[cjr888]

System is currently disassembled, but will be picking up one of digital cables soon for future use.  The one question I have to ask, is why the huge difference in cost between your digital cable and interconnect?  Granted the interconnect is well reviewed with extremely positive comments, but any plans to fill the gap with interconnects at a much lower price level?

[stereovox]

Hi Chris,
It is obvious you are highly qualified to talk about wire, so if you have time here are a couple of issues that maybe you could offer your views on...

I'll do my best!

Speaking of directionality...,
what is your position on directionality as an inherent characteristic in the wire itself. I've read that the wire extruding process can have an effect on which way the signal will flow best. I've also read that burning a wire in will establish directionality, and that once a wire is burned in, it should always be installed in the same direction. But I've also read that because the signal flows in both directions, directionality is a myth.

Directionality as a condition of drawing or casting wire (i.e. inherent diodicity of the metal crystals, etc) is something that I don’t necessarily find useful as a model. Further, in pure non-ferrous metals I doubt that continuous signal would polarize a conductor in the same way one might magnetize a ferromagnetic material. Analog and digital signals are both A/C signals - signal travels in both directions, so I'm not entirely convinced of the usefulness of a diodic conductor model.

I have had several people report that they have heard differences in otherwise “bi-directional” cables, and I never like to dismiss reports regardless of whether or not they happen to fit with my understanding of "the way things are supposed to work" - I'm curious but cautious. I haven’t had a transofrmational experience with wire directionality – it’s of the ‘squinting my ears’ variety … I hear something, but it’s not consistent enough or assignable enough for me to model.

As such, I have no official position on the subject, however we have also identified one end from the other on the HDXV such that it would be a little easier for people to experiment with directionality if they want to.

Wire architecture...,
We have some members on the AC, some of them EE's, and designers of amplifiers who say that audiophiles are wasting their money on high-end, esoteric, overpriced wire. Some state that $30 for the right type of Belden interconnect (impedence and inductance) is all anyone needs, and that it is impossible to do any better. These nay-sayers also accuse anyone who disagrees as being delusional and only think they can hear a difference, but physics dictates otherwise.

This reminds me of an old Saturday Night Live sketch where Steve Martin is playing Theodoric of York, a barber (i.e. doctor) in Medieval times. Behind him is a scene of people being treated with all forms of primitive medicine (i.e. bloodletting) as he goes on to deliver a television-commercial-style monologue that goes something like this:

"Medical science is truly advanced now. Just decades ago we would have thought that this woman was ill because she was possessed by a demon or an evil spirit. Today, we laugh at this foolishness, knowing full well that this woman is ill because of a small gnome living in her stomach."

The establishment always seems to be utterly convinced of its completeness, which is a very consistent flaw of large organizations of any kind. Slow to recognize, track, and reorganize to deal with new data.

The problem with the objectivist critical position is simply that more and more people hear and enjoy the effects of fine tuning their system with cables. It's a fairly huge phenomenon, if you think about it.  To dismiss the reported experiences of thousands upon thousands of people from all over the world as merely delusional because it doesn't accord with their understanding ... well, it puts them at a disadvantage because it removes a tool from the belt.

It doesn't matter, ultimately, if the curmudgeons accept the notion of cable-audibility in audio systems or not. For those of us that value and appreciate it, there are many options available at all price points and all performance levels. There is no caterwauling loud enough to convince a man that he has not experienced what he has experienced, and experience is not only at the very core of scientific method itself (i.e. observation) ... it is the most important core of audio design. We make audio gear to interface with humans, not with machines ...  the most important data is that gathered from the people who use the gear.

If your kit measures "perfectly" but doesn't make the listener happy ... you and your little science-fair project can go stand in the soup line together. Measurements are tools, not ends in and of themselves, and are no more important than the indicators we receive from empirical study and subjective data-gathering. Sometimes they correlate with experience, sometimes they don’t … when they don’t correlate with the experience of tens of thousands of people, its time to look for new ways and new things to measure.

I do enjoy reading the ongoing debates, flame-wars, etc. It's more entertaining than a Jerry Springer show ... more boobs, too.

But the battle has been long over and the pro-cable market continues to grow as more people discover and experience the benefits of good cabling. The peculiar thing is that the “Objectivists” accuse the pro-cable consumer of being deceived and buying based on blind faith. Yet what seems to hold true is precisely the opposite: The objective camp demands that the consumer have blind faith in their expertise and authority, yet those consumers who do pursue cabling options do so because experience tells them that high-end audio cabling is viable and important.

PS: If I keep my modified P-1A and P-3A, I will be looking to upgrade my 2 digital interconnects: a stock I2s between the p1 and p3, and a Jena Labs XLR digital between my p1a and transport. ...

Keep us in mind!

Chris

[stereovox]

System is currently disassembled, but will be picking up one of digital cables soon for future use.  The one question I have to ask, is why the huge difference in cost between your digital cable and interconnect?  Granted the interconnect is well reviewed with extremely positive comments, but any plans to fill the gap with interconnects at a much lower price level?

Hi CJR,

The difference in price is due entirely to the difference in development and production costs. We will be trickling down some of what we've done in the higher-end Reference line to products appropriate for the Studio line - this will be happening sometime around the beginning of 2004.

   The first of these products will be analog interconnects in the $400-$500 range, using a new Xhadow RCA design that will also be made available to OEMs and DIY'fers.

   We'll also be releasing a Reference balanced interconnect and Reference bi-wire jumpers.

Stay Tuned!



Cheers!

