SPOTFIRE new interconnect review

[Crackles]

Absolutely!

Drop me a PM with the details of what you need and we'll sort it out.

I'm away this week so it'll be after that.

O

Cheers Oli, will do.

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[JohnJo]

I’ve been holding off saying anything about the Spotfire interconnects until a got a better handle on them as I haven’t got that many hours on them to both get a feel for them and run them in.

I have a 1m din to rca from my Naim CD player to a BTE passive preamp with a Khozmo shunt type stepped attenuator then a 0.5m rca to rca from the pre to my Luxman Avance Z504 power amp (also supplied by Oliver - thanks ) and onto Lockwood Academy speakers (15” Tannoy HPD).

I got the rca to rca first and whilst it improved the system initially I have found that combined with the second cable, giving me Spotfire from source to amp, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Either that or the din to rca is even better than the rca to rca version. I should say that my previous interconnect cables were identical in construction to each other, using unscreened tinned copper conductors and Neutrik Profi rca plugs and the same Preh din plug as the Spotfire.

My findings of the Spotfires are as follows:

Superb separation of each instrument and voice.
Ability to create believable images of instruments pinpointly placed within an organised soundstage, possibly their greatest strength - each instrument has a palpable presence and body.
Tone and texture are gorgeous (see caveat below), from cymbals down to bass guitar but perhaps particularly cymbals.
Clarity. I’m continuing to hear new info with every disc particularly stuff like studio chattter and banter which are very faint and distant in the mix.
Acoustic space - reverb and decay are beautifully captured.
Natural dynamics, not overstated but still satisfying.
Cohesion - very well integrated, no one thing stands out yet everything is there to follow individually should you desire.

There *may* be a **very** slight polishing effect, everything appearing ever so slightly burnished, I’m talking minimal here so that nothing appears uncouth or brash. Or, this may just be a lack of distortion, which I’m not used to hearing - artifice free as it were. Either way I’m not sure it’s a fault, just an observation.

I love them and they are staying put.

I am sorely tempted to replace my speaker cables and internal wiring too but my crossovers are in a state of flux at present so I’ll need to decide what I’m doing with those first!

So, it’s a big thumbs up from me.

[Bigman80]

Hi John,

Well, I'm a little surprised by the feedback!

Obviously, when we spoke, you weren't entirely convinced, so I read this with a huge grin on my chops

So, polished performance ay?!

Not in the slightest. I *know* that amplifier very well and rate it in the top 5 Amplifiers I've heard anywhere. Yes, it's a KIT, professionally built. Yes, it's getting on a bit but it does 90% of everything the Krell does. If I hadn't heard the Krell, that Luxman would still be with me.

What you're hearing is the real sound of everything you've configured. The Preamp and Poweramp should be utterly transparent from experience and yes, more pairs of SPOTFIRE do seem to improve things further than one pair. The chain of gear you have (minus the Naim as I have never heard one) IS free from grain and should be fluidity personified. That's a great thing to hear.

To some, and understandably so, that may seem like a ploy to sell more cables BUT, every single person that has bought multiple pairs has said the same. Even Jimbo, who only recently added a second pair to his lineup.

The SPOTFIRE cable I use for the NAIM cable is exactly the same as the SPOTFIRE IC stuff, just a smaller gauge and far easier to fit in that bloody din plug

Anyway, I am very grateful for the feedback and I'm glad they are doing a great job in your system.

We can rewire your speaker and if you require some speaker cables, give me a shout. I'm confident you'd be just as impressed.

Thanks again!

[JohnJo]

My system is sounding better than ever Oliver, thanks in no small part to the Spotfire interconnects.

The big Luxman has been as revelation too. It is totally self effacing and just draws you into the music. Initially it was a bit underwhelming but I soon realised this was more natural than having the music forced upon you which is similar to my initial reservations of the Spotfires as my old cables were more in your face.

