BigS - it's always nice to hear someone else had a similar experience :-)
Cheers
Cheers
Copper®Harmony RCA Plug - a new breed
I was contacted by KLE Innovations recently to review their entry level RCA connector (plug).
I have no idea why - Maybe due to a blog that I maintain?
Anyhow - I was a little skeptical that the Copper Harmony RCA Plug could significantly better my existing Silver Bullet RCA's, since they share (i.e. visually) very similar design principals.
So I set about planning a testing strategy based on about 30 tracks that, over the years, I have used for auditioning various audio components, who's purchase I was considering.
Well, I didn't even have to wait for the Copper Harmony RCA Plug to burn-in to realize they are something extremely special.
Anyhow - to cut to the chase - the Copper Harmony RCA Plug delivers an exceptional performance which improved upon details, dynamics, imaging, etc... of the Silver Bullet RCA's that I own.
Now, I have not compared the Copper Harmony RCA Plug directly to RCA's that conform to a more "conventional" RCA design, mainly because my Silver Bullet RCA's had already demonstrated their superiority.
So - the Copper®Harmony RCA Plug resolves to a very high level of performance and it is very very quick - perfect for just about any duty in the realm of audio - including their use on digital cables!
Because of their ability to allow the flow of extremely small "micro details" in an audio signal, I believe they would also be ideally suited for use on those turntables that employ a one piece wiring harness - especially when using moving coil cart's.
So if you are interested in the complete review please go to http://www.image99.net/blog/
If you would like more information from KLE Innovations then use the following
o Website – www.KLEinnovations.com (nearly ready)
o Email - KLEinnovations@clubtelco.com
Please note - I have no affiliation with KLE Innovations and was not paid to participate in the review.
I am just very impressed with what I consider to be a stellar product and feel it would be beneficial to share my experience with the members.
Regards...
I have no idea why - Maybe due to a blog that I maintain?
Anyhow - I was a little skeptical that the Copper Harmony RCA Plug could significantly better my existing Silver Bullet RCA's, since they share (i.e. visually) very similar design principals.
So I set about planning a testing strategy based on about 30 tracks that, over the years, I have used for auditioning various audio components, who's purchase I was considering.
Well, I didn't even have to wait for the Copper Harmony RCA Plug to burn-in to realize they are something extremely special.
Anyhow - to cut to the chase - the Copper Harmony RCA Plug delivers an exceptional performance which improved upon details, dynamics, imaging, etc... of the Silver Bullet RCA's that I own.
Now, I have not compared the Copper Harmony RCA Plug directly to RCA's that conform to a more "conventional" RCA design, mainly because my Silver Bullet RCA's had already demonstrated their superiority.
So - the Copper®Harmony RCA Plug resolves to a very high level of performance and it is very very quick - perfect for just about any duty in the realm of audio - including their use on digital cables!
Because of their ability to allow the flow of extremely small "micro details" in an audio signal, I believe they would also be ideally suited for use on those turntables that employ a one piece wiring harness - especially when using moving coil cart's.
So if you are interested in the complete review please go to http://www.image99.net/blog/
If you would like more information from KLE Innovations then use the following
o Website – www.KLEinnovations.com (nearly ready)
o Email - KLEinnovations@clubtelco.com
Please note - I have no affiliation with KLE Innovations and was not paid to participate in the review.
I am just very impressed with what I consider to be a stellar product and feel it would be beneficial to share my experience with the members.
Regards...
