MKIII for Franken ShuttlePod is here! Savor the pics and let me share with you what this monster can offer
At this stage, for those who have listened to iMod with boutique caps, there's no denying the sheer supremacy of the output. My MK-I dock as seen earlier was a Mundorf M-Cap ZN (4.7 uF) and that monster has been nothing but a wonder to behold (listen rather). So you guys have read my impressions on the M-Caps. Now I will compare MK-I with the latest newly constructed MKIII.
Design wise, you can see that MK-III offers more compact form factor with "discrete" cables hardwired using Eichmann Silver Solder with the shortest length possible. For this dock I have been requested to use Solid Core SPC instead of Canare Coppers - yes this dock is not mine, it's for a Head-Fier who has been very keen on getting his hands on the first MK-III dock. Personally I loved the simplified look. But there's a catch, this dock will not tolerate excessive strain and it will break if mishandled with carelessness.
Ok on to the sound. I decided to run Diana Krall's tracks for this test ride and......
WOW!!! - no burn in and fresh as a newborn, but already the dynamics are on par with my M-Caps ZN (be reminded that my M-Caps has over 300 hours on them).
As per expected, these boutique caps have no issues with projecting very wide sound. Immediately I can identify the "minor" differences compared to my M-Caps.
- Utterly NEUTRAL! mind boggling balance in all areas. Makes my M-Caps colored in comparison because M-Caps ZN are very lush and warm
- Distinct separation between instruments - as if each instrument sources get focused individually - and I mean really focused because if I choose to follow the trail of certain sound I can do so with liquid ease. I am not saying that instrument separation on the other caps combo is bad; it's just that this V-Cap monster excelled way better than the rest
- VERY Analogue! Yes this I loved the most. Just like the M-Cap, there's that "easy" and organic tonality to the sound which makes for an enjoyable listening experience. There's no glare or hardness to the body, just liquid ease
- Concise textured bass - much similar to M-Caps performance and perhaps a bit more detailed. It's easy to follow the bass curve and digest the extension. But take note that M-Cap ZN offers stronger pounding slam to the bass response, V-Caps a little bit reserved in slam but then again we are talking about caps with barely 12 hours in them.
- Silky edged highs - oh the taming of extended highs is audibly better than M-Caps ZN. There's no opportunity for peaky sections to singe my eardrums (which I get a lot using g Black Gate caps (NX-HiQ Series). Treble junkies will not be disappointed with the performance
- Similar performance here in the mids, both M-Caps and V-Caps deliver rich intimate performance. But when I say intimate I do not mean forward sounding. They are placed just nice so as not to overwhelm the listener
- Transparency - without a doubt this is THE most transparent setup I have ever listened to - ever! The M-Caps ZN warmth and lushness take a toll on transparency a very tiny bit (but still they are more transparent than BGs). These V-Caps makes them all sounded veiled! LOL!
Yes I love this MK-III sure enough. If they sounded this good with less than 12 hours in them, then I can only pray they gets refined with time. V-Caps are not cheap and the steep price is not for nothing.
It's V-Caps
all the way for me now
PS:
From the look, I can tell that these V-Caps are handmade - now that's really coold eh.
