Belden Iconoclast cables

[dan31]

I would go with Galen's recommendation of the 4x4.

Ron do you have any technical measurement of input impedance across the 20 hz - (10-50k) hz? With these values you would better be able to calculate the capacitance effect on the input of the towers.

Your VTL preamp has a nice low output impedance. I think the mark 1 version measures 44 ohms balanced and rises up to 167 ohms at 20 hz.

 

[tony22]

I haven't heard the 4x1 but comparing a 4x4 OCC vs the Mogami should go in the Iconoclast's favor barring an unfavorable interaction with cables/components in your system.

I was one of the original beta testers of the 4x1 in both RCA and XLR forms. This was some years ago at this point, well before the additional years of free learning we all got from Galen’s limitless intelligence on this subject. At that time, I felt my Audience SX (and earlier SE) and some of my other cables were a better match for my system. I now have some of the 4x4 UPOCC XLRs and can say I like the way these work in my system. As always, a call to Bob Howard at Blue Jeans Cable will get anyone a set of sample cables of the different types to try. I recommend it highly. In my case I found the sonic characteristics did not change much (really, at all) with length. So if you can finagle your equipment to try with standard lengths of UPOCC, OFE, etc and pick the one you like, chances are pretty good the longer length will sound just about identical.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I would go with Galen's recommendation of the 4x4.

Ron do you have any technical measurement of input impedance across the 20 hz - (10-50k) hz? With these values you would better be able to calculate the capacitance effect on the input of the towers.

Your VTL preamp has a nice low output impedance. I think the mark 1 version measures 44 ohms balanced and rises up to 167 ohms at 20 hz.

Thank you, but I don't have any technical measurement of the input impedance over the frequency spectrum.

 

[dan31]

Hi Ron,

I looked it up. It’s 40k ohm in general. If you use that value and the 44 ohm output of the preamp, as well as using the cable capacitance you should be able to calculate any high frequency losses over a long run. My guess is you are fine.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Hi Ron,

I looked it up. It’s 40k ohm in general. If you use that value and the 44 ohm output of the preamp, as well as using the cable capacitance you should be able to calculate any high frequency losses over a long run. My guess is you are fine.

Thank you very much for researching that for me!

 

[sbo6]

A friend brought over the Belden - made Iconoclast RCA interconnects a few years ago. Compared to my JPS Labs Superconductor 3 ICs the Iconoclasts had more high frequency energy and less bass. In my system it was, unfortunately unlistenable. Not that it was horrible but once you put the JPS cables back you realized how good the JPS were and how frequency unbalanced the Iconoclasts were. YMMV.

 

[RnRmf]

A friend brought over the Belden - made Iconoclast RCA interconnects a few years ago. Compared to my JPS Labs Superconductor 3 ICs the Iconoclasts had more high frequency energy and less bass. In my system it was, unfortunately unlistenable. Not that it was horrible but once you put the JPS cables back you realized how good the JPS were and how frequency unbalanced the Iconoclasts were. YMMV.

That sure doesn't sound like a description of the UPOCC 4x4 interconnects from Iconoclast that I've purchased in the last couple of years.
Do you know what kind of RCA you tried? There are 2 build types with 3 different conductor options in each build.

 

[tony22]

I’m with @RnRmf on this. Doesn’t sound like the 4x4 UPOCC. I’m definitely curious to know which one it was.

 

[sbo6]

I honestly don't recall which type they were. Again, this was my experience in my system which myself and four others concurred with each other on the sonic differences. YMMV.

 

[tony22]

I honestly don't recall which type they were. Again, this was my experience in my system which myself and four others concurred with each other on the sonic differences. YMMV.

Fair enough. As with all things in audio, system synergy can do interesting things when trying something new.

 

[QuadDiffuser]

One of the longest (and tortuous) cable reviews I’ve ever read, meandering into not just different zip codes, but entire continents. Finally, at last, and as expected, the Iconoclast cables shine! ;-)

Iconoclast by Belden Speaker and Interconnect Cables and BAV Power Cords Review

It is, we think, one of the hallmarks of cable voodoo that its methods and notions are always obscure —proprietary terms of uncertain meanings on the technical side, and vague promises framed in the most poetic and inspirational terms on the subjective side. We don’t aspire to rewrite the laws...

www.dagogo.com

 

[Ron Resnick]

I found the writing and structure of this review to be a confusing mess. Did I miss detailed sonic comparisons between Iconoclast cables and other cables, or were such standard comparative reports actually not there?

 

[audioquest4life]

Ron,

I think you have a good point. The salacious lead-up about the history and technology behind the development of the Iconoclast cables had readers leaning into this review with anticipation. My take away after reading the review is the the Iconoclast cables are giant killers and are able to play excellently at initial use stages without any notion of break-in. However, I think it would have been better to submit a more detailed comparative analysis between the Iconoclast and any of the cables that were used.

