High End Cables Thread (digital, analog, power)
- Thread starter Roasty
- Start date
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
So how does the cable perform, which other I2s cables did you experience so far?
Decided to give the Pink Faun i2s cable a try. Thickest i2s/hdmi cable I've had yet! Will try to find some time tonight to pop it into the system.
I've only tried a handful of i2s cables. AudioQuest Carbon (normal hdmi, not dedicated i2s), Phasure HDMI^2, Tubulus Argentus, and now this Pink Faun digital interlink.
I'll be keeping the Pink Faun in the system and putting the Tubulus up for sale. Pink Faun has a lot of burn in to go (supposedly 300 hours).
Tubulus was really good. Between tubulus and pink faun, it's pretty close. Tubulus has better transparency and clarity up top. Pink has a bit more meat in the mids, more bass (although less tight), and more low end extension. Pink also has a slightly less forward presentation, and the highs have a bit more rounded edges; this is more pleasing to my ears with headphones like the susvara and TC.
Perhaps the highs will get clearer and open up after burn in.
Both are good cables but I think at the end it is down to system matching and headphones. Tubulus would probably do better with cans like the Meze Empyrean or some darker/warmer sounding headphones.
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
Thanks for the elaboration on the sound, please keep me updated if anything changes after some more time on the pink.
Looks like I'd prefer that one.
It's pricey, but you only need one. (And I still have time till the Wavelight streamer gets released)
Before i would spend 700 € on a USB cable i'd change to AES/EBU or I2S. Just compared my curious USB cable to a 15 € Cordial/Neutrik AES/EBU.
Chain: Lumin U1 Mini -> Curious USB and Cordial AES/EBU (the Mutec can switch between both in 5-10 seconds) -> Mutec MC3+ USB Reclocker -> better AES/EBU cable (Mogami) -> Metrum Pavane.
The Cordial AES/EBU won so hard it's not even a competition. Music is more round, organic, more body, less digital and harsh.
Unless the DAC has an extremely well known good USB implementation that beats AES/EBU (i don't think such a Dac exists) i'd never go USB again.
Chain: Lumin U1 Mini -> Curious USB and Cordial AES/EBU (the Mutec can switch between both in 5-10 seconds) -> Mutec MC3+ USB Reclocker -> better AES/EBU cable (Mogami) -> Metrum Pavane.
The Cordial AES/EBU won so hard it's not even a competition. Music is more round, organic, more body, less digital and harsh.
Unless the DAC has an extremely well known good USB implementation that beats AES/EBU (i don't think such a Dac exists) i'd never go USB again.
Last edited:
JonathanKlein
Head-Fier
I can't speak to your specific setup, but that's absolutely not the case for all DACs, certainly not the TOTL DACs from MSB, dCs, CH Precision, and LampizatOr - all of which implement USB as the primary input from the source.
Glad you found what works for you.
I was chatting with a friend today and he mentioned his recent trip to the shops, where he was admiring some Siltech and Cardas cables and also their price tags.
I recall going to that same shop but just looking at the items from outside the window; some of those interconnects and power cords cost more than my whole setup, and come in wooden cases and flight boxes much much bigger than my amp.
Thinking about that brings just reminds me that it is really all relative. What may he high end to some may be peanuts for others. Entry level components may be end game for some. What really matters is that at the end of the day, it is the smile that we wear on our faces when we press play and enjoy out favourite song.
Just received a "reasonably priced" power cord (well, in comparison to ocean of much pricier ones out there) from Robert Grost at Cerious Technologies.
The Graphene Matrix power cord is half the price and about half as thick as my AQ Thunder and Tornado cords, but man, it weighs a lot more than both. It is a rather stiff cable and will not take tight bends well, so for those requiring delicate cable routing and have tight spaces, this is not for you. It does not do cable line rotation well either, so there is some difficulty in lining up the cord with the iec socket and the power socket if some bends have to be made in between. Robert was very helpful and managed to source Rhodium plated furutech UK style plugs for this build.
Plugged it into the WA33 and the most apparent change from the Triode Wire Labs Obsession cord was that there was some roll off in the treble. At first I quite enjoyed it, as it did take some heat off the susvara highs. However, a short while later it did seem like there was some sense of engagement and excitement was missing. Swapped the TWL cord back in and all was good again.
Decided to try the Graphene Matrix with the Innuos Phoenix usb reclocker and I think I've found exactly where the cord needs to be in my system. After playing a few songs, I felt this sense of satisfaction, and it seemed that the music just sounded "right". Seems like instrument/element separation is even more pronounced now too.
