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REVIEW: Sablon Audio Panatela Cable

92.236.48.141


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Model: Panatela
Category: Cable
Suggested Retail Price: $1750
Description: Speaker Cable
Manufacturer URL: Sablon Audio

Review by smart845 on July 27, 2012 at 05:53:42
IP Address: 92.236.48.141
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for the Panatela


For a long time I'd been looking for a replacement for my Kimber MonocleXL speaker cables, always disappointed with many latest, greatest products with their exorbitant prices and proliferation of acronyms and trademarks. Cables that were crafted by huge audiophile companies and some by jewelers out to craft a precise, accurate but unfortunately miniature scale to the eventual soundscape.

I wanted the lush soundstage and bass I got from the Kimber but also craved the resolution I found in some other cables albeit at tremendous cost that I could not justify in the context of my system.

By chance, whilst trawling the net I happened upon Jeff Day's blog where he extolled the virtues of Sablon Audio's Panatela Interconnect. Intrigued , I emailed Mark Coles and requested a demo cable to put up against my Kimber Select 1030. Would you believe I was under the impression Sablon Audio were based in the US due to his pricing in Dollars and did not expect Mark to be based in the same city as me.

I received a Panatela IC within 2 days and like Jeff Day was stunned by the transparency and frequency evenness of this cable. I'd found another milestone in my audio adventures. Other milestones include 'discovering' tubes and horns and Alan Maher's amazing products.

A few months passed and I knew Mark was developing his Panatela speaker cables and finally I got to hear his own personal set in my system. Did it reveal those vital clues to a convincing live performance? You bet it did. Did it give me the emotional connection to the performance? You bet it did. Did it give me wet dreams at night? almost!

This is the first time I've heard a cable do everything right, across the frequency range, and in such style. Older recordings that sound 'of a time' now sound fresh as though just recorded live. Old warhorses like Kind of Blue could have been recorded in 2012. There is a freshness and liveness to these cables that emulates some stratospherically priced cables and an emotional connection to the musicians that reminds one of SETs and not solid state. This is what I've been searching for and finally found with the combination of Panatella IC and speaker cable.

For me , the Sablon Audio Panatela is a 'game changer'. They can match anything at any price I'm convinced they are that good.

Mark's cables are wonderfully simple in appearance using cotton sheathing and silver Xhadow plugs but underneath lies his secret. I hope it remains so and Mark deserves wider recognition for his efforts. I have not tried his latest power cords but should funds allow I'll be keen to trial them, however I require at least 5 for my system, so it may be a while.




Product Weakness: None at all.
Product Strengths: Tonal evenness and a clarity that amazes. Voices sound much more natural and live whilst instruments are at once separate, defined but also as a whole in the performance.


Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Welborne Labs Starchief Imperial.
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): none
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Audio Aero La Fontaine
Speakers: Avantgarde Duo Omega
Cables/Interconnects: Sablon Audio Panatela IC and speaker cable
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Vocal Jazz, rock, electronic.
Room Size (LxWxH): 8m x 3m x 3m
Room Comments/Treatments: none.
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 months.
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Alan Maher Products throughout.
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Sablon Audio Panatela Cable - smart845 05:53:42 07/27/12 ( 0)