I brought my Grover U8 home from my work rig over this long weekend to use in my home rig in place of the Grover S cable I've been using for the past weeks now. The U8 definitely has its own quite enchanting sound, even to ears well-accustomed to the S. From my work rig, I can say that the U8 is a very nice step up from the original UR (no number) that I've been using there for months now. After my ears become well-accustomed to hearing all of my favorite music through the U8 at home, I'm going to switch back to the S to hear the difference in the other direction. The main difference I note is that the U8 is more forgiving of flaws in the source material (either low bitrate or, say, an overly-bright production mix). But that does NOT translate into missing detail. Good impact, subtle detail, great spatial presentation are all there with the U8. As noted above, the U8 has its own enchanting properties for listening. Its sound leans more in the solid, palpable direction than the S, which delivers sound a little more in a diaphanous, ethereal vein. I've transferred my Bogdan Gold/Silver Spirit IC to my M^3 / Senn HD580 - with which it sounds really optimal. The S cable on my PPA / SR225 gives me a nice balance between the solid, palpable sound of the U8 and the diaphanous sound of the BGSS. However, my ear is surely enjoying the more fully palpable sound of the U8 with the PPA / SR225 for awhile. With the U8, the S and the Bodgan GSS, I'm just blessed with an embarassment of sonic riches from which to choose and savor.
Thank God, they're ego-syntonic.
. . .
By the way, if hearing improvements in sound that others claim are not there (ostensibly, due to unrealistically high expectations about what cables can do) is "placebo," is there a term we can use when someone makes themselves intractably oblivious to the sonic refinements that come with higher quality cables (perhaps due to their lowered expectations)?
