atomicAdam
04-07-2011, 01:04 PM
Hi All - Well LeRoy was kind enough to send me a slew of power cables and I have a lot on hand - and I'm moving up to Oakland at the end of this month - so even though I'd like to have spent more time listening - I'm going to give a post here about my impressions of the power cables on this equipment.
Here are the cables in the shoot out
Pangea AC-14 SE - $50
Pangea AC-9 - $100
Wire World Aurora 5 - $129
Supra Power Cable - $100
Nagys Power Cable - $100
PS Audio PerfectWave AC3 - $150
PS Audio PerfectWave AC5 - $250
Granite Audio #570 - $600
Voodeoo Platinum Dragon - $800 (Digital Source Only - CDP/DAC)
Test 1 Equipment
Electrocompaniet Prelude PI-2 100W Integrated Solid State $3250
Electrocompaniet Prelude PC-1 CD Player $2400
Brodmann FS Series Bookshelf Speakers $5000
WyWires IC - $1000
Supra Speaker cables - $200
Zu Mission speaker cables - $400
PS Audio Quintet - $350
Pre Impressions and notes
The Brodmann FS are a smaller side woofer firing speaker - amazing sound - a total ***** to set up. They are now set up in a pretty good way - but I'm not going to go into detail. I can say though if you have a smaller room and want a great stage - face the woofers in and put the speakers in the corner. Their sound is typical smooth European, liquid smooth top end w/o being dull, clean mid range but not super open like the Zu Omen Def, very dynamic speaker but they are a close box so they don't go low. Near walls helps.
The Electrocompaniet gear you can read my review of here: http://reviews.audioreview.com/electrocompaniet-prelude-system-pi-2-amplifier-pc-1-cdplayer-psb-1-bookshelf-speakersreview - Quickly though - well balanced and smooth solid state - musical but not tube like - rich but fast - none of that cold solid state feel.
PS Audio Cables you can read my review of here: http://reviews.audioreview.com/ps-audio-perfectwave-ac3-ac5-power-cable-review - Love the AC5 - fantastic vocal mid range clarity and booster. Bring voices forward just a bit.
Supra speaker cables - great clarity and mid range - clean and detailed bass but if paired wrong can sound thin in the bass.
Zu Mission Speaker cables - very clean in the top end and a full rich bass. Not sure if it is overly so or not yet.
WyWires IC in cool mode - they do a great job to reducing digital harshness and don't get in the way of dynamic shifts or staging.
Test CD will be (no vinyl - table still in shop)
Heifetz - Concertos Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn - Tchaikovsky Concerto in D OP 35
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise - Track 1 & 4
Dead Can Dance - Towards the Within - Tracks 1 &
TEST 1 - First we'll test the power cables bring life to the Electrocompaniet PI-2 Amplifier with the Supra speaker cables and WyWires ICs - Voodoo giving life to the Electrocompaniet PC-1 CDP - volume level set at 58
Test 1 - Pangea AC 14 SE
Notes on cable - very thin - rivals standard power cable - easy to handle.
Heifetz - very smooth - what I'd expect from this system. Solo violin does not come forward above the orchestra. Detail is good. Mild dynamic increases lack emotion. Good since of space. Def feel a few rows back. Big dynamic shifts are nice but lack luster really. Not like I've heard from this piece.
Test 1 - Pangea AC 9
Notes on cable - impressive thickness - hard to handle.
Heifetz - again very smooth but the top end has more air to it and thus sounds more extended - details of the solo violin are more audible and lively and scratchier - bass is more detailed - and there is a better since of space around the orchestra sections - for instance when solo and bass are going - bass is dan, dom, den, you can hear more air around the slower individual strums. Big dynamic shift is better - bass is faster, clearer, horns have more brass and exposure.
Test 1 - Wire World Aurora 5
1 meter cable - flat - not found - bends in weird ways - would suggest plugging into equipment 1st then the wall. Not sure I personally like the flatness.
Heifetz - Ok - we are starting to play with real power cables at this point. The intro violins had air and a woody feel to them. Transients are much faster and stick out from the solo violin and the woody body of the violin can be heard. Scratchy stringy goodness is all in there. Individual bass strums don't feel quiet as punchy as w/ the Pangea AC9 - they sound smoother - but just as fast. Compared to Pangea AC9 the bass isn't as low. Big dynamic shift good - but honestly I liked it more w/ the AC9. Those mid range is way clearer with the Wire World.