Showing 23 responses by williewonka
I asked KLE Innovations Could the Copper Harmony be used for Digital ICs (interconnects)? Is impedance an issue? · Steve, the Copper®Harmony and Silver®Harmony will Regards |
Bill - I received a reply from KLEI that contained the following explanation.. - The overall impedance of a "digital path" (e.g. the digital devices + the cable + the connectors) is determined by whichever of those individual components has the lowest impedance. - if the overall impedance is lower than the value that the "digital path" is specifically designed for (i.e. 50, 75 or 100 ohms) the signal can become degraded - Conventional RCA's often have an impedance less than the cable or the component - which reduces the overall impedance of the "digital path" to that of the RCA, often resulting in transmission issues - Due to it's advanced design, the Copper Harmony has an impedance greater than 100 ohms, making it a very good choice for use on digital cables having an impedance of 50, 75 or 100 ohms, since it will not reduce the overall impedance within that "digital path" to a value less than the cable it is attached to. Also, due to the high conductivity rating of the materials used for the conductors in the Copper Harmony, jitter will be significantly reduced. This makes the Copper Harmony RCA an excellent choice for digital applications. I did find other RCA`s that are designed specifically for use on 75 ohm cable, but none for 50 or 100 ohm. I hope this answers your question |
KLEI web site is now up and running http://www.KLEinnovations.com Mr Eichmann has an Interesting approach to cables as well as RCA plugs Take a look :-) |
Snopro - I found that the answer to your question is dependent on the track For example: I have some tracks that appear to have less bass, but it was actually due to the deeper image - the bass had moved further back and was therefore lower in volume. Some might interpret that as less bass. I didn't find the Silver Harmony sounded any thinner - just all around better - better image and more focussed witn more "space" - faster dynamics - finer details The bass was significantly deeper on tracks with really deep bass - like R&B and pipe organ music Both Harmony RCA's were warmer than the Eichman Silver Bullets I originally had The Silver Harmony are well worth the extra $30 Having said that their performance is very dependent on the wire you are attaching them to. I use solid silver interconnects, which are extremely detailed and I find very neutral. Both the Copper and Silver Harmony RCA's brought out the best in the interconnects Hope this helps |
Sbrownnw - since you are into DIY I was wondering if you are up for an "adventure"? I'm currently running an interconnect with a very different architecture. It's similar "in principle" to the Anticables Interconnect, with a slight twist. For construction details see vdone&1323121575&viewitem&o11>http://cgim.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/ vs.pl?vdone&1323121575&viewitem&o11 I've used silver for the signal conductor, but you could simply use a single strand of CAT6 in it's place. For a 3ft IC you would need 9ft of CAT6, and 3ft of teflon tube - so it's pretty cheap - a little more if you want to put a nylon sleeve on it. They do require the KLEI rca's to perform their best. I know the silver/copper version with the Absolute Harmony is exceptional (close to the gZero6) and I think the "all copper" version would provide some stunning details with that warmth of copper that everybody loves. The Copper Harmony would be a good match Anyhow, if you are up for an adventure give them a whirl - you won't regret it - I can pretty much guarantee it :-) As a bonus - this design with the copper Harmony RCA's also perform exceptionally well as a digital S/PDIF IC. It's not for everybody, but those into DIY might find it worth while :-) |
Could just be due to the RCA/cable combo conveying more audible information than that conveyed by the cable previously used, so if the source contains more "noise" perhaps that noise is now being heard? Some components respond negatively to some cables. Sometimes the power cable and Interconnect combination can have an effect on a component. Sometimes the outlet the component is plugged into can cause an issue and the introduction of a better quality Interconnect merely highlights that issue. Hard to pinpoint without experiencing the setup and the issue first hand and trying some different alternatives. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance |
Sbrownnw - I know you like mogami - and so do many others, but there could be architectural issues that may be causing your problems and the Copper Harmony are just bringing them to light. Maybe trying the Copper Harmony with a cable specifically designed for interconnect use would be a much better option. All of the cables I have tried were designed specifically for interconnect use and worked extremely well with the entire Harmony RCA range. The signal from instruments like electric guitar and Microphones have a much larger dynamic range than the signal in a home audio interconnect and as a consequence - the cables designed to handle these dynamics may have different attributes like Capacitance, inductance and impedance, form those cables specifically designed for home audio use. So perhaps a cable designed for the higher dynamic range may not be the most ideal cable for home audio inerconnect use. Based on my excellent findings with several vastly different interconnects designed specifically for home audio use - I think the issue here is probably the Mogami cable - the Copper Harmony is just highlighting the issues that other RCA's seem to be muting. I hope that makes sense Regards |
Sbrownnw - One other thing to consider might be speaker position. Perhaps making the speakers slightly wider might assist with the image. Also, front to back placement might also make a difference. The KLEI RCA's do make the image wider and deeper If the image on the recording is too wide or too deep for the current speaker position then it might be the reason for an unfocussed or jumbled image. FYI: My speakers are around 8.5 feet apart and the image still exceeds that width. The front of my speakers is also around 39 inches from the wall behind them. I realize you room may not allow this, but it's just another thought. Regards... |
Sbrownnw - Yping is suggesting a better RCA, but that really depends on the tone-arm/harness combination... If you are using the standard Rega Arm without any mods - then go for the Silver Harmony or Pure Harmony if the internal wiring has been upgraded then go for the Pure harmony or even the Absolute Harmony For something like the Audiomods Arm - Absolute Harmony - nothing less But one thing for sure - the improvements will amaze you :-) And just for fun - checkout http://www.image99.net/blog/files/04fdba8476cfd21bdd7a5fdf38c8cdf5-28.html Regards... |
