High End Cables Thread (digital, analog, power)

[BlakeT]

Did you try messaging Trevor via pm's here on Headfi?

I am also a very happy Vykari Reference cable owner (clear sleeve). I've sent this cable back to Trevor for re-terminations based on subsequent changes to my headphones, and the process has always been really good, fast and no communications issues.

But, I understand your frustration and I'm not downplaying things, and I've read of a few others reporting some difficulty with comms with Trevor. I've had good luck messaging him here.

I hear clear improvement with this cable vs stock in the 3 headphones I've used it with (HE1000se, then LCD-4z, and now Abyss 1266). As always, ymmv.

 

[chrisnyc75]

Did you try messaging Trevor via pm's here on Headfi?

I did not, not because I think I couldn't reach him this way, but because I don't think I should have to.

Am I happy with my Norne cable? Yes, very much. But given my experience would I buy from him again? No. The whole thing was just more difficult and confusing than a purchase of that scale should be. I'm sure he's a lovely person and a very talented craftsman, but internet presence is now de rigeur - if a thing isn't available, show it as such. And if you give a contact link that should be the link you use.

 

[BlakeT]

Warning.. this is a "tweak" vs cable post.

While (still) waiting for my QSA Lanedri power cable to arrive, I've been playing with some other stuff. Still gathering my thoughts. Latest addition are experiments with using Panzerholz boards underneath power distributors, and the power amp in my speaker system. Taiko Audio, LessLoss, Kaiser Acoustics Kawero and others have praised Panzerholz/Tankwood, so I figured I'd give it a try, with a 1" thickness. These boards are really heavy and dense!

Panzerholz info: https://www.lessloss.com/page.html?id=80

Found a company that will make custom sizes on Panzerholz boards, at a reasonable price.

 

[paradoxper]

So, I thought I would share my experience buying my one and only “summit-fi” cable…


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When I bought Susvara, I knew I would want an aftermarket cable as Hifiman’s stock cables are so famously known for their awfulness. I own Kimber power & interconnects, and I’ve bought ZMF and Forza cables for my other headphones, but I’ve never really gone all-in and bought an “endgame” headphone cable. But if there is any one headphone that warrants spending $1k+, it’s Susvara, right? I don’t plan to ever sell it, but even if I do the cable would be just as sellable on the second-hand market as the headphone, right? So, I set to work looking for the right one. I don’t put a huge amount of stock into any audible effect of a headphone cable, but just to hedge my bets my philosophy pushes me toward a hybrid cable, so as to yield both the benefits and drawbacks of both copper and silver (the same philosophy I put into my Kimber cables). Kimber hybrid headphone cables are a little bit beyond what I’m willing to spend, so I looked into brands/makers more specialized in headphone cables, i.e. the usual suspects. Danacable, Lavricables, Vikingweave, ArcticAudio, Moon Audio, Hywires, Cardas, etc.
I finally settled on Norne, as I had heard good things about their cables on the forums and, quite frankly, I liked the visual aesthetic of copper interweaved with silver cable in their hybrid Vykari cable.


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Upon contacting the maker, Trevor, via the provided link & email address, I was told the sleeveless version of Vykari was not currently available, but that he would gladly make me a sleeved version for “demo” while he awaited the materials for the sleeveless version to be available in “a few weeks”, at which time I could exchange my sleeved cable for the new sleeveless if I so chose. As a bonus, he would throw in a second r&d demo cable for my evaluation while I waited. I was skeptical, as I had my heart set on a sleeveless hybrid cable to match my newly acquired endgame Susvara, but the promise of a hassle-free exchange AND a demo r&d cable was appealing, so in the excitement of the moment, with my new endgame headphone, I decided to go ahead and pull the trigger with Norne. Sure enough, a couple of weeks later I received a gorgeous black & silver sleeved braided cable with exactly the sleeving & hardware I had requested, as well as an additional “demo” cable that was clearly of lesser quality, but held some promise of interesting comparison.

