The Mainz A2 power cords scored similar notes on look and feel. Whilst minimalist if not humble, each cable was assembled to perfection. All wires dressed in shiny sleeves locked evenly into their matte silver aluminium housings to break up otherwise omnipresent black. These parts carry nicely engraved model labels. I have no idea what type conductor material Ansuz use. Reduced give and substantial memory effect imply a number of solid-core veins, perhaps even the same as found inside the Mainz8 A2.
The A2 cable range includes two Ansuz technologies: Direct Ground Connector Technology (DGC) and Double Inverted Helix Coil Technology (DIHC). The former calls an oversized central ground leg the best grounding for connected hardware, the latter tackles internal geometry based on two closely wound helical strands, one purposely inverted to reduce inductance. According to Ansuz, high inductance truncates dynamics so they banish it wherever they can. Lastly, a set of four Ansuz Darkz C2t pucks provide a mechanical anti-resonance layer for the Mainz8 A2 distributor. Each footer incorporates six titanium balls locked between three aluminium discs, thus is a hard decoupler with some lateral play but no spring action. Overall execution and assembly of the C2t was very high and their tasteful modest look didn't surprise unlike their size. These were the smallest of their kind I've ever seen but effective enough to create quite the inseparable team with the Mainz8 A2.
To assess the Ansuz loom, a fidata HFAS-S10U handled storage and transport duties, then a LampizatOr Pacific DAC passed signal to a Kinki Studio EX-M1, Trilogy 925, Bakoon AMP-13R or FirstWatt F7 fronted by a Thöress DFP. From there either Boenicke Audio W11SE+ or Rethm Maarga speakers stepped in on Boenicke Audio S3 speaker cable. Today's main sparring partners were two LessLoss C-MARC cords, one Audiomica Laboratory Ness Excellence and a GigaWatt PC-3 SE EVO+ power conditioner fronted by companion LC-3 EVO cord to the wall. Interconnects were Boenicke Audio IC3 CG and, if necessary, Amber-modded Excellence by Audiomica Laboratory.
Usually power delivery components arrive to me one at a time, at the most two. A single power cord plus distributor/conditioner is enough to have something to write about. Hence the complete Ansuz treatment seemed a bit excessive at first but proved anything but. It introduced a plethora of options I couldn't have executed otherwise. Enough cords to wire my entire setup made for short work based on several A/B between the Ansuz loom and my daily power veins connected to their conditioning heart. However, shared plugs opened the possibility to investigate each item independently. It was the road uphill but I was game.
