Digital Drive: REVIEW: Acoustic Zen MC2=Zen (Digital) Cable by davehg

Model:	MC2=Zen (Digital)
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$298.00/ $328.00
Description:	Zero Crystal Silver 110 Ohm Digital, 1.0 meter w/RCA / XLRplug
Manufacturer URL:	Acoustic Zen
Model Picture:	View

Review by davehg ( A ) on April 20, 2004 at 22:47:36
IP Address: 69.29.205.188

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for the MC2=Zen (Digital)

I evaluated AZ's MC2 after deciding to suspend my own thoughts about whether a digital cable would make any difference. The MC2 is the last cable upgrade I had left to make in my system, and I expected to hear little if any differences. I replaced my quite respectable Bolder Cable Type 1 with the MC2 and set back to evaluate.
Audiophiles usually have to suspend "logic" especially when it comes to evaluating tweaks and cables. How else can one explain why a digital cable should make any difference at all in the sound of a system? It is transmitting a digital bitstream, ones and zeroes only. But my best discoveries usually happen when I open my mind up to the fact that we may not know all their is to know about reproduction of sound and digital signals.
The first pass, I started with the Bolder and played three cuts: Martin Sexton, Bob Dylan, and a sweet little number off the recent Blue Note jazz organ compilation: "Mojo Risin" (not the rocking Doors version). I then switched to the MC2 and strained to hear a difference. Hmmm, Sexton's guitar strings seemed to slap a bit more clearly, bass seemed a bit more detailed, voices seemed a bit less veiled.
Switching back to the Bolder made the difference that much more apparent. Everything got a mite bit smaller, and the detail suffered. Smooth, rich, yes, but where was that detail? Switching back to the MC2 brought all the missing stuff back. Wow. How on earth could a digital cable make ANY difference? Was I simply sniffing my own air?
Brought the wife in, and she heard clearly the difference without any coaching. "The other one (referring to the MC2) sounds more real, the first one (Bolder) sounds good, but less clear, more...compressed."
More back and forth confirmed that the MC2 is quite revealing. No, it was not as big as other tweaks, like the Cardas power cable or replacing my older cable with AZ's 7 ga. Satori Shotgun. Rather, it was more like replacing a really good interconnect cable with a top shelf interconnect. Things just got better, but not as dramatic as they did when you first replaced your Ratshack cables.
Funny, but the AZ does seem a bit ruthless in the top end detail, like a lot of other silver cables I've tried in the past. Not bright, not chalky, just pretty clear. True, the Bolder is a bit smoother, but I don't think I like the rolling off of the detail that happens when I remove the MC2. Take John Hiatt's Anthology, a 24bit/96khz remaster of his greatest hits, for example. With the Bolder, things are musical and fun but throw in the MC2 and zowie, there is the string detail, there is his voice as pristine as hearing it through the original master (but not quite like hearing him live, which I've only heard one system do: Burmester gear driving JM Labs behemoths in Andy Singer's NY store...oh to be a dotcom millionaire with too much money and time...).
So I recommend the MC2, especially if you are through the gear upgrades and have one or two tweaks left before you are done. Cautionary note: an already hot or bright system may find the MC2 and Silver Reference IC combo too much...it worked in my tube system driving the Merlins.

Product Weakness: Ruthlessly revealing, pricey
Product Strengths: Ruthlessly revealing, great rythm and bass detail

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	VAC Avatar Special Edition
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Musical Fidelity Trivista 21 DAC
Speakers:	Merlin TSM-M/Rel Strata III
Cables/Interconnects:	Acoustic Zen Satori Shotgun/Silver Reference IC's
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock, jazz
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Cardas Golden Reference PC/ JR Filter
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Ruthlessly revealing, pricey
Product Strengths:	Ruthlessly revealing, great rythm and bass detail