I spent a few weeks with my new sleeved Norne cable + Susvara, and was quite pleased. Not CERTAIN that I could hear any real sonic difference vs the stock cable, but suspicious that I think I heard a bit more bass impact and treble clarity, I was satisfied that my “kilobuck plus” expenditure had not been in vain.
And yet, as satisfied as I was with my beautifully sleeved cable, I still longed for the unsleeved version I had initially sought… and so, a few months after my initial order, I emailed Trevor for an update. A few weeks later I received an update, that he was still waiting for the materials for the unsleeved version, but if I wanted further updates I could use telegram to contact him further. I don’t use telegram, and I’m not interested in downloading yet another messaging app, so I replied that I was in no particular rush, but would appreciate an update when/if the unsleeved materials ever came in.

A couple of months later, I checked the norne website and saw that apparently the new Vykari 2024 version is available for purchase (though there are no pictures on the website yet), so I emailed Trevor again, at the email address provided on his website, and where I had communicated with him before. I expressed my general satisfaction with the sleeved cable I had received, but also a continuing interest in the UNsleeved version I had initially sought and been promised. I asked if I could see pictures of what the newly available version looks like.

That was several weeks ago. I’ve received no reply. I suppose if I want a reply I should message him on telegram? Even though that is not the contact method advised on the official website? I dunno. At the end of the day, am I happy with my Norne cable? Yes, absolutely. Is it what I wanted when I set out to buy a $1K+ headphone cable? Well, sorta. Would I buy another $1K+ cable from the same maker? Absolutely not. I’m sure Trevor means well, but the whole thing felt a little bit too shifty for a kilobuck plus purchase to suit me.

Just my honest 2 cents for your consideration.

You wouldn't buy from Norne again because he missed a message? Broken promises, right.

The age we live in.

 

[chrisnyc75]

You wouldn't buy from Norne again because he missed a message? Broken promises, right.

The age we live in.

Sure, that's a reasonable summation.

 

[paradoxper]

Sure, that's a reasonable summation.

Oh, I must have missed that follow-up email.

 

[kingoftown1]

@BlakeT would love to know more about your panzerholz source

 

[BlakeT]

@BlakeT would love to know more about your panzerholz source

You bet, his company is: Precision Composite Industries. He is in the high end race car world, and other things.

He sells on US Audiomart under irish65. On USAM just enter "panzerholz" in the search and his advert will pop up.

I've been listening all day, comparing his 1" thick Panzerholz against 1" board I was using, and no contest, Panzerholz is sonically superior.

https://www.precisioncompositeindustries.com/

Here is a pic of a very cool, all custom/bespoke suspension audio rack he made for a customer (Panzerholz platforms):

 

[BlakeT]

QSA Lanedri cables finally arrived. The newly-released Gamma Infinity USB cable, and a Spectra Infinity King power cord.

 

[Whazzzup]

Noice cables, but sheesh, the high end price point is really high, not singling out any brand but a 17 g xlr interconnect? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, my Sarum T digital super array usb has more than doubled since I purchased, I thought it was a lot of doe back then…

 

[ewppl]

Noice cables, but sheesh, the high end price point is really high, not singling out any brand but a 17 g xlr interconnect? Not that there’s anything wrong with that, my Sarum T digital super array usb has more than doubled since I purchased, I thought it was a lot of doe back then…

holly… , i thought my cables are expensive. my face melted…

 

[carbonF1]

I've had the Triode Wire Labs Spirit II XLR cables in my system for a few weeks now, and these are some nice interconnects. Very lightweight, flexible, and the connectors are excellent. I'm not super versed in describing cable changes, as IME changes are pretty minor, but in comparison the Audioquest Water XLR, the Spirit II are a step up from those, if not two steps. Even more clarity and 'getting out of the way' of the music than the AQ. They are burned in at 'the factory', with a recommendation for additional burn in time but I did not find this necessary, Spirit II sounded great the moment I installed them. Plus, the connectors are much, much better in my opinion than Audioquest. I've really grown to dislike AQ connectors lol. I've read the best cables should go from DAC to preamp, so Spirit II runs from DAC to pre, and AQ Water now goes from pre to amp.

Pete seems nice and kept me informed at each step of the way. It took about a week or so from ordering to arrive at my door, but worth the (short) wait. I will have to check out the Passion USB at some point. Good stuff!

 

[Delta9K]

I've had the Triode Wire Labs Spirit II XLR cables in my system for a few weeks now

I really like the set I have too.

Pete seems nice and kept me informed at each step of the way.

