Could this be a 'giant-killing' tonearm cable?

[Reid Malenfant]

I just wanted folks to know (particularly Martin, lol) that I've now got it in my possession, for full evaluation!

Marco.

Let the fun & games begin

[MartinT]

I just wanted folks to know (particularly Martin, lol) that I've now got it in my possession, for full evaluation!

No time like the present...
Meanwhile, I'll be listening to the Stillpoints LPI again tonight.

[Marco]

Guys,

Just to let you know that I've been having a good listen to the SPD-4, vs. the 423.5 Phono Litz (with Furutech and Eichmann connectors)... Most interesting, as the presentation of both cables is rather different!

More on this later. A definitive conclusion will be reached, as to which I consider is best, in the next couple of days!

Marco.

[MartinT]

If all things turn out equal, I'll buy what I heard and was so impressed with: the 423.5 Phono Litz 'Special'.

[MartinT]

So what's the verdict, Marco? I loved the 423.5 special so I only need to know if the SPD-4 sounds better, not different. I'm itching to place an order.

Right, off to do some soldering now.

[Wakefield Turntables]

So what's the verdict, Marco? I loved the 423.5 special so I only need to know if the SPD-4 sounds better, not different. I'm itching to place an order.

Right, off to do some soldering now.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm must admit this has been a while in coming, come on Marco what do you think???

Martin, are you soldering some swanky new plugs of your Tellurium IC's??

[MartinT]

Martin, are you soldering some swanky new plugs of your Tellurium IC's??

Nope - given up as I cannot do it without trashing them and I need a path back if I cannot do it. Working on plan B...

[MCRU]

Nope - given up as I cannot do it without trashing them and I need a path back if I cannot do it. Working on plan B...

as well as in-validating the warranty, re-sale value will be reduced and who is to say afterwards they will sound any better anyway?

[Marco]

Hi Martin,

So what's the verdict, Marco? I loved the 423.5 special so I only need to know if the SPD-4 sounds better, not different. I'm itching to place an order.

Your timing is impeccable - I was just about to post my thoughts! You'll be pleased to know that, IMO, the 423.5 Phono Litz (special) is the more preferable of the two cables

I've been listening very carefully to the cables in question for quite a while now, and every time I swap back to one or the other, the difference is rather marked and easily heard, as is, rather interestingly, the sonic signature of solid-silver conductors vs, solid-silver Litz conductors...

The SPD-4 initially sounds very 'impressive', in that if 'glacier-cool' clarity and an upfront and dynamically 'spot-lit' sonic presentation is your bag, whilst still being musically involving, then I've heard nothing better. In that respect, I'm pretty sure that the SPD-4 would 'out-Nordost' a Nordost, as it were. Given Andrew's oft-stated sonic proclivities, I can understand why he loves it so.

However, to my ears, what the 423.5 Phono Litz (special) does is retains the sheer clarity and 'hear-through' quality of the SPD-4, but with it sounds more fluid, adding layers of texture, subtlety, filigree detailing and finesse, which makes the SPD-4, in comparison, sound somewhat 'etched', tonally a little too cool, and musically, a little 'rushed'. Don't get me wrong, much of this will be system-dependent, and I can imagine that in systems which need a bit of a 'pep-up', and where the listener's priorities major on a ruthless dissecting of information in recordings, the SPD-4 would be the ideal tonearm cable solution.

For me, however, the 423.5 Phono Litz does that, too, but with greater finesse, and in way which allows the nuances in music to shine through more convincingly, such that the best recordings are revealed in all their glory, but one's enjoyment of the whole is less of an 'intellectual' experience and more one which stirs the soul and conveys the passion of performers (all of which, of course, presumes such was originally present on the recording itself).

Both the SPD-4 and 423.5 Phono Litz are top-notch tonearm cables, but it's the latter (with Furutech and Eichmann connectors) which is now my chosen reference cable, so go ahead, Martin, and place that order!

I've been so impressed with the cables Yannis makes that I'm going to try some of his stereo interconnects, primarily for connecting my SUT to the phono stage in my Croft preamp. Therefore, a pair of these chaps (known as 223.5 Connect-Litz, however, mine will be fitted with Eichmann Silver Bullet Plugs), will be winging their way to Marco Towers:





Here's what Yannis has to say about them:

It uses exactly the same conductors, as the 423.5 Phono Litz, but the main difference is that instead of having all 4 litz conductors in a single cable (star-quad) it uses 2 separate cables (one for each channel) with a twisted pair in each of them. In other words, you do maintain a continuous run of the same cable. The 223.5 Connect-Litz has actually the same exactly structure as each of the length of your 423.5Phono-Litz cable that runs between the splitter and the RCAs.

The other difference is that the Interconnect version uses a twin (overlapping) silver plated braid instead of a single one.

A couple of months ago a group of audiophiles from S.East Asia tried the 223.5 Connect-Litz and they were so happy with it that decided to replace all of their top line Audionote AN-Vx and Kondo cables with it. Well, this meant that since then we pretty much work with their orders.

Look out Tellurium Q!

Incidentally, the cost of the 423.5 Phono Litz (with Furutech CF-DIN(R) and Eichmann Silver Bullet Plug RCAs) is £382.00 (for a 1.2m cable). It is available to purchase, by contacting Yannis at: info@back-promo.co.uk

Marco.

[MartinT]

Great news, Marco. I'm rather relieved in a way as I already know the 423.5 Phono Litz special since it was in my system that it impressed me so much. Therefore I'm completely comfortable ordering one, knowing what I'll be getting. Off to talk to Yannis...