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Not much for me here, being a vintage gear fan first. Please bring back the entry-level column, there is a lot of gear at that price-point worth getting reviewed.
Audio Art Cable SC-5 Classic: $240/10ft pair (gold spades; add $10/pr for silver spades), $250/10ft pair (gold bananas)
The SC-5 has silver-coated OFC conductors (14AWG), a foam polyethylene dielectric, a PVC jacket, and an internal packet of vibration-absorbing fibers. It can be terminated with gold-plated brass banana plugs or, for $10 less, DH Labs' gold-plated copper spade lugs. Compared to AudioQuest's Rocket 33, the SC-5 lacked body, weight, and warmth, but produced a detailed, dramatic overall sound, with clean transients and impressive dynamics, said SM. Sold direct with a 30-day, money-back guarantee. (Vol.37 No.2 WWW)
AudioQuest Rocket 33: $445.95/10ft pair
AudioQuest's 14AWG, solid-core Rocket 33 speaker cable offered an exciting leap in performance over SM's RadioShack Flat Megacable speaker wire, infusing music with more low-level resolution, transient speed, clarity, and physicality. (Vol.34 No.9, Vol.37 No.2 WWW)
Cardas Clear rev.1: $4085/2m pair, terminated in spades
JM was most impressed by the Cardas Clear's low-frequency clarity and resolution, finding the Clear to give two or three more bass notes on a pipe organ, with a lower noisefloor and "spooky" resolution compared with his reference MIT MH-770 CVTerminator cables. "The best-sounding cables I have heard," he concluded. JA agrees that these are fine-sounding cables. (Vol.33 No.10 WWW)
Kimber Kable 4PR: $157/3m pair (10'), as reviewed
Practically unchanged since its introduction in 1979, the 4PR is Kimber's most affordable speaker cable. It employs the same braided geometry found in the company's more expensive 8VS, but instead of the 8VS's eight gray and eight black conductors, the 4PR has four pairs each of black and brown conductors in an apparently looser braid. Compared to RadioShack's inexpensive 16-gauge zip cord, the 4PR offered greater nuance, detail, clarity, and bass control, said SM. Price is $90/10ft pair without connectors. (Vol.35 No.7 WWW)
Kimber Kable 8TC: $590/3m pair (10') w/o connectors
(NR, but see "The Fifth Element" in Vol.33 No.6 WWW)
Kimber Kable 8VS: $335/3m pair (10'), as reviewed
Kimber's 8VS is made up of eight gray and eight black conductors in individual polyethylene jackets, braided together and terminated in a choice of high-quality spade lugs or banana plugs. Compared to AudioQuest's Rocket 33, the 8VS lacked body and warmth but offered greater clarity and control, said SM. Compared to Kimber's 4PR, the 8VS offered similar tonal qualities but presented music with even greater urgency, drama, and purpose, said SM. Price is $231/10ft pair without connectors, $271/10ft pair with bananas. (Vol.35 Nos.6 & 7 WWW)
Kubala-Sosna Elation Speaker Cable: $7000/pair first meter, $1500/each additional meter
A JA favorite. See "Interconnects." (NR)
Kubala-Sosna Fascination: $1000/m pair; $350/additional meter
Kubala-Sosna claims that their OptimiZ technology "results in a lower characteristic impedance and a higher ratio of capacitance to inductance than any other cable." Each cable consists of a hefty pair of conductors twisted around each other, sheathed with a knitted cover, and solidly terminated in thick spade lugs. The current versions have sleek, tight jackets that make them easy to snake and arrange. With the K-S cables in his system, KR noted a decrease in overall residual hiss and softer but more precise highs. "I can't say that the change is substantial, but it is definable." Further auditioning with his multi-channel system completely wired with K-S cables led him to describe these cables as among the quietest and most transparent cables he has encountered: "Overall, they seem to get out of the way of everything else and let the system do its thing." (Vol.28 No.3, Vol.29 No.7 WWW)
Luna Mauve: $1800/2.5m pair
See Power-Related Accessories.
