[witchdoctor]

System -
HTPC > GW Labs DSP Upsampler > ART Di/O DAC modded by Bolder Cable>
Sunfire TG 3 > Paradigm Active 40 speakers
PC- various Virtual Dynamics Cables
PLC- Monster HTPS 7000 , cryoed wall receptacle
( interconnects in test were broken in for 100 hrs + with pink noise)
The first comparison was the Better Cables Silver Serpent cable with XLR terminations vs. Bogdan Audio Silver Cables with bullet terminations. These comparisons are easy with my active speakers because all I have to do is plug the interconnects in simultaneously and a toggle switch in te back lets me flip from the XLR connection to the other. I still need to match levels after switching as the XLR is about 6 db louder. I chose to compare these two first because they are in the same price range of around $90 a pair.The Silver Serpents sound good. Very tight bass, neutral, but a little compressed.The Bogdan cables had much more separation between instruments , maintained the tight bass but actually did a better job separating bass guitar from drums and info in the lower registers. Vocals were much more articulate through the Bogdan Cables.
Winner - Bogdan.
Bogdan vs. Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II with XLR terminations
I first want to say that the AZ cables are stunningly clear. If a singer smacks their lips at the end of a note , you hear it. Cymbals, bells , wood blocks and percussion sound incredibly articulate. These cables do not color the music , they are very revealing.
I did not realize any information was missing until I compared them with the Bogdan cables. The Bogdan cables presented vocals in a way that sounded just as musical but I could not hear that last hair of detail as the lips smacking after the notes.
However where the Bogdan cables stood out was how much more information they revealed than the AZ. Bass through these cables on my speakers sounded as though I had added a sub ( I have extension to only around 32 hz). I could cleary hear more of what was on the track.
In " Change the World" by Eric Clapton you could hear clearly the full rounded whomp as his hand slapped the wood on his acoustic guitar each time before he plucked the strings.
Vogue by Madonna had bass that hit you right in the gut in those first opening bars before she begins singing.
Both Nat and Natalie Cole had a little more fullness in their voices that the AZ didn't quite pick up during their duet on Unforgettable.

Bottom Line - The AZ are the winners in giving a little more crispness in the information that they present.As I said they are extremely neutral and sound great.
The Bogdan cable has much , much more information that the AZ left out. Much more bass extension, much more detail in the lower registers, smoother midrange , airy highs , and excellent separation between notes and instruments. The AZ were a little more like looking through a microscope in comparison.
My preference on my system is the Bogdan cables. Believe me, price is NOT an issue with me , although I know the AZ cables cost ten times more.
I will have a friend over tomorrow for a blind test comparison and post his comments in a follow up.
If this sounds like cheerleading to you do yourself a favor. Spend $90 , do your own comparison, and then flame away if your results differ.
If you have not heard these three cables and compared , please respect my post as I have no vested interst in any of these companies. Thanks

 

[Vertigo-1]

Thanks for the info, high end cable comparisons are certainly appreciated. Bogdan cables certainly seem to be making a splash lately.

I've recently been auditioning the Silver Reference IIs as well, and well...they're not the ones I'm keeping. They're good no doubt as are most high end pure silver cables I've heard turn out, but not an end all cable to me. Certainly more expensive does not equate to better.

 

[dparrish]

Vertigo,

What do the Silver Ref IIs lack in your system? Just curious, as I have these in mine now, but only a Kimber Select 1011 (all-copper) to compare them with.

David

 

[grohan]

it looks like you've been quite impressed with bogdans...as you post the same review over several audio sites... what is yours experience with other cables, where do you get the bogdans and how do you decide to compare it with the AZ?

hmm, that is the question, do giant killers exist? I guess that 90 bucks will tell the tale.

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

Originally posted by dparrish Vertigo, What do the Silver Ref IIs lack in your system? Just curious, as I have these in mine now, but only a Kimber Select 1011 (all-copper) to compare them with. David

dparrish,

Sorry I didn't reply earlier, but I wanted to get a grip on how the Live V5s sounded and where they fit in before replying to any cable related question. My comments on the Silver Ref II is relative to all the cables I've heard to date, which to reiterate are the Kimber Select 1030, Silver Audio Appasionata, Zcable Live V4, and the recently arrived Live V5.

The Silver Ref II major strength is that it is very harmonically rich. It continues to be the most harmonically rich cable I've ever heard so far. Installing it alone was enough to ramp up bass impact, increase the emotion behind vocals, and really, really show off the textures of instruments playing in the upper midrange to treble regions. This cable executed the most powerful drum kicks out of what I've heard. With string plucks such as with a guitar, you could almost feel the slap of the string against wood. Vocals came through with a greater sense of presence behind them. Cymbals sounded very airy with great texture.