+1 Pete is a great guy to work with.

I will have to check out the Spirit USB

I started with the Passion USB it was the catalyst for picking up the Spirit II XLRs

Enjoy your new cables !!

 

[Audiophiliac]

You guys all suck. I'm in a world of resistance, compared to you. I can't even take it out on you, either. Thanks a lot.
Maybe my little 2" desk alcohol scrubbers "Cracker, Suckers! 1.0" will make me enough money to hear my finally the right way around music without having to be such a dolt. I know, but at least nobody else wants you to hear your stuff any more than this yet, either.
Some music from 1980 played with a sub for the first time just ended it for everyone all over again.

 

[barondla]

I've had the Muon2 usb for several weeks now. Rob @ Network Acoustics sent out the cable and it took only 3 days to reach SG from the UK. As with all NA gear, it came in a well padded box and there is a soft suede pouch. the cable itself is built very well; really like the solid feel of the connectors on both ends, the split cable makes it seem quite pro, and the standard 1.5m length is generous.

I have a few other usb cables in my house right now, namely the Triode Wire Labs Passion, Mad Scientist Black Magic Ultra, and the Pink Faun Interlink. I also had the Tellurium Q Silver Diamond, but it went to a new owner not long ago. I think I've had my fair share of experience with usb cables. other cables I've owned are mentioned in the last ranking list at the bottom. the other cables I owned were not particularly bad, but the ones I have now seem the best all rounders and suit my listening preferences. unfortunately, I have not tried any JCAT or Intona cables, and also not tried the FTA Sinope or Sablon Evo.. but for the purposes of this post, I'll stick to just the ones that I currently have on hand. Will preface by saying these cables are all top notch. Comments and comparisons are made for the sake of ranking (and whoever cares to read this long post), but however, in reality, the differences in sound are small. and of course, i am also susceptible to all the assumptions and biases plaguing non blinded tests.




I let the Muon2 usb run in for 2 weeks before taking down any notes. I had it in one of two configs, ie between the Innuos Pulsar and Meitner MA3, and between the Innuos Phoenix reclocker and Meitner MA3 (Pulsar as streamer). On day 1 when I first had a listen and thereafter till now, I wasn't sure if there was any breaking in effect; tbh it seems like it sounded identical on day 1 as it does right now. so much so I actually msged Rob to ask if this was the case with his Muon2, to which he replied along the lines of I'd have been good to go from day 1.

I guess in that sense, if you end up trying the Muon2, there's a high likelihood your first impressions of the cable will determine whether it's to your liking or not. OTOH, Rob also mentioned some users reporting fluctuations up to 4-500 hrs, but I honestly don't have that patience, and I think I'd really rather just stop analysing the cable and enjoy the music after the first few days.




I'll move on to comparisons and I'll rank the 4 cables I have on a few parameters. as the usual disclaimer, I'm a cable believer, but also aware I'm subject to all the usual and known biases out there. the differences in sound are small but I feel enough to make a note of.

Details and Speed

1. Muon2
2. TWL Passion
3. Pink Faun Interlink
4. MS BM Ultra

The Muon2 is a detail monster. It's not bright or shrill, it doesn't create things that are not there, and it doesn't let u hear things u never heard before. but what it does do is it makes everything already there super easy to hear and pick out. The Muon2 seems like it has fine edge control to music. very sharp distinct leading edges, very fast transients. The TWL Passion seems the most neutral in terms of detail; nothing jumps out and nothing seems lost. Pink Faun takes a slightly laid back approach, and the BM Ultra another notch down; the finer softer details are still there but they're not as immediately apparent as the Muon2.

I grouped both Detail and Speed together as I feel they're both related and how one aspect is played out also determines the other. my rankings for the cable are the same for both. the Muon2 overall seems the "fastest".

Staging, Height and Width

1. Pink Faun Interlink
2. Muon2
3. BM MS Ultra
4. TWL Passion

The PF cable sounds the widest to me, with musical elements thrown the farthest out left and right. it was a toss up for perception of height but I think the PF edges out the Muon2. Of the 4, the Muon2 and BM Ultra seem the most natural in terms of staging width; I don't really like it when things seem thrown too far out to the point it seems unrealistic or artificial.