I will do a cable swap back to the wa33 after a few days and see if the effect is the same as I heard earlier.
I recall going to that same shop but just looking at the items from outside the window; some of those interconnects and power cords cost more than my whole setup, and come in wooden cases and flight boxes much much bigger than my amp.
Thinking about that brings just reminds me that it is really all relative. What may he high end to some may be peanuts for others. Entry level components may be end game for some. What really matters is that at the end of the day, it is the smile that we wear on our faces when we press play and enjoy out favourite song.
Just received a "reasonably priced" power cord (well, in comparison to ocean of much pricier ones out there) from Robert Grost at Cerious Technologies.
The Graphene Matrix power cord is half the price and about half as thick as my AQ Thunder and Tornado cords, but man, it weighs a lot more than both. It is a rather stiff cable and will not take tight bends well, so for those requiring delicate cable routing and have tight spaces, this is not for you. It does not do cable line rotation well either, so there is some difficulty in lining up the cord with the iec socket and the power socket if some bends have to be made in between. Robert was very helpful and managed to source Rhodium plated furutech UK style plugs for this build.
Plugged it into the WA33 and the most apparent change from the Triode Wire Labs Obsession cord was that there was some roll off in the treble. At first I quite enjoyed it, as it did take some heat off the susvara highs. However, a short while later it did seem like there was some sense of engagement and excitement was missing. Swapped the TWL cord back in and all was good again.
Decided to try the Graphene Matrix with the Innuos Phoenix usb reclocker and I think I've found exactly where the cord needs to be in my system. After playing a few songs, I felt this sense of satisfaction, and it seemed that the music just sounded "right". Seems like instrument/element separation is even more pronounced now too.
I will do a cable swap back to the wa33 after a few days and see if the effect is the same as I heard earlier.
Last edited:
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
It certainly is nice to look at.I was chatting with a friend today and he mentioned his recent trip to the shops, where he was admiring some Siltech and Cardas cables and also their price tags.
I recall going to that same shop but just looking at the items from outside the window; some of those interconnects and power cords cost more than my whole setup, and come in wooden cases and flight boxes much much bigger than my amp.
Thinking about that brings just reminds me that it is really all relative. What may he high end to some may be peanuts for others. Entry level components may be end game for some. What really matters is that at the end of the day, it is the smile that we wear on our faces when we press play and enjoy out favourite song.
Just received a "reasonably priced" power cord (well, in comparison to ocean of much pricier ones out there) from Robert Grost at Cerious Technologies.
The Graphene Matrix power cord is half the price and about half as thick as my AQ Thunder and Tornado cords, but man, it weighs a lot more than both. It is a rather stiff cable and will not take tight bends well, so for those requiring delicate cable routing and have tight spaces, this is not for you. It does not do cable line rotation well either, so there is some difficulty in lining up the cord with the iec socket and the power socket if some bends have to be made in between. Robert was very helpful and managed to source Rhodium plated furutech UK style plugs for this build.
Plugged it into the WA33 and the most apparent change from the Triode Wire Labs Obsession cord was that there was some roll off in the treble. At first I quite enjoyed it, as it did take some heat off the susvara highs. However, a short while later it did seem like there was some sense of engagement and excitement was missing. Swapped the TWL cord back in and all was good again.
Decided to try the Graphene Matrix with the Innuos Phoenix usb reclocker and I think I've found exactly where the cord needs to be in my system. After playing a few songs, I felt this sense of satisfaction, and it seemed that the music just sounded "right". Seems like instrument/element separation is even more pronounced now too.
I will do a cable swap back to the wa33 after a few days and see if the effect is the same as I heard earlier.
Keep those cable impressions coming
Also, did you pink faun i2s change some more?
Has the bass come back?
I got quoted for one in the length I need and wait on your impressions after some more burn in before I pull the trigger
It certainly is nice to look at.
Keep those cable impressions coming
Also, did you pink faun i2s change some more?
Has the bass come back?
I got quoted for one in the length I need and wait on your impressions after some more burn in before I pull the trigger
The pink faun i2s is pretty frustrating to run in lol... If you order one and when you receive yours you will understand how I feel. Sounds pretty good one day and then next day I'm thinking what on earth happened, did I change something, did my eq settings change..
The tubulus was a lot better behaving from the get go.
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
That's not cool.
Luckily I am in no rush, the streamer won't be released before january/february.