Naim NACA5: $26/ft $$$
Inexpensive spaced-twin cable that ST found to work well with the Spendor S100 loudspeaker. Unchanged in Naim's product line since 1986, the NACA5 is made of two chunky runs of stranded heavy-gauge wire twisted into a very tight bundle and molded into a thick sheath of Teflon. "Stiffer than Swedish roadkill," said AD. Compared to RadioShack's inexpensive SW-1650 speaker wire, however, the unwieldy NACA5 was better at communicating pitch relationships and had "a more realistic sense of flow." Worth investigating as a good-value cable, thinks JA. (Vol.32 No.8 WWW)
Nordost SuperFlatline: $329.99/2m pair
A couple of decades ago, Nordost's SuperFlatline speaker cable was popularin 1996, writing in Listener, AD hailed it as "great stuff." Nordost quietly discontinued the model in 2009, but relaunched it in 2018. The original SuperFlatline comprised 16 flat copper conductors per channel, each the equivalent in mass to a 23AWG wire, laminated within a clear fluoropolymer, and terminated with a choice of spades or low-mass bananasthe new version is identical in every way but the fluoropolymer, now FEP instead of Teflon. In 2018 as in 1996, AD found that the Nordost SuperFlatline does indeed become "[sonically] clearer and more open over time," after which it "[gets] the essentials right without leaving the sound dull or the music lifeless." Extra points for their flatness, which makes it possible to hide them under a rug. (Vol.42 No.1 WWW)
Nordost Valhalla 2 Speaker Cable: $10,599.99/1.25m
See Interconnects.
Stealth Dream V16: $14,700/2m pair, $6,600 each additional meter
The hermetically sealed, helium-filled Dream V10 is a thick yet flexible cable made of three flat solid-silver wires and a conductive carbon-fiber core. Compared to the TARA Labs Omega Onyx, the Stealth cable had a richer, warmer sound, with a softer attack for a slower overall musical flow. Partnered with the Stealth Sakra interconnects, the Dream V10 cable produced a more textured midrange but lacked the TARA's upper-octave air, said MF. Bi-wiring adds $1300 regardless of cables' length. (Vol.34 No.6)
TARA Labs Air Evolution SP speaker cable, 8' with bananas & spades: $4800; each add'tl foot is $380
See "Interconnects."
TARA Labs Omega Evolution SP loudspeaker cable: $37,000/8' pair, each additional foot $3900
The physically flexible TARA Labs Omega Evolution, incorporating almost twice as many rectangular, solid-core elements of "8 nines" (99.999999%) oxygen-free copper (280 vs the Gold's 156), adds the speed, transparency, dimensionality, and, especially, textural suppleness that the previous Gold cable lacked, thus losing the Gold's "somewhat laid-back overall sound" while paying no sonic penalty for the major improvements, said Mikey. Even more recent is TARA's Omega Evolution SP speaker cable, a higher-inductance and identically priced variant intended as a better match for amplifiers with very low damping factors and/or speakers that present distinctly reactive loads. In his system, in comparison with the less expensive TARA Omega Golds, MF found the Omega Evolution SPs to offer "more precise note attacks" and "greater textural nuance," among other attributes. (Vol.36 No.11, Vol.38 No.12)
Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 8 Speaker Cable: $26,800/3m pair
Compared to the new TARA Labs Omega Evolution, the Platinum Eclipse 7 is equally transparent, resolving, and dimensional, but less texturally supple and extended on top, with a less richly drawn midrange, said MF. (Vol.36 No.11)
Not much for me here, being a vintage gear fan first. Please bring back the entry-level column, there is a lot of gear at that price-point worth getting reviewed.
Budgetwise, I think I would be most like a "Double A" audiophile.
Same with me and wine.
I do admit to seeing some of the top end prices for either wine or Hi Fi and thinking that there are people who have checkbooks that are 'better' than their palates/ears.
Like JA1 described in the past...there are already parts of my own hobby that are beyond my budgetary event horizon.
_
If we did have audiophile classes, from minor leagues to major league, I wonder what the price points for each step would be.
Lets me play every now and then in the Majors. Nothing depreciates faster than audio gear. I have to admit being somewhat happy at seeing a dartZeel break while listening to it, while my beloved Sansui keeps making music.
I like showing gear in the reviews to my wife and asking her to guess the price.
When I saw the OMA turntable in the latest issue, I guessed 15,000 dollars. When she saw it, she guessed 12,000 dollars, and we've been playing this game for 25 years!
Next, I asked her if I were able to purchase it for 90% off retail, would she let me. She said, "Only I promised to flip it immediately."
Then, she threw me a bone and said, "You could buy it and keep it for the 12,000 dollars that I guessed."
I'd need a 97.5% discount to have a chance at it. And even that would be wildly extravagant. I'm happy with life, this is just for scale.
Above the PS Audio level is the world of Status & Ego. !
Which has me wondering if Stereophile is a Status & Ego type publication ? Is this a Robb Report mag that belongs on the coffee tables of private Jet Airports ? ( I've never seen it there )
Does an Anodized Red $200,000 Amplifier belong on the Front Cover of a magazine like ours ? None of us will ever have any chance to experience Velvet Rope Gear so why are we bothering with it? It being better is probably one person's opinion ( and that person probably doesn't have to buy it or own it ).
Reviews of these $100,000 +++++ pieces are man-speaking to us how our gear is deficient and unworthy, we are reading Hubris & gas lighting.
There is a World of $1,000 bottles of Wine, $25,000 Rolex Watches, Super pricy First Class Seats on UAL Flights and Political Leaders that are wealthy from insider trading. We shouldn't be reading about those things here.
Ours is like the world of our modest Canadian, revealing a new form of music discovery and writing one of Stereophile's most insightful pieces of literature about it. ( nice writing Mr. Robert S.)( is that the door bell? )
Tony in Venice Florida
Annnnndddd :
Thank You to the Editor that gave you the Word Budget and turned you loose.
Stereophile keeps raising the Bar !!!
Tony in Venice Florida
Where on Maslow's Pryamid is a half million dollar record player?
I'm curious to see....misguided 'esteem?'
I prefer to use Swanson's Pyramid....
https://external-preview.redd.it/5cDe4MZ9E0ZfvcS10kmAUd2ynTkp6b3wfU-fYsxyNfg.png?width=960&crop=smart&auto=webp&s=be478d54ccedc0bd3a8ea8428e368fe10ed78c60
(Second from bottom left.)
A most expensive record player would service the Ego needs of someone needing to establish themselves as the very Top of Analog Audio's Caste System.
The widely recognised Top Level Analog Format has been Tape.
I grew up in a Performing Arts household, my mother was an Operatic Performer and one of my older brothers was a Horn Player for our local Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
So, from my point of view, no Analog Audio System has ever come close to performing like a Live Audio Performance from a listening distance position.
Super pricy Audio Gear is about Status & Ego !!! ( I hear that Bob Carver still laughs at this stuff )
Tony in Venice Florida
Yes, Brilliant Observation! ,
of which, of-course, I completely agree .
Proving the old maxim: when two people agree on something - only one is doing the thinking.
Now that I'm living in the Deep South, Swansons Pyramid is where I'm slowly migrating to. Hmm.
Y'all have a Grate Day
Tony in Venice Florida
Kudos my friend. My first visit here to see how my "budget" system choices stacked up and lo and behold none of them to be found. Between my 3 piece desktop stack, speakers and subwoofer I spent about $2,500.
Apparently in Sterophile's world that's what I should spend on a single speaker stand...
