This is not going to be a controversial take on what cables are better and why. I just thought I'd share with some people what the various cables look like from my cable testing last week. Also posted is some pics of the testing.

From left to right: Purist Audio Design Colosus, Purist Audio Design Elementa, and Monster Cable XLN Pro
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-10.jpg

This is a picture showing just how beefy the Colosus termination is.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-11.jpg

I didn't take a picture of the Kimber silver interconnect by it self, but this is a Y connector that shows it's construction.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-05.jpg

...and somewhere in this pile is the 14 ft pair of Kimber silver I used in the test.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-04.jpg

This is a close up of the Kimber silver speaker wire. Braids anyone?
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-06.jpg


...more coming...

[ March 24, 2004, 07:28 AM: Message edited by: PEI330Ci ]

And this folks is the Colosus speaker cable. It's...um...colosal! Each conductor's outer jacket measures almost 2". Try run these under your carpet guys!
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-03.jpg

Here is a shot to demonstrate it's size, but it's much more impressive in real life.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-02.jpg

Here is all the goodies before I shoe-horned them in the car.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-14.jpg

...and the elusive Bag End Elf-1 processor. That's 90 (NINETY) dip switches there folks.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-07.jpg

Elf-1 with a little bit of pure silver interconnect and PAD Colosus Balanced cable.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-15.jpg

So the day I decided to do the tests,it rained...it rained all day. Since the garage was full of other vehicles having work done, I got myself a tarp to work under that I strapped up to the shop roof. But I still got wet...

Here is the car that cold day before the fun began.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-32.jpg

To do the tests, I had to unmount most of my electronics...or were they stolen?
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-18.jpg

And this is the setup I used to do the interconnect testing.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-21.jpg
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-27.jpg

I pulled out my dash vent to get at my Pre-outs to use for the A/B testing.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-26.jpg


...and no those aren't snakes...big cables!
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-23.jpg

http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-22.jpg

I used gold plated banana plugs to quickly connect the various speaker cables.
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-20.jpg
http://www.pei330ci.d4designs.redisl...Testing-24.jpg

So for those that will venture outside on a cold rainy winter day...this is what you can do for fun!

I hope I'm not the only one doing this stuff...

Adam

[ March 24, 2004, 07:32 AM: Message edited by: PEI330Ci ]

You put a George Foreman grill in your car?!? [img]graemlins/dunno.gif[/img]

To each his own I guess :D

(btw, I have that exact same one.. it's awesome)

err.. ok, enough foolishness. Any results?

I cant believe how thick that speaker cable is! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Thanks for the pics Adam, helps to put what you tested into perspective! no small task, thats for sure [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

Nice salt stains on the floor. Damn I hate Canadian winters. I have them too and need to find an effective way of getting them "OUT". any thoughts????

Good pictures.

Love those kickpanels :D

I'll take a dozen of those 2" snakes please. [img]graemlins/banghead.gif[/img]

Move to BC [img]tongue.gif[/img]

lol - actually, I run a set of heavy rubber matts in the winter to collect any water so my factory matts say in new condition. [img]graemlins/thumb.gif[/img]

HP signal generator, empty box of keiths :( and lots of speaker wire/IC's. What better a way to spend a day in the car and rain. I wish the couple pics I'd taken of my Colossus turned out that nice, something lost in the scanning I guess ;(
Where did you find that Bag End piece, I've only read about it and drolled over it but no one here sells there products??? Certanly a nice piece of equipment.
J

Some info on the Bag End ELF-1 processor.

It isn't sold anymore, they found that people were using it to make other speakers sound better than their own. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Canadian Retail on it was $3999.00, and that's what most dealers charged for it.

There is a hugely dumbed down version of the ELF-1 that puts out mono bass. That is currently for sale to anyone with the bucks...

My Dad has designed speakers for a living for over a decade, the ELF-1 was purchased when it first came out in the early 90s for his lab.

Now I raid his lab stash when I get bored...

Adam