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The Zendo Cable managed to heighten this already close-up intimacy whilst simultaneously wiping off remnants of artifice. Rather than highlighting the artifice of such an upfront perspective, the reverse occurred. The lady simply stood there. Raw. Yes she did sound somewhat lighter and closer yet but she was more coherent and believable too. This type of miracle I didn’t expect.
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Of course there’s a shadow side. Already lean analytical and tonally bereft systems won’t benefit from any extra ray of sunny warmth. That’s really the only caveat. Your reason for chasing this cable upgrade can’t be motivated by warmth. That would backfire. But for me this tonal balancing of the Zendo Cable wasn’t the main attraction. I was fascinated by other aspects like ultra-precise focus, transparent soundstaging and pure resolving power.
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To continue with Keren Ann, it wasn’t merely about an opaque filter I’d not recognized as present before whose removal now clarified particularly the voice with more microdynamic data. It also seemed that prior her voice had been surrounded by a feathery corona which now evaporated. This disappearance honed down focus. Such extreme lock became all the more impressive as the mastering choices here begin at a high level of focus. This action of minimizing outline flicker and nervousness around sounds translated in general as though something had literally locked in. Click. Some listeners might even find this too precise.
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This heightened plasticity and precision of individual sounds probably pooled into the vastly dimensioned soundscapes too. I imagined a direct correlation between more diffuse flatter sounds creating a densely packed but flatter not very deep virtual stage. The Zendos worked in the opposite direction. Recording permitting, depth layering could get shocking, particularly by rolling into the corners which routinely are less lit and clear. Great stuff.
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Conclusion: Zendo’s line-level cables are ultra transparent operators in an elevated but far from bleeding price class. Tonally and on taste they are most suitable for neutral to slightly warmer systems where they will really impress with high resolution and exacting sorting. Sparkling, immediate and direct are all fitting terms. That’s why the Zendo Cables will remain in my system.
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Psych profile:
- The Zendo leads are leaner but highly defined and quick in the bass and particularly clear, open and crisp (in the positive sense) in the mid and upper ranges.
- Harshness and artifice surprise by their absence. Mundorf’s cable are amazingly pure, transparent, free of gray layers and as such very highly resolved particularly from the midrange on up.
- Microdynamics are very informative...
- ...which raises localization focus. Individual sounds are in high relief, clearly outlined and ‘defuzzed’. The virtual stage is exceptionally transparent and visible which benefits the capacity to layer into the depths.
- The Zendo cables are the quick rhythmic sort, not romantic or opulent.
Facts:
- Concept: 6 x 0.2 mm² silver/gold conductors per cable, shielded
- RCA cable is semi symmetrical
- Warranty: 2 years
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redaktion @ fairaudio.de
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