Country of Origin
Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (4GHz quad-core with Turbo boost, 32GB RAM, 3TB FusionDrive, OSX Yosemite. iTunes 14.4), PureMusic 3.02, Audirvana 3, Qobuz Hifi, Tidal Hifi, COS Engineering D1, Denafrips Terminator, Soundaware D300Ref, AURALiC Vega, Jay's Audio CDT 2 MkII & DAC-2 SE
Preamplifier: Vinnie Rossi L2 Signature with WE 300B/VT52 or Elrog ER300B/50; Nagra Classic, Wyred4Sound STP-SE Stage II, Vinnie Rossi LIO (AVT module); April Music Stello HP100 MkII
Power & integrated amplifiers: Pass Labs XA30.8; LinnenberG Audio Liszt monos; FirstWatt SIT1 monos, SIT-3, F5, F6, F7; Goldmund/Job 225; Aura Note Premier; Wyred4Sound mINT; Nord Acoustics NC500 monos; April Music Stello S100 MkII; Crayon Audio CFA-1.2; SAG AIO; Bakoon AMP-13R
Loudspeakers: Audio Physic Codex; Acelec Model One; Cube Audio Nenuphar; Kroma Audio Mimí; Albedo Audio Aptica; EnigmAcoustics Mythology 1; Boenicke Audio W5se; Zu Audio Druid V & VI & Submission; German Physiks HRS-120; Eversound Essence; Fram Midi 150 & 120
Cables: Complete loom of Allnic Audio ZL3000/5000 and Zu Event; KingRex uArt, Zu and LightHarmonic LightSpeed double-header USB cables; Tombo Trøn S/PDIF; van den Hul AES/EBU; AudioQuest Diamond glass-fibre Toslink; Black Cat Cable redlevel Lupo; Ocellia OCC Silver
Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra on all source components, Vibex One 11R on amps/sub, Puritan Audio Labs PSM156 & PS106-DC
Equipment rack: Artesania Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc Krion and glass amp stands
Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators
Room: 4 x 6m with high gabled beam ceiling opening into 4 x 8m kitchen and 5 x 8m living room, hence no wall behind the listening chairs
Review component retail: $1'934/ea. [3 meters + $188]
Break-in. Real or imaginary? In audio circles, that discussion quickly breaks down into, does the gear change or just our subjective response to it? Do we break in or our hardware? Best break up that argument before any fisticuffs ensue.
It wasn't so just 10 years ago. But today, cryogenics for audio are an accepted process. Wave irradiation isn't yet. I first heard of that from Jerry Ramsey of Audio Magic. He found out about it from a military subcontractor working with the NSA. Either way, such processes purport to permanently alter the molecular makeup of the materials on which they've been run. Adventurous aural pilgrims have A/B'd cryoed and stocky tubes to claim obvious sonic improvements. Manufacturers particularly of cables say the same for their wires and connectors.
Alan Cafton's Cable Cooker™ and related machines shift the notion of permanently induced change to break-in. They run higher current than our cables would usually see in their final application. Atop that current they transmit specialized non-music signal. Ayre's original Irrational But Efficacious burn-in CD chased the same phenomenon for a complete system treatment. Whilst unable to explain it, Ayre's level-headed seriously Voodoo-allergic Charles Hansen couldn't deny that it worked. So he made it available to others.
Lowthers were infamous for still improving years after first playing them. Zu Audio eventually determined that most owners never played their versions loud enough to run sufficient current for proper break-in. They built a burn-in bay at the factory. Its location in an industrial park allows them to run very high SPL throughout the night. In short, some hifi makers and their users are clearly sensitive to break-in changes. They appreciate and would likely exploit any reasonable means to accelerate the progress. Which segues into today's subject, the LessLoss C-MARC cables. They've been exposed to their new Entropic Process which claims to be worth "200 years of usage".
Intrigued? I was. So I broke down and penciled this assignment of an entropic power loom into my review schedule.