Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Stereo Knight X-Link Cable by vickgeo@live.com

Model:	X-Link
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$499
Description:	Interconnct Cable
Manufacturer URL:	Stereo Knight

Review by vickgeo@live.com on March 08, 2010 at 20:14:13
IP Address: 76.204.16.5 Add Your Review
for the X-Link

I came into posession of a pair of these extraordinary interconnects as part of a process buying my StereoKnight Silverstone B&R preamp (see my review). James Zhang of StereoKnight had assured me I couldn't really appreciate what the preamp could do until I heard it with his cables. Since I was (and am) very impressed with with the unit, I swallowed hard and bought what to me are two very expensive ICs, although I was quite pleased with the Element, MAC, and ELF Audio sets I was using.
To cut to the chase, these X-Link cables are the best I have ever heard in somewhat more than 50 years of doing "HI-FI", and many, many ICs. Air, presence, huge precise soundstage, detail, etc.,etc. Best of all, there is something that now comes that I can only describe as the presence of the performers themselves, making music. After listening to them for four months, they now seem like a bargain.
As far as I can make out, the conductor is probably square solid-core. Near the center of each cable is a fixed tuning device which Mr. Zhang tells me is composed of some kind of wood, glass, and aluminum. Whatever it is, it sure seems to work.

Product Weakness:	Somewhat high price, slightly stiff.
Product Strengths:	Sound. Precise, spacious, harmonically correct sound.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Wyred4Sound ST-500
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): StereoKnight B&R Silverstone
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Cambridge Audio 840C, Adcom tuner
Speakers: Mark&Daniels Diamond Plus
Cables/Interconnects: StereoKnight X-Bal ICs, MAC speaker cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Classical, jazz, a little 60's rock
Room Size (LxWxH): 15 x 11 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: vrs
Time Period/Length of Audition: 4 mos.
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): BPT conditioner, 2 Quantum Symphonies
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Wyred4Sound ST-500
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	StereoKnight B&R Silverstone
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Cambridge Audio 840C, Adcom tuner
Speakers:	Mark&Daniels Diamond Plus
Cables/Interconnects:	StereoKnight X-Bal ICs, MAC speaker cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical, jazz, a little 60's rock
Room Size (LxWxH):	15 x 11 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	vrs
Time Period/Length of Audition:	4 mos.
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	BPT conditioner, 2 Quantum Symphonies
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner