Shunyata Zitron and going the whole loom

[audiot servant]

I'm lucky and I do appreciate the luck I have in terms of being allowed to have great music at home. Life has had a few unexpected turns lately for both good and bad but on the plus front the arrival of new speakers up here in the music in the attic has caused an upstream shake up that was just a little bit more than expected... I knew I'd be heading for a better bottom end (just doesn't sound right hmmm) with the Magnepan 20.7s but I hadn't appreciated how much more transparent the mids would also be as well as the extension up on the highs. The upshot of what I thought would be a fairly linear shift up the same speaker house sound not necessitating too much gear change has really tested the limits of what was here.

The plan was none too genius, just get in some nice audition gear and listen to lots of music then work out what makes me feet tap the most... like I said, none too genius.

The subplot is that anything I buy should be building significantly towards the reference level without selling the house to get it. I don't want to buy gear that is a bit better but different, I just want it to be a big shift better and am patient and will plan and stage the upgrade over the next 12 months plus.

With the system now throroughly stirred and shaken by the big new maggies I began by trialling Shunyata Zitron signal cables and more of their power cables,

Then I have thrown in a budgetary wild card and listened to some different DACS to see if I might be better off just buying new components instead of upgrading the wire with a whole Shunyata Zitron loom.

Because it's cable swapping we are looking at more than ever this is completely YMMV territory in it's absolute extreme...cable performance is utterly system and gear dependent so any solution you read here can only be indicative and you should definitely a try before you buy if you can.

As reference I have lately heard Nordost Odin and ZenSati reference, and loved them both and have lived with Wireworld Silver Eclipse 6 for the last year also just recently got some Wireworld Platinum USB cable which is a sensational upgrade from Silver Starlight IMO.

So I got under way and audtioned a Shunyata Triton with a mix of Anaconda and Cobra Zitron power cables, Anaconda, Python and Cobra Zitron interconnects, a prototype Anaconda Zitron digital cable and Anaconda Zitron speaker cables.

I was able to compare the Shunyata Triton to my Cyclops and also listened to the Anaconda and more Cobra power cables into Triton as well as the Cyclops and both Cobra and Anaconda power cables direct into wall.

Also separately comparing the Shunyata interconnects against the Wireworld Silver Eclipse 6 and also Zensati reference and then the Anaconda Zitron speaker cables against the Silver Eclipse 6 speaker cables.

On the component front I have trialled an Aurender S-10, Esoteric D-05 and Lampizator Level 4 DACs and also QOL signal completion stage.

Since the trialling of components was to give me a reference to the total value system benefits of buying new components rather than putting that money towards the cables I won't go too much into the specific outcomes of the different dacs here and will likely do that in the digital thread but I will get this one out of the way early... while there were a good range of improvements to be had by my upgrading the source components in my system ultimately going the new cables and retaining my current electronics was a good sized bigger step up in SQ and musicality than either upgrading my DAC or replacing the Mac Air with an Aurender server (as great as all these bits of gear are) and that the Esoteric Dac and the Lampizator are for very different reasons marvellous but also that the Calyx surprised me with a few qualities that it had revealed after simply putting better cables on to it.

First in, the Anaconda speaker cables. At twice the price of the Wireworlds they let me see a few things very quickly. The Wireworld and Shunyata house sounds are very different beasts. Silver over copper versus pure copper. Common wisdom says that the silver is going to give more detail but this isn't the case. The Anacondas are more expensive reference cables and they sound it. They have fairly much everything, rich, full bodied, micro and macro dynamics and detail, extraordinary presence, air and a beguiling presentation that makes music very real and whole not to mention the very complete and ginormous soundstage. Along with the Anaconda power cable these were the standout bits of gear in the audition from my experience. With the interconnects the Anaconda still had the sway but not quite the same margin as in the power cables.

The Cobra across the Shunyata range gives you transparency and speed... it's a touch leaner and a little more tilted up in the balance but the Anaconda manages more detail with a fantastic body as well.

The upshot given my current system balance I will now go ahead and put Zitron Cobras throughout for power and ICs and then later when I add a more neutral preamp like an ARC Ref5se put an Anaconda up front as feed cable which will fill things out beautifully. Especially given the contributions of the Anaconda speaker cables going from the amp into the Maggies.

For IC's I was really surprised with the Cobra RCA's. The Python and Anaconda both get you some more extension, and bass authority as well as additional midrange timbre but I found this not such a big step if still a very nice step. The Anaconda is the way but for now with the Shindo preamp the extra body of going Anaconda ICs just pushed the balance a shade too far into extra body and losing just a bit too much structure for the admittedly delicious additional fleshiness. Once again with a more neutral preamp the Anaconda's will be a better option and since then I will likely be going balanced and will also need to replace the RCAs with XLRs anyway.

So after working over several days on power and signal cables I looked at the Triton which had been doing duty on the source and pre and Cyclops powering the amp.

I tried the Anaconda first for the Triton for the amp. That trade off between power and resolution thing came up... the air and detail and increased blacker backgrounds versus the touch of compression. In the case of the Triton I felt the way some others have gone and that the best trade off particularily was amp with Anaconda into wall... especially if the amp is getting up in demand for current and supplying big watts.. it just seemed so free to soar.

But when it came time to go Anaconda into the Cyclops the loss of dynamics was marginal and the considerable air and sense of black quietness, rich timbre and texture and marvellous extra detail, focus and transparency with the Cyclops made it a different outcome... amp into Cyclops was a happier story for both the Anaconda and Cobra power cables IMO and clearly depending on your prorities, your amp and your power supply a potential for YMMV.

But after trialling the other gear my faith in the Cyclops is reinforced... so much so I have ordered another Cyclops. It will give them each something to focus on with those big clear eye of theirs.. sitting focussed and providing the power while still just quietly looking at each other. In mythology the Cyclops were the master workers of metal and magic working in the volcanic furnaces of Vulcan making the lightening bolts for Zeus, the Trident that stills the oceans for Poseidon and the cloak of invisibility for Hades. Here their job will be far simpler but for me no less magical.

So to give the audio budget a shot at recovery I have initially gone with Shunyata Zitron Cobra ICs and putting more Cobras in for power cables and also the other Cyclops. When the new room is built there will be two dedicated 20amp circuits, one for each. Then in a couple of months from now I will add Anaconda Zitron speaker cables and their reference jumpers for the back of the Maggies 20.7s.

I only spent a part of the time with the Anaconda Zitron digital as the Calyx is a USB DAC and currently loving it's Wireworld Platinum USB which is burning in now and clearly deserves it's own thread in Wireworld world. Have also just finished putting the Hi-Fi supremes through the whole system.

The Zitron digital cables in particular are getting a bit of rave acoss the boards and I got a sense of why.from the prototype Anaconda digital. The set up was less than reference being used from an ipod touch dock but this cable made the humble ipod dock sound seriously musical... if I was using spdif Shunyata digi would be a must do cable especially given the rest of the Shunyata loom. From my understanding this was a one off prototype and that the Python is so good it may not likely see the light of production.

The move to the 20.7s is a speaker for life proposition and the same might be said for the new Anaconda Zitron speaker cables, the Cobra IC's will be part of a gear dependent upgrade path that aiming for Anaconda down the track and the Zitron power cables and Cyclops are likley to do me for the long haul as well supplemented by Anaconda feed cables. Beyond this the odd Anaconda or Python slipped in to bring everything to peak. The transparency and musicality of this loom will and already has made determining differences between components very easy and clear... no golden or cloth ears here, just all the gear makes it easy.

And with the speakers, power and cables settled in to long term reference I'll be able to make the best choices for any other gear to replace and they have made the music play in such an extraordinary way and the current electronics shine way beyond expectation.

The way forward is clear... one thing I have realised now is the more of those little Zitrons you get in there the more profound the shift.

I have been given a fantastic home trial thanks to Cameron from Krispy and I have also had fantastic support from the Australian importer at Reference who have spent a big amount of time giving me advice and in depth info that has proven to be spot on when I play it here as well. Cables are always going to have the challenge of being a complex almost alchemical mix of potentials and in truth the only way is to get the support of the dealers and trial them yourself, if nothing else you may find that some of the world's best cables just dont suit your system or your ears, luckily this wasn't case here.

Sensational fun and an informative week, and in a couple of weeks the next stage of the Shunyata Zitron loom will be here. Audio alchemy is a work in progress and worth all the music that is uncovered along the way. Shunyata in truth is as much about the silences in between.

Graham

[MyPal]

Graham... Great to hear that it is all working out for you.

[Kingsrule]

Great write up!
For me , the Python digital cable is outstanding

Does anyone else find the Shunyata naming scheme hard to follow, confusing and basically foolish?
And while I'm at it ,their website is just as confusing......

[MyPal]

Originally Posted by g997

Great write up!
For me , the Python digital cable is outstanding

Does anyone else find the Shunyata naming scheme hard to follow, confusing and basically foolish?
And while I'm at it ,their website is just as confusing......

Fascinated by Greek mythology & the power their stories convey....Always been wary about snakes though.

[chessman]

Graham, that was incredibly interesting. Thanks! Please keep your evaluations coming. I have been wanting to go with Cyclops, but that means two (dual mono amp with two cords), plus two more power cords.

[Vhiner]

Wonderful review, Graham. I can attest that you're not exaggerating about the benefits of a "Shunyata loom."

Wish I could afford the time to fly down under and hear your system. It must be amazing!

Vance

[Ritmo]

Fantastic write up Graham!

Mike

[bzr]

Sorry, what colour did you say the curtains & sink were?

J/K Graham, great write-up & info, will have to read it again & evaluate I'm guessing the weekend after Sydney audio show for my trial with the Shunyata looms in my new house, will keep you up to date.

[audiot servant]

Thanks everyone,

Steve, when you mentioned that you were running with two Cyclops as well as the Talos it planted the unfortunate seed of expansion into my head but am very glad for the thought now as an option it ideally fits my minimalist 4 outlet world

g997 and Mike, if the next digital I get is thru spdif I will definitely be following the Zitron digital as you already have, it seemed to me to be also a star performer.

Randy - with dual mono's you'd just about end up with a tribe of Cyclops, which could work out a bit dangerous - that is a bit of a call and definitely a in system audition before making that kind of commitment IMO... but the gear is sensational all the same.

Vance - you'd be more than welcome... will probably be sounding real good with the last piece of the loom slotted in place, the Anaconda speaker cables in and settled just in time for Christmas.

Kev, just sold the sink and the curtains to get the cables, yes we joking now but as always starts with laughter and ends with a chunky purchase

[chessman]

Originally Posted by audiot servant

Randy - with dual mono's you'd just about end up with a tribe of Cyclops, which could work out a bit dangerous - that is a bit of a call and definitely a in system audition before you make that kind of commitment IMO.

I may have inadvertently misled you. It is a one box unit that touts itself as a dual mono design inside (everything separate in each half, including power supplies). It does have two power cords. Even though a Cyclops is double ganged, I would want a separate one for each cord.

So, you are partly right - it would take two new power cords and two new Cyclops units to effect the upgrade. Hmmmm .....