Test 1 - Supra Power Cable
Cable Notes - very easy to handle - 1 meter cable - seriously though - you'd almost think it was DIY in construction - plastic ends are big, light weight, don't seem solid but are.
Heifetz - again like the Aurora 5 the intro violins are much clearer and have a greater since of space - the solo seems a little less woody and transients don't stick out quiet are much. Bass notes are smooth but have more of the pluck, or initial string/bow contact and punch to them than with the Aurora 5. Solo violin and back orchestra sound a bit more stable in their stage. Big dynamic shift sounds larger than the others before. I'm wishing for a bit of that wood sound from the Aurora 5 but I'm liking everything else it does.
Test 1 - Nagys Power Cable
Cable Notes - another DIY feeling cable - cable diameter comparable to a standard power cable but w/ hospital grade big connectors at the ends. Easy to handle.
Heifetz - The space in the beginning violins is gone - the highs sound a bit harsher and almost thin - there is no body to the violin - the wood is gone - the sound as a whole isn't as muddy as with the Pengea AC14 SE but the enjoyment is gone and the stage and space is gone - bass notes during the solo are more vague and less punchy - this seems like a step down in comparison to the Supra or Aurora 5. (But note - I've heard this on the CDP with and was happy - so don't write it off yet.) Big dynamics sounded gain riddled.
Test 1 - PS Audio PerfectWave AC3
Cable Notes - plugs ends are silverish - double the diameter or a standard power cable and easy to handle.
Heifetz - Similar to what is written about the AC5 below but less body to the solo and less umph to the bass. Transients are more in level with the Pengea AC14 SE but over all sound is clearer than the Pengea AC14 SE. Overall the solo sticks out a bit more than the backing orchastra - similar to the AC5 but more so in this case. But it lacks the detail of the Aurora 5. While the bigger dynamic shift is good the horns don't come out as much or have their own space.
Test 1 - PS Audio PerfectWave AC5
Cable Notes - plug ends - the 3 prongs - are silverish color - about triple the diameter of a standard cable and easy to handle.
Heifetz - so far it is about what I expected - the space around the violins at the beginning is gone but the mid range is still pretty good. There is wood in the violin and transients are pretty good. But bass is lacking and just the general since of size and space has diminished. On big dynamic shifts the bass does come out - not as cleanly as with the Supra but it is there - makes me wonder if the others are adding too much bass in the more quiet parts. Overall it is a nice cable, but I'd prob take the Supra or Aurora over it for the air and space they give. (Note - I just realized this was the AC5 and not the AC3 - I'm going to have to compare the AC5 to the Supra and Aurora more closely in round 2 - I'm surprised by what I wrote since I really have liked that cable over the others before.)
Test 1 - Granite Audio #570
Cable Notes - easy to handle - about triple the diameter of a standard cable.
Heifetz - Yes this cable takes the whole system up a level. The air at the beginning is there - the wood is in the solo - the transients are fast and the detail and since of space is beyond all the other cables. The solo violin does come forward a bit and the remaining orchestra feels back a bit but the micro details are so much easier to hear - it is like a veil was lifted off the music. Bass isn't as punchy but the decay and clarity are above all the other cables. On the big dynamic shift I was hoping to hear more from the horns and the accompanying violins are not quiet as rich as with the other cables. There is more space in that mid ranch and less richness. The solo violin balances along a line of being piercing, scratchy, woody, back and quiet and in your face at different times. It is much more dynamic and lively sounding and the instruments behind the solo - doing their thing - are much easier to pick out - listen to - and hear. Though they don't have the richness of the PS Audio AC5 or Aurora 5. But in this case that richness just sounds woolly, this sounds much more right.
Test 2 - Will consist of using a Granite Audio #570 in the amp finding out what out off all these pairs best with the CDP. + I'm going to work backwards in price this time - from expensive to less.
Test 3 - Will consist of several pairing options - like only GA #570 or only Aurora 5 or only PS Audio or only Pangea.
