Anyone try Eichmann Bullet Plugs?

Christof · « **on:** 11 Feb 2005, 04:12 pm »

Whatcha guys think of these for DIY cables?

http://www.eichmanncables.com/bullet_plug/

JoshK · « **Reply #1 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 04:17 pm »

That is all I ever use for serious ICs. Some will say WBT NextGens are better but they are atrociously expensive.

ted_b · « **Reply #2 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 04:28 pm »

My Chris VH's have Eichmann Silvers and I love them. George (zybar) will swear by the WBT Nexgens, but I am with Josh on this. They are undoubtedly better, but the diminishing returns MUST STOP SOMEWHERE. Sorry, just a facetious scream.

Ted

F-100 · « **Reply #3 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 05:10 pm »

Chris,
I have couple of these plugs and I'm not impress. Over time, the cheap plastic are prone to break apart. I take the WBT Nexgens anyday over the Eichmann. KevinP at DYIcable.com doesn't like them either. Check out his comment here.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=6770&start=0

Christof · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 05:33 pm »

D~
LV-77S arrived yesterday. Thanks!

Are the Eichmanns flimsy? Hard to solder?
c

Red Dragon Audio · « **Reply #5 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 06:11 pm »

I've used both WBT NextGens and Eichmann Bullet plugs in various cable applications I've created.

SOLDERING
I prefer the Eichmanns for soldering. The WBT soldering areas are larger and dissipate heat more quickly making it a tad more difficult to solder. Really you just need a hotter soldering iron but I hate to get things too hot.

CONSTRUCTION
I also like the Eichmann construction even though some don't. I find their simpler construction is easier to deal with overall. I've got big fingers and the WBT have too many little parts falling all over the place. However the WBT will certainly take more abuse than the Eichmann connectors. The trick is to be more careful with the Eichmanns.

Also I like the idea of only plastic. It goes along with the DNM cable theory of using metal only for conductors and no where else in the cable. Of course if you need shielding then the WBT versions would do better. (Eichmann Bullet Plugs can be purchased with matching metal barrels for sheilded apps too but they cost a few dollars more). Some applications must have and will perform better with sheilding. In fact, some of the powercords I make I have triple foil sheilds with copper braid over that and ERS as well; and they measure/perform much better than the unsheilded types. If you are in the country maybe it's not needed but in most urban and suburban areas there are plenty of sources for RFI - EMI and other interference.

SOUND
As far as sound goes, I think they're about the same (with a slight advantage going to the WBT but maybe I'm just a sucker for the slick titanium barrel).

Silver WBT's or Eichmanns present the biggest improvement and if you can spring for them, that's the way I'd go even if your wire is copper.

Connection points are really like choke points in a battle. If you have a cheap connector, it chokes it off more and if you have a highly conductive quality connector it opens the choke point up. So silver does a better job as it's 6% more conductive than copper and will help the signal get by that choke point better. That's how I think of it in my wee mind.

"DOG 1 is OPEN! GO GO GO !!!"

Hopefully that all made some kind of sense.

CONCLUSION
Get the silver version regardless of brand. The Silver NextGens and the Silver Bullet Plugs are as good as RCA style connections go...or you could just swap out all your RCA connections for BNC connections...

Marbles · « **Reply #6 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 06:23 pm »

I have done quite a bit of experimenting with both brands.

I think that the WBT's sound better.

One thing I also found was that if I used the copper plugs and then used Mapleshade SilClear on the ends, it sounded just like silver connectors.

I will only buy copper Nextgen bullets now as sometimes I like the sound better that way, or I can make them sound like the silver ones very easily too, and they are cheaper.

jonwb · « **Reply #7 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 06:23 pm »

For Christmas I got (per my request) two sets of Eichmann Silver Bullet plugs. I plan on using them to make a couple sets of the VenHaus DIY silver interconnects (here).

I have limited experience with them to date, however I did listen to them as they were implemented on a set of Ridge Street Audio IC's that audiojerry let me sample. The cables sounded great, and I had NO troubles at all with plugging/unplugging them.

The best price I've seen on them has been at Welborne Labs. Ron occasionally runs 20% off sales that allows one to get some fancy bits like these for pretty good prices. FWIW, he is currently running one of those sales (until Monday), you can go here and find the Eichmanns.

vsr123 · « **Reply #8 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 06:34 pm »

I have expiremented with Eichmanns copper, cardas and vampire. Overall I preferred the eichmanns, they are delicate though, the ground pin is fragile and prone to breaking if you are into moving the cables around too much. Just make sure you use some heatshrink over the cable/plug to avoid having too much play..
cheers
Sridhar

F-100 · « **Reply #9 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 06:48 pm »

Quote from: vsr123

they are delicate though, the ground pin is fragile and prone to breaking.
cheers
Sridhar

I encountered the same problem with one of my cable too and had heard the same thing from several other people also.

F-100 · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 Feb 2005, 07:06 pm »

Quote from: Christof

Are the Eichmanns flimsy? Hard to solder?
c

Heavystarch pretty much said it all with the soldering.
Are the Eichmanns flimsy? Yes. Especially compare to WBT.

Christof · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 Feb 2005, 12:44 am »

Thanks for the input you guys. I'm probably going to go with a metal connector since I plan to make sheilded wires....never even thought about that factor. In the future I will give the Eichmanns a try for kicks.

c.

Jay S · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 Feb 2005, 01:08 am »

FWIW, all of my interconnect cables use bullet plugs, and I have not had a problem in 2+ years. Note that the Bolder Nitro IC to my amp has to make a very tight 90-degree bend almost immediately after the bullet plug since the cable connectors of my amp are inside a very small "cave". In spite of that, the bullet plug has been perfectly reliable.

Ironoically, the only time I've ever had a problem with an IC was with one using a Cardas connector. I believe Cardas makes very good connectors, but even metal connectors will have problems.