SPOTFIRE new interconnect review

[Jimbo]

A year on since I first reviewed and bought the SPOTFIRE RCA IC cable from Oliver, I decided to purchase another pair initially to use with a Pi which I did and got excellent results. However I decided to try the SPOTFIRE between my pre and power amplifiers over the weekend and I was taken aback at what I heard.
I was using my VPI Scout turntable which already had my original SPOTFIRE RCA IC between it and my preamp.

To say I was impressed is an understatement. I really was not prepared for the extra performance I experienced. In a nut shell the gains in soundstage and layering of detail I had initially were continued with this second cable. The impact was so great my partner Helen also noticed. The most significant aspect was the incredible soundstage with a fabulous 3D effect. The depth into the recording and information placed at the back of the recording went out through the rear wall by a considerable margin. My previous cable only hinted at this in recordings whereas the SPOTFIRE IC clearly showed incredible depth to the soundstage. The width also improved, making recorded information sound even more spacious and this was the killer aspect SPACE.

We all know what its like to hear the acoustic space around instruments and reflections in the sound environment, this cable allowed so much space I was hearing layers of detail in the open acoustic that were just not there before with my other cable. You could actually here all the recorded information layered from back to front in a clear and almost tangible soundstage.

Oliver had mentioned way back that to gain the full benefits of the SPOTFIRE cable you needed them throughout. I was a bit sceptical of this until I heard the
benefits for myself over the last couple of days.

Like I said when I first heard the SPOTFIRE RCA IC it is a remarkable cable that I would suggest anyone should try in their system.

[Bigman80]

Hi Jimbo,

Thank you for the update!

A year since you bought the first demo pair?! Wow where has that time gone!!

I remember that conversation "I want THIS pair" lol. I had to remake the loan pair on three occasions as people didn't want to move them on.

Well, in that year the SPOTFIRE "range" has grown quite a bit. There is now a Tonearm cable, Speaker cables and I'm currently investigating a power cable too!

I'm really pleased at the feedback you've offered (again). The cables have improved my own system and I'm sincerely pleased that you have had the same experience.

A question:

Did you have the SPOTFIRE cables in those positions when you tried the speaker cables?

[Wakefield Turntables]

Jim,

Good post. This mirrors my finding with having a full loom of Yannis Tome cable (sorry to mention another product Oli) on my 1210/ATC system. I also get very similar sound stage effects that your describing in the sound stage. You may also want to go one further and have your Croft rewired with Spotfire cable just like I did with my Croft. I got Yannis to design some internal cabling to the RCA's, I wonder if Oli could do the same? Certainly food for thought ( I've never used that one before)!!!!

[Bigman80]

Jim,

Good post. This mirrors my finding with having a full loom of Yannis Tome cable (sorry to mention another product Oli) on my 1210/ATC system. I also get very similar sound stage effects that your describing in the sound stage. You may also want to go one further and have your Croft rewired with Spotfire cable just like I did with my Croft. I got Yannis to design some internal cabling to the RCA's, I wonder if Oli could do the same? Certainly food for thought ( I've never used that one before)!!!!

Hi Andy,

No Worries, I'm cheaper than Yannis!

It can be done. I will be rewiring my Krell with SPOTFIRE as soon as it's in its final location. As it's currently standing on it's faceplate, i want to relocate it first. Then will follow new binding posts too. The DCB1 is already wired with SPOTFIRE. The Bigbottle Phonostage is next for the treatment as i couldn't get it at the time i was building that. Thankfully their stocks are now fully replenished.

[Jimbo]

Hi Jimbo,

Thank you for the update!

A year since you bought the first demo pair?! Wow where has that time gone!!

I remember that conversation "I want THIS pair" lol. I had to remake the loan pair on three occasions as people didn't want to move them on.

Well, in that year the SPOTFIRE "range" has grown quite a bit. There is now a Tonearm cable, Speaker cables and I'm currently investigating a power cable too!

I'm really pleased at the feedback you've offered (again). The cables have improved my own system and I'm sincerely pleased that you have had the same experience.

A question:

Did you have the SPOTFIRE cables in those positions when you tried the speaker cables?

Oli, I did not have the SPOTFIRE cables in the same positions when I tried the speaker cable so I know what I need to do next!

[Jimbo]

Jim,

Good post. This mirrors my finding with having a full loom of Yannis Tome cable (sorry to mention another product Oli) on my 1210/ATC system. I also get very similar sound stage effects that your describing in the sound stage. You may also want to go one further and have your Croft rewired with Spotfire cable just like I did with my Croft. I got Yannis to design some internal cabling to the RCA's, I wonder if Oli could do the same? Certainly food for thought ( I've never used that one before)!!!!

Hi Andy, frankly I was amazed at the difference using the SPOTFIRE speaker cable made inbetween my pre and power amps. I was deeply impressed with the cable between turntable and preamp but the addition of the second cable simply took things to another level!

I need to get the speaker cables in next to hear how they will sound with this cabling throughout my system.

I will also discuss with Oli about re wiring the Croft.


There is some magic in those cables.

[Wakefield Turntables]

Hi Andy,

No Worries, I'm cheaper than Yannis!

