Steven, not to be confrontational, but I’m not sure why you were so reluctant to reveal the maker of your cables. In January you started a thread about them … see here. If you are happy with them, fantastic! No one should feel embarrassed by their audio decisions. In contrast, a lot of the folks who argue about expensive cables (e.g., the AV forums) have never tried them. Not sure I understand that logic, but perhaps for these folks (I’m NOT Directing this at you) it would be a good idea to discuss why they think this way and not dismiss entirely the possibility that the claims are in fact true (yeah, I know, dream on …). While there is a lot of BS in the audio world, Galen has been more than supportive of his claims with scientific data. Wish I had been aware of this information years ago, I’ve certainly made some less than ideal choices. Case in point, I’ve had Goertz (not Goetz) speaker cables for about ten years. Luckily I never had a problem with oscillation, but Galen’s explanation of the science behind them is revealing. Interestingly, the Isolda seems to be a similar design and has the Zobel networks built into the cables. Goertz cables have an optional Zobel network which I never tried. And, yes, I like my Goertz cables. Can they be improved upon? Sure.
With respect to Iconoclast, I do not own them, but I would love to try them. The problem is cost, which is certainly a valid concern and one we both share. I’m not really one to spend any amount to get an improvement, that would be a fool’s errand in audio! I do pick and choose what I upgrade and quite honestly cables are a tough sell for me. Do they change/improve the sound? Absolutely! Is the dollar (or Pound, Euro, …) outlay worth it? For me, not so sure. Lots of folks here think it is and I applaud them. My specific issue is I need bi-wire cables, so twice the cost. I’ve discussed this with Galen and Bob and know what I need, SPTPC, but haven’t made the leap. May just wait to see if I will stick with my Vandersteen’s or make a change (could be a BIG cha-ching$).
Anyway, this is certainly an interesting thread and have been reading it from the beginning. Many thanks to Galen for his immense sharing! And I am glad that Will is back, I love his self-deprecating humor! 