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Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Clear Day Audio 2 x Double Shotgun speaker cable Cable by spindrifter

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REVIEW: Clear Day Audio 2 x Double Shotgun speaker cable Cable

119.12.20.209


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Model: 2 x Double Shotgun speaker cable
Category: Cable
Suggested Retail Price: $800
Description: Bi-wire solid core silver speaker cable
Manufacturer URL: Not Available

Review by spindrifter on December 23, 2009 at 03:25:43
IP Address: 119.12.20.209
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for the 2 x Double Shotgun speaker cable


Unqualified Disclaimer - I am in no way employed, or paid by, or connected to Clear Day Cables. I am neither a distributor nor reseller, nor do I advertise or promote for that company. This is an authentic, independent review.

I had intended to post this review some time ago, but alas, 2009 turned into a year of unwelcome surprizes [in no particular order: involuntary unemployment, ill health (self, family, friends), drought, massive bush fires, environmental degradation, neighbourhood violence, etc]. Fortunately we're still here and so is my music collection and audio system!

It has been over 12 months since an 8 foot pair of Clear Day Double Shotgun speaker cables were purchased from Clear Day Cables in Arizona. The transaction was handled with aplomb and a USPS Priority parcel arrived a week later. 

To begin with, these cables are composed of basically four materials - high purity solid core silver, techflex woven nylon sheath, heatshrink and connectors (in my case, low-mass, silver-coated beryllium copper banana plugs attached with van den Hul silver solder) all arranged in a twisted pair topology. They are not as physically robust as some other speaker cables (antithesis of Viagra-bloated garden hose), so some care must be taken in placement and connection.

Those who understand cable dialectric properties will note the following descending order of merit: total vacuum, air, foamed teflon, teflon, foamed polypropylene etc etc. These Clear Day cables feature an air dialectric (in the main).

Another aspect of these cables that should be noted is their running-in period (what I call "forming"). It is certainly protracted; I would estimate a minimum of around 200 hours to yield sonic behaviour approaching the finished item. So all those excruciatingly impatient and/or sceptical audiophools out there, Clear Day cables may not be for you. (Another peculiarity mentioned by Paul @ Clear Day is that if one does not use the sound system for an extended period - say, weeks or months, as I did when the bush fires were raging - these cables partially regress to raw-state sonics, and more forming is required, though nowhere near as long as original burn-in. I concur with Paul.)

Over 30 years in audio I've auditioned, owned and sold many speaker cables. These included various grades of Nordost, MIT, Cardas, van den Hul, Straightwire, Wireworld, Audioquest, Tara, Kimber, PNF Audio, Supra, QED, Chord, XLO, Cat6, Anti-Cable, custom foil etc etc. I am well-versed in all manner of audio gear - analogue, digital, tube, solid state, hybrid, planar, dynamic, electrostatic etc etc. I am a qualified musician and part-time producer while also remaining a fierce critic of the recording industry. Paradoxically I am finding a lot of what passes these days for "high end audio" and attendant media coverage verging on the absurd. Much of it reeks of bovine excrement.

Enough of the preamble. I can state that these Clear Day cables are the most musical, articulate, revealing, natural, neutral, linear, balanced, accurate speaker cables it's been my privilege to own and experience. In fact they seem to disappear and let one become completely, utterly and blissfully wrapped up in the music. The performers emerge out there, smack dab in the listening room. What more could one ask?

More than once I've sat there grinning like a Cheshire cat, just taking in all the aural delights. Simply put, Clear Day Double Shotgun is in another league. The most literal speaker cable I've ever auditioned, but it does not produce falsely-embellished etched "hifi", unlike many other cables, just beguiling natural sound. Warning - Clear Day will spotlight any shortcomings in system components and mismatched chemistry between them. But once fully formed and in a properly-sorted system, Clear Day sonic rewards can be breath-taking!


Product Weakness: Protracted forming (running-in) period. Not terribly robust.
Product Strengths: Neutrality, transparency, nuanced inner detail, unconstrained extension at both frequency extremes, airy highs, deep-controlled-fast-vise-like-grip bass, immaculate imaging, soundstaging and instrument bloom, immense PRaT and an overall coherence that engages the listener. These are not for those who seek a tone control or passive filter to colour sound - they are completely accurate and literal in what they reproduce. Impressive value. And Paul who has a fine ear and is a true gentleman.


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Modified Atoll HEX FET power amp
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Modified Canary Audio tube pre-amp
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Roksan Radius 5, Lyra Argo, modified JLTI phono stage, Terra Firma modded Oppo DVH-980 disk player, modified VALAB NOS DAC
Speakers: Merlin TSM MMe, modified Epos M12i
Cables/Interconnects: PNF Audio Icon interconnects, Custom tonearm connector cable, Clear Day Double Shotgun speaker cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections): jazz, world music, soul, hiphop, broken beat, drum n bass, reggae, dub, electronica, folk, blues, classical
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Zu Audio Birth power cables, custom unfiltered power strip
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Clear Day Audio 2 x Double Shotgun speaker cable Cable - spindrifter 03:25:42 12/23/09 ( 14)