4 interconnects reviewed, two DIY!

I have been enjoying the interconnects that qboneus made and posted here if you wanted to try them, for the past 10 days or so. I decided to put it up against the cables I am currently using, plus a pair that I put together a couple of years ago, so four different cables in all.

Upon unpacking them I saw that they look great,maybe even better than the great pics in the threads I linked. I used them between my Rotel CDP and the Jolida integrated amp I have. At first I just plugged in the Q cables (that is what I began to know them as) and just used them for about a week. I noticed a difference in the sound right away, but I did not want to try and dissect the sound right away. I just wanted to listen to them and get a feel.

Three of the cables in use.



If after extended listening, if I get an uncomfortable feeling. To me, the system is doing something wrong. I did not get that feeling with these cables. Well, that is not entirely true. I did get uncomfortable in one situation, more on that later. I spent a half day listening to music and swapping cables.


The ICs from the top, clockwise. qboneus DIY (Q) cable, My DIY effort, Kimber PBJ with Eichmann Bullets, and the Music Metre Calibre



During that review day, I switched cables after listening to a piece or in one case a whole album. I used them as described above. I put the Q cable against my regular cable. It is from a company no longer in existence, Music Metre, the cables are the Calibre. They look bulky but are not. Their construction is of two copper solid core conductors. I also compared to my Kimber PBJ which have been modified by replacing the RCAs with Eichmann Bullets. I think it makes them better sounding; they are not as harsh in the midrange as with the standard ultraplate RCAs. I also listened to my own DIY cable, while I like it, it does not sound as nice. There is a harshness that I just can not get past. Oh, well… I love the bass and I really have nothing invested in them.

The listening chair. Yeah, it is a bad pic.



Music

Peter Gabriel – So
BT Scottish Ensemble – John Taverner – Tears of the Angel
Yo-Yo Ma – John Taverner: The Protecting Veil
George Winston – Linus & Lucy, The music of Vince Guaraldi
Elton John and Tim Rice’s Aida
Patti Smith – Horses
John Cougar Melloncamp - Scarecrow
Depeche Mode – Violator
Metallica – …And Justice for All
Metallica – S&M

Q cable and my DIY attempt. I like the Q cable. Better bass, it was a more exciting presentation when listening to music through them. In comparison, my diys were a little dull, like when the Polaroid has sat in the sun a little two long. Nothing is really missing, it is just tamed a bit too much.

The Kimber PBJ and the Q cable: This was really a bit of a toss up for me. I think that they have a very similar presentation. The PBJ can be a bit ragged in the mid and upper mid area. I think that the Eichmann Bullets have tamed that region a fair amount. It is not as deep through the bass as the Q cable, but it is not slouch either. The highs are a little nicer. They are really close in how they give you the music. It is a close call, one I really can not make.

Close up of the Kimber PBJ



The Music Metre and the Q cable: First, both are very nice sounding interconnects and I could be very happy with either of them. The differences between the two are the greatest of the bunch, yet they both offer some very similar qualities. First, both have very good resolution, detail if you will. Bad interconnects tend to obscure the sound. Remember that faded Polaroid? The image, not only is not as bright as the original, but you can hardly see what the picture was supposed to be. Second, I like bass and both ICs provided the foundation from which the music can flow from. And third, clear highs. Both give you that taste of cymbal shimmer, ring of bell and violins no longer screech but are the beautiful stringed instrument rarely heard outside of a concert hall. The difference is best described as this. The Music Metre is a touch more natural sounding. This was apparent with solo Piano and with the Taverner pieces. The Q cable is like giving the Loudness knob a 1/4, no an 1/8 of a twist from flat. (Yes, I own several Yamahas) It is robust, exciting! With pop and rock it makes the music come alive. Until you pump the volume. It then has little too much sizzle in the highs. With rock and pop that is not well recorded it made me want to turn down the music. I have not had that problem with the Music Metre cables.

The Music Metre Calibre



So, I love the natural presentation of the Music Metre cables, but almost crave the life that the Q cable brings. I replaced the PBJ with the Music Metre, I may have to go back, as it has a very similar sound to the Q cable.

Thanks to qboneus for allowing me to listen to his fine cable.

Nice review well written, although it would be helpful to have an idea of the makeup of the different cables used.
regards,
Jim

I agree. So, with out further adieu.

My DIY cables are three solid core copper conductors that are braded much like the Kimber PBJ. There are more pics and discussion at this thread. There is one signal, one conductor for ground and a drain that is connected to the grouund on one end (the signal end) and not the other.

The Q cable construction, with really fantastic pictures, is linked in the original post at the begining. I think that if I try and go through it, I will mess some part up. Well, i can do the basics. It has a stranded Mogami star quad cable. two for hot and two for ground. The outer metal shield is used as a drain and is connected at the signal end only. It is covered in Techflex that looks great. The RCAs are Neutrik ProFi. They are establish a ground quickly and have a solid feel to them

Kimber PBJ, this IC has been around forever. Mine are modified in that they do not have the Kimber Ultraplate RCA or the later WBT locking RCAs. They have the Eichmann Bullets. There are three stranded conductors, one for signal and the other two are both used as a ground. No drain wire in this design.

Finally, The Music Metre are made of (and I am not 100% positive on this note) two solid core copper conductors that are twisted. One used for signal, one for ground. It is covered with Techflex. The RCAs are silver colored, probably nickle plated.

So, that is about all I know about the construction.

Very nice write up! Informative and in depth. Nice to have some Better cables to compare. Thanks for the effort to do a fine review!

Great review, Thanks!!

Love your write-up! :thmbsp::thmbsp:Just what I was hoping to see when I put those DIY cable out there!!!:thmbsp:
I have not forgotten you Jason, just have been crazy busy lately; if you don't hear back from me soon give me a thwack to wake me up!
thanks again for your review!
cheers,
tal

Great review, it's nice that you took the time to lay this all out for us. It's relatively easy to make a simple pair of DIY interconnects that sound decent, it's another thing to make a really fantastic pair. Little things sometimes overlooked can make a difference, like the type and quality of the conductors and RCA plugs, and even the type of solder used. It's also important to make sure all the wires you're using are exactly the same length.

Most typical RCA connectors are made of brass, which is a poor conductor. It's possible this is why you preferred the Eichmann Bullet Plugs over the Kimber Ultraplate connectors, as the conducting parts of the Eichmanns are gold plated copper - though I admit, even among some of the expensive connectors I've tried, I think the Kimber Ultraplates are fairly good. Eichmann Silver Bullets are ideal IMO, but insanely expensive at this point, unfortunately.

Thanks for the great review! Really appreciate the care you put into doing such a careful job reviewing.

nice! i am in the midst of constructing a diy pair made of solid silver stranded teflon coated wire used in nasa and military use with silver solder and either plated or silver ends. i hope they are not too transparent!