

[cravenz]

I'm interested in getting a LOD cable if it makes that much of a difference. But what would the difference be between this, an ALO cable or something like the Stage 4 LOD cable from Krispy Kables (:: KRISPY KABLES :: pardon my ignorance in this.