Review of Zingo Z Speaker Cables!
BaggedLancer
Posts: 6,371
A Review of Zingo’s Z Cable Banana/Banana Speaker Cables
The Rig
Jolida 502B w/ subwoofer preout
NHT Model 1C Bookshelf Speakers
DLO HomeDeluxe Ipod Dock
Ipod Mini 4g w/ 320Kbps ripped music
KnuKonceptz EKS Silver RCA Interconnects
And
Zingo’s Z Cable Banana/Banana Speaker Cables
Introduction
I’ve done a few smaller reviews on this forum for products from Viper Cables, and Knukonceptz Cables so I figure why not give it a try with another speaker cable. As some of you know I put this 2 channel rig together over the last few weeks and have just been piecing it together with products available on the used market.
I have been quite partial to Knukonceptz and Viper over the last few months so it’s good to get something new into the mix and also purchase something from a fellow Polk member.
The Cables
They arrived today, a mere week after I ordered them. This was the last step in this stage of this 2 channel rig for me. I ordered the cables in a 5 foot length, terminated with bananas on both ends for use with my Jolida and NHT speakers.
At a price of only $85 for this pair for 11awg cables with terminations on custom length cables, this price cannot be beat in my opinion. The ends of the cables are extremely well constructed, no wrinkles in the heat shrink wrap, nice tight connections and the black on black really make these cables look sleek.
The Comparison – Zingo Cables vs. Homebrew Monster Cables
Well, the comparison is two significantly different cables. My homebrew cables were started off a 100 foot roll of Monster Cable 14awg cable that I had left over from when I was wiring my rear surrounds. I soldered on some simple bananas jacks that I had laying around and have been using these for my testing cables for quite some time. Only up until this week I put them into full service with this 2 channel rig.
As you can see from the pictures, the size of the Z Cables makes it appear that I am using Monster String rather than Monster Cable. Also, the Zingo cables use red and black bananas unlike my cables which I have to put a piece of electrical tape around the negative end to remember which end is what since they look the same.
The Cables
I figured doing A/B testing with the Z Cable on my right speaker and the Monster Cable on my left speaker using the balance knob as I have previously done would be the best way for me to test these cables. As you can see below, here was the config:
Now, I have only had the cables on for about an hour so the real review will not be completed until at least tomorrow night. The first CD I decided to listen to was Disc 2 of The Long Road To Eden by the Eagles. First impressions however indicate immediately that the music from the Zingo Cables has more depth than that using the monster cables. The music seems to have come alive. This was shocking to me as I thought the whole rig sounded great the other day when I set up the Jolida for the first time, now it’s even better than before. After listening to a few songs I switched over to Live – Mental Jewelry. Here I noticed immediately as well that the high hats were so much clearer and easier to hear. I was hearing sounds and instruments that seemed to have been “missing” before so to speak.
Like I said, this is a PRELIMINARY review, I will continue A/B ing till tomorrow and make my final review then.
Conclusion
The only con I have found so far as you can see in the pictures of the back of my Jolida is that the distance where the cable is split is on the shorter side, so people with amps like mine where the 0 and 8 ohm terminations are far apart, it will barely reach. This isn’t really a con, just be sure to ask Jake to leave them a tad longer if you have a requirement such as this to be met.
I have no definite conclusion yet and will post back tomorrow with findings.
Anyone looking to purchase these cables should contact Jake(Zingo) directly. They were built fast, shipped fast, and no quality was spared in the process.
The Rig
Jolida 502B w/ subwoofer preout
NHT Model 1C Bookshelf Speakers
DLO HomeDeluxe Ipod Dock
Ipod Mini 4g w/ 320Kbps ripped music
KnuKonceptz EKS Silver RCA Interconnects
And
Zingo’s Z Cable Banana/Banana Speaker Cables
Introduction
I’ve done a few smaller reviews on this forum for products from Viper Cables, and Knukonceptz Cables so I figure why not give it a try with another speaker cable. As some of you know I put this 2 channel rig together over the last few weeks and have just been piecing it together with products available on the used market.
I have been quite partial to Knukonceptz and Viper over the last few months so it’s good to get something new into the mix and also purchase something from a fellow Polk member.
The Cables
They arrived today, a mere week after I ordered them. This was the last step in this stage of this 2 channel rig for me. I ordered the cables in a 5 foot length, terminated with bananas on both ends for use with my Jolida and NHT speakers.
At a price of only $85 for this pair for 11awg cables with terminations on custom length cables, this price cannot be beat in my opinion. The ends of the cables are extremely well constructed, no wrinkles in the heat shrink wrap, nice tight connections and the black on black really make these cables look sleek.
The Comparison – Zingo Cables vs. Homebrew Monster Cables
Well, the comparison is two significantly different cables. My homebrew cables were started off a 100 foot roll of Monster Cable 14awg cable that I had left over from when I was wiring my rear surrounds. I soldered on some simple bananas jacks that I had laying around and have been using these for my testing cables for quite some time. Only up until this week I put them into full service with this 2 channel rig.
As you can see from the pictures, the size of the Z Cables makes it appear that I am using Monster String rather than Monster Cable. Also, the Zingo cables use red and black bananas unlike my cables which I have to put a piece of electrical tape around the negative end to remember which end is what since they look the same.
The Cables
I figured doing A/B testing with the Z Cable on my right speaker and the Monster Cable on my left speaker using the balance knob as I have previously done would be the best way for me to test these cables. As you can see below, here was the config:
Now, I have only had the cables on for about an hour so the real review will not be completed until at least tomorrow night. The first CD I decided to listen to was Disc 2 of The Long Road To Eden by the Eagles. First impressions however indicate immediately that the music from the Zingo Cables has more depth than that using the monster cables. The music seems to have come alive. This was shocking to me as I thought the whole rig sounded great the other day when I set up the Jolida for the first time, now it’s even better than before. After listening to a few songs I switched over to Live – Mental Jewelry. Here I noticed immediately as well that the high hats were so much clearer and easier to hear. I was hearing sounds and instruments that seemed to have been “missing” before so to speak.
Like I said, this is a PRELIMINARY review, I will continue A/B ing till tomorrow and make my final review then.
Conclusion
The only con I have found so far as you can see in the pictures of the back of my Jolida is that the distance where the cable is split is on the shorter side, so people with amps like mine where the 0 and 8 ohm terminations are far apart, it will barely reach. This isn’t really a con, just be sure to ask Jake to leave them a tad longer if you have a requirement such as this to be met.
I have no definite conclusion yet and will post back tomorrow with findings.
Anyone looking to purchase these cables should contact Jake(Zingo) directly. They were built fast, shipped fast, and no quality was spared in the process.
Post edited by BaggedLancer on
Comments
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Pictures are fixed, can everyone see them?
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yup and good review also. thanks
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AdamRagland wrote: »yup and good review also. thanks
What review? It's not done yet.
I just wanted to get the pictures and intro and stuff sorted out....ended up having to make a photobucket account since webshots fails to deliver. -
Get those speaker cables off your I/C's. :P"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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Get those speaker cables off your I/C's. :P
Already fixed, and just updated the picture -
Those cables do look pretty good, and by all accounts must sound great aswell. Did that price include s/h? I have to get some new additional cables for a slightly longer run but i doubt i could that right now using these
. Lets here your further conclusions........ Chicomorales:) -
Yes, price included shipping and I am working on the final write up this week. Got caught up in a final blast of other work I needed to finish as well. I will have it updated by the weekend.
You can click the link available in my signature go directly to the thread about pricing for other sizes/terminations.
