Ammonite Audio
04-12-2011, 10:39
I needed another digital coax cable to link up the Paul Hynes modded HiFace Evo to my Lyngdorf amplifier. I presently use an MIT Shotgun cable between the CD transport and amp, but that is far too thick and heavy for such a lightweight component as the Evo; however the MIT is a very good cable indeed (as it should by for £600 RRP).
So, I decided to take a punt on Mark Grant's Supra Trico digital coax with WBT 0110 Ag, since it is rather inexpensive at £90 and most importantly nice and flexible so no problems with the Evo. It arrived within days, as is usual with stuff from Mark, whereupon I stuck it between CD and amp and left it running for a couple of days.
So, how does it sound? If you had never heard any other digital interconnect, you would not be dissatisfied with this Supra cable - it imparts a slight "analogue" sound to CD, which is possibly a good thing, while being eminently listenable. Is it as good as the MIT Shotgun? Well, that's a slightly unfair comparison because of the price differential, but no it isn't. Playing a rather nice old Philips Brendl recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No 15, Andante Movement, there is a bit a few minutes into the piece where Brendl's left hand does some really lovely stuff which is rather lost against the rest of the orchestra by the Supra cable, but which is very clearly portrayed by the MIT. Piano resonances are similarly better portrayed by the MIT cable.
Does that matter? Not at this price point. At its price point Mark's Supra cable is a bargain and can be recommended confidently. You'd probably have to pay as much as the MIT's price to do much better than this. It will be interesting to hear how it fares with high-res digital audio when I get the music PC up and running.
So, I decided to take a punt on Mark Grant's Supra Trico digital coax with WBT 0110 Ag, since it is rather inexpensive at £90 and most importantly nice and flexible so no problems with the Evo. It arrived within days, as is usual with stuff from Mark, whereupon I stuck it between CD and amp and left it running for a couple of days.
So, how does it sound? If you had never heard any other digital interconnect, you would not be dissatisfied with this Supra cable - it imparts a slight "analogue" sound to CD, which is possibly a good thing, while being eminently listenable. Is it as good as the MIT Shotgun? Well, that's a slightly unfair comparison because of the price differential, but no it isn't. Playing a rather nice old Philips Brendl recording of Mozart's Piano Concerto No 15, Andante Movement, there is a bit a few minutes into the piece where Brendl's left hand does some really lovely stuff which is rather lost against the rest of the orchestra by the Supra cable, but which is very clearly portrayed by the MIT. Piano resonances are similarly better portrayed by the MIT cable.
Does that matter? Not at this price point. At its price point Mark's Supra cable is a bargain and can be recommended confidently. You'd probably have to pay as much as the MIT's price to do much better than this. It will be interesting to hear how it fares with high-res digital audio when I get the music PC up and running.