It can be done. I will be rewiring my Krell with SPOTFIRE as soon as it's in its final location. As it's currently standing on it's faceplate, i want to relocate it first. Then will follow new binding posts too. The DCB1 is already wired with SPOTFIRE. The Bigbottle Phonostage is next for the treatment as i couldn't get it at the time i was building that. Thankfully their stocks are now fully replenished.

Well TBH I went for something a design that that Yannis dosen't advertise. I would say that your Spotfire IC's give about 95% of the performance of his cables and for probably a lot less wonga!! Sound Spotfire wins the SPPV battle over Yannis.

Hi Andy, frankly I was amazed at the difference using the SPOTFIRE speaker cable made inbetween my pre and power amps. I was deeply impressed with the cable between turntable and preamp but the addition of the second cable simply took things to another level!

I need to get the speaker cables in next to hear how they will sound with this cabling throughout my system.

I will also discuss with Oli about re wiring the Croft.


There is some magic in those cables.

Jim, it might also be worth getting the Croft's RCA's replaced with some WBT's. I have the MM stage, aux port and the output RCA's swapped over on my Croft and I noticed a BIG difference. I'm usually quite sceptical this sort of thing but I do honestly think the WBT designs add to the detail that you hear.
The speaker cables are something that I would like to hear but I have a big problem with the connected spades, I don't think that they would truly demonstrate the cables true sound (or potential). I bought 8 WBT-0681 Ag signature Nextgen 8mm spades for £352 (the cheapest I could find) and they totally transformed a simple run of Van Damm studio blue, I suppose they should at that price, but if that can happen to such a simple cable then what would happen to a cable that's been especially designed like Oli's work? These are only my thoughts for what they are worth. The WBT's allow for unterminated cables to be connected meaning you can try all manner of stuff without the need of terminating your speaker cables, which means no additional cost of new spades or plugs if you fancy something different. So, in an ideal world I'd like to try Oli's cables unterminated and then connect the WBT's. Now that would be something special, but I appreciate that this costs Oli money (sadly)!! My problem is that I'm in the process of getting the Pre and power amp upgraded alongside my phonostage so it might be difficult to see what the Spotfire's bring to the table!!!!!

[Jimbo]

I will check out the WBT's Andy. I have no doubt they will improve on the standard Croft RCAs. Luckily I had beefed up Output terminals on the Croft which took Olis spades well although you had to apply plenty of torque. Unterminated maybe good but i do worry about oxidation?

Have you heard the SPOTFIRE speaker cable yet?

[Wakefield Turntables]

Have you heard the SPOTFIRE speaker cable yet?

Not yet, I need to talk to Oli at some stage.

[Bigman80]

Well TBH I went for something a design that that Yannis dosen't advertise. I would say that your Spotfire IC's give about 95% of the performance of his cables and for probably a lot less wonga!! Sound Spotfire wins the SPPV battle over Yannis.



Jim, it might also be worth getting the Croft's RCA's replaced with some WBT's. I have the MM stage, aux port and the output RCA's swapped over on my Croft and I noticed a BIG difference. I'm usually quite sceptical this sort of thing but I do honestly think the WBT designs add to the detail that you hear.
The speaker cables are something that I would like to hear but I have a big problem with the connected spades, I don't think that they would truly demonstrate the cables true sound (or potential). I bought 8 WBT-0681 Ag signature Nextgen 8mm spades for £352 (the cheapest I could find) and they totally transformed a simple run of Van Damm studio blue, I suppose they should at that price, but if that can happen to such a simple cable then what would happen to a cable that's been especially designed like Oli's work? These are only my thoughts for what they are worth. The WBT's allow for unterminated cables to be connected meaning you can try all manner of stuff without the need of terminating your speaker cables, which means no additional cost of new spades or plugs if you fancy something different. So, in an ideal world I'd like to try Oli's cables unterminated and then connect the WBT's. Now that would be something special, but I appreciate that this costs Oli money (sadly)!! My problem is that I'm in the process of getting the Pre and power amp upgraded alongside my phonostage so it might be difficult to see what the Spotfire's bring to the table!!!!!

Those WBT-0681 Ag signature Nextgen are certainly expensive and I don't doubt that they are doing a good job for you BUT and it's a BIG BUT, they don't match the spec for the SPOTFIRE range.

Believe me, I don't just stick some bits of metal onto the ends of my cables and hope for the best! Lol.

A lot of time, thought, money and effort goes into making sure that every cable I produce or introduce to the lovely folk of this forum, is as good as it can be.

The SPOTFIRE cables, all of them, have to be the same in terms of consistency. Sticking Ag spades on the end completely diverts away from the rest of the line up and believe me, I tried Ag KLEs amongst others like AEC, WBT etc and they didn't give me what I wanted. In fact, a customer insisted on KLE Ag and reported that the cable was better once the Ag was removed from the equation, as I said it would be in the first place.

The Spades used on the Production Speaker cables, not my own, are gold plated pure copper. NO BRASS. However my speaker cables have whatever I had in the connection tin and I think the spades may be brass. I do have some of the Copper spades and I'd be happy to put those on before I let you hear them.