savoy014

Have you ever wondered what are the effects of your USB cable length on sonics ? Let's find out. I assembled three audiophile USB cables in different lengths. 1. Curious Cable (1.2m and 0.2m) 2. Wireworld Platinum Starlight Series 6 (2m and 5m) 3. Blackcat Cable Indigo Prototype (1m and 0.5m) Since my Melco NAS is placed a distance away from my DAC, I tested the Curious Cable and Blackcat Cable Indigo Prototype by hooking up my Melco NAS via a 2m WIreworld Platinum Starlight Series 2m cable to a SOtM tx-USBultra USB hub / regenerator, and then the cable in question to my Totaldac DAC. For the Wireworld, both cables were long enough to reach my DAC, and I ran the cables directly from the NAS to DAC (the Melco has a USB port). Listening to the various cables on test, it was hard to believe that length had such a great effect - not quite the results I was expecting. In the case of the Curious Cable, the 0.2m cable had drier and smaller images, while the 1.2m had a fuller sound with th...

Audio Technology Switzerland is proud to announce it is releasing its most ambitious preamplifier ever: the new NAGRA HD PREAMP. Rocky Mountain Audio Fest, Denver, USA - Friday the 6 th  October 2017. The Swiss company announces it is releasing a new preamplifier to compliment the HD range, that will be simply called the HD PREAMP.   Nagra is demonstrating the new HD PREAMP at the RMAF in room 1030. _________________________________________________________________________ World announcement of the NAGRA HD PREAMP, almost twenty years after the NAGRA PL-P preamplifier was released on the high-end market. In 1998, NAGRA Audio division introduced its very first high-end consumer product after more than 40 years of continuous success in the professional recording market. The PL-P preamplifier was a class A triode-based line and phono preamplifier that immediately set new standards in sound reproduction. In many ways, the HD PREAMP’s design started from a white page. Every asp...

Acuhorn RATE class-D amplifier   2500 EUR www.acuhorn.pl/rate.htm Features Monolithic class-d stereo amplifier chip by texas instruments total harmonic distortion + noise 0.005% signal to noise ratio 111dB dynamic range 115dB protection of both amplifier and speakers the audiophile selection of each component is a listening session stepped attenuators are the most preferred solution in high end audio high quality precision 0.1% thin film Nichrome chip resistors the amplifier input is isolated high impedance input Lundahl transformers extreme audio path high quality and transparent sounding power supply is the best Vicorpower modules DC-DC converters high frequency Mhz switching autoranging 90-264Vac network voltage, for worldwide use Acuhorn R2R hi-tech streamer 3600 EUR www.acuhorn.pl/r2r.htm Features R2R ladder 28 bit resolution 384Khz dac loaded FPGA Spartan 6 technology oversampling up to 3.072Mhz signal to noise ratio 127dB automatic input selection I2S or SPDIF R-2R direct o...

Introduction You just can't stop the onslaught of discrete R2R DACs. The Denafrips Pontus is a R2R DAC with separate resistor networks for both PCM and DSD. Really solid build, a lot of nice ideas and a price tag that will not break the bank - S$2,200.  Denafrips is a China manufacturer with a line-up of 4 DAC models, ranging from the very budget friendly base model, Ares (retailing for the very auspicious sum of S$ 888) to the top of the range model, Terminator (no Arnold jokes please ! This retails for S$ 5,860). At the time of writing, the exchange rate was about S$ 1.35 for US$ 1. The model on review here is second from the bottom. Description Pontus was a sea god in Greek mythology. This Pontus is a rather petite landlubber. Measuring just 320 x 330 x 80 mm, the Pontus weighs 8.5 kg. It is very well equipped with a total of 7 digital inputs (coaxial RCA, coaxial BNC, twin AES / EBU inputs, Toslink, I2S (my sample uses HDMI, but RJ45 can be specified), and USB. The output stage...

Introduction Acrolink's new Mexcel range of power cords landed in Singapore last month. Is it time to break the piggy bank ? Readers may want to take a moment to read my previous review of the Mexcel 9500 and 7500 power cords here .  For the unfamiliar, the Mexcel series is the flagship range of cables for Acrolink. Mexcel cables are particularly popular in Asia where they enjoy considerable popularity amongst audiophiles that demand the highest levels of performance.  Description The Mexcel power cord range was originally m ade up of three models, the PC6100, 7100 and 9100. The second generation introduced a fourth member, the PC5100 as an entry level model. At the moment, only the two power cords on review here have been released in the fourth generation lineup of Mexcel power cables. Mexcel power cords have a mind of their own. They do not take kindly to manipulation or threatening instructions. Their girth and stiffness are not the worst in class, but a little bit of effor...

Introduction Here is a special edition of the ever popular Acrolink 7N-4030 power cable. This has been one of my favourite cables over the years. You may want to have a look at my earlier posts on the 6N-4030 and the 7N-4030II . Description The Anniversario is available both in factory terminated version (the Anniversario CB) and off-the-reel. A smaller gauge version is also available in the form of the 7N-PC4020 Anniversario. The Anniversario continues to use 7N DUCC copper conductors. However,  this model uses larger diameter copper strands but with less strand count compared to the it's predecessor ( 50 strands of 0.37 mm diameter copper  vs. 100 strands of 0.26 mm diameter). The outer copper foil shield gets a drain wire which permits you to ground the shield if desired.  The black jacket of the 7N-4030II had a rubbery feel to it, and the very fragile wording reminded me of some of my NOS vacuum tubes - a touch and that was the end of the print ! I much prefer the ne...

PURE ART INDIGO XLR Interconnects Zoltán Matrix Conductor InterPole Matrix shield Low Density Microporous ePTFE Insulator Nylon Multifilament Jacket OYAIDE “FOCUS 1” XLRs Handcrafted by Chris Sommovigo in his Yoshihama workshop in Yugawara, JAPAN http://www.blackcatcable.com Indigo RCA Cables: 1.0mpr : $11,499.95 (+ $2,000 per additional 1/2m pair) Indigo XLR Cables: 1.0mpr : $12,499.95 (+2,000 per additional 1/2m pair) Indigo Speaker Cables:   1.5mpr / Standard : $11,499.95 (+ $2,000 per additional 1/2m pair) 1.5mpr / Shotgun : $17,499.95 (+ $2,000 per additional 1/2m pair) 1.5mpr / Shotgun BiWire : $17,499.95 (+ $2,000 per additional 1/2m pair) Nothing like some tantalizing pictures to get your heart pumping and blood flowing right ? Here are some really nice pictures from Chris Sommovigo of Black Cat Cable.