Aqueous Anniversary speaker and interconnects

[markc2]

Ok.

the cable waters....

I got the Purist Audio Aqueous speaker cables and one interconnect.

I went thru Crimson,Transparent,Nordost,Magnan,Audience au24e and I think that's it.

Crimson, moves, no doubt about it. I CAN'T imagine music ever sounding "dead or lifeless" with this cable. Just when I thought it might be rushing things, I would put on a slow song and it would give the required spaces to the song. You could say that it respected timing. That was the biggest thing I noticed in my system. I wasn't fully Crimsoned but had enough for a good taste.

I got to try the Nordost SPM against the Crimson speaker cable, and it ALWAYS felt like the SPM was running a half step behind what the crimson was doing.

The Transparent, it sounded harmonically fuller than any of the other cables. IT suffered from the most timing issues compared to the Crimson. Now this isn't the super high end Transparent, this was just their super music link cable, but this is where I live. The transparent wasn't anywhere near as tight on the bass as the Purist but I could close my eye's and visualize a bass player standing there with the Transparent.

The Audience au24e had sweeter strings, and a tighter bass too. Almost too sweet. I almost kept the transparent just for the harmonic richness. What drove me nuts about the Audience, is that is always rounded guitar strings. I've played guitar, the notes don't sound rounded, especially if their being picked. Natural at the expense of authentic.

ME I am a weight nut, if instruments don't have their appropriate weight, it really lends itself to being fake. Transparent, and Purist and even the really expensive nordost, got the weight on my system right.

but the Nordost always felt like it has a slight lifting in the upper midrange to high frequencies, and the best way I can describe it, is if you hit a C maybe 1 1/2 octaves above middle C it would sound like a C#.

I went with the Purist,

A.. It was quiet, especially the interconnect, it felt like it gave more time for the vocalist to express his or herself.

B.. Not as harmonically rich as the transparent, but close enough not to feel lean either, plus it was a lot more focused, and didn't lift the higher frequency note's to my ears. To my ears tonally correct. Piano's really do sound beautiful thru these. what they gave up in a bit of richness to the Transparent, they made up for it in clarity.

C.. They weren't as time savvy as the Crimson, but I have some tubes, that can make things move, but isn't that a whole other basket of worms?

Actually going to see Charles Lloyd tonight and can't wait to play one of his records when I get back home.

Mark




just some thoughts on my experiences thus far.

Stuff I am still curious about, see it never ends...

The grover huffman cables.

Auditorium 23 Speaker cables.

Stealth Cables.

[f1 fan]

I`ve heard some really good things about the Crimson cables and for the $$ can`t be beat....The Purist are really nice....enjoy your cables and the Charles Lloyd concert.

[two dot]

I too am really curious about the A-23 speaker cable.

[markc2]

Originally Posted by f1 fan

I`ve heard some really good things about the Crimson cables and for the $$ can`t be beat....The Purist are really nice....enjoy your cables and the Charles Lloyd concert.

Charles Lloyd concert was awesome. He seemed to be a very cool guy, just stayed in the spotlight when he needed to be, if he wasn't playing he would sit down and listen to his group, enjoying the music. I have some his records and when I got home I really expected to be disappointed.

When I turned everything on, it was like a small version of the event I just came from. Tone wise it was perfect, the dynamics weren't anywhere near the live event...that's Ivan's job, but they were there, just not to scale. It wasn't the live event, but it had enough to be happy about.

I realize I haven't seen a lot of live shows, and I think that's going to start changing, thanks Greg for that advice on that.

[markc2]

Originally Posted by two dot

I too am really curious about the A-23 speaker cable.

do I see a cable review in your future?

[f1 fan]

Originally Posted by markc2

Charles Lloyd concert was awesome. He seemed to be a very cool guy, just stayed in the spotlight when he needed to be, if he wasn't playing he would sit down and listen to his group, enjoying the music. I have some his records and when I got home I really expected to be disappointed.

When I turned everything on, it was like a small version of the event I just came from. Tone wise it was perfect, the dynamics weren't anywhere near the live event...that's Ivan's job, but they were there, just not to scale. It wasn't the live event, but it had enough to be happy about.

I realize I haven't seen a lot of live shows, and I think that's going to start changing, thanks Greg for that advice on that.

Glad you enjoyed the show. I`ve heard he is really good in concert. Hope you are enjoying the new cables.

Talk Soon,

Dave