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Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Acoustic Zen Bi-Wired Shotgun Cable by jonbee Interconnects, speaker wire, power cords. Ask the Cable Guys. |
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24.19.134.241
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
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for the Bi-Wired Shotgun
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)
- RE: REVIEW: Acoustic Zen Bi-Wired Shotgun Cable - jimmyjames 04:55:09 03/6/12 ( 2)
- Those do look good.. many companies have climbed on the OCC... - jonbee 07:37:31 03/6/12 ( 1)
- RE: Those do look good.. many companies have climbed on the OCC... - jimmyjames 05:21:54 03/7/12 ( 0)