Ice Digital Cable

StevenACNJ · « **on:** 17 Jun 2004, 07:00 pm »

I am looking to get 3 new digital cables to connect the following:

1. ModWright moded Pioneer DV-59AVI dvd player & Lex MC12
2. Motorolla 5600 digital cable box & Lex MC12
3. CDP & Lex MC12

If anyone who has any experience with the Ice digital cables would you please share your opinion.

Also if any comparison with either Argent Jaden Pursang or Aural Thrills digital cables would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Marbles · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 Jun 2004, 07:40 pm »

Freaking love it...spring for the Silver NextGen connectors.

bubba966 · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 03:15 am »

I've been most pleased with the 5 ULTRA "Bubba" ICE digitals that Wayne's made (and apparently those are the only ULTRA "Bubba" ICE's he's made

).

I was most pleased with the Cryo'd Napalm ULTRA (CNU) Wayne built me (once again, the only one made...

). I tested the CNU against a Transparent Audio Reference AES/EBU digital (a $1,200 cable!

)and the CNU outperformed the Transparent by a slight bit as the CNU was a touch cleaner & more natural sounding. And the ICE is even better than the CNU.

The ICE also makes a killer Video cable. Quite amazing how it performs on Hi-Def Laserdiscs.

StevenACNJ · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 10:40 am »

Bubba,

Are the "ULTRA "Bubba" ICE digitals" cryo treated?

Could you elaborate on how the ULTRA "Bubba" ICE digitals sounds better than the CNU?

Thanks

Wayne1 · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 Jun 2004, 04:26 pm »

Bubba's Ultra Ice have not been Cryo treated, yet.

I have been using Kimber Kable to cryo treat the cable I make. At first they were doing a run every two weeks. Now it is more like every two to three months. If I cannot offer the Cryo treatment on a timely bassis, I won't offer it at all.

With all that said, I was informed that there will be a run done on the 24th of this month. I believe Bubba and his boss will be sending in some cables to have Kimber Kable treat them. Alfet the run is done, they will be sent to me to be broken in again on the cable cooker. The whole process will take 2-3 weeks to finish up.

bubba966 · « **Reply #5 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 03:25 am »

As Wayne mentioned, the ICE's haven't been to Kimber yet for a cryo'ing.

The ULTRA Bubba ICE (UBI) outperforms the CNU in terms of a little bit more open & a little cleaner sound. I didn't have both in my setup for too long to do more a/b testing. I do like the NextGen's performancewise a bit better than the Eichmann's. And I'm sure Wayne could put the difference between the two connectors into words better than I can (as I've heard him explain the differences quite well before).

Granted, a UBI digital isn't cheap. But most of the cost in that is in the 2 silver Slipstream Bybees. Go with the copper Slipstream Bybees and save a good deal. Or, maybe just go with a single copper Bybee, and Silver NextGen RCA's. There's many ways to have an ICE built (copper or silver NextGen's, copper or silver Bybees, and one or two Bybees), and they're all going to perform damn nicely. I think it all just depends on where the point of diminishing returns kicks in for you. For my boss, he wanted the best. So I had Wayne build me the best for him. And that's why there's a UBI option.

Marbles · « **Reply #6 on:** 19 Jun 2004, 03:39 am »

After hearing the differences between the Eichman silver and the NextGen Silver and copper connectors in the same digicable in my system, I am now upgrading all my analog IC's to NextGen Silver connectors.

While I have not heard the nextgens in analog cables, I'm quite willing to bet that there will be a very nice increase in clarity and imaging based upon what i heard in the digital cable.

Oh yeah, I had to buy that Silver NextGen Nitro digital cable.......