MikeMusic
24-09-2012, 10:12
*If you want to save time skip to management summary at bottom
My experience with mains cables started at the end of 2005 buying some Kimbers off Ebay so I could try them out, find out mains cables made no difference and put them back on Ebay – ah no. I just kept upgrading
Part of me still finds it hard to believe a mains cable really can make *so* much difference to sound quality
My latest try out courtesy of David at MainsCablesRus is The Ultimate.
I previously heard this at Martin T’s place when Marco brought his Ultimate along and we compared to my Kimber Silver Reference. I thought it was *different* to the Kimber then
My first try out of the box the difference to the Silver Reference and Ultimate a week or so ago was subtle
Pretty good considering the last time I saw the Silver Reference for sale it was £2250- no didn’t pay that - got it for a silly, bargain price.
Yesterday, after around 20-30 hours burning in The Ultimate - this is a step up. Proof you don’t always get what you pay for !
Favourite try out track Mavis Staples, track 2 Eyes on the prize, more detail especially on cymbals, firmer bass, space between, instruments, more sustain on notes, more precise detail, more to the point more flow, more together, dare I say more musical, easier on the ear. More space between notes giving the impression of a slower song
Swap the Siver Ref back to the PPP to try the Ultimate into the Isis, soundstage opens up more, even more detail in some areas but not all of that I heard with the Ultimate into the PPP. Difficult to pinpoint, overall better for sure, but something missing that was there when the ultimate was driving the PPP
Swap the ultimate into the PPP and the Silver Ref into the Isis.
Another step up in detail, tight bass, flow, musicality, more Ry Cooder, more drumming especially cymbals and I rim shots, tighter, more solid bass
Another layer or two taken away and more music revealed
Most of all there was flow and smoothness. This seems to be the main aspect of The Ultimate
LP12
Robert Palmer – Every Kinda People
Kimber Silver Classic, swap to The Ultimate
This is bonkers.
The Ultimate mends the previously broken sound which I didn’t realise was broken !
Filling in the spaces, the music flowed so much more
Mahavishnu Orchestra, Birds of Fire, One Word
Now bear in mind this is an album that doesn’t seem to have been made that well.
More clarity than has been there before. Some of the blankets removed
Swap the Ultimate back to the PPP and the Silver Ref to the LP12 – magnificent
The LP12 seems to have the biggest improvement from the Ultimate
Isobariks image even more !
Naim 500
Yes improvement, perhaps the most ‘slowing down’ of the lot but not to my ears as good as the result from the LP12.
I’m convinced I have to keep this anyway.
Santana, first 3 albums
I listen to LPs in alpha order to rediscover gems, in date order so I can hear the development of the group
Here thanks to the Ultimate I heard the development of the recording engineers
I hear each LP take a step up in production. Santana 3 really is a gem of an album
Do you have those times when you think your system has taken a big step up ?
I just had one. Lots of incremental improvements and a big gain
Conclusion :
*Yes go and buy one
http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/mains-cables-/409-mains-cables-r-us-ultimate-mains-lead.html
My experience with mains cables started at the end of 2005 buying some Kimbers off Ebay so I could try them out, find out mains cables made no difference and put them back on Ebay – ah no. I just kept upgrading
Part of me still finds it hard to believe a mains cable really can make *so* much difference to sound quality
My latest try out courtesy of David at MainsCablesRus is The Ultimate.
I previously heard this at Martin T’s place when Marco brought his Ultimate along and we compared to my Kimber Silver Reference. I thought it was *different* to the Kimber then
My first try out of the box the difference to the Silver Reference and Ultimate a week or so ago was subtle
Pretty good considering the last time I saw the Silver Reference for sale it was £2250- no didn’t pay that - got it for a silly, bargain price.
Yesterday, after around 20-30 hours burning in The Ultimate - this is a step up. Proof you don’t always get what you pay for !
Favourite try out track Mavis Staples, track 2 Eyes on the prize, more detail especially on cymbals, firmer bass, space between, instruments, more sustain on notes, more precise detail, more to the point more flow, more together, dare I say more musical, easier on the ear. More space between notes giving the impression of a slower song
Swap the Siver Ref back to the PPP to try the Ultimate into the Isis, soundstage opens up more, even more detail in some areas but not all of that I heard with the Ultimate into the PPP. Difficult to pinpoint, overall better for sure, but something missing that was there when the ultimate was driving the PPP
Swap the ultimate into the PPP and the Silver Ref into the Isis.
Another step up in detail, tight bass, flow, musicality, more Ry Cooder, more drumming especially cymbals and I rim shots, tighter, more solid bass
Another layer or two taken away and more music revealed
Most of all there was flow and smoothness. This seems to be the main aspect of The Ultimate
LP12
Robert Palmer – Every Kinda People
Kimber Silver Classic, swap to The Ultimate
This is bonkers.
The Ultimate mends the previously broken sound which I didn’t realise was broken !
Filling in the spaces, the music flowed so much more
Mahavishnu Orchestra, Birds of Fire, One Word
Now bear in mind this is an album that doesn’t seem to have been made that well.
More clarity than has been there before. Some of the blankets removed
Swap the Ultimate back to the PPP and the Silver Ref to the LP12 – magnificent
The LP12 seems to have the biggest improvement from the Ultimate
Isobariks image even more !
Naim 500
Yes improvement, perhaps the most ‘slowing down’ of the lot but not to my ears as good as the result from the LP12.
I’m convinced I have to keep this anyway.
Santana, first 3 albums
I listen to LPs in alpha order to rediscover gems, in date order so I can hear the development of the group
Here thanks to the Ultimate I heard the development of the recording engineers
I hear each LP take a step up in production. Santana 3 really is a gem of an album
Do you have those times when you think your system has taken a big step up ?
I just had one. Lots of incremental improvements and a big gain
Conclusion :
*Yes go and buy one
http://www.mains-cables-r-us.co.uk/mains-cables-/409-mains-cables-r-us-ultimate-mains-lead.html