Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored review and "sound" for that matter is completely subjective and likewise is personal preference. What is stated in this review is only my opinion and may serve as your guideline on what to expect, if you wish to.
ALO Audio's SXC-18 silver plated mini-mini interconnect for portable application.
For those who do not know, ALO Audio is relatively quite well known for their high quality audiophile grade wires. Interconnects such as the one being reviewed in this article is used to connect the output of DAPs (Digital Audio Players), such as those of Astell & Kern AK100 or the newer AK120 to a portable headphone amplifier such as ALO Audio's "The Continental v3". Such elaborated configuration is required for higher impedance headphones or IEMs (in-ear monitors) to provide enough power for driving them, allowing them to run at their full potential.
Audio players such as iPhones and iPods does have built in headphone / earphone amplifier. However, these devices could not afford enough space to provide an amplifier powerful enough to release the full potential of high impedance headphones such as the Sennheiser HD800 or for the matter, the Etymotic ER4S IEM (which has 75Ohms impedance). The most obvious result of such low powered amplifier was the soft music that lacked any body or impact, making you feel like throwing the all time expensive HD800 into the rubbish bin in favor of cheaper easier to drive alternatives.
ALO audio provides a range of selection on cable termination options such as mini - iPod line out dock, mini - mini, compact mini - compact mini (essentially right angled mini connections but at a significantly higher price) and two different cable sizes (SXC-18 and SXC-22) with the numbers indicating the cable size (18G vs 22G). They also offer non-silver plated copper cables if that is your preference.
Silver plating provides a more neutral sound compared to copper only cables. Copper only cables generally, in my opinion, provides a warmer sound which may be more to the liking of some others.
For that matter however, ALO audio doesn't provide 18 gauge sized copper only interconnect but they do have "Reference 8" which were made up of 4 copper and 4 silver plated strands that, in my opinion again, gives a slightly warmer sound than that of SXC-18 at 1/3 additional costs. They also offer "The Green Line" interconnect which costs below SGD$100 if costs is the limiting factor, but I'm not going to mention anything on that since I have yet to try it.
Sound Impression and costs justification
The interconnect I had got from Jaben years ago (I think it was 6 years ago) and the SXC-22 would be my reference with regards to most of the comparison. I had tried ALO audio's Reference 8 in both iPod line out and mini - mini configuration before but had not had enough time to be able to evaluate them. I had been using the thin little silver interconnect for 6 years and was impressed by the neutrality of the sound compared to the even cheaper (but destroyed) copper interconnect I originally started out with. This originally impression, was completely obliviated after trying out the SXC-22. The larger gauge cable simply provides an unmatched fuller bodied sound I was used to. SIMPLY. The SXC-18 provides even more but body but probably does not justify for an almost 100% costs increase from SXC-22. However, one has to realize that price and performance is not a linear correlation. It has always been an exponential function. I chose the SXC-18, until now (actually only a week) I had not regretted my decision when the sound feel noticeably fuller and wider.
One thing to note: These wires (including the small gauge wire from Jaben) are flexible but there is a certain limit you can flex them if you do not wish to break them. They also retained the shape you bent them into quite well. Generally the larger gauge wires would retain the shaper better. If flexibility is the priority, I think a cheaper wire or smaller gauge wire should be higher in the consideration list.
The SXC-18 mini to mini interconnect comes in small box (but relatively big to the interconnect's size).
ALO audio's packaging consists of a sleeve with sticker indicating the product that it holds securing the box.
The SXC-18 is being held in a small foam pack inside the box. I could not think of a better way of packaging the product than what is already done :)
ALO audio's SXC-18 (below) and some unknown brand silver plated interconnect from Jaben (top)
The price you are paying for is mainly for the size of the cable. It is actually oversized for such application. ALO audio's SXC-18 uses a 18 gauge silver plated cable, compared to the unbranded from Jaben (looks like 31 gauge from guesstimate).
Photos taken with Nikon D700 on PC micro Nikkor 85mm f/2.8
Richard (29/Nov/2013)
