Is ICONOCLAST cable a "better" cable?

[mhardy6647]

These Belden people really need to get their acts together. Obvious they don't talk to each other. Their "right hand" doesn't seem to know what their "left hand" is doing.

Below is from the Belden blog. (It appears Belden has incompetent IT people too. This blog page, ATM, doesn't work. I have to get it using Wayback machine )
https://web.archive.org/web/2021010...cast/understanding-skin-effect-and-frequency/

View attachment 119098

From Iconoclast (source):

View attachment 119099

Well, remember that the head honcho at Iconoclast (besides, presumably being an iconoclast) parted ways with Belden. Thus my (perhaps ill-advised, in retrospect) "mad scientist" themed quip way back at the somewhat ugly beginning of this thread.

 

[NTK]

Well, remember that the head honcho at Iconoclast (besides, presumably being an iconoclast) parted ways with Belden. Thus my (perhaps ill-advised, in retrospect) "mad scientist" themed quip way back at the somewhat ugly beginning of this thread.

Wow. The Iconoclast "Time" gibberish used the Belden logo.

 

[GeorgeBynum]

All else aside, at least the specs are very good

View attachment 118682

I wonder what the AWG equivalent is

If the 1.2 ohm is single wire, something between #10 and #11. If it is for the loop, between #7 and #8.

 

[Cuniberti]

I will sleep fine knowing I have ordinary 'speaker cables' but can imagine people looking for the 120dB SINAD and fearing their cable may not be as technically 'better' than their already expensive cables might loose some sleep over it thinking that if it measures somewhat better they can certainly hear it.

Thank You, Solderdude! - this is the kind of valuable information I was seeking. I'm sitting here now enjoying music via my Mogami and Blue Jean cables.

 

[Cuniberti]

@Cuniberti Do you use any special cables in your studio, or just the usual pro brands?

Mogami Quad varieties for microphones, interconnects, and speakers. Nothing "exotic". When I was chief engineer at The Plant Mastering in Sausalito, CA many cable manufacturers would send me expensive cables in the hope I would endorse them. I and the other engineers would measure them, try them and even spend time doing blind testing, mostly for our own amusement. 90% of the cables were sent back. At home, because I only use three interconnects and one set of speaker cables I'm a bit more adventurous but not stupid.

 

[DonH56]

Skin effect: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...cle-does-audio-cable-skin-effect-matter.7157/

 

[RichB]

How can anyone who prides themselves on measurements buy PS Audio?
Pricing, almost about 10K for my HT system.
Color, bright blue. An obvious choice, so that all your friend know you have expensive cables.

Nothing to see here, move along.

- Rich

 

[Billy Budapest]

With Belden being headquartered a few blocks away from my house in Clayton, Missouri (the “second downtown” of the St. Louis metro area), I have taken a keen interest in these products. The prices are exorbitant but I still am interested in the supposed science behind them. To that end, I have corresponded over email with Galen Gareis a bit about the cables but have mostly engaged in friendly, off the cuff conversation and have not challenged the science behind the cables. I would never buy them because even if the science is sound, any electrical difference these cables make would be far below the threshold of audibility. So, I’m following this thread with interest.

 

[pozz]

With Belden being headquartered a few blocks away from my house in Clayton, Missouri (the “second downtown” of the St. Louis metro area), I have taken a keen interest in these products. The prices are exorbitant but I still am interested in the supposed science behind them. To that end, I have corresponded over email with Galen Gareis a bit about the cables but have mostly engaged in friendly, off the cuff conversation and gave not challenged the science behind the cables. So, I’m following this thread with interest.

I don't think there's much doubt that the design is good. It just makes very little measurable difference, and the designer's comments on audibility, despite his expertise, are made without evidence or an attempt at controlled listening.

 

[Gregss]

I don't think there's much doubt that the design is good. It just makes very little measurable difference, and the designer's comments on audibility, despite his expertise, are made without evidence or an attempt at controlled listening.

Hello,

Yes, while likely the cables do measure well, without some blind quality testing we do not have any evidence at all that the result would be audible at all, let alone better. Don't understand that with the resources this guy has, he hasn't bothered to do any blind testing that would help sell his product as a better than usual one. Blind testing is not that hard, or expensive. While we all know how much claims of wonderful are cheap and widespread.

Want believers, have a reputable source do some valid testing. IMHO.

 

[pozz]

Hello,

Yes, while likely the cables do measure well, without some blind quality testing we do not have any evidence at all that the result would be audible at all, let alone better. Don't understand that with the resources this guy has, he hasn't bothered to do any blind testing that would help sell his product as a better than usual one. Blind testing is not that hard, or expensive. While we all know how much claims of wonderful are cheap and widespread.

Want believers, have a reputable source do some valid testing. IMHO.

It's a strange and unresolved dissonance in audio. Hard to shake the traditional perspectives.

 

[EB1000]

Do audio cables matter? | Galen Gareis formerly of Belden Wire

Former Belden Wire Designer Galen Gareis explains how cables need to meet certain standards and the design parameters around them. He also speaks about the actual science and the subjective side within HiFi audio. After many years of a business relationship with Blue Jeans Cable, he now leads the ICONOCLAST cable line.
LINK:

I thought I was watching a Stephen Hawking deep fake...

 

[BrEpBrEpBrEpBrEp]

Here you go: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/56060-ho-ho-ho-belden-and-blue-jeans-join-the-dark-side/

God that was painful. I made it about 6 pages in.

 

[Billy Budapest]

God that was painful. I made it about 6 pages in.

I stopped reading when people started talking about “Faraday cages.” That’s an indicator to me that ignorance is at work.