I get a sense that the Iconoclast used with the Legacy amps were the best combination in use with the rest of the components and all other cables during the review. This includes the reviewers own Clarity cables (manufacture?), and that at other times, the Iconoclast sounded better and more even handed. I think I made more of a point to contrast cables in my Analysis Plus phono cable update, albeit, without the depth of term use that the reviewer used throughout the Iconoclast cable review.

Does it make one want to jump in line to purchase Iconoclast cables? Not sure. Perhaps, this could lead to a start of fellow audio geeks experimenting with these cables to find more validation as to whether these are really giant killers as implied in the review. If these are in fact a contender to higher priced cables, then I congratulate Belkin. These cables deserve a more technical review which describes the idiosyncrasies and comparative analysis which portrays in more detail how cymbals, drums, horn, and vocals sound. This I would call the homogenization of the sound. I did find that the AP phono cable played at an extremely high musical level right out of the box so I can agree with the sentiment that some cables can sound good right out of the box, But, how good? That was the lingering question that all of us needed answered to satisfy our own curiosity. Just my .02 cents. If you order some, I will test them for you on my system.

 

[highstream]

I agree, and will add that some of what the review’s author has gushed over, most notably TWL power cords, didn’t jibe at all with my experience. And while quite competent, I’ve never been blown away by the often touted lower level Belden-based cords and cables. Perhaps differing tastes, but that’s why a more specific discussion and comparison by others is called for.

 

[RnRmf]

Ron,

I think you have a good point. The salacious lead-up about the history and technology behind the development of the Iconoclast cables had readers leaning into this review with anticipation. My take away after reading the review is the the Iconoclast cables are giant killers and are able to play excellently at initial use stages without any notion of break-in. However, I think it would have been better to submit a more detailed comparative analysis between the Iconoclast and any of the cables that were used.

I get a sense that the Iconoclast used with the Legacy amps were the best combination in use with the rest of the components and all other cables during the review. This includes the reviewers own Clarity cables (manufacture?), and that at other times, the Iconoclast sounded better and more even handed. I think I made more of a point to contrast cables in my Analysis Plus phono cable update, albeit, without the depth of term use that the reviewer used throughout the Iconoclast cable review.

Does it make one want to jump in line to purchase Iconoclast cables? Not sure. Perhaps, this could lead to a start of fellow audio geeks experimenting with these cables to find more validation as to whether these are really giant killers as implied in the review. If these are in fact a contender to higher priced cables, then I congratulate Belkin. These cables deserve a more technical review which describes the idiosyncrasies and comparative analysis which portrays in more detail how cymbals, drums, horn, and vocals sound. This I would call the homogenization of the sound. I did find that the AP phono cable played at an extremely high musical level right out of the box so I can agree with the sentiment that some cables can sound good right out of the box, But, how good? That was the lingering question that all of us needed answered to satisfy our own curiosity. Just my .02 cents. If you order some, I will test them for you on my system.

They offer a free trial.
The OCC 4x4 XLR is a great cable. I'm using it in both of my systems. It sounds balanced, detailed and naturally warm at the same time to me.

 

[audioquest4life]

They offer a free trial.
The OCC 4x4 XLR is a great cable. I'm using it in both of my systems. It sounds balanced, detailed and naturally warm at the same time to me.

Thanks for the clarification about the free trial. Is the free trial through their website specifically or someone else, such as The Cable Company?

 

[highstream]

Introducing Iconoclast Cable from Belden -- Blue Jeans Cable

Iconoclast Cable by Belden

 

[RnRmf]

Thanks for the clarification about the free trial. Is the free trial through their website specifically or someone else, such as The Cable Company?

They're sold through the https://www.iconoclastcable.com website, assembled by Blue Jeans Cable in the Northwest, and shipped from there. I believe they have a 30 day no questions asked return policy.
I've used the return policy without issue.
The Iconoclast rep, Bob Howard, is good to talk to, as well. Sometimes he even reaches out after an order. His phone number is on their site.

 

[audioquest4life]

Thank

They're sold through the https://www.iconoclastcable.com website, assembled by Blue Jeans Cable in the Northwest, and shipped from there. I believe they have a 30 day no questions asked return policy.
I've used the return policy without issue.
The Iconoclast rep, Bob Howard, is good to talk to, as well. Sometimes he even reaches out after an order. His phone number is on their site.

Thank you.

 

[taww]

Very intrigued by this cable after stumbling across mentions on PS Audio and now here. Incidentally, I am currently reviewing the 2-channel version of the Legacy Class D amp that Doug Schroeder also raves about in that (agreed, very meandering) Dagogo review, and I can see based on the descriptions of the Iconoclast why it would work especially well with the Legacy. It's an excellent amp but definitely a bit softer in HF response vs. a "wide open" sounding amp like Gryphon Essence, so the revealing nature of the Iconoclast probably balances well. Whether this means Iconoclast is slightly tilted-up and the Legacy is tilted-down, or they are both actually properly neutral and everything else is distorted, is anyone's guess.