General Asylum: REVIEW: Acoustic Zen Satori Cable by audmanic@yahoo.co.uk

Model:	Satori
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$598.00
Description:	10 AWG, 6N Zero Crystal Copper, 8.0 Ft Speaker Cable
Manufacturer URL:	Acoustic Zen
Model Picture:	View

Review by audmanic@yahoo.co.uk on July 16, 2007 at 07:25:25
IP Address: 85.75.156.222 Add Your Review
for the Satori

First of all, sorry if any syntax or grammar error, Im not from UK or English speaking country of Europe.

I tried a lot of interconnects and a lot of speakers cable before finding my current reference cable. A (short?!) note about interconnects: If you are searching for the absolute purity in whole frequency spectrum, world-class refinement and delicacy without a hint of edge or sharpness on f.e. high violin notes then you have not heared the magic interconnect yet. Yes, there is one and only one 'magic' about $1000. The Acoustic Zen Silver Reference Mk2 that mates completely with the Satori. Also, if you are the owner of tube equipment with bold images and lush,heighty & weighty sound that will be the combination of heaven. Its unbelievable how good this interconnect is both in hi-end SS or tube amps mating. After this, I suggest the Cardas Golden Reference that is also my personal favourite and use it currently or Nirvana cables. It does not come second but its character is more bold, rich and gives a 'height' in voices, more orchestras ambience air, beefier and well edged guitar texture without any fatigue and good detail, too. Mayby a better match for rockers who listen also frequently jazz. The Silvers are more refined, more smooth, more polite & lighthanded plus slightly bright compared to many others but without any edge or grain at all on top (and believe me you have not heared them to know how they vanish any edge or grain that you may think it was your equipments or speakers hardness or noise). They are producing the best violin sounds but some may miss a bit of the wood-lush-airy mid-highs aura of many well recorded violin CDs. Enough about S.Ref.

Satori is the best cable of all I tried . First of all (if you have also the Satori jumpers or Satori Shotgun bi-wire) they dissapeared a level of grain,noise or edge (or hardness you name it) preveously existed. The whole presentation was by far closer to reality with all the elements that contributes to this getting a step forward to perfection. High frequencies went smoother, without loosing detail. Massed violins can be easyly counted without going smoother but opaque or under a fog of warm sweetness. They for the first time sounded so correct. Voices and generally mid-hi freqs. where natural, neutral and bolder giving a height previously missing. The height of the singer singing in my room was so believable because he had more body and Satori also gave a more open midrange . Its something I never found on any other cable. Remember as aslways to let cables burn in 150 hours. Guitars were also spooky: They have size, texture and extremly correct overtones. My speaker's tweeter came closer to the tweeter's black background and purity of Sonus Faber Cremona Floorstanding (or dare to say Stradivaris) if you ever auditioned one. As for the bass, its taunt, slightly oversized , with tons of air,punch and definition but also retaining organic character. In total, they are the only speaker cables that I own and surpass any other cable costing more and more. They do all things right and especially give a rich but correct imaging, generous soundstage and world class performance in tonality, high freq. purity and correctly attack and decay on bass and mid-range. Audition them immediatly without loosing time. Also, If you want to spend more more more and finally reach the 3K price tag, check out Nirvana's S-X speaker cables or even S-L or Cardas Golden Presence. They are all fantastic cables.

Product Weakness:	Need the Satori Jumpers to bi-wire and get the whole new level of refinement or get a double run or the Satori Shotgun. You may found more detailed and trasparent than Satoris but nothing comes close to the realism and fatigue free performance of satoris. A true must for classical and jazz lovers and a true must for those who like to rock frequently and have the performers in the room.
Product Strengths:	Ends the game of searching the right cable without playing with your wallet. World class high-frequency purity, rich and bold presentation , nicely and more correctly defined bass than many cables costing double the price. A perfect mate for both Solid State amps and tube amps. My second to none reference.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Many
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Passive
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Many
Speakers: Many
Cables/Interconnects: Cardas, Acoustic Zen
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock,Jazz,Classical & Opera
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Shunyata Hydras
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Many
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Passive
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Many
Speakers:	Many
Cables/Interconnects:	Cardas, Acoustic Zen
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock,Jazz,Classical & Opera
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Shunyata Hydras
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner