[DarkAngel]

New Toys
My Excalibur ribbon ICs have arrived and are getting burned on system 2, check these babies out:
Excalibur Ribbons

Call to Canada
BK, don't worry I made the call today and arranged for a Nite AC cord to be sent to me for trail, if I decide to keep I will buy. Will take 1 week to make/cook cable and another week to ship so about two weeks for my Nite to arrive.

Mark and JA are feeling left out now

BTW just wanted to clear up a technical detail, the Nite AC cord has copper conductors (no silver conductor) Will be sure and get some sweet photos posted when Nite arrives.

 

[Nezer]

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkAngel New Toys My Excalibur ribbon ICs have arrived and are getting burned on system 2, check these babies out: Excalibur Ribbons Call to Canada BK, don't worry I made the call today and arranged for a Nite AC cord to be sent to me for trail, if I decide to keep I will buy. Will take 1 week to make/cook cable and another week to ship so about two weeks for my Nite to arrive. Mark and JA are feeling left out now

Something tells me those were a LOT more expensive than they look.

 

[kelly]

I agree with Mark that Mark is suspicious.

I have to admit, I'm pretty prejudiced against those ribbons. Not like I haven't been wrong before, mind you, but those sure don't look convincing.

Will look forward to your full report as always, DA.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally posted by kelly I agree with Mark that Mark is suspicious. I have to admit, I'm pretty prejudiced against those ribbons. Not like I haven't been wrong before, mind you, but those sure don't look convincing. Will look forward to your full report as always, DA.

The reason I tried them (besides the recent review at Enjoy the Music) is there is a very long running thread at Audiogon about people using the amazingly simple Sakura OTA cable kits (note the plastic RCA plugs used!)
sakura OTA
This is somewhat similar to old Mapleshade design (ultrathin) which are replaced by new ribbons, supposedly much better according to Mapleshade.

Got to stretch the envelope a bit here, 30 day return policy so nothing to lose. (Vertigo is eager to take them off my hands, heh,heh,heh)

 

[pigmode]

DA,

I hope those ribbons work out for you. Although I don't have much experience with copper cables, my guess is you'll be back on silver before long.

 

[JohnActon]

Alright, I've been thinking. Temperance has raised her beautiful head. I'm now considering holding off on looking into the Nite AC cords, and ultimately may decide to stick with my Reference AC cords. Two reasons:

1) I've been re-reading the posts on this thread and I also wnt back and re-read the review by Matt on VD's website. It sounds like as you move up through the VD AC cord lineup, the ability to resolve detail increases. Here'e the thing; my system already does very well in presenting detail. My Magnepan speakers are very fast and very adept at uncovering every detail in the recording. My room size dictates that I listen in the nearfield, and I'm concerned that any more "detail" may push the balance forward into stridency. Right now there is no extra emphasis placed on sibilants, and on well-recorded material, cymbals are placed proportionally in the soundstage. Likewise, the Stax Omega II has that rare ability to paradoxically lay bare every detail hiding in a recording but do so in a musically cohesive fashion, without drawing attention to the details themselves. Is it possible that the Nite cords might let through even more detail present in either my system or recordings, to the point that it is overly analytical or fatiguing?

2) I've been re-reading Dark Angel's and Mark's posts at the beginning of this thread (way back in the mists of time) regarding proportion and balance in regards to audio system purchasing and synergy. If I purchase the Nite cords, my components will not be much more expensive than all the cords feeding them. That can't be right, can it?

Opinions, please? Can anyone talk me out of this disturbing brush with sanity?

 

[kelly]

Unfortunately for me, I've been converted. I now have to confess a pretty strong belief in the idea that cables make a genuine difference.

However, I am still very much in the components-matter-more camp.

In other words, would a 306/200+$300 power cable not be better than a 303/200+$1400 power cable?

If you already have the best components and have nowhere else to go there, then maybe cables become more worth it. At that point, you're squeasing performance anywhere you can get it. But if you don't already have the best components--and sometimes the best modified components, even--is there not more performance to be gained there instead?

 

[bkelly]

John and Kelly,

I know all of those arguments and made some of them myself early on but I kid you not the Nite Series sort of defies logic. You can look it up but my system is nice but no better than quality mid-fi and all of a sudden it sounds quite nearly like the expensive stuff.

I've been tryng to all day to figure out a formula for upgrading equipment versus VD power cables. Like I said earlier, my system now sounds like I made a serious upgrade in amplifiers. I don't know how much I would have had to spend upgrading amplifiers to get an equal improvement but I am sure it would be more than the amount that a Nite Power lists for.

Here's where my system stands now. It still sounds wonderful and much better than I was expecting. I am so happy that I called Rick and Brett today and paid off the one I was auditining in my system. I also, ordered another one.

I am so satisfied with my system just as it is I haven't even put the Nite interconnects in the system yet. I will soon though.

John, I still don't see why you wouldn't audition the Nite Series in your own system. You can return it if you don't like it. If you try it you can make an informed decision. No guessing. If you r listening environment is just as you say the Nite series may be a bit much for you because they are intensely dynamic sounding. They are not bright though and there is no edginess what-so-ever. You have to hear them to really understand.