What are its weaknesses? While the bass is harmonically rich, it also felt slightly humped from the get-go, something that became ever more noticeable over time, and probably what annoyed me the most over the long term as I'm not a fan of majorly impacting bass. The bass clearly did not drop down as cleanly as with the other interconnects I've heard. Bass decay was good as a result, but bass extension was not as good.

The second weakness I felt it had was a slightly smeared, busy midrange. Instruments that took place here sometimes had a tendency to feel slightly clumped together. Imaging as a result suffered, and it was not as precise with placement as the other interconnects. This aspect of it greatly affects the Silver Ref II's absolute resolution and detail passing capabilities. Here, it simply does not compare to the Select 1030 or the Live V4/V5.

The third thing that I personally disliked (but is clearly preference based) that sort of ties everything together is the way the Silver Ref II executed its soundstage. Overall it maintained a tight, upclose presentation, which I believe is part of why sounds so harmonically rich. Putting this cable into my system was like literally having a live upclose mike feed with every recording I had. It magnified the texture of instruments, increased the vocal presence, but it also stayed that way through every recording. The Silver Ref II was my first experience with a cable in fact that never changed its presentation with the recording...it was always big, bold, and dynamic.

As far as which way it jerked my system when I switched over to the Silver Ref II...I inserted it when I felt like hearing that dosage of upclose textures and just big, bold dynamics. Switching to any other cable after the Silver Ref II makes me think "where's the beef?" The flip side is, it crushed any sense of delicate touch the system might've had, and PRaT pretty much went out the window.

The comments are of course, relative to my system and on hand cables that I could compare it with. YMMV.

 

[grohan]

gee, no reply so far, maybe it does look like a hit and run concealed advertising....

 

[AC1]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vertigo-1 dparrish, The Silver Ref II major strength is that it is very harmonically rich. It continues to be the most harmonically rich cable I've ever heard so far. Installing it alone was enough to ramp up bass impact, increase the emotion behind vocals, and really, really show off the textures of instruments playing in the upper midrange to treble regions. This cable executed the most powerful drum kicks out of what I've heard. With string plucks such as with a guitar, you could almost feel the slap of the string against wood. Vocals came through with a greater sense of presence behind them. Cymbals sounded very airy with great texture. What are its weaknesses? While the bass is harmonically rich, it also felt slightly humped from the get-go, something that became ever more noticeable over time, and probably what annoyed me the most over the long term as I'm not a fan of majorly impacting bass. The bass clearly did not drop down as cleanly as with the other interconnects I've heard. Bass decay was good as a result, but bass extension was not as good. The second weakness I felt it had was a slightly smeared, busy midrange. Instruments that took place here sometimes had a tendency to feel slightly clumped together. Imaging as a result suffered, and it was not as precise with placement as the other interconnects. This aspect of it greatly affects the Silver Ref II's absolute resolution and detail passing capabilities. Here, it simply does not compare to the Select 1030 or the Live V4/V5. The third thing that I personally disliked (but is clearly preference based) that sort of ties everything together is the way the Silver Ref II executed its soundstage. Overall it maintained a tight, upclose presentation, which I believe is part of why sounds so harmonically rich. Putting this cable into my system was like literally having a live upclose mike feed with every recording I had. It magnified the texture of instruments, increased the vocal presence, but it also stayed that way through every recording. The Silver Ref II was my first experience with a cable in fact that never changed its presentation with the recording...it was always big, bold, and dynamic. As far as which way it jerked my system when I switched over to the Silver Ref II...I inserted it when I felt like hearing that dosage of upclose textures and just big, bold dynamics. Switching to any other cable after the Silver Ref II makes me think "where's the beef?" The flip side is, it crushed any sense of delicate touch the system might've had, and PRaT pretty much went out the window.

Very interesting description of the SRIIs... And I believe decribes perfectly how Robert Lee likes to voice his system... I got to hear his demo/voicing system at his office when I went to pick up the SRIIs, and I always thought that he had a very forward projecting, especially big and impactfull sound which pretty much is what Vert has described.
These cables are a match for me since I disdain the smallish sound of headphone gear and have no problem with the forward projection, though if I use gear (ie source) that has a laid back soundstage it does work better with these cables, since sometimes everything can sound like it has been moved forward but nowhere to go but with a laid back sounstage it seems to space itself out, if that makes any sense.
Quick note about the locking RCAs, I put virtually no torque on them now since they easily sound constrained/closed-in with even just a little bit put on the them. This also seems to help out the seperation/clumping as well.

 

[Ebonyks]

Which bogdans were those? the copper or silver bullet plugs?

Yeah, those things are looking damn tempting to replace my outlaws though...