Test 4 - If I can get a little help will be a blind test similar to test 1 but in any order my helper picks and me just making notes.
more coming....
Here are the cables in the shoot out
Pangea AC-14 SE - $50
Pangea AC-9 - $100
Wire World Aurora 5 - $129
Supra Power Cable - $100
Nagys Power Cable - $100
PS Audio PerfectWave AC3 - $150
PS Audio PerfectWave AC5 - $250
Granite Audio #570 - $600
Voodeoo Platinum Dragon - $800 (Digital Source Only - CDP/DAC)
Test 1 Equipment
Electrocompaniet Prelude PI-2 100W Integrated Solid State $3250
Electrocompaniet Prelude PC-1 CD Player $2400
Brodmann FS Series Bookshelf Speakers $5000
WyWires IC - $1000
Supra Speaker cables - $200
Zu Mission speaker cables - $400
PS Audio Quintet - $350
Pre Impressions and notes
The Brodmann FS are a smaller side woofer firing speaker - amazing sound - a total ***** to set up. They are now set up in a pretty good way - but I'm not going to go into detail. I can say though if you have a smaller room and want a great stage - face the woofers in and put the speakers in the corner. Their sound is typical smooth European, liquid smooth top end w/o being dull, clean mid range but not super open like the Zu Omen Def, very dynamic speaker but they are a close box so they don't go low. Near walls helps.
The Electrocompaniet gear you can read my review of here: http://reviews.audioreview.com/electrocompaniet-prelude-system-pi-2-amplifier-pc-1-cdplayer-psb-1-bookshelf-speakersreview - Quickly though - well balanced and smooth solid state - musical but not tube like - rich but fast - none of that cold solid state feel.
PS Audio Cables you can read my review of here: http://reviews.audioreview.com/ps-audio-perfectwave-ac3-ac5-power-cable-review - Love the AC5 - fantastic vocal mid range clarity and booster. Bring voices forward just a bit.
Supra speaker cables - great clarity and mid range - clean and detailed bass but if paired wrong can sound thin in the bass.
Zu Mission Speaker cables - very clean in the top end and a full rich bass. Not sure if it is overly so or not yet.
WyWires IC in cool mode - they do a great job to reducing digital harshness and don't get in the way of dynamic shifts or staging.
Test CD will be (no vinyl - table still in shop)
Heifetz - Concertos Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn - Tchaikovsky Concerto in D OP 35
Sufjan Stevens - Illinoise - Track 1 & 4
Dead Can Dance - Towards the Within - Tracks 1 &
TEST 1 - First we'll test the power cables bring life to the Electrocompaniet PI-2 Amplifier with the Supra speaker cables and WyWires ICs - Voodoo giving life to the Electrocompaniet PC-1 CDP - volume level set at 58
Test 1 - Pangea AC 14 SE
Notes on cable - very thin - rivals standard power cable - easy to handle.
Heifetz - very smooth - what I'd expect from this system. Solo violin does not come forward above the orchestra. Detail is good. Mild dynamic increases lack emotion. Good since of space. Def feel a few rows back. Big dynamic shifts are nice but lack luster really. Not like I've heard from this piece.
Test 1 - Pangea AC 9
Notes on cable - impressive thickness - hard to handle.
Heifetz - again very smooth but the top end has more air to it and thus sounds more extended - details of the solo violin are more audible and lively and scratchier - bass is more detailed - and there is a better since of space around the orchestra sections - for instance when solo and bass are going - bass is dan, dom, den, you can hear more air around the slower individual strums. Big dynamic shift is better - bass is faster, clearer, horns have more brass and exposure.
Test 1 - Wire World Aurora 5
1 meter cable - flat - not found - bends in weird ways - would suggest plugging into equipment 1st then the wall. Not sure I personally like the flatness.
Heifetz - Ok - we are starting to play with real power cables at this point. The intro violins had air and a woody feel to them. Transients are much faster and stick out from the solo violin and the woody body of the violin can be heard. Scratchy stringy goodness is all in there. Individual bass strums don't feel quiet as punchy as w/ the Pangea AC9 - they sound smoother - but just as fast. Compared to Pangea AC9 the bass isn't as low. Big dynamic shift good - but honestly I liked it more w/ the AC9. Those mid range is way clearer with the Wire World.
