Interconnects: Ecosse Maestro, Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II, Analysis Plus Oval One
Quick impressions of my system with these interconnects between my CD player and amp.
CD Player: Ah! Njoe Tjoeb with Amperex Bugle Boy 6dj8s
Amp: LSA Standard Integrated with Electro Harmonix 6922s
Speaker: Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkII
Speaker Cable: Van den Hul The Revelation
Stock power cords.
Ecosse Maestro – Very detailed, a bit of emphasis on upper midrange, great timbre, ideal for vocals and acoustic jazz.
When Diana Krall sings
Well, you know,
A girl, she really got to eat,
And a girl, she should eat right
from Frim Fram Sauce, she is whispering these words right in your ear.
It sounds refined but a bit lean on the upper bass. With orchestral music the emphasized upper mids puts the solo instruments forward. Not to say these interconnects aren't good, in fact they are. One can say they are just letting the character of the CD player and tubes through, as they were great when the CD player had the Siemens CCAs in them. With the Bugle Boys, maybe you can have too much sweetness at the expense of other flavors?
Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II – Great detail on the high frequencies yet smooth and refined. Deep solid bass and has the full body that is lacking from the Ecosse Maestro. Excellent for rock and classical music, specially orchestral material. Throws a wide soundstage. Ironically, this wide soundstage and full body seems to overwhelm the midrange in my smallish room. It's a big sound but gives a feeling of dryness with vocal material, specially since some of the sweetness of the Amperex BBs seems to have disappeared.
When Diana Krall sings
And a girl, she should eat right
Five will get you ten
I'm gonna feed myself right tonight
it's as if you are inside her mouth.
Analysis Plus Oval One – Has the best overall balance in my system. Detailed highs without harshness, full-bodied, solid and tuneful bass. Lets the sweetness in the mids from the Amperex BBs through; perhaps because of this, live rock recordings don’t have the same bite as with the Acoustic Zens, but still fun and toe-tapping. Vocals and jazz sound great as do classical music, pop and classic rock. Great cable that lets the music through.
When Diana Krall sings
I'm never satisfied
I want the Frim Fram Sauce
With the oss and fay
With shifafa on the side
she is there in front of you, seducing you, with tongue firmly in cheek.
I prefer Diana Krall this way, and hence also the Oval One in my system.
The usual caveats, YMMV etc apply. Changing just one component or tube would change the impression appreciably -- it's all about matching.
CD Player: Ah! Njoe Tjoeb with Amperex Bugle Boy 6dj8s
Amp: LSA Standard Integrated with Electro Harmonix 6922s
Speaker: Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkII
Speaker Cable: Van den Hul The Revelation
Stock power cords.
Ecosse Maestro – Very detailed, a bit of emphasis on upper midrange, great timbre, ideal for vocals and acoustic jazz.
When Diana Krall sings
Well, you know,
A girl, she really got to eat,
And a girl, she should eat right
from Frim Fram Sauce, she is whispering these words right in your ear.
It sounds refined but a bit lean on the upper bass. With orchestral music the emphasized upper mids puts the solo instruments forward. Not to say these interconnects aren't good, in fact they are. One can say they are just letting the character of the CD player and tubes through, as they were great when the CD player had the Siemens CCAs in them. With the Bugle Boys, maybe you can have too much sweetness at the expense of other flavors?
Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II – Great detail on the high frequencies yet smooth and refined. Deep solid bass and has the full body that is lacking from the Ecosse Maestro. Excellent for rock and classical music, specially orchestral material. Throws a wide soundstage. Ironically, this wide soundstage and full body seems to overwhelm the midrange in my smallish room. It's a big sound but gives a feeling of dryness with vocal material, specially since some of the sweetness of the Amperex BBs seems to have disappeared.
When Diana Krall sings
And a girl, she should eat right
Five will get you ten
I'm gonna feed myself right tonight
it's as if you are inside her mouth.
Analysis Plus Oval One – Has the best overall balance in my system. Detailed highs without harshness, full-bodied, solid and tuneful bass. Lets the sweetness in the mids from the Amperex BBs through; perhaps because of this, live rock recordings don’t have the same bite as with the Acoustic Zens, but still fun and toe-tapping. Vocals and jazz sound great as do classical music, pop and classic rock. Great cable that lets the music through.
When Diana Krall sings
I'm never satisfied
I want the Frim Fram Sauce
With the oss and fay
With shifafa on the side
she is there in front of you, seducing you, with tongue firmly in cheek.
I prefer Diana Krall this way, and hence also the Oval One in my system.
The usual caveats, YMMV etc apply. Changing just one component or tube would change the impression appreciably -- it's all about matching.
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