Imaging, 3d Placement, Front back depth

1. Muon2
2. TWL Passion
3. Pink Faun Interlink
4. BM MS Ultra

The Muon2 places stuff really well out front and both to the right and left. it is really very believable that you're there in the music, and can picture exactly where the musicians are on the stage in front of you. With the Utopia 22, the layering and depth is even more apparent. Love the 3d feel with the Muon2; it is much less left right blobs and more directional/diagonal and natural sounding.

The TWL Passion comes a close second; slightly less front back depth, but side/side and diagonal placement is on par. PF Interlink is good, and the BM MS Ultra is the most "flat" of the 4.

Airiness, Space

1. Muon2
2. TWL Passion
3. Pink Faun Interlink
4. BM MS Ultra

in tandem with the detail it offers, the Muon2 sounds the airiest and clearest up top, with the most space and black background in between the elements of the song. the clarity it offers is like an open window. Both PF Interlink and BM MS Ultra are slightly more analog/organic sounding, with a hint of blur at the edges.

Decay

1. BM MS Ultra
2. Pink Faun Interlink
3. TWL Passion
4. Muon2

probably related to speed, which is reflected in my ranking; the exact reverse. notes seem to linger on slightly longer with the BM MS Ultra. The PF Interlink and TWL Passion have the most natural decay imo, whereas the Muon2 sometimes seems like it wants to cut short the chase and move on.

Mids, Lush, Roundness

1. Pink Faun Interlink
2. TWL Passion/Muon2
3. BM MS Ultra

It's hard to beat the naturalness and luscious sound of the PF Interlink mids. it is my main cable between sotm and rockna wavelight and it's lovely mids also translate into the innuos/MA3 combo. Full bodied at all times without sounding overly thick/bloated. I couldn't decide between the TWL Passion and Muon2; both sound "correct". comparatively, the BM MS has a bit of thickness and indistinctness in the mids with some midbass bloat and bleed both up and down the FR.

Forwardness of the Mids/Aggressiveness

1. Muon2
2. TWL Passion
3. BM MS Ultra
4. Pink Faun Interlink

Muon2 has the most presence in this regard. Vocals take center stage and it is a strong central image. Very focused sounding, very clear, lip smacking sounds. The TWL Passion sounds just about right in the placement of the mids. PF Interlink mids are slightly drawn back and sounds the least aggressive.

Bass Amount

1. BM MS Ultra
2. Pink Faun Interlink
3. TWL Passion
4. Muon2

BM MS Ultra delivers the most bass of the 4. It is occasionally boomy, and does have some bass bleed into the lower mids. PF Interlink bass sounds like a very right amount, TWL could do with just a tad more, and Muon2 has the lightest bass of the 4.

Bass Punchiness

1. Muon2
2. BM MS Ultra
3. TWL Passion
4. Pink Faun Interlink

despite having the least amount of low end, the Muon2 has a heck of an eardrum kick. there is a generous amount of slam and immediacy to the low notes. On some songs, i had to dial back the knob a bit just to reduce the impact. BM MS Ultra also delivers a generous amount of punch. the focused pressure at the eardrums is comparatively less with the TWL Passion and PF Interlink.

Bass Detail/Textures

1. Muon2
2. TWL Passion
3. Pink Faun Interlink
4. BM MS Ultra

The low level detail on the Muon2 is very very good. I surmise due to its lesser amount of bass, and it's detailed nature, the breathiness of bass notes and the textures of drum sounds become more apparent. BM MS Ultra low end is generally enjoyable due to the amount it delivers, but it misses out on delivering some information/details. bass head listening comes to mind, and the most discerning of listeners may be left wanting.

Warmth

1. Pink Faun Interlink
2. BM MS Ultra
3. TWL Passion
4. Muon2

PF Interlink and BM MS Ultra are definitely warmer sounding than the other two. TWL Passion is probably the most neutral in terms of warmth. the Muon2 borders slightly on analytical due to its overall sound characteristics. thankfully, that does not translate to fatiguing. in fact I did not find any of these cables fatiguing (unlike the Atlas Audio Mavros, Phasure Lush^2 and WireWorld Platinum Starlight).

