hakaplan
Needs professional help
Okay, just to remind everyone what we're testing:
Knukonceptz.com Krystal Kable, 1M, Twisted Pair RCA cable
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KRY2.1M
These are well constructed, seem to be of decent quality. I like the connectors--not too tight, not too loose--just snug enough to hold well.
The first test was to just to see if these can be used with a turntable and a moving magnet cartridge. Shielding is critical for phono and these claim to be triple-shielded: copper foil, mylar foil, 98% tinned copper braid.
PHONO TEST
Equipment: Pioneer PL-630 turntable, Shure M91ED & AT142LP carts, Yamaha C-65 preamp, Sennheiser HD-595 headphones.
Result: Humming with both carts.
Explanation: The shields are connected to the signal grounds only at one end. Why this idiotic practice continues to pervade the audio world, especially among so-called "experts" and cable manufacturers is beyond me. SHIELDS ARE WORTHLESS UNLESS CONNECTED TO SIGNAL GROUND AT BOTH ENDS!
And then there's this issue of using balanced cable (two wires plus shield) vs. coaxial (single core wire plus shield), thinking it is better because you're keeping the "return" separate from the shield and therefore the sound doesn't become distorted by the noise being absorbed by the ground. What you have to understand is that there is no return. Think of unbalanced signals as one way. There is nothing going the other way. It's a ground, that's it. So it doesn't matter if it also serves as the shield. The extra wire also adds capacitance. Now, all of what I'm pointing out here is only an issue if the cables are used for phono. For line level, the shield is seldom necessary and the capacitance is seldom an issue so this is all moot. It's just that this type of cable construction when used for unbalanced circuits is silly and unnecessary.
CD TEST
Equipment: Denon DCD-660 CD Player, Yamaha CR-2040 Receiver, Sennheiser HD-595 headphones.
Competitors:
1) Knukonceptz.com Krystal Kable twisted pair, 1M, 150pF capacitance
2) Cat5E twisted pair cable, 6', 87pF
3) Belden 9259 coaxial, shielded, 6', 112pF
4) Petra Component Video Cable, coax, double shielded, 6', 108pF
Results: The Petras were just the slightest bit richer in sound, slightly fuller bass, slightly wider soundstage. The Knu and the Belden were about tied for second, the Cat5E third. However, the differences were minimal and all were perfectly acceptable. Either my equipment simply isn't that discriminating or there just isn't that much difference in line level ICs at this price level. I tend to think it is the latter. For line level connections, shielding is seldom an issue, therefore the unshielded Cat5E and Knuconceptz were fine.
Knukonceptz also makes component video cables:
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KHX-KV.10
Of course, you get the third bonus cable so if you order two sets you end up with three pairs. Since cables of this type adhere to a stricter standard, i.e. solid core coaxial, foil + copper strand shield, my guess would be that their performance would be closer to the Petras. At some time in the future I intend to do a comparison test of different CV cables to see how they differ.
Okay, so who next on the list?
Knukonceptz.com Krystal Kable, 1M, Twisted Pair RCA cable
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KRY2.1M
These are well constructed, seem to be of decent quality. I like the connectors--not too tight, not too loose--just snug enough to hold well.
The first test was to just to see if these can be used with a turntable and a moving magnet cartridge. Shielding is critical for phono and these claim to be triple-shielded: copper foil, mylar foil, 98% tinned copper braid.
PHONO TEST
Equipment: Pioneer PL-630 turntable, Shure M91ED & AT142LP carts, Yamaha C-65 preamp, Sennheiser HD-595 headphones.
Result: Humming with both carts.
Explanation: The shields are connected to the signal grounds only at one end. Why this idiotic practice continues to pervade the audio world, especially among so-called "experts" and cable manufacturers is beyond me. SHIELDS ARE WORTHLESS UNLESS CONNECTED TO SIGNAL GROUND AT BOTH ENDS!
And then there's this issue of using balanced cable (two wires plus shield) vs. coaxial (single core wire plus shield), thinking it is better because you're keeping the "return" separate from the shield and therefore the sound doesn't become distorted by the noise being absorbed by the ground. What you have to understand is that there is no return. Think of unbalanced signals as one way. There is nothing going the other way. It's a ground, that's it. So it doesn't matter if it also serves as the shield. The extra wire also adds capacitance. Now, all of what I'm pointing out here is only an issue if the cables are used for phono. For line level, the shield is seldom necessary and the capacitance is seldom an issue so this is all moot. It's just that this type of cable construction when used for unbalanced circuits is silly and unnecessary.
CD TEST
Equipment: Denon DCD-660 CD Player, Yamaha CR-2040 Receiver, Sennheiser HD-595 headphones.
Competitors:
1) Knukonceptz.com Krystal Kable twisted pair, 1M, 150pF capacitance
2) Cat5E twisted pair cable, 6', 87pF
3) Belden 9259 coaxial, shielded, 6', 112pF
4) Petra Component Video Cable, coax, double shielded, 6', 108pF
Results: The Petras were just the slightest bit richer in sound, slightly fuller bass, slightly wider soundstage. The Knu and the Belden were about tied for second, the Cat5E third. However, the differences were minimal and all were perfectly acceptable. Either my equipment simply isn't that discriminating or there just isn't that much difference in line level ICs at this price level. I tend to think it is the latter. For line level connections, shielding is seldom an issue, therefore the unshielded Cat5E and Knuconceptz were fine.
Knukonceptz also makes component video cables:
http://www.knukonceptz.com/productDetail.cfm?prodID=KHX-KV.10
Of course, you get the third bonus cable so if you order two sets you end up with three pairs. Since cables of this type adhere to a stricter standard, i.e. solid core coaxial, foil + copper strand shield, my guess would be that their performance would be closer to the Petras. At some time in the future I intend to do a comparison test of different CV cables to see how they differ.
Okay, so who next on the list?
