Reviewer: Paul Candy
Financial interests: click here
Digital sources: CEC TL51X transport,Asus laptop, Win 10, J. River Media Center 20, JPlay 6.2, Fidelizer 6.12, Tidal, Audiomat Maestro 3 DAC
Analog sources: Well-Tempered Lab Amadeus with DPS power supply, Pro-Ject Tube Box SE phono stage, Ortofon Rondo Blue MC cartridge
Amps: Audiomat Opéra Référence integrated
Speakers: Jean-Marie Reynaud Evolution 3, REL Q108 Mk II subwoofers (x 2)
Cables: MIT Magnum M1.3, Sablon Audio Panatela Reserva, Wireworld Equinox 6, JCAT USB Reference, JCAT LAN Reference, Light Harmonic LightSpeed USB cable, Sablon Audio LAN cable
AC cords: MIT Magnum AC1, Sablon Audio Corona Reserva, Wireworld Aurora & Silver Electra
Stands: IKEA Besta, IKEA bamboo cutting boards
Powerline conditioning: Audio Sensibility Statement SE Power Distributor [on loan], Blue Circle FX2 6 X0e, Blue Circle BC86 MK5
Sundry accessories: Audioquest Jitterbug, UpTone Audio USB Regen, Acoustic Revive RR-77, Audio Magic/Quantum Physics Noise Disruptors, Caig Pro Gold, Echo Busters acoustic room treatments, Isoclean fuses, HiFi Tuning Disc Demagnetizer, Nitty Gritty record cleaning machine, Soundcare Superspikes (on speakers), dedicated AC lines with CruzeFIRST Audio Maestro outlets
Room size: 11x18x8’, long wall setup, suspended hardwood floors with large area sisal rug, walls are standard drywall over Fiberglas insulation
Review component retail: interconnect $1’099/1m pair, speaker cables $2’124. 8ft/pair, 2 HC power cord $2,499/6ft

Hot on the heels of my recent review of an exceptional set of cabling from Sablon Audio comes yet another, one that’s also worthy of consideration. This one is from Atlanta/Georgia-based cable firm Verastarr. Rather than using the usual round conductors, Verastarr cables feature solid copper or silver foils. While not exactly itching to pursue another cable review, the fact that my experience with foil cables was limited at best, curiosity got the better of me. Why would someone go through the hassle of dealing with foils when just about everyone else uses good ol’ round wire? Let’s find out.


In consultation with Verastarr founder and CEO Mike Powell, we agreed that his Grand Illusion series might be an ideal fit for my system. Shortly thereafter I received at set of Grand Illusion speaker cables and interconnects plus a pair of Grand Illusion 2 HC power cords, all of which feature solid copper foils. The Grand Illusion 2 HC or High Current is a double foil design with two foils for each polarity including ground.


They also include "passive RF/EMI filtering technology utilizing rare earth minerals in a polymer matrix, as well as treatments to the live and neutral leg to reduce magnetic flux, as well as a crystal wafer resonating disc which activates in the presence of AC power." Standard connectors are Furutech FI-15 Plus. See here and here and here for Verastarr’s back story and cable specs.