Build Quality

1. Muon2
2. Pink Faun Interlink
3. TWL Passion
4. MS BM Ultra

The Muon2 USB connectors are beautiful and solid with a nice heft/weight. The cable is extremely easy to route and twist/turn, however, not a big fan of the separated cabling (three separate cords running the length of the cable). I do prefer the look of the braided cord of the PF Interlink, but do note the chunks of housing at the ends of the cables can be cumbersome especially when the used ports on the devices are close to each other. Also, on one of my PF USB cables, on the A side, the metal portion is slightly bent in relation to the chunky housing. TWL Passion is a nice flexible cable but the sheathing/covering at both the USB A and B sides can get loose and slide both ways along the cable. Mad Scientist Black Magic is the stiffest of the 4 cables and can be a bit hard to bend and route in tight places, in part also due to the very stiff sheathed portion near the ends. It’s also hard to “flip” the cable the right side up to slot into the USB ports especially after routing the cable.



Note on Muon2 Usage with Innuos Phoenix USB

Half of my listening so far was done with USB cable in between Pulsar and MA3 dac, and the other half with the Innuos Phoenix USB reclocker in between. I did note some difference with the Muon2 usb placement. I much preferred the Muon2 cable between the streamer and reclocker, rather than from reclocker to dac. If the Muon2 was placed between reclocker and dac, i ended up with a rather thin and soft sound overall. I’m not sure why this is so. At present, my current configuration is Pulsar -> Muon 2 -> Phoenix -> TWL Passion -> MA3.

Music Preferences

For vocals, jazz, acoustics, I'd go with Muon2 and TWL Passion. Rock and metal, I'd choose TWL Passion. For pop, mainstream, Pink Faun Interlink.

Muon2 is great for vocals and jazz. female singers sound like they're next to me in the room. the transducers seem to disappear leaving just the empty background/room and the music. have had many long nights just listening to my favourite albums in these genres. TWL Passion has an uncanny knack for sounding really dynamic and I find it perfect for rock and metal. and lastly I find the Pink Faun suits pop, electronic, mainstream quite well, mainly for it's low end and pleasant top range.

Closing Comments

So where does this leave me? they're all very nice cables, each with their strengths and weaknesses. without a doubt, the most bang for buck in my opinion is the Triode Wire Labs Passion USB cable. Pete is a pleasure to deal with and his products are priced very competitively. the Passion USB isn't as highly priced as a lot of the other options out there, but delivers very well and is overall an enjoyable reference cable.

The Pink Faun Interlink USB is a very organic sounding cable, free of any digitus whatsoever, with a superb mid range, agreeable high frequencies and enjoyable bass. despite it's girth, the PF usb is very soft and easy to route. the only physical issue I have with it is the large white cylinder housing at the USB A side which may be tricky to squeeze into tight spots.

Mad Scientist Black Magic Ultra USB is a fun easy going cable with lots of low end. I'd take this if bass/low end was my main priority.

Muon2 delivers a whole lot of detail. I think of the 4 cables above, it is the most transparent and revealing. probably the least coloured too. seems like it just doesn't get in the way between the streamer and the dac. gun to head if I could only choose one, and if money was also not an issue, I'd go with the Muon2, even though I do think it could do with a bit more low end. in any case, if I did want to get a sound more in line with my preferences, i would find it easier to start with a detailed and transparent cable like the Muon2 and dial in a low end shelf to get more bass. I think it is much harder to adjust upper mid and high frequencies to get more details, for example if I wanted to with the MS BM Ultra, and I think I would end up doing more harm than good.

Overall Ranking

1. Muon2
2. TWL Passion
3. Pink Faun Interlink
4. FTA Callisto
5. Sablon 2020
6. Mad Scientist Black Magic Ultra
7. Tellurium Q Silver Diamond
8. Mad Scientist Black Magic non Ultra
9. Phasure Lush^3
10. Phasure Lush^2
11. WireWorld Platinum Starlight 7
12. Atlas Mavros
13. AQ Carbon

Take from this post what you will. Just my thoughts and 2 cents. Non cable believers feel free to ignore and carry on with your lives.

Thank you for this comparison. I bought the Triode Wire Labs "Passion" USB cable to connect an Aurender N200 and Ayre Codex DAC. Cable is amazing. It sounds so natural.
Thanks,
barondla