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Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Acoustic Zen Bi-Wired Shotgun Cable by jonbee

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REVIEW: Acoustic Zen Bi-Wired Shotgun Cable

24.19.134.241


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Model: Bi-Wired Shotgun
Category: Cable
Suggested Retail Price: $1188.00
Description: 7 AWG Total, 6N Zero Crystal Copper, 8.0 Ft. Satori Bi-Wire Shotgun
Manufacturer URL: Acoustic Zen
Model Picture: View

Review by jonbee on March 02, 2012 at 17:03:11
IP Address: 24.19.134.241
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Many others here have written about these, so I feel I'm late to the party, but these are wonderful enough that they demand comment.
When I got my current speakers, Selah Audio Tempestas (quite hi-rez: RAAL ribbon tweeter, Accuton mid, and SS Illuminator woofers) I was using Clear Day double shotguns, which I had been using after much trial and error, with my VMPS RM30s, where they tamed some of the peakiness on the upper mids. On the Tempestas, however, the sound was too tame and subdued. Afer some study I tried Anti-cables (pretty good, but a bit too zippy on top and lacking some resolution), and the Zu Libtec, a copper/silver hybrid. The Zu opened up the soundstage a lot, and seemed like a good choice, but after a time I felt the top end was still a bit too "zippy", and since that was not the case with the Clear Days I felt it was not the speakers' problem. I decided to look at cables further.
I've come to appreciate the smooth and detailed sound of Ohno Continuous Cast (OCC) copper wire (I-rewired my Tempestas with it, to great effect), so I looked at Harmonic Tech and Acoustic Zen, both of whom use six-nines pure OCC copper (the companies share co-founders) in their most popular models. I decided to try Acoustic Zen Satori Shotguns (7 ga., $1188/8ft. pr. retail), and I'm really glad I did.
The top end zippiness is totally gone, the treble balance notably more harmonically natural, the soundstage depth is greater, and the bass is faster, more powerful and punchy. The "power" range really comes to life with these cables, without adding obfuscation or bloat!
The overall presentation sounds smoother, more cohesive and more organic, while giving up no detail at all. Massed horns, a tough test, are amazing- no homogenous screeching at any volume, just each horn in its own acoustic. I've not heard better.
The only negative I can relate is that these are massively thick and stiff cables (the shotgun version in particular is huge), so routing and WAF is more problematical than the others mentioned.
Acoustic Zen has sold a lot of these cables over many years, for good reason I think, so there is a steady supply of used Satoris, Satori Shotgun, and Hologram cables at very attractive prices for the quality on offer (1/3 to 1/2 retail price). Harmonic Tech also uses OCC copper, and they might well be a good option as well.
If your system is heavy on the lower ranges, or too laid back on top, I don't think these are the best choice. The Zus or others that have a brighter signature might be a better match, but in a well balanced, bright or dry sounding system, these are a great option to consider at today's used prices.
I won't give the litany of the medium priced cables from many makers I've owned over the years, but these show clean heels to the rest of the pack that I've used.
I'm sure there is something else out there better, and as always YMMV, but I'm very pleased with what I'm hearing- particularly at the price, in the context of an otherwise fine high rez system.



Product Weakness: Not a tone control. Very large and stiff.
Product Strengths: Smooth, powerful and tight bass, great body in the power range, ultra smooth and natural highs, totally coherent. A dynamic yet refined performance across the board.


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: cullen modded PS audio GCC-500 (Icepower)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Modded OPPO BDP83->Eastern Electric DAC plus
Speakers: Selah audio Tempesta/ James EMB1000 sub
Cables/Interconnects: Zu- Mission IC,Mother PCs
Music Used (Genre/Selections): lots
Room Size (LxWxH): 17 x 20 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: two walls of glass- eats bass
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 week
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS audio Power Plant Premier
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Acoustic Zen Bi-Wired Shotgun Cable - jonbee 17:03:11 03/2/12 ( 3)