Reference XLR

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 
Preamplifier: Nagra Classic, Wyred4Sound STP-SE Stage II, Vinnie Rossi LIO (AVT module)
Power & integrated amplifiers: Pass Labs XA30.8; FirstWatt SIT1 monos, F5, F6, F7; Goldmund/Job 225; Aura Note Premier; Wyred4Sound mINT; Nord Acoustics NC500 monos; LinnenberG Audio Liszt monos
Loudspeakers: Audio Physic Codex; 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
Cables: Complete loom of Allnic Audio ZL3000 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
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: $1'520/1m/pr as reviewed, add $275/¼m; $850/1m/pr in RCA version, add $160/¼m

Bali. Vacation backyard for Aussie revelers. Quintessential garden island with terraced rice paddies in impossibly verdant greens. Entire artisan villages dedicated to particular crafts like stone masonry or wood carving. Having once spent three sunny months there and on neighboring Lombok, I'd fallen hard for the charms of the place and its gentle people; once we'd left Denpasar with its touristy party scene and hordes of buzzing mopeds for the calm north shore and tiny Menjangan island that is.

Balinese temple in Ubud.

Few audiophiles would expect fine hifi manufacturing from here. But SB Acoustics, one of the world's largest producers of loudspeaker drive units, are of course headquartered in Indonesia which Bali is part of. And Bali is precisely where Hendry Ramli's Vermöuth Audio boutique operates. As these pictures of his newest Reference cables show—that range currently includes RCA/XLR interconnects and power cords, speaker cables still to come—fit'n'finish are on par with the finest money can buy.

I personally don't go for cable bling when these items tuck out of sight behind our equipment racks; when speaker cables snake across the floor behind our boxes to stay invisible from the listening chair as well. Just so, the best connectors and plugs from Furutech, Oyaide and WBT do reflect upscale build and finish commensurate with cost. As one's cable investment rises, it's only normal to expect eye candy luxury to sweeten up, too. With Vermöuth Reference, buyers secure cosmetic opulence without a doubt.