[AnakChan]

Are you planning to add more mini-mini products in the near future?

Hmmm...as they come in, sure. Although I don't actively go out seeking for mini-2-mini's to review.

If a maker asks me to review I will as long as they accept that I say as I hear it.

 

[LFC_SL]

Hey Anak, in terms of strain relief did you get a say about right angle or straight plug? Am trying to think in my head what would have better durability

 

[Lenni]

Quote:

Do you guys have any ideas about ordering a meter of Dreamline bulk wire?
 
http://www.avx.hu/forum/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=184758
 
http://www.kohutaudio.sk/produkty/prislusenstvo/crystal-cable/uploader/Crystal%20cenn%C3%ADk%207_2011.pdf
 
I'll split that up to make a handful of very short cables by asking Toxic Cables (authorized dealer) to help us out.

 
you could ask a Crystal Cable's authorized dealer if they can order you a couple of meters of the cable without terminations, but I doubt is possible (but there's no harm in asking). another option is to order a pair of interconnects (one meter cost over $7k), then have an authorized dealer is possession of the special machine for cutting it to cut/terminate the cable for you, if they agree to do it.
 
I think the best option would be to order a pair of one meter interconnects Diamond ($495), then ask someone like Toxic cables if he would cut/terminate it for you, as long the machine can be used on other cables other than the Piccolino.
 
that'd be awesome.

 

[AnakChan]

Quote:

Hey Anak, in terms of strain relief did you get a say about right angle or straight plug? Am trying to think in my head what would have better durability

 
Hmmm...if -nothing- rests on the cables or connectors, then either are fine. However with straight connectors the possibility of unintended strain or pressure is higher. I have a personal preference of L-shaped connectors to further reduce the profile.
 
Quote:

 
you could ask a Crystal Cable's authorized dealer if they can order you a couple of meters of the cable without terminations, but I doubt is possible (but there's no harm in asking). another option is to order a pair of interconnects (one meter cost over $7k), then have an authorized dealer is possession of the special machine for cutting it to cut/terminate the cable for you, if they agree to do it.
 
I think the best option would be to order a pair of one meter interconnects Diamond ($495), then ask someone like Toxic cables if he would cut/terminate it for you, as long the machine can be used on other cables other than the Piccolino.
 
that'd be awesome.

 
I would like try Crystal Cables sometime but more for IEMs rather than short IC's.
 
On a side note, Custom Art will be sending me ICs to add to this review.

 

[audionewbi]

Nice of them, they come across as a very responsive company.

 

[audionewbi]

Has anyone tried this cable before?

Link

 

[seeteeyou]

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[audionewbi]

Thanks for that information. I have been reading alot about cable and the more I read the less I like to spend on those cables. When I buy an IEM I know where my money goes and most of the time I know what I am buying however the cable world is totally different. 
 
For example I was just checking a certain well respect brand mini-mini maker. Upon doing a little research I found that the cable the used is 9 euro per meter and their 3.5 mm jack is 15 dollar (total of 30 USD). 

 

[cravenz]

Quote:

Thanks for that information. I have been reading alot about cable and the more I read the less I like to spend on those cables. When I buy an IEM I know where my money goes and most of the time I know what I am buying however the cable world is totally different. 
 
For example I was just checking a certain well respect brand mini-mini maker. Upon doing a little research I found that the cable the used is 9 euro per meter and their 3.5 mm jack is 15 dollar (total of 30 USD). 

 
To be fair, you could apply that to a lot of other manufacturing processes. It really isn't any different 

 
They "need" the profit margin to continue, survive, and be well paid, not to mention, look into more R&D along the way. 

 

[audionewbi]

Quote:

 
To be fair, you could apply that to a lot of other manufacturing processes. It really isn't any different 

 
They "need" the profit margin to continue, survive, and be well paid, not to mention, look into more R&D along the way. 

I agree  and yes one can argue they charge craftman ship and we should value it however the margin for cable is considerably higher than IEM simply because R&D is something the cable manufacture company carry not the LOD maker. 

I guess the cheapest way is DIY.
 
I have also been reading a lot of positive review about blue jeans cable they seem to charge decent prices. 

 

[seeteeyou]

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[tomscy2000]

That plug is so obscenely overpriced. A lot of people are using it here, though. The Rhodium plating is indeed more robust than both those from Oyaide and Furutech, though. Personally, the hybrid gold/rhodium plug, which is a little cheaper, intrigues me more.

 

[seeteeyou]

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[seeteeyou]

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[tomscy2000]

Quote:

  I agree  and yes one can argue they charge craftman ship and we should value it however the margin for cable is considerably higher than IEM simply because R&D is something the cable manufacture company carry not the LOD maker. I guess the cheapest way is DIY. I have also been reading a lot of positive review about blue genes cable they seem to charge decent prices. 

I'd say there are two different philosophies about cables in the world. One is performance-oriented, which is what most American and European companies are about. They claim, with "scientific proof", that their cables transmit information better and faster, yadda yadda yadda. Then, there's the Asian outlook toward cables; prices are dictated by whatever qualitatively sounds good. People switch cabling and stuff simply because they like to experiment with different sounds, and don't really care about what theoretically raw performance is. These are generalizations, of course, and most companies are mixtures of both, but you get the point.
 
The cheapest way is indeed to DIY. However, if you're like me, I know how to solder a thing or two, but prefer not to breathe too much Quad Eutectic down my respiratory tract, or accidentally overheat PVC sleeving and give myself an angiosarcoma of the liver.
 
Raw material is also more expensive than people think. Quality OCC cabling from a certified manufacturer like Wanlung Electric (aka Neotech), for example a pure 6N+ (marketed as 7N) silver OCC 40-strand cable in LLD-PE would cost several dollars per foot. Custom OD thicknesses, custom strand counts, etc. all factor into added costs and increased MOQ. Cable builders have to plunk down 1000+ feet of that at a time for ready-made products, while custom spools usually require at least 5000 feet. The cable business is such a niche business that volume isn't as high as people think, so one spool of cable will last a while. That's why so many builders sell DIY cabling, in order to allow themselves to get rid of 'overstock' so they can move onto newer cable products.