Unknown_Device

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $550.00 from Dealer closeout, Mos

Summary:
It is a VERY system dependent cable! Audition it with your equipment at home first!! Every cable is very system-dependent, but this cable is more so than many others. That's the reason for only 4 stars. For example Kimber 8TC may be somewhat less spectacular overall, but it is much more universal, it's hard to find a system where 8TC would sound bad, and it is easy with Red Dawn. When I first connected it I thought - it is not burned in yet, it sounds more or less OK, let’s just wait. But even after two weeks with 8TC system sounded much richer and more involving. And after some time I realized that it should never be mated with Red Dawn interconnects – together they sounded totally uninvolving, boring and hard. First I thought - what a pathetic performance for a $900 retail cable (it sounded this way both with tube and solid state). But when I substituted the interconnects with AudioQuest Lapis, the emotional impact of the music went up dramatically. However, the timbral balance was still somewhat wrong, something was missing. And finally when I switched the AC power cable on the DAC from the custom-made Kimber (shielded 8TC) to a custom-made silver cable (6x1.3mm solid core 99.999 pure silver wire, fully shielded), I struck the ideal synergy and the sound of Red Dawn got totally transformed, it became very pleasant - detailed, timbrally correct, harmonically beautiful, unobtrusive and light on the ears - all that on very different types of music from jazz and classical to club and acid, and that's a good achievement for any cable. Even old regular cd's started to sound like audiophile reissues. I am happy with it now, but it took A LOT of fiddling to get there! Too much trouble to go through, IMHO. But I like it very much now :-)

Strengths:
When the correct balance is found by substituting a lot of different interconnects and power cords, Red Dawn sounds very pleasant - detailed, timbrally correct, harmonically beautiful, unobtrusive and light on the ears - all that on very different types of music from club and acid to jazz and classical. Even old regular cd's to sound like audiophile reissues.

Weaknesses:
Very fussy and system dependent. When in a wrong system, can sound emotionally cold, uninvolving, and robbing the music of its inner beauty. But that can be somewhat cured by trying some 5 to 10 different interconnects and different power cables, as well as various resonance devices under equipment - such as feet, cones, platforms and even springs. The cable has a tremendous potential, however. Audition it before buy - IN YOUR SYSTEM, and AT HOME!

Similar Products Used:
AudioQuest Midnight, AudioQuest Indigo2, Kimber 8TC, 4TC, Audio Note AN-L, VanDenHull D352 Hybrid, Canare, VampireWire

Price Paid:  $550.00 from Hifi oslo

Summary:
This is the cusp of high end. The clarity of the highs and balance was tingling. The bass authority was, wow can my system do that. They have the look and feel of high quality. To spend this king of money on cables 2 years ago, would never have happened, now I'm contemplating better cables because now I hear the difference of good stuff. I use Arcam Diva throughout with Kef 104.2's with Wireworld eclipse111 ( best neutral cable I ever heard, totally nuetral). I cannot recomend these cables enough. They are worth every cent.

Strengths:
Really digs all the power and energy out of your cd player signal.

Weaknesses:
For the money, none.

Similar Products Used:
Kimber pbj, monster 550i, Nordost black knight, Ecosse ma2 Maestro

Price Paid:  $0.00 from Innovative Audio

Summary:
Recently I listened to these cables at Innovative Audio in New York and I was almost floored by how great they sounded. The components in the system were: Arcam FMJ DV-27 Arcam FMJ A-22 integrated amp Sonus Faber Grand Piano speakers First of all, voices were reproduced to degree of naturalness that was almost jaw-dropping. I have never heard vocals so rich, immediate and warm in an audio system, as I found for instance with a Sara K. CD. (My previous system contained the Sonic Frontiers Anthem Amp-1 and Pre-1 and a Rega Planet). Second, I have never been so at ease while listening to a CD. The background was so quiet that the music seemed to suspend in space. It was smooth and refined and relaxed. Instruments occupied their own places in space, even in some complex, early-80s rock by Rush. On the flip side, I also found the cables extremely revealing, to the point that studio rock became less fun by virtue of its often-compromised recording biases. The inevitable compressed, boosted sound and effect-oriented placement of instruments (such as having a drum move across the soundstage from the right to the left channel) sounded a little tacky. On the other hand, I have to hand it to this system and these cables... rock was crystal clear and never became congested, even at high volumes. In short, great wire for this system. I''m giving it 4 stars for value only because I''ve not demo''d (and certainly never in a serious way), systems at a significantly higher price point, so I can''t say whether these are "giant killers."

Strengths:
Natural, black background, interesting design.

Weaknesses:
Too honest for some recordings and types of music.

Similar Products Used:
Synergistic Research Mark II-S (once owned them) Synergistic Research Alpha Quads Tara Labs (several models)

Summary:
I got these cables thinking that they would be too bright for me but was looking for a silver speaker cable to try and the used price was right compared to the retail asking price. I was looking for a silver cable to run to the top posts of my Silverline Sonatina speakers which in their own right are ultra revealing. I really was thinking that these babies would be way too bright from all that I heard. However, I gave it a go and have been happy ever since even though I have since tried many other cables there too!
I was running Stealth Premier copper to the bottom posts of my speakers and Kimber 4 TC double runs to the top. This is essentially the 8TC but many find the double 4TC to be quicker? Who knows. Anyway first thing I notice as soon as the Nordost RD go in is how QUIET everything got! I never thought the KImber or Stealth ( which I tried up top also) or for that matter MIT MH-750 bi wires were noisy? However, once plugging in the RD I found that the other cables were in deed creating background noise I never knew existed? Go figure?
In goes the first CD. WOW!!!!!!!!!! Right from the first song I fell in love w/ these things. Speed! Clarity! Dynamics! Impact! Naturalness of vocals!!! Everything went up a notch. As they played longer and longer I also noticed a bigger air surrounding the notes and a certain delicacy in their individual presentation not there before. WOW!
Since that first day I have tried other silver cables in this spot. The Audiodyne Benchmark and a very expensive $2,000 for 4 meter pure silver ribbon cable also. Each time I notice things missing that the Nordost were doing better. I now run the Silver ribbon cables to the bass posts as they are fantastic at delivering clarity and speed to the lower notes and the depth is mind boggling from a 15 watt triode amp! However, I don't think I will be trying anything new up top unless I can one day luck into a pair of Nordost SPM on the cheap in the used market. I do understand that synergy is EVERYTHING! What these things bring to my system may not be what another system is looking for. However, don't dismiss these cables out of hand by what you sometimes hear about them being to bright! I feel my system is VERY revealing w/ an AES SUperamp running all NOS tubes. A Melos MAestro Pre amp w/ NOS tubes. A theta DB II transport and EVS Millinnium 2 DAC. I run TOp noth interconnects and most everything right down to my HArmonic Tech Magic One Digital cable is Silver or as revealing.

Strengths:
Incredible clarity and speed. Very dynamic and truth of timbre

Weaknesses:
fragile and gawky looking. Wife hates them out in the open

Similar Products Used:
Pure silver Audiodyne, Pure silver ribbons, Kimber, AQ, MIt 750, Purist Audio Design, and others

Price Paid:  $525.00 from cableland.com

Summary:
I’ll ditto what everyone else said. These speaker cables are very detailed and transparent. They changed my system for the better. (They better had for that kind of money). Anyways I wished the Red Dawn interconnects were this good but unfortunately they're not. I highly recommend these though, one of the best speaker cables you can buy.

Strengths:
Detailed, very transparent.

Weaknesses:
A little on the expensive side.