Patrick82
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- Mar 1, 2003
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Someone sent me a lot of ElectraGlide cables a few months ago but I didn't listen to them because I was scared I wouldn't hear a difference between them.
Today I listened to a 4 minute song and switched the cables, the difference was HUGE! I immediately fell in love with the Synapses2!
System: HD590 + EMU0404 USB + laptop
I'm using two daisy chained Genesis for both my laptop and EMU, one Genesis was not enough. For this test I will switch the power cable between wall and EMU.
Power cables tested:
2x daisy chained Virtual Dynamics Genesis 1.1 (vibration control inside)
ElectraGlide Ultra Khan II The Statement R
ElectraGlide Epiphany first model (ERS Paper inside)
ElectraGlide Synapses2
ElectraGlide Synapses2 with ERS Paper
Nordost Valhalla 16awg with 3 layers ERS Paper
Stock 18awg with ERS Paper
Switch from 2x Genesis to a Synapses2: Brighter, faster, edgier, emptier, airier, less resolution, less weight. It sounds blacker and whiter because of AC noise from the wall. It sounds mostly empty which gives a fake black background.
Epiphany: Heavier and thicker but it sounds veiled. The low-level details are missing. It sounds very warm, full and smooth. The heaviness masks everything, it sounds like a fat carpet, the music doesn't breathe.
Ultra Khan II: Muddy and dull. Resolution is lacking badly, the sounds are not distinct. Everything is covered in mud, I can't hear the music, there are sounds missing from it.
Synapses2: The highs are emphasized. It sounds emptier with a fake black background. The layering is very good, there is more space between the sounds and nothing blends together. It sounds faster and more solid.
Synapses2 ERS: Huge bass and more resolution! It sounds more like Epiphany but much faster and clearer. It doesn't sound empty anymore.
Synapses2: Emptier, harsher and edgier with lack of resolution.
Epiphany: It sounds dark with emphasized bass. Everything is grey and muddy. There is no air. The sounds blend together.
Synapses2 ERS: More dynamics, air, speed and low-level detail. The transients are crazy fast.
Valhalla ERS: Smoother, cleaner and weaker. Everything sounds flat and weak but silky smooth.
Synapses2 ERS: More open, fast and clear. It's not veiled like Valhalla is.
Stock ERS: Highs are edgy and the bass is missing. There are sounds missing from the music. It sounds more open and faster than Epiphany.
Epiphany: Duller, boomier, bigger, thicker, warmer and greyer. It doesn't sound as fast as stock. Sounds are lost in the music because they blend together.
2x Genesis: Bigger, tighter and faster bass. Tiny sounds in the music are audible. There is more low-level detail, openness, smoothness and transparency. The soundstage sounds bigger because the ambient sounds are audible. Everything is very full and open!
Synapses2 ERS: Faster and clearer highs but edgier. It sounds very neutral but a little low-level detail is missing.
I have also tried other cables in the past; PS Audio Statement, stock cables of different thicknesses, and modified Nordost Vishnu and Valhalla with ERS Paper. I have also tried using multiple conductors per signal, but one conductor was the best because it gave more speed.
All the power cables I have tried have round conductors (except for Synapses2 which has flat conductors). A thinner cable gives less bass and more speed, and a thicker cable gives more bass but the low-level details blend together so that it sounds slow and veiled. To get clear highs you need a thin cable, however, it removes bass in the process. All round cables sound rolled-off except for Nordost Valhalla which used to be my favorite cable for 3 years. However, the overly smooth and weak Valhalla is only a band-aid for bright sounding components.
Synapses2 without ERS Paper sounds empty and thin, but when it has been wrapped with ERS Paper it has the bass of Epiphany and more resolution too! It has the clearest highs I have ever heard! Even a 18awg cable is not close to this! Synapses2 is the fastest power cable I have heard. I don't hear any problems from Synapses2, it's neutral and doesn't hurt the sound like other cables do. It sounds more real life than a modified Nordost Valhalla.
Immediately after this test I ordered more Synapses2 power cables! It's not as good as the vibration controlled Virtual Dynamics Genesis, but it's a great budget cable which replaces Nordost Valhalla. When building a big system with many components, the Synapses2 is definitely the cable to use!