I have just completed a review of their Silver®Harmony RCA Plug - the next level up in their line. See my blog for the full review http://www.image99.net/blog/ It has... - significantly better imaging - slightly better dynamics - much deeper low end - extended top-end details - and very transparent I also tried the Copper®Harmony RCA Plug on a Van den Hul "The Name" 70 ohm Interconnect bridgeing from my Pionner Elite DV-45A DVD players s/pdif output to my Schiit Bifrost and it performed very well - better than the original Van den Hul RCA's that came on the cable. Personally - for the $30 extra I would go for the Silver®Harmony RCA Plug. Regards... |
From what I understand - to guarantee true 75 ohm cables you should use a BNC connector I believe. I've used standard rca's without a problem on cable designated as "digital" and they worked very well. "The NAME" from Van den Hul is sold as an analogue interconnect with standard rca's - but the say they can be used for digital - I tried them also and they sound great. Some sites I checked (diy audio and blue jeans cable) says there is no such thing - but they could be mistaken :-) Pasternack advertises a 75 ohm RCA Then I saw a digital cable with an XLR connector - are XLR 75 ohm? Can anyone else clarify this point please Many thanks |
Bill - since I'm no expert I cannot readily address your concerns. I have however passed on your post to KLEI for comment. From what I have read in various articles on the subject, there is an issue of internal cable "reflections" that can arise in digital cable use, when the impedance of the connector is lower than that of the cable. This can degrade transmission. KLEI did share the findings of one reviewer that specifically tried them on a 75ohm cable as a digital interconnect and found them superior to a very good interconnect purpose built for digital applications. One key design point of the Copper Harmony is their small neutral conductor, which contributes greatly to their enhanced performance (at least in analogue applications). Perhaps this also is responsible for their very good performance as a connector in digital applications, in that the small neutral pin may reduce those internal reflections to levels that are no longer an issue, which might make them well suited for use with 50, 75 and 110 ohm cables? I will post their response as soon as I have it |
Sbrownnw - my observations with the Harmony line is that they simply enhance the performance of the cables they are attached to without adding "colour". Adding them to my silver IC's actually improved their warmth and fullness. Food for thought - the metals used in these RCA's are actually proprietary alloys that perform "as good as" pure silver and pure copper. So, how much better is each model than the next ... - If I were to rate the Silver Harmony as 50% better than the Copper Harmony - then I would rate the Pure Harmony as 40% better than the Silver Harmony - and the Absolute Harmony only being 25% better than the Pure Harmony. Yes - diminishing returns! For me (and my budget), the Pure Harmony is the best "value" or "bang for the buck" because the level of improvement they brought to the performance on my silver IC's was extremely good. They are noticeably better than both Copper and Silver Harmony. I have Absolute Harmony on my analogue rig, which I believe will augment the resolution capability of a cartridge upgrade I am planning. The Pure Harmony are on my digital rig because I think they compliment the resolution capability of the DAC - if I upgrade the DAC then I will consider upgrading those to the Absolute Harmony also. In short - I try to match the resolution of the RCA to my cables and to the components they will be used on and within my system You may find the Silver Harmony to be the best "value" on an all-copper cable, but the Pure Harmony may also provide enough of an improvement to warrent that additional expense. It's your budget, your choice! Hope that helps :-) |
OK - if the L/R are "out of focus" - then yes, the RCA's will provide cleaner transmission of fine details, so the new RCA's will exacerbate that condition. You'll hear more of it. If the AV Comcast Box has an IEC plug you could try a better power cable. Some boxes have the C7 IEC plug like my DVD player - I bought an adapter that converts C7 to C14 (3 pin)and upgraded the cable using more standard C14 IEC connectors I always start with the power supply and proceed from there. If it's "plumbed in" there's not a lot you can do without "surgery" Switching to a less detailed IC as you had indicated might be the cheapest solution - if you can live with that. Also - If the Mogami's are anywhere near a power cable or source of interference - like digital components - get some space between them. Regards... |
Sbrownnw - I took a detailed look at the electrical specs of the Mogami (I should have done that first) and I didn't see a problem with them - very similar to many other good interconnect cables - except the capacitance was 1/3 of other cables I have used, but that's a good thing - high capacitance can be an issue. A couple of questions... I am guessing that the end of the cable to which the floating shield is attached to is connected to the "source component" - is that correct? - if not - give that a try Do the sources you are dissatisfied with have a three-pin or a two-pin plug? If they have a two-pin plug, have you tried grounding the chassis of that component? I have a Pioneer Elite DVD player with a two-pin and it creates a hum if the chassis is not grounded. It also sounds much better with the chassis grounded. You also mention certain media does not sound good - can you identify those media and their sources Thanks... |
Sb, - I think I may have observed something similar.... On a couple of Police tracks it did seem as though the bass drum was quieter, until I realized that the image had deepened considerably and the bass drum was now further towards the rear of the image with the rest of the drum kit and as such not as loud as before, but the dynamics were still crisp. On Eric Clapton's Unplugged album there was always quite a loud thumping of his foot on the stage. But as I moved up through the Harmony line this became much less annoying and is now in the background, but the overall bass performance improved and is now much tighter, so I figure it's now where the engineer intended it to be - it sounds more natural. So as a result of the effect these RCA's seem to have on the image, I now listen in 3D - by that I mean that whenever I observe a change that seems a little "alien" to what my ears are accustomed too, I focus on the image to determine if the changes I am hearing are due to a change in an instrument's placement within the image. Regards. |