Silver-Gold Interconnect Turns iPod into High-End Source?

[Nightfall]

From some notes I stumbled on while surfing.............

January 24, 2005

In their quest to download ever more songs, iPod owners often overlook the fact that their portable sources can store digital music in an uncompressed format, which improves sound quality. Netherlands-based Crystal Cable has created a two-lead interconnect that turns an iPod with uncompressed music into a source component suitable for high-end two-channel playback. The Crystal Piccolo iPod ($399 per meter length) uses the same silver-gold conductors and Kapton insulation as Crystal Cable's Piccolo interconnect, but it is terminated with a single 3.5mm jack and a pair of RCA connectors for stereo use. The Piccolo iPod is thin and flexible, perfect for use with the lightweight iPod.


JC

 

[Nightfall]

Here is the website for the aforementioned cable:


http://www.crystalcable.com/

 

[yyoo]

At $399 a meter IT'd better make my iPod a high-end source.

Of course, with $300 worth of cable in my own iPod set-up I shouldn't be talking.

 

[IstariAsuka]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nightfall it is terminated with a single 3.5mm jack and a pair of RCA connectors for stereo use. The Piccolo iPod is thin and flexible, perfect for use with the lightweight iPod.

Ok, so it's a high quality 3.5mm->rca cable. Am I missing something else here?

It'd be much more interesting if it was a dock connector->rca cable.

 

[Oddball]

If anything, it's a pretty cable, and I'd buy it if it was $50 a meter, but $400?! That's another iPod!

Well...who wants to buy it and report back?

 

[bigshot]

Radio Shack cables make the iPod a suitable source for "high end two channel playback" as long as you're using uncompressed or lossless files. Only morticians and casket salesmen are more shifty than audiophile cable company spokespeople.

See ya
Steve

 

[Edwood]

If the iPod is really to be a high end source, I'd rather it be a digital transport.

Support FLAC and have digital output.

-Ed

 

[ivandal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edwood If the iPod is really to be a high end source, I'd rather it be a digital transport. Support FLAC and have digital output. -Ed

and I'd like it to make me a sandwich, none of wich are probably gonna happen...

 

[yyoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ivandal and I'd like it to make me a sandwich

A sandwich?

If it were pizza, they'd really be onto something.

 

[individual6891]

Not being silly, but those gold-silver cables look like string... I mean if you burped onto it, it'd probably snap. Bye Bye $400. I'd buy the cable if it came with the ipod as an extra..

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[jsc3]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot Radio Shack cables make the iPod a suitable source for "high end two channel playback" as long as you're using uncompressed or lossless files. Only morticians and casket salesmen are more shifty than audiophile cable company spokespeople. See ya Steve

I agree 100%. While there *might* be some electrically measurable difference between a quality cable and the really high-end ones, I don't believe the difference is audible even to a dog. My biggest peeve is power cords that cost more (much more, in some cases) than a hundred dollars. Puh-leeze! Buying quality cables makes sense, but in most cases a top quality cable can be had for less than $50 bucks, often a lot less. I have one friend who lusts after solid silver cables that are directional (based on the direction of extrusion, or something like that). Give me a break, nothing but snake oil. Buy a well constructed cable of thick copper wire with well designed shielding (where applicable) and gold plated connectors. Anything beyond that is pointless. Spend the money on better electronics; admittedly some of that is snake oil too, but generally not to the same degree as $400 cables.

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsc3 I agree 100%. While there *might* be some electrically measurable difference between a quality cable and the really high-end ones, I don't believe the difference is audible even to a dog. My biggest peeve is power cords that cost more (much more, in some cases) than a hundred dollars. Puh-leeze! Buying quality cables makes sense, but in most cases a top quality cable can be had for less than $50 bucks, often a lot less. I have one friend who lusts after solid silver cables that are directional (based on the direction of extrusion, or something like that). Give me a break, nothing but snake oil. Buy a well constructed cable of thick copper wire with well designed shielding (where applicable) and gold plated connectors. Anything beyond that is pointless. Spend the money on better electronics; admittedly some of that is snake oil too, but generally not to the same degree as $400 cables.

Are you just speaking in the context of portable audio, or are you suggesting that in all audio systems, spending more than $50 on a top quality cable is a waste of money? If so, what is your experience that you base this one?

 

[utdeep]

it's an awesome deal y'all!!
it'll go well with my bling bling diamond encrusted case, Headroom Blockhead (stepped attenuators) and my UE10s. I use the earcandy cable and my 192kb apple itunes encoded mp3s sound like Apple lossless. This cable would make my music sound better than the original CD.
Boom shaka laka!!

 

[jerb]

um are you serious? dont you think a $400 cable is a bit of overkill? its not even braided! id be afraid id break it or that it would pick up interfierence (sp?)

and in regards to Utdeeps's post... Word Dog! this be da best fo me and da crew when thumpin thru bestbuys parking lot! ill spend $400 bucks on a cable for da ipod but im too cheap to spend $40 on Dynamatt!