Belden ICONOCLAST Interconnects and Speaker Cabling

Will, new and improved cables would be great news, except for the fact that there is no room in the budget for them. 20_gif

Sell your plasma?sorry_gif

Just bought an OLED and relegated the plasma to the guest bedroom. Even if I sold the OLED it wouldn’t cover recabling costs. I’ll have to live vicariously through those of you who spring for them (when they come out). I’ll have to adjust my wardrobe to account for me being green with envy. Won’t be the first time and it’s not like I’m suffering with my TPCs.

No, I mean YOUR plasma!devil_gif

(awful joke)

You should be happy just living in the USA where the cables are made! For us in the outside world these items are very expensive (as are all top products made overseas). In Oz, with exchange rates, taxes and processing fees we are paying a 44-52% increase in local currency over what you pay. And we cannot hear them or try before you purchase unless someone you know happens to have some they are willing to loan out.

Frank, it would probably be cheaper to fly to the states, purchase, and ship home, or take on plane. I’m sure you could have had PSA sell you some proper voltage units.
I just looked, I’m a little late your system is complete, and impressive. Maybe some subwoofers?

Hi @jeffstarr

thank you for the kind comments.

The exchange rate sucks atm and i cannot get around that. Not much savings to be had even purchasing in USA and bringing home.

wglenn said

No, I mean YOUR plasma!

(awful joke)


Ouch!

wglenn said

No, I mean YOUR plasma!

(awful joke)

Ha! That takes me back to my college days.
wglenn said

Great news! Glad you like 'em. Galen has been working on refinement of his designs both for home and studio. He sent me a trial set of new interconnects…

It's been a while since then. What's the latest word from Galen on the future of the Iconoclast line?

As I previously mentioned in this forum I have the Iconoclast RCA OCC cable which in my opinion when compared to other cable, sounds like you have added an expensive piece of gear to your system. They are that good.

Over the past several months as a friend of Galen I have been privileged to hear his latest design, which has yet to be fully released or marketed. I will not mention the name of the cable since I do not want to infringe on any patent plans. Before reading further realize I know cables do not have a sound, but I’m intentionally trying to keep this brief.

In all honesty the newest XLR cable was initially a bit off putting since it sounded different than any cable that I have ever heard in my system including the Iconoclast TPC, OF and OCC cables. After listening for a bit you start to realize the difference is because they sound so much more natural and true in tone, more like actual live music. My brain kept struggling wanting to reference previous cables I had heard in my system. Whereas the new XLR interconnect cable sets a whole new standard in clarity, timing, rhythm, and musicality, where bass notes have certain snap that make you tap your feet.

Galen has finished the XLR interconnect and is now working on the RCA version.

In my opinion Belden has done next to nothing to market the Iconoclast line. It seems cruel that such a wonderfully designed and sounding cable may never be heard by audiophiles. As an audio enthusiast it’s similar to a drug company leaving a life changing medication sitting unused on a shelf collecting dust. In the meantime other company’s are rushing to market and to inject us with snake oil expecting us to be happy with their latest placebo.

This offer may seem nuts to non-audiophiles who do not share our passion. I will be in San Diego, CA for one week starting 12/04/17 and I am willing to bring my new XLR cables, and RCA OCC cables along with me. If anyone wants to get together and to hear them, preferably at an Audio Dealer location, PM me. I may be able to steal a couple of hours away from my family.

Please keep in mind I have no training as an Engineer, nor do I speak for Galen or Belden. I am merely an audio enthusiast.

Very interesting Drpain, I am assuming that the new design still relies on Belden’s winding machines to construct so it has to be produced by Belden, is that correct? That’s a wonderful offer you make, too bad I’m a long way from San Diego. Someday I may give these a try to see what all the fuss is about. Is Hanson still the main outlet for these or is there another player in the mix? Did Galen’s “white papers” ever get posted on line?

Please keep us posted as to any new developments, drpain. And, of course, fingers are crossed that Galen will finally find someone who will throw their weight behind him and his work. I, too, want to hear his cables some day. But San Diego in another couple of weeks won’t work for me, either.

pmotz said

Very interesting Drpain, I am assuming that the new design still relies on Belden’s winding machines to construct so it has to be produced by Belden, is that correct? That’s a wonderful offer you make, too bad I’m a long way from San Diego. Someday I may give these a try to see what all the fuss is about. Is Hanson still the main outlet for these or is there another player in the mix? Did Galen’s “white papers” ever get posted on line?


Yes, the new cable still relies on Belden’s machines. I had the good fortune to tour the Belden R&D facility earlier this year and was very impressed, both by the facility and the vast number of Galen’s patents. I do not know if Galen ever fully posted his “white papers”. Paul’s post recently referenced Galen’s work, perhaps PS Audio and Copper may have some cable related articles planned. 75% of the information in Galen’s technical articles flies over my head because he writes as an Engineer and not as a teacher or marketer. My positive impressions of the Iconoclast Cable are from relying on what I hear in my system, and then conversations with Galen and Wglenn. If anyone is serious about buying cable I would point you toward my friend for 25+ years, PS Audio Dealer, speaker builder and speaker repair master John Van at Van L Speakerworks, before I would point you to Hanson. Speakerworks is a 2 man shop in Norridge, IL with little online presence, so it’s best to phone 773.769.0773.

@pncd, any idea when this new XLR design will be introduced?

Just in case you missed it, Galen has a series going on Copper about cable design. The articles are distilled from writings of his that are much more complicated. The goal is to get the concepts of what’s important and how they interrelate across to you and I.

Part 1

Part 2

As a side note, in the comments after Part2 everyone’s favorite audio expert, Soundmind, makes an illustrious appearance. Meeting a hard core engineer was not in his playbook and Galen subtly takes him to school. He either does not get or more likely refuses to admit that he has been owned.

His arguments are:

  1. All discussions should start with Maxwell’s equations

  2. Frequency response can be fixed with a graphic equalizer (this is indeed true but that is NOT AT ALL what is being discussed and he perseverates on this nonsensical issue)

  3. Galen did not derive the perfect cable using various formulas available to the undergraduate engineering student. (despite his insistence, that is not how it’s done. Belden has them KOM-pyuters what do them math now and slide rules are used only for scratching engineer’s butts)

  4. Galen is well, well… he’s just full of shit.

Funny and yet sad to watch a troll hang himself in public. Galen barely lifts a finger.doh_gif

I haven’t got to the second article, but found the first to be well written, with some helpful analogies for those of us with no background in engineering and science. If my financial situation ever improves, the Iconclasts will be on my short list of cables to audition. For anyone who wonders if there is any actual technology or science used in the creating of cables, these articles will supply that proof. It certainly is not like some companies that buy wire in bulk, braid them, solder some plugs on, cover them in techflex, shrink tubing, and charge 20 times what they are worth.

I have found for a self proclaimed genius [updated name, I recommend all use in the future] Unsoundmind is easy to toy with. His obsession with Fremer seems rather unhealthy.

So on the Iconoclast Speaker cable price sheet they say that the cables come in 10 foot lengths and then have an amount in a column call “Custom Length Adder (per foot)” do they also do “Custom Length Subtractor” to reduce by the same amount? I only need a 4ft pair, it would make it almost reasonably priced!

Hi @veneet - no the prices are the minimum cost for the length. For speaker cable less than 10’ it is the same cost as 10’. For interconnects the minimum price is for 5’.

Thanks Frank! That helps with my decision!

Every company should set their policies as works best for them. It just won’t work for me very well in this case