Today I listened to a 4 minute song and switched the cables, the difference was HUGE! I immediately fell in love with the Synapses2!
System: HD590 + EMU0404 USB + laptop
I'm using two daisy chained Genesis for both my laptop and EMU, one Genesis was not enough. For this test I will switch the power cable between wall and EMU.
Power cables tested:
2x daisy chained Virtual Dynamics Genesis 1.1 (vibration control inside)
ElectraGlide Ultra Khan II The Statement R
ElectraGlide Epiphany first model (ERS Paper inside)
ElectraGlide Synapses2
ElectraGlide Synapses2 with ERS Paper
Nordost Valhalla 16awg with 3 layers ERS Paper
Stock 18awg with ERS Paper
Switch from 2x Genesis to a Synapses2: Brighter, faster, edgier, emptier, airier, less resolution, less weight. It sounds blacker and whiter because of AC noise from the wall. It sounds mostly empty which gives a fake black background.
Epiphany: Heavier and thicker but it sounds veiled. The low-level details are missing. It sounds very warm, full and smooth. The heaviness masks everything, it sounds like a fat carpet, the music doesn't breathe.
Ultra Khan II: Muddy and dull. Resolution is lacking badly, the sounds are not distinct. Everything is covered in mud, I can't hear the music, there are sounds missing from it.
Synapses2: The highs are emphasized. It sounds emptier with a fake black background. The layering is very good, there is more space between the sounds and nothing blends together. It sounds faster and more solid.
Synapses2 ERS: Huge bass and more resolution! It sounds more like Epiphany but much faster and clearer. It doesn't sound empty anymore.
Synapses2: Emptier, harsher and edgier with lack of resolution.
Epiphany: It sounds dark with emphasized bass. Everything is grey and muddy. There is no air. The sounds blend together.
Synapses2 ERS: More dynamics, air, speed and low-level detail. The transients are crazy fast.
Valhalla ERS: Smoother, cleaner and weaker. Everything sounds flat and weak but silky smooth.
Synapses2 ERS: More open, fast and clear. It's not veiled like Valhalla is.
Stock ERS: Highs are edgy and the bass is missing. There are sounds missing from the music. It sounds more open and faster than Epiphany.
Epiphany: Duller, boomier, bigger, thicker, warmer and greyer. It doesn't sound as fast as stock. Sounds are lost in the music because they blend together.
2x Genesis: Bigger, tighter and faster bass. Tiny sounds in the music are audible. There is more low-level detail, openness, smoothness and transparency. The soundstage sounds bigger because the ambient sounds are audible. Everything is very full and open!
Synapses2 ERS: Faster and clearer highs but edgier. It sounds very neutral but a little low-level detail is missing.
I have also tried other cables in the past; PS Audio Statement, stock cables of different thicknesses, and modified Nordost Vishnu and Valhalla with ERS Paper. I have also tried using multiple conductors per signal, but one conductor was the best because it gave more speed.
All the power cables I have tried have round conductors (except for Synapses2 which has flat conductors). A thinner cable gives less bass and more speed, and a thicker cable gives more bass but the low-level details blend together so that it sounds slow and veiled. To get clear highs you need a thin cable, however, it removes bass in the process. All round cables sound rolled-off except for Nordost Valhalla which used to be my favorite cable for 3 years. However, the overly smooth and weak Valhalla is only a band-aid for bright sounding components.
Synapses2 without ERS Paper sounds empty and thin, but when it has been wrapped with ERS Paper it has the bass of Epiphany and more resolution too! It has the clearest highs I have ever heard! Even a 18awg cable is not close to this! Synapses2 is the fastest power cable I have heard. I don't hear any problems from Synapses2, it's neutral and doesn't hurt the sound like other cables do. It sounds more real life than a modified Nordost Valhalla.
Immediately after this test I ordered more Synapses2 power cables! It's not as good as the vibration controlled Virtual Dynamics Genesis, but it's a great budget cable which replaces Nordost Valhalla. When building a big system with many components, the Synapses2 is definitely the cable to use!
