Review: Oritek X-1 cable - Page 2

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Hey that's great Inter! It's good to see someone break away and explore independently from the herd!

The X-1 will let you hear the full sonic glory of Ghost Reveries.
Or at least your other gear, which I'm unfamiliar with. I hope they're good.

How do you find Opeth's Ghost Reveries? Sonically it's a big step up from the others. Artistically that a personal matter.

They're ready to ship.

And like I pointed out in the Grover UR thread comparisons to the X-1, (posts #154, 157, 159, 162, 164 & 166), they're already burned-in and if you don't like them you get your money back.

Don't you hate when a new cable arrives, it disappoints and you're told to "give it 100 hours to burn-in". My skeptical side tells me the cable maker wants to introduce the psychological element into the listening. He doesn't want you to hear the cable in the bright light of day. Good for Oritek for having the guts not to hide behind burn-in.

I want some others to try the X-1 'cause it's damn lonely at the top!

Hey why are ya woopee-ing me?

Yeah I can't verify that they're hiding behind it. I think it's to their advantage though. "Not that good after 100 hours you say. Give it another 50. You'll find the soundstage should open up, and the highs become airier, less metallic".

We worked hard for the money, why should we work hard to hear how good their cable is? I said it in the Grover thread, I'm going to accord a cable the same amount of respect and effort as sources, amps, speakers, etc. I'm not going to put myself in meditation mode to try to detect that little extra touch of whatever. Show me what you're made of right here, right now, knock me out or get out. Maybe I'm unfair or unreasonable, but I'm not interested in riding the equipment merry-go-round. I can't afford to upgrade on an annual basis and I don't know that I'd want to even if I could. I need to find keepers and forget about the rest. I believe there are lots of guys like me?

I'm in this for my love of music. My budget is limited, it always will be and it is my wish to get the most bang for my buck as I possibly can. I have no patience for moderate improvements, half measures or side-steps. I'm not very good at hearing tweaks. Or at least their significance seems far less to me than to others. I refuse to imagine it sounds better. Any equipment change has to be a head and shoulders, no BS, unmistakable improvement over it's predecessor. And it has indeed been a case of disappointment related to cables. Nearly every review reads the same. They are interchangeable, "blacker backgrounds". Your description of the transparency of the UR could be a description of the X-1. But it's a Darwinian world and there will usually be something that at some point raises the bar and sets a new standard. If they raise it high enough it becomes a classic I presume.

I've heard the UR and X-1 side by side and for me the bar was well raised by the X-1 in the under $200 market. I think I'm getting an accurate, neutral, uncolored, revealing listen through a Benchmark DAC1, ATC amp and ATC speakers. They tell me more than the Sennheiser HD-600's do by a good 30%. I listen through the speakers daily and know what to expect from familiar recordings. I knew my cheap phonostage was sort of flat sounding but still enjoyable, now the X-1 has made it less so. I'll use the less revealing Grover UR on it until it's upgraded. I would expect it possible others don't get quite the impact I got. Or transparency is not what they need most in their system or for their preference. I honestly don't know. There have been so few listeners.

I know a guy who hates accuracy and loves artificially warm and lush. There does not exist an argument that he is not right. He is right for his desires and I think that's perfectly cool. For some or for many the Grover UR will be the porridge that is just right and the X-1 too hot to handle. For me the X-1 is nirvana.

You're a person of true integrity in my opinion and a comparison could tell you if the torch of affordable transparency has been passed. A new level of transparency is here now for me and I'm having a heck of a good time listening to music. That's all I really know for sure.

As for the merits of already burned-in as I see it:
Your new cable arrives burned-in, it is what it is, it will never change.
Instantly ready to face the music! To stand or fall on it's immediate merits.
I like that, it suits me.

You don't like the new cable? It's nothing special?
Sweet! Return to sender!
You've just saved yourself a pile of time and effort.


You're absolutely right Michael.
Maybe it should be an option for the customer 'To be or not to be' burned in.
I think it's cool that you do and the fact that you do, lends me to believe your products to be worthy additions to many systems.

Obviously the joys of break-in are not my bag, but i can see how it would be for another. Thanks for the other perspective.

Now the gradual revelations of the dance of the seven veils by a woman is completely different!


Yes it is a messed up web site.

Oh damn.
That's the thing with being an early listener of something, no one else knows what you're talking about.
Yep the Blackwater touch is confirmed as gone.