Chris

[audiojerry]

Thanks for your insights, Chris

[Sa-dono]

Hi Sa-Dono,

Strange, indeed ... sounds like there may have been something amiss at the digital input of the DAC - i.e. for some reason there not being a pulse transformer installed? Which DAC was it? In any event, it's not very likely that the cable shielding permitted the hum to be induced from stray fields, etc ... this sounds as if it was something piping down the ground plane of the transport, over the ground/shield of the D-60, and somehow into the ground plane of the analog circuit of the DAC.

Buuut - I'm sure you must have tried other cables to better effect, so my question would be: Did the hum go away with other cables and were those cables "directional" ? i.e. did they have the ground/sheild lifted at one end (usually the source end)?

Chris

Chris,

I can tell you there was certainly nothing wrong with the gear. I will not go into detail about the exact setup for this, but only that the DAC was not relevant. And yes, the other cables did kill the hum, and were not "directional".

Even still, I'll try and give the cable a listen and see what I find.

[Sa-dono]

PS: If I keep my modified P-1A and P-3A, I will be looking to upgrade my 2 digital interconnects: a stock I2s between the p1 and p3, and a Jena Labs XLR digital between my p1a and transport.

I'm saddened Jerry! "$20K" of gear, and you're using the stock I2S cable!?!?!? For shame...

[stereovox]

Chris,

I can tell you there was certainly nothing wrong with the gear. I will not go into detail about the exact setup for this, but only that the DAC was not relevant. And yes, the other cables did kill the hum, and were not "directional".

Even still, I'll try and give the cable a listen and see what I find.

Hi Sa-Dono,

Sounds to me as if there may have been a production error in teh cable, i.e. a bad shield termination. What you describe isn't normal behavior for the D-60 (or any competently made coaxial), so my assumption is that you received one that was either terminated poorly or treated poorly before you received it.

Thanks for telling me about this, by the way. It's feedback like this that makes it possible to pay attention to areas that may need improvement.


Cheers!

Chris

[vpolineni]

The first of these products will be analog interconnects in the $400-$500 range, using a new Xhadow RCA design that will also be made available to OEMs and DIY'fers.
 

Chris, will you be offering speaker cables in the Studio line as well?

[stereovox]

Chris, will you be offering speaker cables in the Studio line as well?

Hi VP,

We are planning to offer speaker cables, they have a definite place in the development queue.

By the way - did you have a chance to communicate with Jack Bybee about your inquiry?

Chris

[vpolineni]

Chris,
  Yes I did.  He recommended putting bybees on the positive terminals on speaker cables.  He suggested not to put them on interconnects for it can be tricky (although Wayne at bolder cables does with his nitro interconnects).  By the way, what's up with production of the hdxv cable??? I placed an order with nathan at eighth nerve today and he said he won't have anymore untill next monday because of production problems-get with the program!    
Seriously though, I can't wait to hear it... good luck with your business.

[stereovox]

Chris,
  Yes I did.  He recommended putting bybees on the positive terminals on speaker cables.  He suggested not to put them on interconnects for it can be tricky (although Wayne at bolder cables does with his nitro interconnects).  By the way, what's up with production of the hdxv cable??? I placed an order with nathan at eighth nerve today and he said he won't have anymore untill next monday because of production problems-get with the program!    
Seriously though, I can't wait to hear it... good luck with your business.

Hi Vasu,

No production problems ... we had a big order from overseas and it sucked out all of our parts (interseries adapters) while we're waiting on the new ones to come in. I expect the next batch in this week or early next week - we over-ordered on this batch so that big orders don't wipe us out like the last one did.

Nathan should be seeing his next order in the coming week. Hang in there!



Cheers!

Chris

[Horsehead]

Received my 3 meter HDVX just in time!
Chris, I think you discussed this somewhere else, but is the cable directional?  I have the "Stereovox HDVX" printed end at my source. BTW- very impressed so far.....

[stereovox]

Received my 3 meter HDVX just in time!
Chris, I think you discussed this somewhere else, but is the cable directional?  I have the "Stereovox HDVX" printed end at my source. BTW- very impressed so far.....

Hi Horsehead,

The cable is not built as a directional cable, but the ends were identified from one another to allow the end user to experiment with directionality.

Glad you're keen on the 'XV ... we're mighty happy with it, too!



Cheers!

Chris

[lonewolfny42]

"Curiosity" killed the cat   , order placed for 1m HDVX from CC in PA.

[audiojerry]

"Curiosity" killed the cat   , order placed for 1m HDVX from CC in PA.

Are you planning on comparing it to the Ridge Street MSE II?

[ZooDog]

I just ordered one from the Cable Co. today and the sales guy (Paul) said that they were flying out the door.  He said that I had ordered the last one that they had on hand, but I think that he might have been exaggerating a little bit.

[vpolineni]

don't be so sure zoodog.. nathan at eighth nerve told me that he had 14 backordered cables for his incoming shipment.  I'll be the first one to get it though.. can't wait.

[lonewolfny42]

"Curiosity" killed the cat   , order placed for 1m HDVX from CC in PA.

Are you planning on comparing it to the Ridge Street MSE II?

Jerry, my Ridge audition should be just around the corner, so why not have another digital cable on hand. Plus, as I said, curious about the "Hoopla" , and for 75 bucks - cheap !!  

[Lak]

Do or will any of you have both the HDVX and the i2 Digital?  I would like to know how each one sounds in a two-channel system, and your recommendation as to which one to purchase.
I have been using the i2 Digital for several months.
 

[lonewolfny42]

"Curiosity" killed the cat   , order placed for 1m HDXV from CC in PA.

Has arrived (boy,that was a quick delivery - UPS ground). Thin cable, tight (very snug) fit on to audio connections, look's well built. I'll let it break'in...see how it goes.