The introduction to recommended loudspeakers states that "Candidates for inclusion in this class [i.e. Class A, limited LF extension] must still reach down to at least 40Hz, below the lowest notes of the four-string double-bass and bass guitar." The Falcon LS3/5a, for example, most certainly does not reach down to 40 Hz, unless you define "reach" to include a -10 or -15 or even lower dB point, which cannot be construed as useful bass etension. This is probably true for several other speakers listed in this category. So what is happening? What is the thinking behind this inconcistency?
Perhaps about -7 dB at 40Hz in this room. Fig. 6, https://www.stereophile.com/content/bbc-ls35a-loudspeaker-harbeth-measurements
It might be -3 dB at 40Hz in a broadcast van, the intended usage at the design stage.
...performance level for all Great Transducers?
It was the very loudspeaker that brought me and my English partner into the Audio Business. ( back in the early 1980s ) -- ( my business partner and I begged Raymond Cooke for this design to import to USA - he said NO! )
Isn't it still a "Reference" for comparison ? , doesn't any new design have to match or exceed it's super high levels of performance?
This little device and a well matched sub builds an outstanding Desert Island System.
But, it's still outstanding without the Sub.
It may not be Full Range but it well earned a Lifetime Class A+ transducer system rating. ( four Decades + )
Tony in Venice Florida
... like antique furniture, but the KEF LS50 Meta is a much more highly evolved successor.
I'm sure that I agree with you.
I seem to have a deeeeeeeep seated feeling that the LS3/5a is the grandfather of High End music Gear.
Even during the 1980s, my little shop : Esoteric Audio in Farmington Frills, Mi. stocked most of the small mini-monitors including the LS3/5a, Linn Kann, ProAc Tablette, Spica TC50, Quad ESL63 and the whole range of other hopefuls. Performance wise, the ProAc Tablettes were the musical leaders, the Quads were the Sales leaders, the Spica was the Reviewer Favourite . We had them all on permanant comparison using a VPI player, Koetsu Rosewood, Electrocompaniet Electronics and MIT Music Hose cable interfaces. It was an exciting adventure for any and all customers to take part in the ongoing comparisons. People bought scads of 'all' of those small speakers types.
With great or outstanding supporting gear, the LS3/5a can Scale up to amazing levels of music reproduction.
Tony in Venice Florida
@ smileday: With due respect, the link you posted is not to the current Falcon "Gold Badge" reviewed in 2021, which I was talking about, and which is about 12 dB down at 40 Hz (ref. 1 KHz) in JA's listening room on the evidence of Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 (red trace). This, as I was saying, cannot and should not be construed as useful bass extension at 40 Hz, so listing this speaker as "Class A, limited LF extension" is misleading (to say the least) in light of Stereophile's own stated criteria for inclusion in this category. Perhaps Editor Mr. Austin would like to take the stand on this. Furthermore, most of us don't listen to music in a broadcast van. Mind you, I am not saying that these are not truly great speakers. Indeed, I used to own the Harbeth P3ESR, which I found as nearly flawless as I suspect is possible in a loudspeaker, except for bass extension and volume (SPL) capability -- admittedly an inevitable design constraint given the size of the midbass driver, the size of the cabinet, and the benign impedance. This is why I eventually replaced them with a pair of the Harbeth C7 (40th Anniversary), which turned out to be game-over speakers in my small, 12 sqm study. Perfectly solid bass to 40 Hz and possibly below.
It's surprising to not see a single Soundsmith cartridge on this list. Would like to know why.
Hi - I am looking for a subwoofer to match the KEF LS50 Wireless sound, ideally with wireless integration to make placement easier. The 17 ms delay would not bother me as the speakers match the delay. Did anyone test the KEF KF 92 in addition to its smaller sibling and can they recommend it? Would I get better results with something like the SVS SB 3000 regardless of losing the wireless integration? Thanks in advance.