Cable Asylum: REVIEW: VH Audio Flavor 4 Cable by ROG1068

Model:	Flavor 4
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$169 (4 ft.)
Description:	9 AWG Cryoe'd Power cable
Manufacturer URL:	VH Audio
Manufacturer URL:	VH Audio

Review by ROG1068 ( A ) on November 07, 2004 at 12:49:09
IP Address: 70.17.123.210

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for the Flavor 4

PC burn-in adapter and VH Audio Flavor 4 power cord cryo with Furutech FI-25
This is an initial review. About two weeks ago, I purchased a ModWright Sony 999ES with Platinum Level Signature Truth Mod, Revelation Audio Precept II Cryo-Silver power cord, Revelation Audio Cryo Silver Paradise interconnects and two VH Audio Flavor 4 power cords (cryo with Furo) and a PC bun-in adapter. I ran the system continuously for the first 5 days and have either been running the system or running a power cord with the PC burn-in adapter since then. I am using the Revelation Audio pc with the Sony 999ES and one of the VH audio pcâ€™s with the separate tube power supply for the Sony 999ES. I am using the other VH audio pc with the power supply of my Jeff Rowland Consummate preamp.
First observation. After hooking up the VH audio pc to the preamp and listening to the Sony 999ES, my FM tuner and the vinyl playback system, there was an obvious difference in sound between the stock Belden cable with Versa Labs Wood Block and the Flavor 4 on the preamp. With the Flavor 4, there was definitely a wider sound stage and an aggressive increase in the higher frequencies. However, the overall sound was thin and there was a lack of body in the mid-range and bass. To be frank, while there was some promise but it was not a satisfactory sound.
By the second day, there was some improvement but limited. Each day, the sound improved but it wasnâ€™t until the fifth day, that the roughness in the higher frequencies began to smooth out a bit. However, it was clear that there was a steady and positive progression in the improvement in the sound.
Second observation. After the 5th day, I turned the system off and turned it on each evening thereafter. I didnâ€™t start using the pc burn-in adapter until the 7th or 8th day. When I went to bed, I plugged the Flavor 4 pc which I was using on the preamp to a Patton floor fan and ran the fan for about 18 hours before I hooked the Flavor 4 back into the preamp. There was a significant improvement in the sound using the FM, Sony 999ES and vinyl playback. There was a very wide, deep and high sound stage. Image placement was very steady and there was quite of bit of detail. However, what was most significant was that the slight etch in the higher frequencies when I played the Sony 999ES had subsided dramatically and there was an overall sweetness to the sound. My speakers have always had a very sharply focused resolution in the mid-range, very good dynamics and clarity and pleasing tonality. However, I was beginning to hear more defined and deeper bass and a much wider sound stage than before.
Third observation. I have been running the system as much as possible but have been hooking up one of the power cords (the Flavor 4's and Revelation Audio) each night for about a week or so. While all the pcâ€™s have been running through the system for some period of time, I observed a significant improvement in the sound in the Flavor 4 which I am using with the preamp after running it over night with the pc burn-in adapter and the fan. However, the most dramatic improvement was after the second night that I ran it with the fan. While there was improvement after I ran the Revelation Audio pc with the fan the first two times, it was not as dramatic as the improvement with the Flavor 4. It was more difficult to judge the improvement of the Flavor 4 which I am using with the power supply to the Sony 999ES.
Fourth observation. I am very impressed with the quality of the sound that I am getting out of the Sony 999ES. I will be posting my observations on the ModWright Sony 999 ES at the end of November but I can now state that the sound stage, detail, bass, tonal quality of instruments and voice and overall sweetness of the sound is truly impressive. There appears to be a positive synergy using the Revelation Audio pc on the Sony 999ES and the Flavor 4 on the preamp. At this point, there is a significant disparity in the tonal quality of the overall sound when I use the Revelation Audio pc as opposed to the Flavor 4 on the preamp. The Revelation Audio pc does not have the same sound stage width of the Flavor 4 but definitely captures the character of instruments and voices (more completely than the Flavor 4). That said, the combination of the two pcâ€™s â€“ the Flavor 4 on the preamp and the Revelation Audio on the Sony 999ES â€“ is a great match. I would have scoffed at such observations before I hooked up these two pcâ€™s in my system. It will take several more weeks before I can confirm these initial observations. My system sounds best after it has run some period of time and that makes it difficult to just swap out pcâ€™s and then try to assess the different sounds. While there is an obvious difference, it takes time for the system to settle down and to spend time carefully listening to the music.
Initial Conclusion. The Flavor 4 cryo/Furo is an impressive power cord. It definitely affects the sound stage (particularly width but also depth and height) in my system. It also affects the higher frequencies. This appears to smooth out over time but I suspect that it could be a problem in some systems and with some equipment. For instance, it appears that the stock Sony 999ES has some etch in its sound and may not be eliminated even with the Dan Wright modification (This is an initial observation only. It is not based on extended and repeately listening; rather, it is based on listening to another ModWright Sony 999ES with the same mods as I have but in another system and without the Revelation Audio pc and interconnects; I suspect that the Revelation Audio pc and interconnects play a significant part in completely eliminating the tendency for etching with some cd's). I will try to address these points with respect to the ModWright Sony 999ES later this month.
My main point is that the pc adapter is a must purchase when auditioning pc's. In fact, if you are burning in more than one pc at a time, I would recommend getting two pc adapters. In my system, use of the pc adapter is mandatory. I donâ€™t know if there is not enough juice going through the system to burn the Flavor 4's without an incredibly long wait or what. In fact, I suspect that attempting to burn your pcâ€™s in by leaving your system on for weeks on end will not result in the same quality burn-in as using a combination of burning in the pc with the system and using the pc burn-in adapter overnight. I donâ€™t know the technical side of this to support my observation, but I suspect that burning in pcâ€™s with the adapter for some period of time, e.g. overnight, may be better then just leaving it plugged in.
The Flavor 4 is definitely a pc worth auditioning and I highly recommend that you try it out even if you are not planning on using it with a power amp. It appears to make a significant difference on source equipment. Just make sure that you get one or more pc adapters (depending on whether you are auditioning more than one pc) and by using the adapter connect the pc with an electrical component, like a Patton fan, that is going to draw a good level of electricity. Also, I recommend that you run the pc with the adapter over a number of sessions. Chris noted in the packaging that the pc needs to burn in for 100 hours and maybe up to 200 hours. I suggest that you donâ€™t just run the pc continuously but rather turn it on and off as you build up your hours.

Product Weakness: See comments.
Product Strengths: See comments.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	4 Jeff Rowland Model 1's run bridged in mono configuration
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Jeff Rowland Consummate Preamp and Phono
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Graham/LyraClavis/Basis; Mod Wright Sony 999ES with Platinum mod
Speakers:	Avalon Ascents
Cables/Interconnects:	Cardas Gold interconnects and speaker cable
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Classical/Jazz/Rock
Room Size (LxWxH):	26 x 18 to 21 x 8 or so
Room Comments/Treatments:	Variety of sound absortion
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2+ weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Power Wedge conditioners etc./ Versa Labs Wood Blocks/etc.
Type of Audition/Review:	Home Audition

Product Weakness:	See comments.
Product Strengths:	See comments.