Summary: Very good dynamics, but not quite the speed and focus of the better XLO's and Nordost's. Excellent tonally and spatially. Great buy for the $. Rating 4.75, because there is always room for improvement.
Similar Products Used: NBS, Monster, Audio Research, Tara Labs, XLO, Acoustic Zen, Madrigal, Nordost, other Audioquest models.
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Summary: After just two days of break in the these the difference the Anacondas have made in my system is incredible. Each time I put on a CD, I my shake my head in disbelief. The music sounds incredible.... balance, air, detail. But most importantly I hear the music, not the former short comings of my audio system. I knew from my previous auditions of audio cables that they made a difference in the sound of my system but the incredible amount of improvement by spending $350 on a pair of interconnects amazed me. I have been searching for a certain sound while putting this system together over the last five years and have finally found it! If you have decent electonics these cables allow them to do their job. I use the Anacondas from my CD player to my preamp. I still have AudioTruth Opals from the preamp to the amps that drive my speakers. I would consider upgrading those interconnects but I can hardly imagine having better sound! Maybe some day.....
Associated Equipment
Linn Wakonda Preamp
3 Linn LX100 Amplifier
Active Linn Kaber Speaker
Linn Ikemi Cd Player
Denon tu-850 tuner
AudioTruth Opal Interconnects
Linn LK20 Speaker Cables
Summary: Being somehow sceptical on expensive cables and ic´s, I "only" wanted to spend USD.200 for ic´s, so in came the AQ Vipers. Sounded superior than Coral and definately better than the older Topaz, but then again nothing really spectacular.
When I borrowed a pair of balanced Anacondas....I couldn´t believe it. Stunning! I bought it and am using it for the upper range drivers of NHT 2.9s.
How this cable improved clarity, airy detail, dynamics and body to the speaker´s midrange and treble is really something.
I ordered a pair more for between the cd player and preamp. Highly recommended!
Strengths: In my system:
a very detailled, spooky holographic mid and upper range sound
Punchier midbass
More air around instruments.
Better depth.
Weaknesses: None that I heard.
Similar Products Used: AQ Topaz, Coral and Viper.
Even the Viper sounded compressed and confused against the Anaconda
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Summary: These cables are incredible. They bettered my long time reference XLO Reference Type 1 without question and seem to work very well with the XLO Reference Type 5 Speaker Wire. These cables are very neutral yet offer the best dynamics I have witness from many of the newer cable designs. I also owned Diamond and Lapis before in previous systems and the Anaconda has them both beat with ease. This review is based on a .6 meter XLR pair used between a Sony XA7ES and an Electrocompaniet ECI-3.
Strengths: Neutral with big dynamics
Weaknesses: None (in my system)
Similar Products Used: XLO, AQ, and Kimber
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