Shunyata Zitron Cobra, Python, Anaconda RCA interconnect A/B Listening Evaluation

[dmnc02]

Originally Posted by MyPal

I had to use the Power Snakes in reverse for the same reason. I was assured by the distributor through my retailer that given the passive nature of the Zitron design that it would make no difference at all despite the directional markings. So I'm not sure why there are directional markings on their loudspeaker cables in the first place. I was told however, that it is important to plug the ICs in the right direction per the yellow sheet as the shielding would not work properly otherwise. Given that the Anacondas are purported to be unshielded for added performance reasons, I'm a little perplexed by the relevance of that instruction for them as well.

Needless to say, I tried the Anaconda interconnects with & without the Anaconda Power Snakes & came to the same conclusions. The biggest favorable change was running Anaconda ICs from both the source to pre & pre to power amp. Adding the 2m length from pre to power was akin to dialing the lights up. They work best when running straight through.

At the end of the day, I only have so many hours to play around with them & had to ask for an extra couple of loaner days to get through listening to them all..

There was a discussion on another forum regarding the directionality of the Zitron IC's and a clarification on the issue by Grant@Shunyata. I can PM you a link if you have not seen it.

[MyPal]

Originally Posted by dmnc02

There was a discussion on another forum regarding the directionality of the Zitron IC's and a clarification on the issue by Grant@Shunyata. I can PM you a link if you have not seen it.

Sure, thanks. Perhaps the information I received regarding the directionality of the Power Snakes was not entirely correct. Irrespective, I ran the ICs with my own loudspeaker cables interchangeably. All ICs were connected in the correct direction. i.e. the plastic choke closest to the pre.

Addendum: Shunyata Anaconda Zitron ICs were evaluated with Anaconda Zitron Power Snakes loudspeaker cables as part of the demo. They were plugged in reverse due to the termination requirement on the Dali Grands. This would not have affected their performance or the outcome. I don't believe the Shunyata loudspeaker cables supplied had any proper break-in time except for these 8 or so hours in my system. The ICs were also evaluated against existing loudspeaker cables comprising 3 mm2 twisted silver-plated OFC copper conductors with 37 individual 0.32 mm strands and Teflon insulation, braided with TechFlex Flexo Conductive & terminated with Furutech Flux bananas/spades. My conclusion is the same.

[MyPal]

Dmnc02.... Thanks for the link. Despite following the yellow sheet, I'm confident that my system is well & truly quiet as all other cables are shielded & isolated from eachother. I have never experienced any ground loop effects, hum etc either.

As I have one more evening to listen & I will switch the source RCA around. Contrary to the yellow advice, I will try Grant's suggestion below. I doubt there will be any further improvement though.

grant@shunyata.com -- Mon, 06/04/2012 - 14:55

Hi Guys,

Given the reported confusion, I spoke to Caelin to get an explanation about directionality. The cables and the passive circuit are not at all directional, however the shielding on the cables is done in such a way that the label-end of the cable should always be facing a grounded component or the shield will not be functional. This will likely ONLY affect RCA cables in noisy environments.
Caelin had the diagram drawn so that the label end would always be closest to the pre-amp only because that is the most commonly grounded component in most systems. When people "float" grounds it is usually to an amp or a source, not the pre-amp. The only negative that can result from putting the cables in with the label-end near an ungrounded amp, for example, is that the shielding wont protect against noise. If there is noise in the area and you are using RCA's, the cables may pick it up. The chances for noise to ever be an issue with XLR's is very low for self evident reasons.
My advice is to simply put the labels closest to the source (output of each component) if you are using RCA's. If anyone notices noise being picked up, reverse the direction, especially if you have ungrounded components.
So, regarding RCA cables in systems with some ungrounded electronics, in general it is best to follow the diagram if your pre-amp is grounded. That way the shielding will be doing ist job. Other than that, direction should be a non-critical issue. I have been telling people to simply use the label end nearest the source, or out-put of each component and that seems to have worked fine so far with no reports of problems or noise (that I know of).
If anyone has other questions, please feel free to contact me or our factory directly.
Thanks,
Grant
Shunyata Research

[Vhiner]

Originally Posted by MyPal

Sure, thanks. Perhaps the information I received regarding the directionality of the Power Snakes was not entirely correct. Irrespective, I ran the ICs with my own loudspeaker cables interchangeably. All ICs were connected in the correct direction. i.e. the plastic choke closest to the pre.

I appreciate your review. My personal experience has been that the SC's anchor the entire Zitron loom. I started with the SC's and could've stopped there...but the addition of the IC's pulled everything together. Finally, I know it's a broken record, but the bass on these cables does not impress until the 300-500 hour range. Wish you could add a set of Python SC's.

[GrantS]

Hi Steve,

Your trial went fine and I am sure the results are accurate in your system. The cable orientation should not play any role based on what you wrote. The only variables would be, one; total hours on those cables prior to you receiving them. Some that have commented here and elsewhere have reported extended break in periods, though our own testing showed only slightly longer than average break in time. And two, if I understand correctly; your results were drawn from an all Furutech signal cable system vs. Shunyata IC's w/furutech speaker cables? Like any system where signal cables mix, the results would be instructive of the aggregate and not only the parts. It is hard to say how much difference there would be with XLR since that is your original reference. It would depend in part on how the electronics are wired internally. We find that XLR is a superior connection (in general) because of better contact integrity.

Whenever possible, I encourage customers or reviewers to evaluate the signal products as a system, even if their interest lies only with one or another product. Barring that, the speaker cables (in our line) offer the most fundamental window into what the zi-tron technology offers because that is where the greatest losses in signal integrity occur. The IC's show this as well but I would term them complimentary to the speaker cables rather than the defining parts of the system. In general, this is true of most IC/speaker cable systems. If it is realistic to do so, I would suggest adding a broken-in pair of the speaker cables to the evaluation ---depending on your time and their availability, of course.

Regardless, thank you for taking the time to share your impressions. Feel free to e-mail me if I can help in any way. I have been traveling a lot lately, so that may be the best method of contact.

Regards,

Grant
Shunyata Research