ETS

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $120.00 from used

Summary:
I have always loved the looks of this cable and recently I was given the chance to buy a 3 meter pair used, from a friend who upgraded his system at a fraction of the original price. The results on my system were so immediate and impressive that I contacted another friend of mine to test the cable on his system too. To cut to the chase this cable is by far the best I have ever heard. While I moved from a cheap multi stranded OFC cable to the Audioquest, my other friend uses a well known designer's cable. The improvement was just as serious and as his comment was that he could never believe that a change in speaker cable would be so apparent given the higher price of both products. You may wonder what was the effect, so here are the findings after a whole month of serious listening in both systems... 1. Bass is deeper and far more controlled using the Midnight + 2. The frequency responce seems to find an equilibrium in both systems, the effect being greater in the brighter of the two systems. 3. Any harshness in vocals or strings dissapears without any audible compromise in detail. 4. The audioquest makes music sound more natural, warmer and most importantly more enjoyable. All in all a fantastic product well worth looking for.

Strengths:
Sound, sound, sound.

Weaknesses:
Discontinued model.

Similar Products Used:
Multistranded OFC bulk cable.

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Audiogon

Summary:
After first year of using Midnight, I was in urge for an upgrade of speaker cables (what more money can buy). Two years later after using many more expensive AudioQuest and Transparent speaker cables I end up buying Midnight + again. I need a biwire configuration so for the money Midnight gave an excellent performance/ price ratio plus some sonic feautures which makes it ideal for music if you like bass and vocals. Sound is excellent with slight edginess in treble which makes vocals extremely enjoyable. Celine Dion, Sara Brightman, Madonna sounds like none of more expensive cables can deliver. Some may call it laid back sound but for solid state system it was as adding a tube in the sonic path. Midnight+ was a definite improvement over Midnight 3 and day and night difference over Midnight 2.

Strengths:
Extremely versatile cable and a definite audition for solid state system. At current used prices perfect solution for biwire application.

Weaknesses:
Flexibility

Similar Products Used:
AQ 4, Indigo, Crystal, Forest, Clear Transparent Music Wave, Wave Plus, Wave super.

Summary:
This test was performed in a private Hi-Fi club consisting of audiophiles and R+D engineers/masters, and the purpose was to test audioble difference in different speaker cables. Bulk speaker cable (2 x 0,75mm2) was used a "standard" reference.
The equipment used was a modified Sony 202ES CD-player (Equipped with a new analog amplifier), Copland 301 mk. 2 preamplifier, HIRAGA Class A power amplifier. Different speakers used.

Audioquest Midnight+ is a "warm" sounding cable that suits most speakers as many systems are too brightly sounding (sounds more "mecanical" than "natural"). This combined with excellent dynamics and a consistant reproduction all over the audio range without any range really "sticking" out. However, you note that the bass response is very deep, powerfull and well controlled. Combined with a very "dry" and precise highrange performance results in the cable sounding "warm"!

Other very positive aspects are excellent dynamics and good detail (without being "mecanical" in reproduction).

Other reviews on this site compares Audioquest Midnight with Audioquest Clear; This is not really the case in real life; The performance of Midnight+ is limited by a small resonance is upper bass/lower midrange that in direct comparison with Audioquest Clear 3 results in a slightly "boomy" sound in that range. Furthermore, in direct comparison with Audioquest Clear 3 and e.g. Audioquest Cobalt/Green (The older ones with 36 small solid cores), the Midnight+ is not as "open" in midrange and highrange.

However, highrange is very good on Midnight+; Cymballs really have that brushing sound as I.R.L. (In real life).

In our test the Midnight+ was the overall winner (when taking into account price<>performance ratio) as a singlewire cable as the price is still more affordable compared to e.g. Audioquest Clear! In general Audioquest Midnight+ can be highly recommended as it suits most systems taking away that "bright" (unnatural) sound most Hi-Fi systems performs compared to I.R.L.!

Midnight+ is also excellent for subwoofers, and can be combined with much more expensive cables in bi-wire configurations with excellent results! (In the later case try to use the Midnight+ in lowrange!)

Strengths:
Warm in tonal characteristics (Suits most speakers), very good and even consistent reproduction of fullrange (No range sticks out), excellent dynamics, very good detailed sound (without being analytic or "cold").

Weaknesses:
A small resonance in upper bass/lower midrange that adds a little extra "reverb", but this is just a minor problem.
Mecanically ridig cable that is somewhat difficult to attach.

Similar Products Used:
Tested together with: Bulk speaker cable, Huber+Suhner cable, Oehlbach cable, Kimber 4VS, Hitachi SX, Eagle Skyline, Cable Talk 3.1 Biwire, Audioquest Clear 3, Audioquest Cobalt.

Summary:
Excellent cable that to my ears was very similar to the much more expensive clear. It is a good sounding product at a moderate price that works well in my system. I would recommend listening in your system to see what you think as cables are often system dependent. Cable used in following system:

Adcom GCD750
AT Opal
Adcom GFP750
AT Opal
Classe CA100
AQ Midnight
Vandersteen 1C
AQ Power Cables
Monster Power HTS2000

Strengths:
Excellent bass, dynamics, and pace.

Weaknesses:
None in context of my system.

Similar Products Used:
Tara Labs RSC Prime 1000, Kimber 8TC, Straight Wire Rhapsody

Summary:
The AudioQuest midnight + is the of the best speaker cable in the world.My personal taste of Sarah Brightman vocals let me identify one of the sweetest vocal and wave strenghs of chorus and instrumentals of Nessum Dorma can be achieved.
I have migrated from AQ Indigo. At the beginning, I thought the midnight + was a disappointment but after runing into the 100th hour. the sweet warm sound flows out of the thick, and I say really thick pipe cable. you got to listen to the well-used midnight+ to really appreciate.
I have heard the midnight, 1 and 2 and 3 and the + is the absolute.
I tie up with a NSM 20M and its the best combination in any baffle speaker.

I also biwire as you need to biwire midnight for the best performance.