Townshend Isolda

[jandl100]

Until a couple of weeks ago I was using older Townshend Isolda speaker cable.
I'd imagine the new stuff is the same but a bit better?

Anyway, I hear excellent resolution - although I always fight shy of saying things like "reveals the finest of details" because it's impossible to know what is actually on the recording, and experience shows that the next successful upgrade reveals even more! How about 'reveals fine details that previous cables didn't'.

It's a bit bright and system synergy needs to allow for this. It just doesn't work well with my (typically French) rather brightly lit Carat A57 amp; two brightly lits is too much! - but it's pretty damn wonderful with my more neutral Philips amp for someone like me who prefers a somewhat forward sound.

Imaging is very nicely focused indeed and very 3D/spacious. Bass is deep and very well defined, a revelatory lack of flab, and there is real slam to be had there. I can imagine some folks finding it a bit lean in the bass, wanting something plumper/fuller.

Great cables without a doubt, and I have been through quite a number in my time.

I've now moved on to some vintage Western Electric-based speaker cables that allow through the same or more levels of information but without the brightness.
I'll not be moving the Townshend on, though, as I can imagine it might be the cable of choice with different amps to those I currently use.

[jandl100]

The Townshend Isolda cables are somewhat unique amongst speaker cables.

I love somewhat unique. -- it's like being somewhat pregnant.

Goertz Alphacore did/does the same kind of flat ribbon design, although I hear quite different sonic signature compared to the Townshend. I much prefer the Townshend.

<< Goertz and Townshend >>

There are other ribbon cables around as well, I think.

[anthonyTD]

He does produce products that go somewhat against the norm, but every product I have used from Townshend seem to work, I also use the speaker bars under my Tannoys, [which are a bit of a revelation] I first heard their affect whilest in Max's room at the HI FI show in 2004, where he was demonstrating the prototypes. I still own a pair of the super tweeters too.

The Townshend Isolda cables are somewhat unique amongst speaker cables. They have a ribbon-like construction, whereby the two conductors have a ribbon strip-like geometry, one conductor placed above the other. They therefore have a very high capacitance per unit length, and a very low inductance per unit length:

Capacitance: 2800pF/m

Inductance: 0.084uH/m

with

(loop) Resistance: 10mOhm/m.

This is to compared with those values for a typical speaker cable: ~60pF/m and ~0.6uH/m.

I understand that Townshend offer "inductor networks" to be used with these cables. Are they used in your set up Adrian?

[Yomanze]

Oh, I don't know

Isolda: 10mOhm/m

compare with

QED79: 16mOhm/m
Naim NAC: 9mOhm/m
Van Damme Blue 4mm²: 4.6mOhm/m
Van Damme UP-LOCP 6mm²: 3.2mOhm/m
Chord Carnival Classic: 23mOhm/m
Chord Silver Screen: 26mOhm/m
DNM (wired as a parallel configuration): 52mOhm/m

Though I agree the line capacitance and inductance are the opposite from the norm.

Sure the raw cable is very low resistance, but to get an '8 Ohm impedance' I suppose there's a resistor in that box, and a report of having to 'turn things up a bit more' is interesting.

What matters is how it sounds, and the measurements of this cable show that in terms of synergy it can be well-suited to a system's balance, or blow an amp up.

[Barry]

I love somewhat unique. -- it's like being somewhat pregnant.

Goertz Alphacore did/does the same kind of flat ribbon design, although I hear quite different sonic signature compared to the Townshend. I much prefer the Townshend.

<< Goertz and Townshend >>

There are other ribbon cables around as well, I think.

The Goertz caples look like they have the strip conductors running side by side, whereas the Townshend have them one on top of the other. The reactive properties will be quite different in the two cables. I think Mark Levinson made ribbon style speaker cables that looked like a wider version of the Goertz.

Goertz ML2 cables (as shown): 0.020uH/m, 3117pF/m

Townshend Isolda: 0.084uH/m, 2800pF/m

[Yomanze]

The Goertz caples look like they have the strip conductors running side by side, whereas the Townshend have them one on top of the other. The reactive properties will be quite different in the two cables. I think Mark Levinson made ribbon style speaker cables that looked like a wider version of the Goertz.

Maybe it's something in the ribbons themselves that are contributing to good sound subjectively.

I have a 'hybrid ribbon' speaker cable with a positive multistrand loosely twisted around a negative ribbon, which gave me back what I was missing from the Tellurium Q Blacks, which I felt were just too coloured.

[Barry]

Maybe it's something in the ribbons themselves that are contributing to good sound subjectively.

I have a 'hybrid ribbon' speaker cable with a positive multistrand loosely twisted around a negative ribbon, which gave me back what I was missing from the Tellurium Q Blacks, which I felt were just too coloured.

Well it might be something to do with the minimisation of Maxwell proximity effect, as well as the 'skin effect'.

[Yomanze]

Well it might be something to do with the minimisation of Maxwell proximity effect, as well as the 'skin effect'.

"They swim... the mark of Satan is upon them. They must hang."

...but yes it seems there is some science out there to help justify the reasons, shame the models & reasons are incomplete & not understood objectively!

[farflungstar]

Ok so put a few more hours on the isoldas. I love these cables, they have lifted a veil I knew was there but couldn't figure out how to solve. I can't recommend them to everyone (because of their electrical characteristics) but with the 845 SET amps they are fantastic. Here's why...

Bass - taut, deep and with incredible extension without any bloat (have removed a slight hump in the An-e's/room interaction).

Midrange - stunning separation and layering, performers and instruments float out of the speakers front to back, and in every sense fill the room. From acoustic guitar to electronica has a dynamism and vibrancy previously missing.

Upper frequencies - awesome filigree detailing without edge or sibilance, all wrapped up in an airy spaciousness that ive never heard with valves - I now know the true potential of the Treasure series 300b/6SL7 and Psvane 845T valves - transparency.

Is this a product of rising response? No, I doubt think so - everything is even - just more open.

Will they be going back to Townshend for a refund - no bloody way.

Difficult to believe that 2m of this stuff sounds better than 0.5m of DNM but it beats it hands down. Music breathes into the room. Fantastic.

One thing I'd like to do, use them bare ended, without the bananas...

Recommended to anyone with valve amps capable of running them!
Adey

Sent from my Aquaris E4.5 using Tapatalk

[anthonyTD]

The Townshend cable is two seperate ribbons,laid lightly on top of each other, in a protective black outer sheath, ie; they are not bonded together like some other types, for eg; the Electrofluidics cables I have also had for many years.
Hope this helps.

The Goertz caples look like they have the strip conductors running side by side, whereas the Townshend have them one on top of the other. The reactive properties will be quite different in the two cables. I think Mark Levinson made ribbon style speaker cables that looked like a wider version of the Goertz.

Goertz ML2 cables (as shown): 0.020uH/m, 3117pF/m

Townshend Isolda: 0.084uH/m, 2800pF/m