[utdeep]

INTRODUCTION:
All right! A lot of people are interested in the Plastics 1 mini to mini and the Ted's Earcandy mini to mini because they have nice L connectors. Both products can be purchased from Headroom's website, but you can get a better deal on the Earcandy at Todd's as of July 2004. Todd does not carry the Plastics cable.
After testing them out for a couple of hours, alternating between runs of the Gladiator soundtrack on Apple Lossless, using UE10's and an SR71 through a pocketdock on an iPod mini,I have a basic review.

AESTHETICS / DURABILITY / FUNCTIONALITY:
Plastic 1 Cable is small and thin. The connector is the same as the etymotics headphones and the ue's. Cord is extremely flexible and can bend to whatever you need it to be. It seems durable but in a minimalistic way, with a basic black plastic coating over what seem to be braided wires.
Ted's Earcandy cable has huge L-connectors which are extremely solid metal and the flexible portion doesn't begin till an inch after the connection. The wire is pretty thick and is brownish. One end of the cable is labeled "One Way" which is utterly stupid as the cable sound the same either way you plug it in so I can't see what the deal is. It definately has a more substancial feel than the Plastics 1 cable but is no where as flexible. A good analogy for this difference is twisting a water hose. The plastics one cable is like an empty hose - easy to twist and light; the earcandy would be a hose filled with water, with more heft to it and more struggle.
Functionality wise, the Plastics cable walks all over the Earcandy cable. The earcandy cable can only have the L connector facing up if you want access to the headphone jack of the SR-71, and is constricted by the volume knob on the other end. There is not enough space around the input hole to make the Earcandy connection less restricting. The plastics cable, due to it's small size does not cause a problem in any way. Considering that these cables are designed for small portable amps (as bigger amps generally use RCA to mini cables), this is a huge negative for the earcandy cable. I think it would be an issue when using it with the SR-71, Bithead, Airhead, Porta Corda etc. I worry if the earcandy cable could scratch the SR-71 or rip the pocket dock off my iPod if I give it a bad turn.

SOUND:
After two hours of listening, I have concluded that either the sound coming through both cables is identical or that I do not have the "golden" ears to recognize the difference. There were a few times where I noticed a subtle change in sound, but then I would go back to the other cable and realize that my mind had just not picked up on a subtle detail during my first listen. There were tiny tiny differences at times, but no matter how much I tried to, I could not derive any conclusions. Mind games?

CONCLUSION:
Considering the Plastics cable is only $20 while the Earcandy cable is $100, that they sound identical to me, and that the Plastics cable is more usable, I whole heartedly recommend it over the Earcandy cable. I purchased the earcandy to replace what I considered the cheapest link in my sound system, but it did not make the grade in my books.
I hope this helps someone.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Thanks for the review. It parallels my experience with cables...so far. Given certain standards.

 

[psxguy85]

If I want something more with the functionality of the Plastics cable but more durable, what should I get?

 

[ooheadsoo]

headphile?

 

[Jazz1]

Boulder Cable said they can make a mini-mini. I'm waiting for a price because I want "L" connectors and they have to get a price on those kind of connectors.

 

[adhoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by utdeep One end of the cable is labeled "One Way" which is utterly stupid as the cable sound the same either way you plug it in so I can't see what the deal is.

this probably has something to do with shielding.

usually shielded cables have the shield grounded at one end only, that end being the one you plug into your source - this is to prevent the shield, which is usually made of a cheaper/lower-quality conductor, from becoming part of the complete circuit and presumably affecting the sound.

 

[utdeep]

do cables need burn in? search doesn't seem to be working right.
Perhaps high-end cables require burn in?
My plastics mini has been in use for a number of years, while the earcandy cable is new.

 

[Jazz1]

Taken from Audioquest site Quote:

"Important Cable Facts
Running-In: As with all audio components, audio cables require an adjustment period. This is often mistakenly referred to as "break-in". However, break-in is properly used to describe a mechanical change-engines break-in, loudspeaker and phono cartridge suspensions break-in. A cable's performance takes time to optimize because of the way a dielectric behaves (the way the insulating material absorbs and releases energy), changes in the presence of a charge. Cables will continue to improve in sound or picture quality over a period of several weeks. This is the same reason amplifiers, preamplifiers and CD players also require an adjustment period. The key difference between "adjusting" and "breaking-in" is that things don't "un-break-in", however, electrical components do "un-adjust". Several weeks of disuse will return a cable to nearly its original state.


The run-in time is essentially the same for all cables. However, the apparent need for run-in varies wildly. As with amplifiers and other components, the better the cable, the less distortion it has, and therefore the less there is to cover up the obnoxious distortion caused by being new. Since human perception is more aware of the existence of a distortion than the quantity, the better the cable, the worse in some ways it will sound when new, because the anemic forced two-dimensional effect reulting from being new will not be ameliorated by other gentler distortions. Please be patient when first listening to any superior product."

 

[utdeep]

What is the cable run-in procedure?

 

[lextek]

I have the Plastics One and a Kimber. I think in the portable enviorment there is no difference, excepy cost and appearance. I bought the Kimber used (cheap) and I love Kimber stuff.

 

[chiefroastbeef]

Quote:

Originally Posted by utdeep What is the cable run-in procedure?

keep the volume below 55mph, and don't do sudden heavy volume accelerations

 

[John Reeves]

Hi,

I agree with chiefroastbeef, but don't forget to get your headphones changed at 5,000 tracks.

John

 

[adhoc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by utdeep What is the cable run-in procedure?

just play music with it hooked up inside your system.

and you might want to note that it is not universally agreed that cable burn-in even exists, and that if it exists, whether it is audible.

 

[Jazz1]

So is there anyone on the forums that think the Ear Candy mini-mini is worth the money? I know some don't believe cables don't make a diffence. I'm talking to the folk that think they do and have tried the this product.

 

[bobjew]

I'm with Jazz1 and Audioquest on this one. The two wires may just start to sound different after awhile. To run-in (burn-in) you just put in the hours and play them.