I hope that helps.

 

[pigmode]

John, here are my thoughts on cable upgrades after my recent and ongoing program of IC upgrades. This is in reference to any system of a certain quality level, of which your headphone setup definitely qualifies.

I think you can go way over the top in terms of cable upgrades, and you will still see a noticable and worth while improvement. To realize a similar or perhaps a greater gain with component upgrades, you will probably have to spend subtantially more. Neither approach is right or wrong. Only you can decide on the value of the upgrade. You are splitting hairs in the pursuit of your own little state of perfection.

This can become a somewhat nauseating little game, or at least it has become that way for me. I have found that I am very near the point where upgrade-mania is reaching the point where it is tme to say enough--time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of of all this cosumeristic abandon. Time to take a break. I'm not quite ready yet, but my time is coming up fast.

As far as how the Nites will intergrate in your system, there is really only one way to find out. I know you know that.

 

[DarkAngel]

BK
OMG, another Nite cord! You must realllllllllllllly like these, glad they are working out so well for you, I will join the Nite club in a couple weeks.

JA
I understand you concerns, but my understanding of the sound you will get with the Nite is tonally very similar to Reference,
just greater resolution of fine detail. Supposedly there is not the tonal shifting present that some silver cables produce over emphasizing the treble range and producing a bright sound. Still it is hard to predict how it will sound in someone else's system,
audition is the only way to really find out. The Nite I get is going right on my CDP, this was easily the component that produced geatest improvement from Reference cord.

BK may want to give his impressions on this, otherwise I will answer your question in @2 weeks.

As far as cost, you can get a "very" special price from Ric, just mention this thread and your previous purchases. Not really too much more vs Reference (at least that was my rationale) I have many cables in my collection I can sell to make room for Nite if it stays.

I know Mark is checking to see what he can sell to budget a Nite audition

When are you guys going to get those Mapleshade Heavy Foot brass cones?...........they are essential tweak in my system

 

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

Originally posted by DarkAngel Got to stretch the envelope a bit here, 30 day return policy so nothing to lose. (Vertigo is eager to take them off my hands, heh,heh,heh)

I'm over here praying to the voodoo gods three times a day hoping that they'll put tons of grit and brightness and flabby bass into those Mapleshades in your system. Then you'll hate them and pass them right into my hot little hands.

So umm, how are they so far?

How's their build quality and stuff?

 

[DarkAngel]

Excalibur ribbons
I will put them in main rig Friday and audition over the weekend,
just on first brief listen in system 2 didn't sound bright at all.
As you can see from my photo the RCAs are very nice, the ultrathin ribbons are almost weightless, reminds me of cassette tape. I will have to make sure these ICs pick up no noise since there is no sheilding or braiding to counteract.

 

[bkelly]

Dark Angel,

I do realllllly like the Nites. This is the most excited I have ever been over an audio purchase. I can't tell you how much my system seemed to come to life after installing the Nite Power but it was much more than anyone would have imagined from a power cable and more than all of the other VD stuff I purchased combined. I swear that is true, too!

I should add some technical info I got from Rick so you can better evaluate my comments. As I explained in an earlier thread I built an adapter to hook my CDP cable to my VD power cables since the CDP's cable is non-removeable. Rick says that because there is still five feet of stock power cable in my system the Reference would still work but would not operate at 100% efficiency. However, Ricks says the Nite Power would be much less affected by this setup and that would also explain why in my system the leap from Reference to Nite seemes almost unbelevable. So, put that into the equation when considering my comments on the Nite Series in my system.

I'm going to stick with my observation that the Nite sounds like a different animal than all of the rest of the VD cables. This stuff is DYNAMIC!!! It's ALIVE!!! It is RADICALLY more DETAILED!!! You haven't heard percussion until you've heard this. However, it is not bright nor is it necessarilly more forward or aggressive. In that sense and also in it's soundstage presention it is a lot like like the earlier cables. Like them it provides more detail without any brightness and the soundstage is wonderful. The Nite series is more 3D and, in my system, the soundsatege is quite a bit taller. The warm sophisticated sound of the earlier series is gone. This is no longer a romantic evening for two at a five-star restuarant this is like skipping dinner altogether and going straight to the Wild Sex.

Thanks for informing me that the cables are not made of silver. I didn't know that and at first I thought the silver may account for much of the dfifference I hear between these cables and the earlier series stuff.

I can't wait until you and Mark and John get the Nite Power because there is no way you are going to believe me until youv'e heard it for yourselves.

I said earlier that the Nite was so much better in almost every category that I was not going to reiview it by detailing all of the differences. Truly that is something you should do for yourself . However, I will say that the mid-range is noticably improved in my system. Voices or lead instruments now really sound like they are what the recording is built around. They sound bigger, fuller and are made more prominent in the recording in a manner similar to the way tubes reproduce mids.

I hope that helps.

Talk soon.


Best
Brian

 

[acidtripwow]

Has anybody tried the Nite digital coax, yet?

 

[pigmode]

DA,

Just a quick check-in on the Varial ICs. I just finished my comparison with the Silver Audio Appassionata last night. The upshot is the Appassionata is now for sale at Audiogon, and I will be ordering one more Varial.