So your results After like 300h would be important to me
Hope you don't mind me checking in every now and then
As a user of both Pink Faun streamer and I2S cable, I have to say it takes time until the smooth creamy sound kicks in...So hang in there!
On a side note, if you guys are plugging the I2S cable into a DAC with horizontal I2S input (though Wavestream is vertical), please be extremely careful as the HDMI connector is quite fragile in that position as it will bend and break taking all the force from the cable weight. I solved that issue by having a HDMI lock around the connector which works perfectly.
Last edited:
I was chatting with a friend today and he mentioned his recent trip to the shops, where he was admiring some Siltech and Cardas cables and also their price tags.
I recall going to that same shop but just looking at the items from outside the window; some of those interconnects and power cords cost more than my whole setup, and come in wooden cases and flight boxes much much bigger than my amp.
Thinking about that brings just reminds me that it is really all relative. What may he high end to some may be peanuts for others. Entry level components may be end game for some. What really matters is that at the end of the day, it is the smile that we wear on our faces when we press play and enjoy out favourite song.
Just received a "reasonably priced" power cord (well, in comparison to ocean of much pricier ones out there) from Robert Grost at Cerious Technologies.
The Graphene Matrix power cord is half the price and about half as thick as my AQ Thunder and Tornado cords, but man, it weighs a lot more than both. It is a rather stiff cable and will not take tight bends well, so for those requiring delicate cable routing and have tight spaces, this is not for you. It does not do cable line rotation well either, so there is some difficulty in lining up the cord with the iec socket and the power socket if some bends have to be made in between. Robert was very helpful and managed to source Rhodium plated furutech UK style plugs for this build.
Plugged it into the WA33 and the most apparent change from the Triode Wire Labs Obsession cord was that there was some roll off in the treble. At first I quite enjoyed it, as it did take some heat off the susvara highs. However, a short while later it did seem like there was some sense of engagement and excitement was missing. Swapped the TWL cord back in and all was good again.
Decided to try the Graphene Matrix with the Innuos Phoenix usb reclocker and I think I've found exactly where the cord needs to be in my system. After playing a few songs, I felt this sense of satisfaction, and it seemed that the music just sounded "right". Seems like instrument/element separation is even more pronounced now too.
I will do a cable swap back to the wa33 after a few days and see if the effect is the same as I heard earlier.
My Obsession power cable is scheduled to deliver tomorrow. Can't wait!
Oh thanks for the heads up! The singxer su-6 hdmi connector is aligned vertically, but wavelight hdmi connector is horizontal. Not getting much issues though, as I have a 1.5m length i2s cable and there is sufficient slack to allow for the rotation.
What's a hdmi lock?
My Obsession power cable is scheduled to deliver tomorrow. Can't wait!
The Obsession cable is really good.. I'm contemplating ordering another one for the dac. At present, using a TWL Digital power cord with the wavelight.
Anyways these just came in yesterday. After receiving the i2s cable, I couldn't help myself and ordered 2x ethernet and 2x usb from pink faun.
An initial notable difference is there is quite some treble roll off upon first plugging them in (even more so than the cerious power cord). Mids sounds a little recessed. I was quite taken aback so emailed Jord @ pink faun to inquire, and he said it's to be expected. Run in time seems really long!
Last edited:
I'm using the HDMI EZ lock. By attaching the lock with a screw to the equipment's chassis, the stress originally on the cable can now spread to the chassis instead, eliminating the damage to the connectors.
With the pricing of the Obsession cable, it's a steal especially coming with the Furutech NCF plugs!
Wow! That's a lot of Pink Faun cables as Christmas presents! Congrats!
ThanatosVI
Headphoneus Supremus
I'm totally in love with the design if those cables.Oh thanks for the heads up! The singxer su-6 hdmi connector is aligned vertically, but wavelight hdmi connector is horizontal. Not getting much issues though, as I have a 1.5m length i2s cable and there is sufficient slack to allow for the rotation.
What's a hdmi lock?
The Obsession cable is really good.. I'm contemplating ordering another one for the dac. At present, using a TWL Digital power cord with the wavelight.
Anyways these just came in yesterday. After receiving the i2s cable, I couldn't help myself and ordered 2x ethernet and 2x usb from pink faun.
An initial notable difference is there is quite some treble roll off upon first plugging them in (even more so than the cerious power cord). Mids sounds a little recessed. I was quite taken aback so emailed Jord @ pink faun to inquire, and he said it's to be expected. Run in time seems really long!
Hopefully the Bass returned on the I2s
Users who are viewing this thread
