You really think 400 bucks to reterminate is reasonable?? That is highway robbery for a few spades.
"cold forging" has been done by numerous companies for some time. its nothing new. |
Hi, thanks JFrech. Yes I had my GR speaker cables reterminated using Cardas' new process. The difference was not subtle. I noticed a much smoother, slightly more transparent sound. The cost was $400 plus shipping which I think is quite reasonable. I highly recommend doing it, especially if your system is of sufficient resolving power, which yours definitely seems to be. |
A very good question, given the importance of the golden ratio. It did always bother me that my friend the electrical engineer thought I was crazy when I explained my cable choices for my equipment. He did not think that all cables sounded the same, but the capacitance/inductance/resistance parameters were easily understood and designed for. He bought radio shack with gold connectors. |
So what does this do when you consider that between each end the rest of the cable is configured in a certian geometry, with space around the wires etc and the end are compressed? |
What I don't get is why Cardas has not been doing this since day one with the ability to use this "old" technology and if soldering does indeed degrade the sound. |
I used to manufacture cable ...sold it in NY, NJ, etc. I always found that soldering degrades the sound. |
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From watching the cardas video and having owned some of their cables, I doubt you can get that type of crimp by hand...unless your using some sort of manual hydraulic jack. That's heavy gauge wire and a serious spade....
Jfrech (System | Reviews | Threads | Answers | This Thread)
Hand hydraulic crimpers have been around for decades that are almost the same but with more capable higher pressures. Actually enough to crush that terminal to pieces. Don't forget, that is soft copper. That crimp won't pass inspection for a lot of aircraft crimps. I wouldn't want to be under any high voltage power line with that crimp. They use portable rechargeable crimpers for up in the air that have a lot more pressure. Here some links with their specs. Simple math. Old technology. It's been powering the world literally. Aircraft, cars, and an endless list before hi-end audio cables. In his video of the cutaway, you could see a lot of air gaps, that shows it could have been better. Again, nothing new. They might sound good though. [http://www.huskietools.com/HydraulicCompressionSection.pdf] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjYrA1WjmZU&feature=related] [http://www.hydraulic-tool-manufacturer.com/hydraulic-crimping-tool.htm] |
I have a feeling I am going to have to try it, even though I
do tend to be a bit skeptical, but trying will tell me -
though I won't be in a position to A/B and there tends to be
a tendency to think what you just paid for is an
improvement:)
Question: If this is simple crimping available to all, why
has Cardas not been doing something so simple since day one?
I think somewhere in their literature they once said
crimping is usually better than soldering, but the best connections are soldered. A change in position? |
I agree with Jfrech, it appears to be more than just your usual crimp. |
So it's amazing to me the opinions the fly around when the most important thing is how it sounds. Which no one seems to have heard here....at least I offered up someone that has heard it...
From watching the cardas video and having owned some of their cables, I doubt you can get that type of crimp by hand...unless your using some sort of manual hydraulic jack. That's heavy gauge wire and a serious spade....
Pubul57, keep searching for the truth here please and good luck |
It's a plain old fashion compression crimp that everyone has been using for years. I don't see why they even mention it. You could get 10k pounds of pressure with hand crimpers. There is nothing unique on the video. It's just a sales pitch. Any other company that has crimp on terminals most likely has the same connection, or better. Even budget generic ones. The die is replaceable for different terminals. All crimpers have dies. If they want to run a different size through, they just change the die to fit the different terminal. Old technology to the world. If there is anything different here that anyone with knowledge on crimpers has, please chime in. Google compression hydraulic crimpers, and you'll find a full variety. They're doing a double crimp with the terminal misaligned, in the video. That might be causing a worse crimp.Nobody is supposed to notice that, or they don't know better themselves. I have some Cardas, but I'm starting to wonder. Nothing new here. |
I guess the idea is to eliminate a solder connection, but I
would think there are hundred between source through the
amp, including the ICs, got to wonder how it can make much
difference, but....
I called it cold forging, but it is really "Two Stage,
Compression Die Forging" where the copper of the cable and
the copper of the connector become one solid piece. This
connection "eliminates the Eddy Currents found in other
types of terminations by forging a perfect homogeneous flow
of conductor and connector." Well, that's the claim. So
there is theory and practice. Anyone tried upgrading the
Cardas cables with this process? |
pubul57,
try audiogon user lenny_zwik, i believe he had his golden reference sent back and reterminated. Pretty sure it's a nice improvement and worth it for lenny... |
Doesn't look any different than any other good crimp IMO. |
You can find more info on this process at
http://www.cardas.com/content.php?area=insights&content_id=43&pagestring=Compression+Die+Forging
Snake oil? Sound Science? Perceptible Difference? Breakthrough? or Just a Unique Selling proposition? It's different, but as they asked in law school, "is it a difference that makes a difference?" |
