Feedback 2017
(newest first):
December 2017
[Silver Dream interconnects, with Neutrik REAN352G RCAs]
"Dear Alister
It is now a few weeks ago since i received the Artisan Silver cable. I routed it into a digital playback chain, connecting my DAC to my integrated amplifier. The cable is certainly run in by now, because i played quite a lot of music through it the last few weeks. Let me give you some feedback on how the cable performs, compared to the former cable (a sophisticated and well regarded one) i used.
The Artisan cable implicated a change in tonality that tamed some debris of aggressiveness and brought more musicality. This was apparent with voices in the first place, that now had a "silky" and in the truest sense of the word "silvery" timbre, not to mistake it for "smooth" or "bright" at all. I liked that a lot. I also realized immediately that the Artisan did some magical thing with regard to imaging: while the overall three-dimensionality was not bigger than with the other cable, the individual sounds, be it voices or instruments, were fuller and bigger. The imaging therefore, while preserving overall dimensions, was more integrated. This reminded me of the analog playback through my turntable. The sound with the Artisan became "vinyl-like", which i also liked a lot. What really amazed me with the Artisan was the reproduction of midbass/bass. With the other cable, bass reproduction was somehow stringent and had this cold "Darth Vader" touch. With the Artisan bass came as a "droll bear" and was extremely more fun. Darth Vader had gone! The whole sound and music had now an effortlessness that made me just sit there and listen, and forget about beeing in a cable performance show down. Probably the biggest achievement for an accessory in the form of a cable!
All in all, the cable clearly exceeded my expectations and i am more than happy with it. Let me mention that the other cable i compared the Artisan with was no slouch and in another, means higher, price range than the Artisan. Saying this, it would really be a pity seeing prices rising for the Artisan cables, because then they would certainly loose some of their classiness and rarefaction. On the other hand, i intend to move on from my integrated amplifier to a pre-power-combo, and then i would need another Artisan Silver Dream cable :-)
Best Regards
Dimitrios"
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November 2017
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["Ultimate Silver Stream 2" micro USB cable]
"Alister, got to tell you that the otg micro USB has now burnt in and is quite superb, so revealing and I am constantly impressed... ...I let a couple of friends have a listen and they were blown away."
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And...
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[Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects with black Furutech XLRs + shielding option]
"Hi Alister
Did some shootout with your great cables Vs the WireWorld Platinum Eclipse 6 XLR with Neutric connectors.
To start i can hear that the Ultimate Silver Dreams need a few hours burn in to sound a slight more fluid and little slight less pikey in the highs, but i would say they are at the moment 98% equal in sound if i just switch the input on my amp between the Ultimate Silver Dreams and Plainum Eclipse 6 XLR, and i will give the slight upper hand in resolution and holographic feel to the Ultimate Silver Dreams! They are equal in midrange airy resolution / soundstage presentation.
Lower end presentation is equal. Huge holographic separation and so on!
So i will get back after 100 hours burn-in, and let you know if things have settled even further, but the first 3 hours of listening impression was great, my ultra High End rig did come to life just as with the loaner WireWorld $4000 cables did, but the Artisan U.S.D did isolate the thinnest details better.
Will recommend as always your cables on the HeadFi forum under the SummitFi section and on computerAudiophile under the dCS threads where i participate... Fredrik"
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And...
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[Ultimate Digital Dream RCA to BNC digital interconnect
and Ultimate Silver Dream analogue interconnects with Cardas SLVR SS RCA plugs]
"Hi Alister...
So far I have used the cables with 25w Nelson Pass Class A mono blocs, which have been silver wired internally as well.
Also used them with the new Cyrus 200 amp, I am still trying to figure out why they sound better than the Chord Cables I have, Chord Indigo and Chord Signature Super Aray RCA-BNC.
It's not easy to describe sound other than using the age old adage " HOLY SHIT", and its getting better and better...
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Thanks
John"
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September 2017
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[Ultimate Silver Stream 2 pure silver USB cable]
Our new USB cable has been reviewed by Neville Roberts in the
October 2017 edition of the excellent Hi-fi Choice magazine (page 120):
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"...the harp definitely has a greater presence through my system
& instruments have superior focus & placement within the soundstage...
...very impressed with the performance of the Ultimate Silver Stream 2."
(Please check out the magazine for the full review.)
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And...