I've made a few few changes ("breathed on it" as Mikrik would say - lol) to the amp since you had it which have lifted its performance a bit further. It was set for 220V input so the transformer was buzzing and the DC rail voltage was high. I swapped to the 240V transformer primary and it seemed to sigh in relief, loosing a bit of edginess and generally sounding more at ease with a blacker background. I also removed the input trim pots and cheap phono sockets and fitted some nice cmc ones and improved the internal signal wiring. Replaced the binding posts too with bigger ones as one of the originals snapped off. Finally I upgraded the internal mains wiring and added an IEC inlet socket so I could mess about with foo mains leads. Had to Earth the chassis too as there seemed to be some leakage from the transformer giving a nasty voltage on the case. Oh and the live and neutral were crossed internally meaning the switch was on the neutral which I don't like so sorted that too and set the bias and dc offset. Tried it in class A but didn't like it, too dour, and you could almost hear the capacitors all crying in the heat

So, good for now but the speakers are definitely on the to do list to finish.

[Bigman80]

My system is sounding better than ever Oliver, thanks in no small part to the Spotfire interconnects.

The big Luxman has been as revelation too. It is totally self effacing and just draws you into the music. Initially it was a bit underwhelming but I soon realised this was more natural than having the music forced upon you which is similar to my initial reservations of the Spotfires as my old cables were more in your face.

I've made a few few changes ("breathed on it" as Mikrik would say - lol) to the amp since you had it which have lifted its performance a bit further. It was set for 220V input so the transformer was buzzing and the DC rail voltage was high. I swapped to the 240V transformer primary and it seemed to sigh in relief, loosing a bit of edginess and generally sounding more at ease with a blacker background. I also removed the input trim pots and cheap phono sockets and fitted some nice cmc ones and improved the internal signal wiring. Replaced the binding posts too with bigger ones as one of the originals snapped off. Finally I upgraded the internal mains wiring and added an IEC inlet socket so I could mess about with foo mains leads. Had to Earth the chassis too as there seemed to be some leakage from the transformer giving a nasty voltage on the case. Oh and the live and neutral were crossed internally meaning the switch was on the neutral which I don't like so sorted that too and set the bias and dc offset. Tried it in class A but didn't like it, too dour, and you could almost hear the capacitors all crying in the heat

So, good for now but the speakers are definitely on the to do list to finish.

Well, I had no idea it needed anything doing to it! However, if I'd have kept it, I would have done exactly the same as you. I was just looking for another Luxman Avance as I felt I'd like to max it's performance and see what it can do in optimal conditions but as usual, no cheapy ones about at the minute. I really like that amp and if you've taken that ever so slight "push" away from the sound, I imagine it would compare closer to the Krell. I love something that sounds effortless, not lazy or relaxed, effortless. There is a huge difference. The Big Krell does this so well that it's an absolute joy to listen to. Sounds like the Avance has the same ability. What a bargain you've had lol. I'm really glad you bought it too, because you've gone to the effort of improving it.

It's a little bit mind bending when you go to the SPOTFIRE cables, because they sound quite different from the norm. I felt/hoped you would realise that once you'd got your head around what they do. It's a far more natural, effortless presentation. It still has the ability to rock, which is an absolute must here, but it always sounds under control and deliberate to me.

I have advised this recently to a guy who said his foot wasn't tapping after installing some SPOTFIRE speaker cables, I told him to allow his brain to get used to what the ears are now feeding him. He "got it" after a few days, It looks like you have too, Excellent!

I'm happy!

[JohnJo]

You've summed things up well there Oliver!

I'm chuffed, country and western has never sounded so good

[Bigman80]

You've summed things up well there Oliver!

I'm chuffed, country and western has never sounded so good sign:

Lol, whatever floats the boat mate, happy days!

[JohnJo]

Yeah, me and Walpurgis are the only ones on here who like a bit of country and western.

Just listening to Chet Atkins and Suzy Bogguss, sounds fab.

[Bigman80]

Yeah, me and Walpurgis are the only ones on here who like a bit of country and western.

Just listening to Chet Atkins and Suzy Bogguss, sounds fab.

Chet Atkins? Did he do Wayfaring Stranger?

I prefer the Eva Cassidy Version but Chet's is easy to listen to.

[JohnJo]

Chet Atkins? Did he do Wayfaring Stranger?

I prefer the Eva Cassidy Version but Chet's is easy to listen to.

No, that was Chet Adkins, with a D.

This is Chet Atkins, Mr. Guitar! Check out the Merle Travis funk at 1:10, oh and the suit

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao1VOMrEuS4