I’ve trialled the 8TC’s, but have not heard the XStreams (I just bought 5 second hand XStream Statement power cables with US Plugs and when I get organised, think a Dectet is probably next).
I found a lot of air between 8TC and Audioquest Gibraltar, Analysis Plus (including Crystal 8’s; Elk has made his Point of View regarding the AP+ Crystal 8’s well known) and Kubala Sosna Expressions.
To my great surprise the K-S Expressions destroyed everything else I tried.
Given the hints, and the various pieces of information leaking out, if I had not already paid good money for the Expressions (and if I weren’t already so happy with them), I’d be all over the Belden’s.
As it is, I want to buy them anyway…
Again, thanks for the additional data point & review confirming the published view.
Thanks Elk. I had gotten those and meant to post them but forgot. Too busy listening to music I guess. They make interesting reads for those who are interested.
Here is where we stand. Iconoclast cables are available through Hanson AV but Belden does not as yet have a website to support their product, therefore, Hanson does not have anything to link to from their website. Hanson is not in the business of creating marketing materials or speaking for Belden so they have to wait for Belden to get it together. The ordering channel is not yet streamlined but it does work if you contact Hanson AV directly via their website.
Remember, I tossed the original info out for you guys very very early in this product’s life. Looking back, maybe too early but I just had to share. Belden has not produced finished products for consumers before (to my knowledge) and certainly not for our fickle and demanding market. They are engineers and their marketing has been geared toward tech and high volume sectors and they are learning what to do with us. They are all about applied engineering but not about, um, “feel good” marketing, so please be patient.
The ordering channel certainly does work and I found the process quite painless. I started with an email to Hanson, got emails and a call back to provide payment info and answer any questions I had, and that was about it. Not counting the invoices, market material, etc. that they helpfully sent. It could have all been done with a call to Andres at Hanson, who could not have been more helpful.
wglenn said
Here is where we stand. Iconoclast cables are available through Hanson AV but Belden does not as yet have a website to support their product, therefore, Hanson does not have anything to link to from their website. Hanson is not in the business of creating marketing materials or speaking for Belden so they have to wait for Belden to get it together. The ordering channel is not yet streamlined but it does work if you contact Hanson AV directly via their website.
Remember, I tossed the original info out for you guys very very early in this product’s life. Looking back, maybe too early but I just had to share. Belden has not produced finished products for consumers before (to my knowledge) and certainly not for our fickle and demanding market. They are engineers and their marketing has been geared toward tech and high volume sectors and they are learning what to do with us. They are all about applied engineering but not about, um, “feel good” marketing, so please be patient.
I for one really appreciate you sharing this information
Updated PDF documents are very interesting (long is good; I don’t think they should dumb it down too much).
Only read the speaker cable document, but I particularly appreciate the section discussing how the approach minimises distortions across the full frequency range.
For all the discussion on how Cables were “magic”, it seems as though the effects perceived in the real world (music through hi-fi) might well be explained when sufficient understanding of the underlying is obtained ! I’m shocked (I do sincerely appreciate the underlying understanding being shared, however, because I have no capacity nor experience to uncover such secrets on my own).
(EDIT: Smile : just not a forty foot version!)
I now appreciate Ted’s comments on construction.
Sounds like the Iconoclasts need to be on anyone’s shortlist.
The current product and the way the reviews are shaping up is pretty compelling.
From my own system, I’m really happy with how everything sounds at the moment.
There’s so much good stuff around, and I’m resisting against going too far. $$$ vs % improvement.
Paul’s got about 8 top notch items that could improve my system. BHK-Pre + 2 x BHK300’s + Pxx’s for all components… plus these cables…
I definitely do not want to drop AU$[xx] on all that gear…
I had a hard enough time doing the first round of Hi-Fi, and I got speakers, a CD Player, a DAC (& Bridge II on pre-order - now released !), amplifiers and cables in that lot … !
There needs to be another word for Higher than Hi-Fi.
Still want the Iconoclasts, and some BHK-300’s.
I reckon it would be really valuable for Paul to do a series with Arnie and perhaps some Bascom highlights on building a system out from scratch, and where Paul would spend his Hi-Fi money first, if it was limited.
Talked with Andres yesterday. Hanson shipped their first cables to a customer in OZ recently. He is hopeful that Belden will have a web destination for Iconoclast soon. They have just given Hanson permission to use the logo on their website, so things are moving in the right direction.
Unfortunately my experience has been rather pretty poor so far I must say. I paid for 2 interconnects on the 6th August and am still yet to receive them. I work away and was positive that I had left sufficient time to have these cables delivered before I flew home . Now I’m off to work again so at best I will have to wait till 1st October to hear them. Not a happy chappy at all.
They have confirmed that they are on the way so thats something.Mmm. Still, I look forward to getting them and at least I suppose they will be burnt in by the time I get back. Will compare to the Ansuz P that I currently have.
Ps
Finally got to experience Yale, what a treat! So hard to turn off and go to bed. Fantastic!!!
I’ve now replaced the balanced interconnects between my preamp and amp (previously XLO) and preamp and DS (previously balanced Kimber Silver Streak) with Iconoclast TPC balanced cables, so my digital signal chain is now all Iconoclast TPC from DAC to speakers. The results were much the same as I reported above with the TPC speaker cables. Perhaps not as dramatic as with the speaker cables but quite significant in my system. Again, the cables are very coherent across the spectrum. The bass is tight and plentiful and the highs are crisp and clear, with everything in between sounding right too. Vocals really shine. It’s never been easier to pick out individual instruments. They are still working out some kinks in the order system but it does work (just email or call Hanson AV). These cables are easily the best I’ve had in my system. (I also have Cardas Neutral reference, which I find on the dull side, and some inexpensive Bryston XLRs that are very good for the money and worth trying if you’re on a tight budget, but the Beldens take the prize.) If you’re in the market for speaker cables or interconnects I would highly recommend giving the Iconoclasts an audition. They are great cables and excellent value for the money.
I heard a demo pair of the Belden speaker cables this weekend on my two home systems. I was pleasantly surprised with what noticeable positive improvements I heard across the board. People who say speaker cables all sound the same are either deaf are ignorant. The Beldens seem to do everything equally well. I am definitely going to buy a pair.
I’ll have to say, Dr. Pain’s new listening room is to die for! He’s put a lot of thought and time into it and it sounds as good as it looks. It has been featured on a commercial website ‘cuz it’s sooooo good lookin’ but I’ll leave it to him to share (he’s a little shy about it).
As we really haven’t discussed much of what went on during beta testing, I think it’s fair to say “not always for the better”. The Beldens are exceptionally well engineered, with no voodoo at all behind the admittedly stupendous integrity of their design, but they didn’t sound better in every system where they were used. Interested parties should approach these are they would any other serious audio consideration.
see above 
