NuForce NE-7M
Jun 6, 2009 at 2:49 PM Post #31 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by AfricanProphet /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Edit: Is this as cheap as it looks? Would that connector you linked me to be any better? (This is $6 cheaper...That's at least 1 meal for a starving college student!)


That one in the above link to me would be the worst you could get as the wire in the cable IMO is crap and the mini-mini that comes with the E5, while not great quality, is better than on that LOD. I would go for the $12 LOD with E5 mini-mini. I will PM you about making a LOD.
 
Jun 7, 2009 at 4:12 PM Post #33 of 43
Yea, IMO using the same setup with the Icon Mobile wouldn't really make a huge difference. It does resolve a little better than the E5. And you can always get a better mini-mini cable later, and even a better LOD later.
 
Jun 8, 2009 at 5:05 AM Post #37 of 43
Quote:

Originally Posted by AfricanProphet /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I just read that "The Truth about Cables" (or something like that" thread on the sound science board...I don't know what to believe anymore...


Not that it hasn't been debated to death elsewhere, but if you want my take, here it is: Can cables make a difference? Sometimes! Depends on the equipment you are using, how long the run is, and build quality/materials. On low end equipment you may hear a difference between a $5 cable and a $50 cable, but doubtful between a $50 and $100 cable. Why? The $5 cable uses inferior material/poor build quality which results in poor sound. What do I mean? A cheap cable uses 2 wires and a ground shield. The shield can be aluminum (cheaper than copper), and that is used for the ground signal, which doesn't propagate sound the same as the copper.

For LODs, usually length is not an issue, which could cause issues due to capacitance. Also, power is not an issue like it would be for a speaker.

Bottom line is the cable should match the equipment IMO, high end equipment will have some possibly minor improvement from high end cables (although debatable). Low end equipment would be fine with low end cables (although too low end could cause issues IMO), etc.

You have to make your own informed decision. A good way to help you would be to do a double blind test, get a crap cable and a decent cable and have someone else switch the 2 and see if you can pick which is which. If you can't, the crap cable isn't crap (unless you decide the decent cable is crap!).
 
Jun 8, 2009 at 5:57 AM Post #39 of 43
it really is up to you. i have never heard a difference though, when i spent hundreds on better cables before, i swore i could. going back, i cannot tell the difference. who knows. i think satisfaction with a product, money pitting and fandom will probably spell more of a difference than the materials used in the cable.
 
Jun 8, 2009 at 6:17 AM Post #41 of 43
Probably wouldn't hear a difference between the jack LOD (using the E5 cable) and the cable LOD with an E5 and even a Icon Mobile, especially with the headphones you are talking about. Maybe with FLAC, a $300+ amp and high end headphones ($300+), but maybe not still.

I think the deciding factor for your situation should be how you plan on using it. The cable is 12", which for portable applications could be cumbersome. A jack will allow you to use different length cables for different applications. But we are now focusing on a almost insignificant portion of your music chain (is saying that blasphemy?). $12-15 sounds like a perfect amount to spend on the LOD and spend the rest on headphones and amp, primarily headphones.
 
Jun 8, 2009 at 6:49 AM Post #42 of 43
Thanks for all the advice guys...I think I'll just get that adapter and use a mini-mini in the interest of cable length...Average Joe you are truly a gift from God...And probably a Saint too for helping a dumb person for so long.
 

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