Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Coincident Speaker Technology TRS Total Reference Series Cable by Audio purist

Model:	TRS Total Reference Series
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$1095.00 up to 8 feet
Description:	speaker cable
Manufacturer URL:	Coincident Speaker Technology
Manufacturer URL:	Coincident Speaker Technology

Review by audio purist on June 26, 2002 at 14:45:34
IP Address: 151.203.252.189

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for the TRS Total Reference Series

Hello folks, I have owned these cables for 3 months now and I think itâ€™s time I posted my comments and listening impressions on them. This review is for the new version TRS. I bought these direct from Coincident because there was no dealer in my area. Let me say it was a pleasure dealing with Mr. Blume himself (the founder of Coincident Speaker Technology). The cables actually arrived faster than was originally promised and I wasnâ€™t even charged for any shipping costs.
The construction is first rate, very well done. They are very stiff though and very difficult to bend (which I personally donâ€™t mind). I think that is probably due to the fact that there are four separated independent self-contained cables within each speaker cable, which Iâ€™ve read, is partly the reason why the cables have a very low inductance, which helps extend the high-end frequency. They are also shielded.
At first listen, the highs had a little bite to them and the lowest bass was kind of weak compared to my long time reference and now second favorite Ultralink Ambiance speaker cables (terrific cables for the money, very smooth). Also at first, the soundstage wasnâ€™t that great, basically for the lack of a better word (and I am not too good with all the audiophile terms, forgive me) everything sounded â€œflatâ€. But I didnâ€™t despair, I knew they needed burning in and I was patient. At this point my Ultralinks were sounding a little better than the TRSâ€™s. After about a week of off and on playing I started to hear improvements in terms of the imaging and soundstage but there was still some brightness up top and the very low bass was still weak. After about the fourth week everything started to come together. At this point these cables started to blow away the Ultralinks. Mind you the TRS (mine are 8 ft.) is way more than twice the price of what I paid for the Ambiance cable. The soundstage grew in width and depth and on live recordings especially, it was simply mesmerizing. I could now tell how far back or front the lead vocalist was, along with the location of some instruments. Sort of like a 3D effect. Focus, imaging all improved. The highs remained very extended, detailed and extremely airy (which I like very much). For the most part that brightness that was there in the beginning was still there but definitely not as much as before. The lower frequencies continued to be just a little weak.
Up to this day there are definite improvements still in the same areas â€œespeciallyâ€ in the bass department. The lower bass now is more defined and goes way deeper than it did before with the bass impact now equaling or even just surpassing that of the Ultralinks (and I am very pleased about that), and I am sure it will continue to improve as I estimate Iâ€™ve put in only about a 100 hours or so of burn in time so far. As for the highs, well if itâ€™s an airy, extended and detailed cable on the high-end that you need (or should I say a cable that doesnâ€™t roll off anything up top) this is it. This cable promises that and it delivers hands down. Whatever little brightness was left is now gone and I am hearing things (micro details) that I have never heard before from my CDâ€™s, itâ€™s really amazing. Cymbals seem to go to infinity for example, delicate string guitar notes, etc. Now there is just no contest between the two cables anymore.
Comparing the TRSâ€™s with some Nordost Red Dawns that I used to own, the TRSâ€™s have more bass, I think more detail and especially, they donâ€™t have those annoying voice sibilants that where always present â€œin my systemâ€ with the RDâ€™s; but the RDâ€™s were much more flexible than the TRSâ€™s, obviously.
I just hope I have helped someone who is interested in these fine reference class cables to get some small idea of what sonic characteristics they possess. They have raised the sound quality of my system up one level. Itâ€™s as if I have upgraded one of my audio components, and for that I highly recommend them!

Enjoy the music.
A.P.

Product Weakness: Very stiff.
Product Strengths: Airy, extended and detailed, bass impact and definition.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Krell 300il
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	None
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Adcom GCD750
Speakers:	Boston Acoustics VR-M90
Cables/Interconnects:	TRS, Tara Labs Air2, Pro AC-11
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	All types
Room Size (LxWxH):	15 x 20 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	None
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Mapleshade shurefoot conepoints
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	Very stiff.
Product Strengths:	Airy, extended and detailed, bass impact and definition.