The equivalent of "acid-wash" jeans from Blue Jeans Cable: SILVER version of the LC-1

music4cities

music4cities

Junior Audioholic
Well what have we here?

Blue jeans cable -- one of the most keeping it real cable buyers -- is selling a silver version on their infamous lc1 interconnect.

Could not find it on their website, only on amazon, on which it is a few bucks cheaper than the normal, er, classic wash lc-1. The website still has its exotic materials page though.


Head spins, groove off.

What gives? Have they gone to the dark side, or keeping their options open?


I need a new set of rca....maybe I'll pick it up to save a coupe bucks.

BJC Silver-Plated Stereo Audio Cable, 3 foot, Assembled in USA https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N43WP1X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_u7QRzb3HNRYEJ
 
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j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I am sure all it means is they found a source for the raw cable that is inexpensive enough for them to use it without incurring a higher cost on their products. So not technically dark side, more like gray ;)
 
Irvrobinson

Irvrobinson

Audioholic Spartan
I think you're making a big deal out of nothing. They're just using standard Belden cable stock, and apparently they've done up an Amazon special. It's not a "silver version", as in something stupid Audioquest would do.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I think you're making a big deal out of nothing. They're just using standard Belden cable stock, and apparently they've done up an Amazon special. It's not a "silver version", as in something stupid Audioquest would do.
Asking price isn't too ridiculous either. When things start getting really expensive that's when I find it offensive.
 
Steve81

Steve81

Audioholics Five-0
When things start getting really expensive that's when I find it offensive.
That and bullshit claims about vastly improved sound quality. From the ad:

Many of our customers ask about silver or silver-plated conductors as an alternative to copper. While we’re partial to copper for various reasons, there are those who prefer silver, and this cable is for them: silver-plated copper conductors, with our usual high-quality Canare RCA plugs.
Not exactly comparable to the claims made by those other cable companies.
 
music4cities

music4cities

Junior Audioholic
I think you're making a big deal out of nothing. They're just using standard Belden cable stock, and apparently they've done up an Amazon special. It's not a "silver version", as in something stupid Audioquest would do.
Whoa there....Making a big deal out of nothing is exactly the point of the analogy to acid washed jeans. It's not like I called them the jorts of blue jeans cable after all. Or the kumlauts. And nothing wrong with a little forum traffic on Tuesday am and maybe a couple of buy it nows for BJC, my favorite interconnect supplier.

Yes indeed, it's a belden coax with, inferring from the description, with silver plated conductor standard to the model. (I have not looked it up the specs on belden). According to the amazon listing:

"The cable stock in these stereo pairs is Belden 734D2. This was originally developed as a DS3/DS4 digital coaxial audio cable for multiplexed telephone systems, ....It offers low capacitance (16.8 pF/ft) and excellent braid-over-foil shielding, and has a 20 AWG silver-plated copper center conductor."

But my favorite part of the description is the first part, which to paraphrase/interpret:

'Here are some "acid washed" interconnects with a silver plated conductor in the middle. We think "stone washed" ones with copper are better overall, and that's why we use that for lc1. But there is no accounting for taste. So if you are into that sort of thing, here you go.

They work fine because the cable we re-purposed meets the necessary technical criteria for analogue line level interconnects. Hey, the shielding is really terrific, though thats nothing to do with silver plating on the center conductor. Just quality construction of non-exotic materials. And we assemble it just like our other cables (that is to say, AMAZINGLY). Except the it's about 1/16th inch thinner and has a grey cable jacket, which is probably the only way you could ever tell this apart from our standard lc1 in a double blind listening test. You know, once you take the blindfold off."
 
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music4cities

music4cities

Junior Audioholic
Asking price isn't too ridiculous either. When things start getting really expensive that's when I find it offensive.
I'm getting them cause they are cheaper than the standard lc1...! Very BJC...value priced silver. Lol
 
music4cities

music4cities

Junior Audioholic
I'll post an non-review once I get them. Not that I have expectations. I meant they are only 3' long with the same plugs. Maybe with super great shielding. Which is never an issue with the LC-1 for me anyway....

In contrast, the worst constructed cables I ever used have were from Kimbre PBJ and some Audioquest that were given to me. The Kimbre had effectively zero strain relief due to the type of construction and dodgy specs. Basically solder was the strain relief. And plugs so needlessly tight that they could easily damage the sockets/board you attached them too...especially of you screwed up the "directionality" the first time wanted the little arrows to point the right way...LOL. No thanks. Their high capacitance did, I have to admit, sound different. But I have tone controls that are predicable and adjustable. So I don't need unpredictable cables to do that for me.

The audio quest were massively thick...mainly do to a rubber casing. At least they were coax with an ok but nothing special shield and a hair-thin central conductor. BUT with plugs NOT designed specifically for coax and soldered rather than a proper crimp. Thus not any better than than $1.50/pair plastic Ratshack RCA plugs. Maybe worse because of the chunky metal and lack of insulating plastic/rubber. Any "audible" effects resulted in the resistance and impedance produced by badly designed terminations. Plus, all the so called strain relief was from to set screws into the fat rubber casing, which flexed etc in the sleeves. Thus the solder joints were subjected to flexing, creating fatigue, cold joints and eventually, breakage. When they broke I went through the trouble of replacing with mono price plugs and resoldering. But I would not bother again when you can buy a whole new mono price or amazon basics RCA cable for almost nothing. or a properly designed and constructed cable from BJC for $20-30 Maybe you have to buy their $1000 cables for a proper crimp connector....or maybe its the same dumb solder plug but now, with useless battery pack and cooler looking sleeve material.


The BJC LC! crimp plugs are beasts and as good a spec and one can get within the technical constants of the RCA type plug. Why anyone would want solder over a real, proper crimp on a coax: which is mechanically and electrically optimal!

The only think with the BJC is the length of the plug. There are times when I have to resort to a 90 degree adapter. I would love to see a 90 degree factory crimped plug would be a great option. if they exist. there are a few solder and/or compression ones out there
 
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mtrycrafts

mtrycrafts

Seriously, I have no life.
That and bullshit claims about vastly improved sound quality. From the ad:



Not exactly comparable to the claims made by those other cable companies.
Sounds like they are just meeting customer demand, nothing more.

If one remembers John Dunlavy of the speaker fame did the same and told his customers that they sound the same as less expensive cable and was willing to have customers do a DBt in his showroom.
 
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