Summary:
Jerry the owner provides great service and advice about audio. The cables really do deliver a detailed yet smooth audio package, balanced across the audio spectrum. I run two sets of Interconnects between a DVD/CD player, Presence Audio tube pre-amp and Bel Canto 200.2 digital amp, which feeds a pair of Talon Audio Khite monitors and ROC sub. Lots of air and detail, and the bass has gotten very articulate (try CHarlie Haden and Pat Methany, and then roll over to the Fleetwood Mac live album from two years ago). A good deal.

Strengths:
smooth, taunt bass, balanced across the entire audio spectrum, plenty of detail

Weaknesses:
bass can sound washed out until broken-in, then it just blossoms.

Similar Products Used:
auditioned Analysis Plus and Cardas

Summary:
This is a silver cable that doesn't know that it's a silver cable. All of the negative qualities found in most silvers - primarily glare and edge - are nowhere to be heard in the Excaliburs. In fact, they seem to excel exactly where other silvers are weak. Even before burn-in, the transformation of my system was remarkable. The much touted "analog" effect of Audio Magic products was instantly apparent. Make no mistake, I experienced a true transformation of my system, and I'm still not quite used to the shocking difference that I'm hearing. Prior to this, I didn't believe that cables could change a system's character to this degree. Yes, it's been shocking. But would I go back to what I had before? Not on your life. As a professional career musician, the Audio Magics have created a character closer to what I hear when I'm on stage than anything else I've ever owned or tried. In addition to the added smoothness, in my system I experience a very slight de-emphasis of the upper mids, somewhat greater depth in the soundstage, and a notable improvement in bass control - something I've been seeking for quite a while. There is no one cable that's perfect for every system...the Audio Magics might not be as impressive in a dull, lifeless system. But I believe that these cables will improve at least some aspects of virtually any system. I predict a purchase of the Spellcasters sometime in my future.

Strengths:
smooth; analog-like; no glare at all; excellent bass control

Weaknesses:
probably not the best choice for an already laid-back system

Similar Products Used:
owned Tara Labs, Cardas; tried too many others to list

Summary:
I just got these four cables from the Cable Company (www.fatwyre.com) and am expecting one of the new AQ Python's to arrive soon. See if you can guess ahead of time which one I liked the most:

Audio Magic Excalibur II
Cardas Neutral
Harmonic Tech Truthlink
Analysis Plus Oval In (whatever that means)

Note that these are balanced XLR cables and run from about $350 to $550 for the pair, retail. I know a few yahoos here will poop their pants at spending that much for a cable but considering my system is about $15,000 retail it's not a lot of cash.

Note also that I'm only running these from my preamp to amp. My poor DAC (Lexicon DC-1) has to remain happy feeding a rigged RCA-to-XLR run of Kimber PBJ until I can get around to replacing it.

First off, I replaced my CAT5 DIY rigged XLR wires with some twisted pairs of foam-Teflon surrounding 18AWG copper, a la Jon Risch, except that both sides were 82248 Belden. Amazingly the bass was fuller than with the ChrisVH silver cables and there was a LOT more detail. Highs were nice but the soundstage was still a bit loose and not clearly defined. However, it was still a very nice improvement over what I had.

While reveling in this newfound detail the cables from the CC showed up. The first thing I can say is "Bass, where have you been?" Amazing bass from my system! -- and yes, there were differences even among cables in this price range. As a matter of fact, while all were pleasing, some were just downright kicking the sh*t out of the others.

I quickly eliminated the HT Truthlinks -- they were short on both detail and bass compared to the other cables. They were also on the low end of the priceline so I forgave them and put them back in their wrappers.

Likewise for the Analysis Plus although this was a bit harder. They seemed to have a very polite but smooth midrange but the bass was, for lack of a better word, overdamped. Not gone, just overdamped. Way overdamped.

The Cardas Neutral was just a tad less revealing in both the bass and treble than the Audio Magic but it presented a more fleshed out soundstage, if a bit leaner. It was an extremely clean-sounding cable but also seemed to lack a little life. If you like your music at a few feet distance then these will do well for you. I would be very happy owning these cables.

The Audio Magic was the surprise catch of the lot, though. First, it's pretty cheap (around the $350 mark or so), and second it had both better highs *and* better bass reproduction than any of the other cables. It also gave a real palpability to instruments, making you feel like you're sitting there in front of the player an he's saying "Here, let me lay down a riff for ya!".

Soundstaging was good but not quite as good as with the Cardas. Again to the palpability thing though -- these cables deliver in spades. I really felt like I was sitting right in front of the instruments, which is where I like to be.

So, the tradeoff is between the slightly better, if a bit flatter Cardas soundstage and the lovely, captivating, here's-your-music-buddy sound of the Audio Magic cables.

Suffice it to say that I would be very happy with any of these cables as a MAJOR step up from the DIY cables I've been using (or if they were free). In bass reproduction alone they are miles above anything I've yet used. Frankly I was unaware that my Plinius and Joseph Audio RM22si speakers could put out that much bass!

These are really great cables, especially at the price. Very highly recommended.

Strengths:
Better than comparable interconnects that cost up to 2x as much. Great dynamics and bass.

Weaknesses:
Not quite as full-sounding as the AQ Python, but I still preferred it to the others in the test group.

Similar Products Used:
All XLR: Analysis Plus Silver Oval-In, Harmonic Tech Truthlink, AudioQuest Python, Cardas Neutral

Summary:
After a long two weeks or so breaking my interconnect and speaker cables, these cables revealed nothing short of magic or Audio-Magic as the name seems to imply. The bass starts opening up on my Merlin with deep and tight-controlled low extension, moreover the midrange seems to add more liquidity to it and the high is sweet and details without the sibilance as some other siver conductors seem to exhibit. These cables has brought my gear to the next level of performance. Can't wait to try the Sorcerer next. Well done Jerry! 5 stars all the way!

Strengths:
Low extension and mid/vocal

Weaknesses:
Could not find one

Similar Products Used:
AudioQuest, Synergistic Research, Kimber, Cardas, Wireworld

Summary:
A very delightfully musical sound. Extremely analog. Almost like my CD player became a high-end Turntable. Unlike any other brand of cable I've tried heretofor or since. As impressed as I was, especially for the price, I wanted detailed imaging like a Siltech but with more dynamics. All I knew at the time was that I found the company that I was going to pursue, given their price:performance ratio.

Strengths:
Extended frequency response (both treble & bass) beyond Kimber SilverStreak

Weaknesses:
low-level grain from EMI & RFI due to lack of seperate shielding

Similar Products Used:
Audio-Magic:Spell_Caster_II,Sorcerer

Audio-Magic:Spell_Caster_II, Sorcerer
Goertz:Micro-Purl, Sapphire