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Vampire 800 CB

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In Reply to: What is everyones favorite RCA plug for DIY ICs?? -t posted by Julien 43 on March 10, 2003 at 16:39:49:

A few months ago I started a project to find out the best sounding materials for ICs in my system. I believe Ron Welborne made a few bucks on my "project".
I bought samples of Bullet plugs, Cardas SLVR, GRMO and their SRCA top model, Vampire, WBT plus several cheaper plugs including Tiffany, Radio Shack and some Monster Cable leftovers.
I used the same AWG 22 pure copper wire for making several ICs (with Cardas solder).
The jury is still out on the WBTs, but in my system, for my taste, the Vampire 800CB passes more music and less garbage, it plainly sounds more musical.
I have to admit that Carda's top-of-the-line rhodium SRCA (the one with a spring on the ground contact) is the best connector for sub-bass frequencies, but IMS Vampire sounded much better above 30 Hz.
I now use Cardas SRCA for subwoofer cables and Vampire 800CB elsewhere.
The Eichman had a discontinuity between midrange and treble that frankly surprised me, in view of the good press.
Also, if you are into DIY amps or preamps, it pays to match a Vampire female chassis mount RCA with the 800 CBs. Likewise, Cardas female to Cardas RCA.
I have no affiliation with Vampire....I am NOT Count Dracula :^)
OK, maybe I have bat ears...
My 2c worth anyway, IMS and with my music

Follow Ups:

I second this... - Ehien 19:58:06 03/12/03 (0)
I'm very satisfied with Vampire's OFC RCA plugs and chassis jacks. They are the only ones made by OFC I know of so far.
I also have their OFC binding posts but still looking for time to install them. Not cheap at almost $100/set. Hope they are worth it.
Ehien
You're first to question Eichmann, what's this? - bartc 12:54:08 03/12/03 (4)
I was really interested in your response, because you truly seem to have tested the usual suspects in a semi-scientific way. Very surprised at hearing your review of the Eichmann bullets, as you seem to be the first negative (sort of) I've read on them so far. Can you explain this? I certainly believe you and will look toward Vampires on my next project.
Do you think your experiment was colored by the wire/geometry you used or do you have experience and thoughts on the generalizability of these observations?
- Ok, glad to see that I'm not the only one - Karl W. 14:28:24 03/13/03 (0)
  I hadn't read anything negative about the Eichmann's and came to the exact same conclusion. That the midrange was recessed.
- Re: You're first to question Eichmann, what's this? - Carlos 15:13:56 03/12/03 (2)
  Hello Bart
  The method was really semi-scientific; first I tried several connectors with the same interconnect, in three different systems.
  After all three of us agreed that Vampire was the best overall connector, I made several different cables and geometries, all with Vampire 800C: copper coax, silver coax, silver braided within teflon tubes, hybrid copper/silver with teflon tubes.
  Sources were Audio Analogue, CAL, BOW ZZ-Eight and Rega CDPs plus my Linn Sondek turntable.
  Speakers were Thiel, Vandersteen, Revel and Von Schweikert.
  Amplification was a mix of tube preamp (DIY Berman) a transformer volume control and excelent SS amps (Etalon, BEL 1001 and Pathos).
  I insisted with the Eichman plugs because they were cheaper than Vampire, looked nicer and were very easy to solder.
  I tried them with AWG 22 pure copper, AWG 32 silver coax and silver ribbon cables. I heard the same discontinuity in all those configurations. It sounds very impressive in the beginning, but IMS, for my music, it ain't natural.
  I think I gave the connectors a fair chance. Anyway this is very subjective.
  BTW I invested about $500 in plugs to reach these conclusions. I recovered my investment by selling the cable prototypes to friends.
  I usually lent to my friends a pair of identical ICs, one with Eichman plugs, the other with Vampire 800CB.
  None of the cables with Vampire plugs were returned, I still have a couple of cables with Eichman in the closet.
  In summary, I think that my experiments were conducted fairly, however, there is no accounting for taste. For example, the french are known to like bright speakers, Americans love lots of bass and detail, it is well known that the british tend to make smooth, polite sounding speakers, perfect for chamber music.
  Maybe brazilians are deaf due to loud samba during Carnival ?
  The jury is still out on WBT's top line crimp style RCA, I will receive a new set in a few days ($100 OUCH!!!).
  Best wishes
  - Great work, Carlos, now tell me about... - bartc 17:57:24 03/12/03 (1)
    those hybrid copper/silver ICs, because that's where I'm headed next.
    Also, you said the Vampire 800Cs were more expensive than the Eichmanns, but at Parts Connexion it appears that they are $28 vs. $33 for the bullets. Or am I looking at the wrong Vampires?
    Next time you want to do product testing, don't wait so long to put out the word. I value this kind of testing more than the chart logged stuff in the audio magazines to justify $8000 power cords and racks that cost more than some cars...
    - Re: Great work, Carlos, now tell me about... - Carlos 04:55:49 03/13/03 (0)
      Hello, Bart
      The Bullet plugs come in boxes of four, the price for 800CB is for a pair.
      Regarding the hybrid cable recipe, it's not finalized yet.
      I need to find the right mix of copper and silver gauges to avoid some excessive upper midrange.
      I will email when I get the right tone (I am currently modifying the bejeezus out of a Rega Planet)
      Take it easy
      Carlos

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