Full bass, strong in mid/low clarity, good for rock/pop bassline material.

Not-so-wide at HF band, overall image focusing is a bit confuse, sounds dull when play high informative music.

Good upgrade for system with weak bass and forward bright sound, ideals for AV home theatre system setup require strong bass. But listeners like sweet sound and good imaging clarity will prefer others.

Similar Products Used:

Audioquest Quartz,Topaz,Opal, Kimber PBJ, Straight Wire's Chorus and Taralab 55.

More upper midrange accuracy (compared to Prism 22)

None found.

I've been using this cable for about 3 months now. It links a Rotel RCD951 cd player to an NAD 314 integrated amp. I'm
using Tara Labs Prism Omni speaker cable going to B&W speakers.
I noticed a slight improvement of upper mid clarity and more bass weight over the Prism 22 and similar priced competitors. It wasn't a night and day difference but it was worth the extra $40.

Greg

clear bass

I never realized how ignorant I have been to the world of cables--I love the 33i's--they add body and weight to the sound and definitely need time to break in ! I tried the prism 55i's and it seemed to still give good bass response but the mids are more neutral and the highs sound thin and unclear in my opinion.I have them connecting my preamp to amp and cd player to preamp and love them.I cannot compare them to similar kimbers,audio quest or the like and i'm sure these are not for everyone.However,I recommend them and some say adcom stereo equipment is bass heavy but the 33i's really cleaned up the bass in my equipment and are perfect for my paradigm speakers.Instrumental jazz with various horns never sounded better !

Similar Products Used:

cheapos

I have started putting together a dedicated stereo system with speakers of my own design using high quality drivers and some used electronics. I borrowed both the Straightwire's and Tara's for temporary connections from my home theatre system. I never compared them before and they were run in parallel within the system with different components. The Tara's are not as open nor clear as the Straightwires in the midrange and treble withe a slightly more constricted soundstaging. Bass is OK, maybe not as tight. The Tara's are still good in my opinion and work fine for home theatre, but there is a $25 difference in the sound that I paid for between them, with the Encores winning and worth the extra bucks in the end for use with music.

Similar Products Used:

Straightwire Encore 1

Spatial Transparency, Dynamics, smooth

In the wrong systems, may add mushiness & loss of detail

This is an overall excellent cable, specially if you feel you're missing body and UMPH! in your system. I love the fact that it will not negatively affect the soundstaging and dynamics when listened through high resolution systems, and at this price range I think that's a big big plus. I even gave a set as a gift to my best friend to hookup his DVD player into his JVC HT. I've had it for over four years now.

The cable is as far as I can tell 95%+ as transpararent as a cable can be, but it is not neutral. It adds body to the sound and in the right systems (usually those with precisely neutral ['thin'] sounding componenents) or with some small speakers it will beef up the sound beautifuly of everything you throw at them. Bass will be definetely more present. The Mids, specifically the female voices become so more articulate and rich, violins become sweeter and the top end is all there except smoother.
Excellent to make most pop CD's lisenable. Well matched and in a good system it will not degrade higher grade recordings such as from Chesky Records or Hamonia Mundi etc.
Best used as a music source component interconnect than pre to amp but I guess it would work there just as well (I just haven't tried it.) This cable's tonal balance sound is the anti-thesis of Kimber Silver Streak (which I also have and use.) I think both of these cables are great cables and each will work best on oppossite types of systems. I've found Cable Matching one of the most FUN and rewarding aspects of this 'hobby', specially when you get it right! Halleluyah!!

This cable is not for everybody, but a very welcome blessing for those systems that may make good use of its attributes. And it's a one of a kind in its own class. Therefore second to none. I have to give it five stars for performance and well earned five stars for value. I usually list my equipment, but this is so system dependant that I feel it's irrelevant. If you know your system you will know if this cable is for you. HAPPy Listenings! & Must of ALL, HAVE FUN!

Similar Products Used:

XLO 4, Mit-2's