Test 1 - Supra Power Cable
Cable Notes - very easy to handle - 1 meter cable - seriously though - you'd almost think it was DIY in construction - plastic ends are big, light weight, don't seem solid but are.
Heifetz - again like the Aurora 5 the intro violins are much clearer and have a greater since of space - the solo seems a little less woody and transients don't stick out quiet are much. Bass notes are smooth but have more of the pluck, or initial string/bow contact and punch to them than with the Aurora 5. Solo violin and back orchestra sound a bit more stable in their stage. Big dynamic shift sounds larger than the others before. I'm wishing for a bit of that wood sound from the Aurora 5 but I'm liking everything else it does.
Test 1 - Nagys Power Cable
Cable Notes - another DIY feeling cable - cable diameter comparable to a standard power cable but w/ hospital grade big connectors at the ends. Easy to handle.
Heifetz - The space in the beginning violins is gone - the highs sound a bit harsher and almost thin - there is no body to the violin - the wood is gone - the sound as a whole isn't as muddy as with the Pengea AC14 SE but the enjoyment is gone and the stage and space is gone - bass notes during the solo are more vague and less punchy - this seems like a step down in comparison to the Supra or Aurora 5. (But note - I've heard this on the CDP with and was happy - so don't write it off yet.) Big dynamics sounded gain riddled.
Test 1 - PS Audio PerfectWave AC3
Cable Notes - plugs ends are silverish - double the diameter or a standard power cable and easy to handle.
Heifetz - Similar to what is written about the AC5 below but less body to the solo and less umph to the bass. Transients are more in level with the Pengea AC14 SE but over all sound is clearer than the Pengea AC14 SE. Overall the solo sticks out a bit more than the backing orchastra - similar to the AC5 but more so in this case. But it lacks the detail of the Aurora 5. While the bigger dynamic shift is good the horns don't come out as much or have their own space.
Test 1 - PS Audio PerfectWave AC5
Cable Notes - plug ends - the 3 prongs - are silverish color - about triple the diameter of a standard cable and easy to handle.
Heifetz - so far it is about what I expected - the space around the violins at the beginning is gone but the mid range is still pretty good. There is wood in the violin and transients are pretty good. But bass is lacking and just the general since of size and space has diminished. On big dynamic shifts the bass does come out - not as cleanly as with the Supra but it is there - makes me wonder if the others are adding too much bass in the more quiet parts. Overall it is a nice cable, but I'd prob take the Supra or Aurora over it for the air and space they give. (Note - I just realized this was the AC5 and not the AC3 - I'm going to have to compare the AC5 to the Supra and Aurora more closely in round 2 - I'm surprised by what I wrote since I really have liked that cable over the others before.)
Test 1 - Granite Audio #570
Cable Notes - easy to handle - about triple the diameter of a standard cable.
Heifetz - Yes this cable takes the whole system up a level. The air at the beginning is there - the wood is in the solo - the transients are fast and the detail and since of space is beyond all the other cables. The solo violin does come forward a bit and the remaining orchestra feels back a bit but the micro details are so much easier to hear - it is like a veil was lifted off the music. Bass isn't as punchy but the decay and clarity are above all the other cables. On the big dynamic shift I was hoping to hear more from the horns and the accompanying violins are not quiet as rich as with the other cables. There is more space in that mid ranch and less richness. The solo violin balances along a line of being piercing, scratchy, woody, back and quiet and in your face at different times. It is much more dynamic and lively sounding and the instruments behind the solo - doing their thing - are much easier to pick out - listen to - and hear. Though they don't have the richness of the PS Audio AC5 or Aurora 5. But in this case that richness just sounds woolly, this sounds much more right.
Test 2 - Will consist of using a Granite Audio #570 in the amp finding out what out off all these pairs best with the CDP. + I'm going to work backwards in price this time - from expensive to less.
Test 3 - Will consist of several pairing options - like only GA #570 or only Aurora 5 or only PS Audio or only Pangea.
Test 4 - If I can get a little help will be a blind test similar to test 1 but in any order my helper picks and me just making notes.
more coming....