For monoblocks like the bhk 300’s I personally need 5 or 6 foot runs of speaker cable. Multiple runs in fact for bi wiring . I’m actually running quad wire right now (since I have a sub and super tweeter on each side) with a bi wired main speaker. I have heard the speaker cable in my system and aside from sounding excellent, it was subjectively louder than the cables I use currently. I think this is an exciting development.
Hi Galen,
Bob mentioned that the V1 interconnects are considered the best for digital and the V2 are best for Analouge.
So in a system that comprised DMP/DSD/BHKpre/BHK Amps/Speakers the recommendation is
DMP - DSD interconnect = V1,
DSD - BHKpre interconnect = V2,
BHKpre - BHK amp interconnect = V2,
BHK amp - Speaker cable.
If you had a TT - then V2. Any TT/Tonearm specific cables planned?
Cheers frank
Hi Frank,
I use the V2 1x4 RCA on my VPI classic table with the JM Memorial series tone arm. It has RCA right out the back. Easy installation!
As far as inside the tone arm wiring, no, there isn`t an ICONOCLAST cable as these are micro machine made with special machines for super fine wire AWG. The cable parameters are electromagnetically the same, it’s just SMALLER so look for similar design criteria.
There are companies that do make well designed cables, electromagnetically, not just materials that anyone can use. I hope the data provided for ICONOCLAST helps everyone better understand what cables can do measurement wise with good design. This can help you duting the cable selection process.
On digital. The AES/EBU is a pretty wide impedance spec, 110 +/- 15.
The S/PDIF is 75 nominal.
Here is the rub, audio interconnects are way to short to couple even the shortest wavelength, highest frequency, as a transmission line. Typically to see honest RL reflections ten wavelengths need to “fit” in the cable. You won’t have that in a 6 foot or so interconnect. THIS IS NOT really RF.
The biggest loss factor is the connector impedance. Often times these aren’t so well matched as you’d like to the cable. The good news is the signal strength is really robust so RL loss, attenuation is near meaningless in short cable, is minimal. We have a brute force signal and wavelengths way longer than the cable. Even if the cable was long enough to matter, the cable to connector reflection matters even more. The internal impedance of the RCA S/PDIF is seldom 75 ohms as the mechanical distance of the ground to center pin is not managed all the way to the 75 ohm resistive load it should be going to. It has to be 75 ohms all the way to the PC board 75 ohm resistor. Try as you might, once you hit that connector it is out of our hands past that.
The new 1x4, one wire made with four conductors, is just over 70 ohms nominal impedance. The 1x1, one wire made with one solid conductor, is 100 ohms nominal. You can try either and contrast your results.
I had an OPPO BDP 105SE and used both RCA wires and heard no differences in my set-up. Now, I use the direct stream memory player with the I squared S modified HDMI lead.
Maybe I’m lucky, but power cords and my digital seem below audible variation in rural Ohio. I use the P10 with mostly high grade EPDM Belden cord stock with Hubble connectors.
My digital is frightening to the purist. I use, get this, Ethernet over power line wall warts from the upstairs W10 PC server from a mechanical HDD to my bridge II. COMPARING THE bridge II to the direct stream DAC on the same CD source, I am glad to report, to my ear, the same result. Far from the differences in switching RCA cables on the turn table.
Ted Smith’s attack on jitter, to my ear, has much improved digital with PS Audio gear. I don’t hear the cable to a audible degree in my system. Granted, I use good cables such as 1694a as my “typical” cable, for instance.
The bridge II reclocks the digital and sends it to the DAC. Modern wonder that it is, digital is superb at error correction. My trials seem to support this. Data errors are significant with digital as a pop or click. JITTER can be best addressed by Ted Smith on how the corrected serial bit stream is moved.
Galen Gareis
1 Like
Where can I actually look up the pricing information for iconoclast cables? Thanks.
Pricing will be settled and published on the Blue Jeans Cable web site in the near future.
Galen Gareis
2 Likes
Galen,
Do you want me to leave Bob Howard’s phone numbers available here or should I take them down? I called Bob and asked if that was OK for me to leave them up and to call back if he didn’t, and I haven’t heard from him. But I do want to make sure it’s OK.
–SSW
Hi Galen,
I currently use Anticable speaker cable which has a capacitance of 48 pF/ft, inductance 0.3uH/ft, and resistance 3.2miliOhm/ft. I searched online and saw, not sure if the current spec, that Iconoclast speaker cable has the same capacitance, but lower inductance 0.08uH/ft, and lower resistance 1.15miliOhm/ft. Will the difference in the spec result in sound quality difference from a technical point of view or theoretically? Thanks.
There is more than “just” R, L and C. Current coherence with frequency and other factors impact how a cable sounds. Saying ICONOCLAST has half the inductance, and thus better phase isn’t totally accurate by itself.
the attached paper discusses many aspects of why ICONOCLAST is designed the way that it is. ALL of the changes from typical designs improve the cable’s theoretical improvements. The price to implement the changes in a patented design isn’t easy or free. That last movement of the bar of perfection is much harder than it would seem. This, in my way of thinking, is great as so much can be done with far cheaper designs. But, if you have a system that is sensitive to better cables, you’ll hear it with ICONOCLAST. The audition if free.
Send me your direct Email and I can send you more information.
Best,
Galen Gareis
I recently had the tone-arm wiring on my Linn LP12 upgraded. Linn’s upgrade uses a cheap Mogami cable that sells for under $1 a foot. (Can’t say about the connectors.) I had a bunch of other upgrades done at the same time so no way to compare to what I had before.
Steve,
My experience is that the dielectric closest to the wire is the most important, and AIR can’t be improved upon with practical designs. HOW air is managed is harder the smaller the wire becomes. The smaller the signal level the more important the dielectric nearest the wire.
There are manufacturers that do make significant effort and to provide meaningful contributions. All cable is a unique fingerprint with each design clearly having non linearities (all cables have L and C). The effort is to minimize what the bulk L and C variables do to the signal. They measure as bulk values, but are not all a linear (foam) or step/variable (air tube). Each has benefits in handling, cost and measurement.
I would consider the Nordost tone arm wire for a measurably good design. Air core wire will sound brighter than solid dielectric as so much more upper harmonic information is retained. This brightness is from MORE information, not less. We get used to “less” and this is what seems normal. But go back to less and it is no longer normal. All air core cables, same same design, will exhibit this attribute. There will be differences between DESIGNS, however.
I support the electrical transparency of measurement amongst all cable vendors as it is a step towards true customer focus and makes the selection process easier. Key variables should be ALWAYS available to the customer, and measured to a true standard.
Galen Gareis
1 Like
I’ve joined the club. I ordered both TPC and OFE speaker cable versions to compare with the intent to keep one.
I emailed BJC and Kurt, the owner replied, quickly. Gen1 interconnects and the 3 conductor variants of speaker cables are available here, with Gen2 ICs to follow soon:
https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/iconoclast/buy.htm
He said he hasn’t modified it for free shipping but will refund anything charged…their standard 30 days return policy applies.
The page was just posted and.or updated on the 8th so this is all very fresh. 
1 Like
The link works fine for me. Someone else will try it soon enough to confirm.
Worked fine for me. Firefox on Win 10.
Fine for me, too
Not working on iOS 11
Just trying to help ppl. I already have all the updated pricing. Not everyone accesses the site via a computer.
Frank, it’s also working here at the opposite side of the world!
2 Likes
We all appreciate it.
I’ve updated the link to use https and it now works for me on iOS 12.
1 Like
Link works for me on Safari and Chrome. Prices . . . wish they were lower, might try a pair.