Cable Asylum: REVIEW: ZCable Live Ref 1 Cable by TomF

Model:	Live Ref 1
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$2,500
Description:	Single Ended Interconnect
Manufacturer URL:	ZCable
Manufacturer URL:	ZCable

Review by TomF on April 30, 2004 at 07:49:40
IP Address: 209.66.58.111

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for the Live Ref 1

So, cable ain't just cable. It's a safe assumption that anyone reading this is a highly experience tweaker, so here goes.

The ZCable Live Ref 1 is the best cable I have ever heard in extracting detail and getting musicality right and noise floor low at the same time. For 8 months, I've been searching for the right IC to avoid compromising the performance of my Walker Reference Phono stage. The Walker, paired with a Lyra Helikon and a maxed out Aries/TNT hybrid puts out some serious detail. I know what the Walker is cable of because I've heard it at Lloyd Walker's place sourced from his own Proscenium Gold turntable (arguably one of the very best out there) and a $10K cartridge, which I'd need a deceased rich uncle to justify. Lloyd uses Omega Mikro ribbon interconnect, too tweaky, fragile, treble edgy and bass shy (sorry Lloyd/my opinion) for my taste. But they do pass the detail, in spades. I've been looking for a real world cable that offered all this, but with a more natural balance and an ergonomic package. I've tried some of the very best cost no object cables out there (Siltech Classic 120, Synergistic DR Squared Active X, Nirvana SX Ltd., Transparent Reference XL, Stereovox, Nordost Valhalla) and all of them were somehow affected. They all had different strong and weak points. At this price point, the compromises were too great to live with, in every case. Enter the ZCable Live Ref 1. Right out of the box, a blast of high frequency energy impressed the room, lateral soundstage was huge, there was an obviously low noise floor, and oodles of detail I never heard before. With burn in over 200-300 hours the midrange and treble integrated better, the front to back soundstage really developed well and the bass snap, resonance and pitch definition came in last. There is really no close competition to this wire. To my ear, at least yet, they do nothing wrong. HUGE dynamic contrasts, natural timbre, pace rythym and drive. These cables ship with the ZCAble ZSleeves which reduce EM resistance and reflections around the wire. According to Mark Hampton, the owner, this improves propopgation speed. These are a must have. They can also be used on non-ZCable wire. I tried them on Kimber KCAG and they basically accentuate what that wire does anyway. The ZSleeves really drop the noise floor and improve rythm, snap and transient integration. The Kimber's midrange (already a strong point) got better, the upper mid range, already a bit edgy (got more so) the treble, already pretty well extended stayed in balance and the bass, already a little wimpy got wimpier with the Kimber. So, take a fundamentally great cable like the Live Ref 1 and add the ZSleeve and you would expect something quite superior. That's what you get. Try these IC's. There is a 30 day money back guarantee. Mark Hampton says you can return them if you don't like the color. Mark is a true technical expert and gentleman who really tries to understand what you are looking for and helps you get there. I'm still working with him on other parts of my system. Supurb product, great proprietor. Highest recommendation. Don't believe me? Call Mark and take advantage of his no-risk guarantee!

Product Weakness: price
Product Strengths: snap, pace, natural, extended, quiet, unaffected, detail retrieval

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Transcendent T-8 monos (mod)
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Placette passive
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	VPI Aries/Helikon/Walker Ref Phono
Speakers:	Merlin VSM
Cables/Interconnects:	ZCable
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	all
Room Size (LxWxH):	20 x 15 x 9
Room Comments/Treatments:	carpet
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 month
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio P-600 (mod) x 2
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner
Your System (if other than home audition):	Home

Product Weakness:	price
Product Strengths:	snap, pace, natural, extended, quiet, unaffected, detail retrieval