 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Totally Wired | ||||||||
| Channa Vithana tries two complete cabling packages from Germany-based Phonosophie and Canadian manufacturer Moray James, and finds that - yes - wires really do sound different! | ||||||||
| One of the darkest audio arts is that of cable design. A few people are happy to pay vast some sums of money on hi-fi wiring, having become total believers. Many gaze at the pretty colours, lavish packaging and plugs that look like jewellery, and want to believe the hype. In this feature, I attempted to compare complete cable 'looms', so as to see what one-make solutions from two respected manu-facturers could do for my system. I don't claim any definite insight into cables, but simply used my ears just like everyone else. To begin with, the review was conducted with a refer-ence mixed cable combination for comparison, comprising �4l.95/2m Russ Andrews YellO mains cables, �300 Kontak Link 507 Interconnects and 34/m Chord Company Odyssey 4 loudspeaker cable. | ||||||||
| The �195 Phonosophie PH Powercord AG mains cable uses multi-strand copper wire with a difference! As all the contacts, pins and fuse holders for the plug and IEC socket are silver-plated - an entirely logical, yet unusual approach - to "minimise resistances". Standard lengths are 1.5m and construction consists of a black PVC outer sleeve and three PVC Insulated 2.5mm inner conductors. Phonosophie prefer to use BNC or DIN sockets for their own equipment, hence these particular �145 PK2 Interconnects come with sliver-plated BANC connectors and require four �999 sliver-plated BNC to phono adapters. Phonosophie says the PK2 uses "...high purity oxygen free copper that has been selected from around 200 different alternatives on the basis of sound quality alone" and that the construction "consists of two pairs of individually screened and tinned copper signal leads, with polyethylene insulation and a black PVC Jacket". The PK2 can also be terminated with balanced XLR sockets for �185. | ||||||||
| The LS2 speaker cable geometry is 2 x 6mm2 in cross-section. Cost is �30/m plus �63 for silver-plated banana plug termination. Phonosophie says "the oxygen free cooper-twists (99.99%-OFC) are carried at a constant distance apart by the stiff PE isolation, creating a low capacity (power amps work more stably) together with an acceptable induction and DC resistance". | ||||||||
| Canadian company Moray James Cryogenics, started out in 1987 with co-invention of Sumo Aria loudspeakers. They have since specialised in cryogenic treatment for their own cable manufacturing processes. The sub-zero modus operandi for Moray James Is "... a full immersion deep cryogenic one (which) provides a colder soak temperature than is possible with a dry heat exchanger system. While the differences in temperature (is) not great the difference can consistently be heard between the two processes". | ||||||||
| The PWR 2.5 mains cable is priced at US$450 (�254 approximately) for a six-foot length. Moray James state that the PWR 2.5 "employs 12 (gauge) tinned copper, however the (dielectric) alloy is a gas filled PE as this (provides) significantly higher thermal characteristics and allows for (a) higher voltage rating". Externally the PWR 2.5 uses a PVC compound. Internally however," the (dielectric) alloy used in the power and (SPK I) speaker cables is a little harder and has a higher heat rating (than the interconnect)". The PWR 2.5 uses a special IEC connector made by Marinco. Moray James says that apart from sounding better, the Marinco can accommodate large heavy gauge wire. The whole of the PWR 2,5 is cryogenically treated including the fuse, European/UK plug and IEC connection costs US$25. | ||||||||
| The RCA Analog interconnect is priced at US$375 per metre, or approximately �212. Moray James states that the copper used is "an ultra high grade communications grade copper. The competition for sales in communication cable combined with their massive volume allows the manufacturer to use grades of copper that would not be possible with small quantity batches. The RCA Analog uses DH Labs phono connectors which are nicely fabricated and have a screw-in tightening facility.? Moray James states ?the dielectric in the DH Labs RCA is (undemanding) to work with in that it takes heat very well and that makes for (a) first class solder connection.? The RCA Analogue is also available in balanced XLR and RCA Digital versions. | ||||||||
| The SPK1 speaker cable costs US$940 for ten feet (about 3.04M) which works out approximately at US$308/M (�174) or �87/monoM. Longer lengths of SPK 1 are cheaper. The SPK 1 uses twisted pair stranded copper and is quite thick. Outer surface material is a reflective grey weave which is similar in appearance to the PWR 2.5 and RCA Analog, and thus very attractive in the flesh. These particular SPK 1s were terminated with superbly crafted WBT 0644 connectors which have excellent practicality as they screw-in and tighten with precision. The SPK 1s are higher-capacitance cables and therefore cannot be used with some Maim, Exposure or similar amplifiers - please refer to manufacturer. | ||||||||
| Starting first with the Phonosophie cables, and compared to the reference cables, Bach's 'Well Tempered Clavier', exactingly played by Daniel Barenboim, was superb. Gone were some of the ragged upper mid-bass frequencies from the piano which subjectively produced slightly ringing distortions. Instead the music was reproduced with a more cohesive balance where the piano was better defined and richly expressive in timbre without suffering from any disjointed phrasing which can cause a more forced sound. | ||||||||
| The vocals by Kate Bush from 'Rubberband Girl' had a dramatic increase in resolution, deftness and high-frequency extension through the Phonosophie cables, in comparison to the reference sec. The high-frequencies of 'Rubberband Girl' can sound shrill and bright yet the Phonosophie cables handled them with ease. Indeed these vocals intermingled nicely with the instruments while bass lines in particular were finer and more agile. The music overall on 'Rubberband Girl' was really enjoyable with better resolution, timbre and cohesiveness. | ||||||||
| Metallica's 'Enter Sandman' on DVD Audio had a much quieter background and subjective dynamic range had increased, resulting in the invitation of higher volumes, without fear of distortion or aggressive coloration. The sound was cleaner and more vibrant as I felt the effortlessness of the music essentially improved with the Phonosophie cables compared to the reference set. For instance the speed, attack and precision of the guitars, drums and bass lines were now ferociously enjoyable and not forced. There was better timbre to the vocals and instruments with superior instrumental separation which opened out the sound and was more revealing. The bass lines in particular became tauter, lither and ultimately more powerful as a result because I could start to appreciate a comprehensive bass array for ?Enter Sandman?, from upper-mid to the lowest depths, like a finely-graduated and descending-hierarchy of low-frequencies. | ||||||||
| Moving to the Moray James Cables Sound Quality, and the sound of the 'Well Tempered Clavier' went even further than the already excellent (but cheaper) Phonosophie cables, I could now appreciate a much finer acoustic decay around the struck keys of the piano, now permeated with beautiful timbre. Consequently, the piano sounded more natural with better three-dimensionality, phrasing and improved musical effortlessness in comparison to the Phonosophie and even more so against the reference cables. | ||||||||
| The sound from 'Rubberband Girl' was simply stunning through the Moray James cables. The whole musical scope had spread out to a dramatic degree, where the spatiality of the music was now simply cinematic in scale. This brought on a wonderful ease to the music which allowed the instruments and vocals to breathe and flow more easily. Subsequently, details like Kate Bush's vocals had become sublimely beautiful with a lyrical elegance which was slightly lessened on the cheaper Phonosophie cables and almost completely absent from the reference set The instrumental separation was excellent as were the individual timbres of each constituent. These details were not only superior, super-clear and expressive but they were really satisfying, as there was cohesiveness with the vocals.There was suitably growling guitar and drum timbre to the famously melodic opening lines of 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica through the Moray James Cables. The sound was opened out further, allowing the dynamism of the drums, guitars and vocals to really breathe fire into the music and provide ferocity, speed and higher resolution. The music was at once deeper in bass dexterity and extension while wide, open and fluent in comparison to the reference cables. The music was skillfully cohesive similar to the Phonosophie cables, but now with superior timbre and resolution. The treble from the Moray James cables is very revealing which ostensibly gave a brighter stance to 'Enter Sandman; however beyond immediacy I could not discern any high-frequency stridency; rather there was simply more musical Information on offer. The upper-mid to the lowest bass was agile, defined and powerful, now taken further than the Phonosophie cables, where low-frequencies were expressed as musical entitles rather than the slightly flabbier approach of the reference cables. | ||||||||
| CONCLUSION | ||||||||
| The Phonosophie combination was superior to my reference cable loom, with better speed, attack, resolution and timbre. The Moray James cables at a higher cost were even better as they opened out the sound with broad brush strokes, yet still revealed the music and its inner details with authority. Both the Phonosophie and Moray lames cable combinations worked superbly as whole entities and are therefore cordially recommended. In this instance at least, spending serious sums on cables does bring real results. | ||||||||
| PH POWERCORD AG MAINS �195 PK2 INTERCONNECT �145 + �39.96 (ADAPTERS) LS2 SPEAKER CABLE �30/MONO METRE +�63 TERMINATION Phonosophie +44(0)1730 261 924 www.uberphon.co.uk |
||||||||
| PWR 2.5 MAINS CABLE US$450 (6FT) + US$25 EUROPEAN PLUGS RCA ANALOG INTERCONNECT US$375 (1M) SPK1 SPEAKER CABLE US$154/MONO METRE (APPROX.) Moray James Cryogenics www.morayjames.com |
||||||||
| home | ||||||||