Could this be a 'giant-killing' tonearm cable?

Well, for the cover to be really part of the shield it should be connected to ground - but as it only covers about 5mm of unshielded cable then it won't really make any difference - the point of the shield is to stop the cable, as a whole, from acting like an aerial. It is extremely unlikely that such a small amount of unshielded cable will pick up any RFI. There isn't really any advantage to the aluminium barrels on the Eichmann's, other than looking nicer than the plastic ones (which they do).

As far as strain relief, I would use heat shrink to make the cable the right diameter for the aperture in the barrel of the RCA and then use a bit over the barrel and the cable to take any potential strain off the solder joint. Alternatively, if you never intend to remove the plugs, you could fill the internal void with hot-glue (which works well as long as you never want to get at the solder joint again).

Guys,

I've been listening now to the initial cable that Yannis has supplied, which is known as the '428 phono', shown in previous pictures, and have to say that I'm very impressed indeed!

I've allowed it a few days to burn in, during which time I've listened to a multitude of music, of varying genres, and have been comparing it to the (superb) Furutech AG-12 I'm currently using as a benchmark, priced at £435:


http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/2...armcablem1.jpg


The object of this exercise was to see if the similarly (solid-silver wired) 428 Phono, priced at a mere £159, could compete with the Furutech, and get close to it, sonically, thereby proving itself as a 'giant-killer' Well, I can report that it's doing rather well so far!

Comparing the 428 Phono to the AG-12, reveals the usual sonic qualities of an excellent solid-silver tonearm cable, in that detail retrieval and high-frequency extension are in the top rank, and as such bathe music in a beautiful and realistic crystalline clarity, scything through the murkiest of recordings with considerable aplomb, and laying bare for inspection the subtlest of nuances, whilst the best audiophile recordings are reproduced in all their glory, tangibly and palpably, creating in the process a credible facsimile of the sound of real voices and instruments.

What the 428 Phono does in excess of that, however, making it rather special, considering its price, is in increasing the intelligibility of the musical structure, and what one would call 'lyricism', in order that one can more easily discern the timing and rhythmic patterns of music and phrasing in voices, which are crucial in order to portray recorded music convincingly. It does this also by producing a beautifully rich and textured midrange, which in particular caresses female vocals with an endearing subtlety and delicacy, all adding to the illusion that one is listening to a live, and not recorded, musical performance.

The AG-12, on the other hand, is a little more clinical in its style of musical delivery, majoring on creating a sense of air and space and a wide soundstage, together with having a greater ability to open up dense recordings, by imparting a crispness and 'freshness' onto the music programme. However, it does this in way which creates a somewhat more 'hi-fi' style of sonic presentation, and as such, lacks the overall musicality, micro-detail insight, and natural tonality of the 428 Phono.

Don't get me wrong, for most people, the AG-12 would be near-perfect, but Yannis has, to my ears, come up with a clever cable construction that does as least damage as possible to the precious analogue audio signal - and to offer it at this price is a near miracle! My suspicion also is that the inherent sonic qualities and musical presentation of the 428 Phono are superior to that of the AG-12, with the current slight deficiencies of the 428 Phono, in a hi-fi sense, likely to be addressed when better quality plugs are fitted. In that respect, I have therefore ordered a 428 Phono to be fitted with Eichmann silver bullet RCAs and the rather special Furutech CF-DIN(R):

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/6589/furutechdin.jpg


I'm hopeful that this will level the playing field and serve to highlight the enviable sonic qualities of this rather special hand-made tonearm cable from Greece, whilst still keeping its price competitive and well within that of the AG-12. Furthermore, I have requested from Yannis, a 423.5 Phono-Litz cable, which is a more upmarket version of the 428 Phono. Direct comparisons will then be made between the various cable and connector permutations, with a view to ascertaining which gives the biggest bang for one's buck...

I should have everything necessary within 10 working days, so look out, folks, for a full review. I can promise it will make interesting reading! However, even at this stage I can confidently confirm that for those of you looking simply for a top-notch tonearm cable, at a very competitive price, the 428 Phono in its current guise (fitted with non-magnetic LOK RCAs) is in my experience, sonically, without peers at this price. Therefore, I can say with some conviction, buy with confidence :cool:

Lastly, just a quick word about the superb service Yannis offers to his customers. It is exemplary beyond question. Emails are answered promptly, with all questions therein dealt with in supreme detail, and he always goes the extra mile to provide the best solution for your needs and/or satisfy your individual requirements, as such it is an absolute pleasure dealing with him. If only all sellers on the 'Net were like this! To conclude, another loving close-up of the 428 Phono:


http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/3554/dsc05590z.jpg


Quite simply, music is as beautiful to listen to through it, as the cable is to look at! For more details or to make a purchase, contact Yannis at:

info@back-promo.co.uk

Marco.

Very interesting Marco


Regards D S D L

He makes a nice looking cable that's for sure. Keep the reviews coming Marco.

Thanks, keep talking Marco
I assume my original cable for the Aro would be easily out distanced by this and might be tempted

Doesn't look flexible enough for decks with boingy construction - or am I wrong?

It's pretty flexible, Chris, so it should be ok :)

Mike, I can't remember what kind of cable was supplied with the Aro... It should be better, but sometimes Naim cables are sonically synergistic with the components they're being used with.

If what's used is as tatty as what Linn often supplied with their tonearms, then I guess it would be a significant upgrade :cool:

Marco.

Thanks Marco
My muddled mind should have said........
There's the cable in the Aro, Naim supplied I assume, Cart to plug
Then there's the other one from the armboard to the BNCs. Now that could well be a 1p/million Linn supply.... with room for improvement

Could you take a pic of what's there, Mike? It'd be interesting to know for reference :)

Marco.

Will do. I'm looking for my camera so this is a spur to find it.
LP12 in pieces trying to get Simon's Hercules working too