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[The Nth Degree flagship pure silver analogue interconnects, with Furutech CF-102R RCA plugs]
"Hi Alister
i received your top interconnect in good order, and i am already very pleased with them
after 20 hours playing,
the high are very detailed and delicate not aggressive or sharp,
whereas the lows are really beautiful and also very defined also at low volume
a beautiful classy product in my audio installation.
best regards
richard"
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And...
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[The Nth Degree flagship pure silver interconnects, with Furutech CF-102R RCA plugs]
"Hi Alister,
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Wow! The Nth degree interconnects connected between my DAC and tube pre-amplifier have liberated my entire music system. Right off the bat it brought a smile to my face even as I was hearing the first few notes of music.
Music is so realistic and natural now that when played loud one instinctively feels like dancing and when played softly it is blissfully therapeutic. Did not realize that a piece of wire can influence sound in such a profound way.
I’ll be building up funds...to buy another one to install between the pre-amp and the amplifier.
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Bonny"
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And...
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[Custom-made pure silver banana-plugs-to-headphone-socket adapter cable, to run headphones from an amplifier's speaker outputs]
"Hi Alister,
thank you very much for the adapter cable. I got it last week and it has been running continuously since then.
It already sounded great right out of the box. I can honestly say, that my headphone setup never sounded this good...
...Kind Regards, Jens"
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August 2017
[Silver Dream 2 RCAs to 4-pin Din for Naim NAP200]
"Alister,
Firstly, thanks for your patience and quick turn around for my new cable. This, as I believe all cables are, was made specifically to my order which was not straightforward as I needed 2 x phono in to 4 pin din out.
I commented very favourably when I bought my other silver interconnect from you. This new interconnect has just improved the sound, space and joy of my music.
Separation is outstanding with every instrument in its own place. I cannot recommend this cable enough and I certainly wouldn't buy anything else as nothing comes close to it (unless of course money is no object).
As before it takes a little while to run in , but it suddenly comes into its own. This is the most I've ever enjoyed my music, it's so like listening to it live. It's very revealing.
Thanks again Alister. I need one further interconnect and I'll be talking to you soon to specify what I need.
Best regards,
David"
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June 2017
["Ultimate Silver Stream 2" pure silver USB cable]
"Hi Ali,
I've been very busy but today I got the time to listen to your new USB cable and I think it is awesome.
What surprised me most is, how very natural and musical the sound is.
My former, twice the price reference has very high definition, and on a complex message, like a vocal quintet with choir in an opera, I could clearly hear all voices.
But what I get from your cable is much more natural sounding, while at least as detailed.
I feel this is less "hi-fi" (though it checks all the boxes in that regard) and more music: atmospheres, nuances, notes extinctions which you hear but can't place. I believe the only question for any audio gear is: do you want to listen to more music with it. I do.
Best,
J"
And...
["Digital Dream" pure silver digital interconnect cable with Supra BNC connectors]
"Hello Mr. Staniland. My cable arrived safely. It is quite excellent.
Timothy Atha."
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And...
["Ultimate Silver Stream 2" pure silver USB cable]
"Hi Alister,
I’ve installed your Ultimate Silver Stream 2 USB cable into my system, which now means that the entire signal path from music source to speakers is silver! And what a difference that final ‘piece of the puzzle’ has made! Very happy, very!
After many hours spent listening (I haven’t quite got to 50, but the significant ‘easing in’ of the cable really took place in the first 5 or 6 hours - during which I found it difficult to get up and do anything, because I just wanted to keep listening), there’s just no doubt that you have delivered auditory magic, yet again!
So, how to explain..? I think the best way to capture the change is - greater clarity, more depth, more texture.. If the whole is meant to be greater than the sum of the many parts that make it up, the only rider I’d add is that this is true - IF you can hear all of the many parts.. And that is exactly what the new USB cable has achieved! All of the ‘bits’ that were previously there, but not properly defined, have come out to play - adding immeasurably to the overall impact of every recording I’ve listened to. That, in turn, is a pretty significant statement when it is ‘just’ the interconnect between the music source and DAC…
I’ve played a number of my reference lists, picked up all the tracks that cause the most pain to reproduce, played all formats and all genres - and there’s not a single track that isn’t significantly better. The bottom end is better defined and better separated, mids fuller and more three dimensional and some of the highs soar through the space like they will never land! I’ve also had to turn the volume on the pre-amp down about 10% - which is a sure sign that more information his reaching the DAC (there’s no pre-amplification in either the server or the DAC).
So Thankyou, Thankyou! I have only two regrets - the first that I didn’t manage to find you before I purchased the other silver interconnects elsewhere.. I guess at least I found you in time for the speaker cables. :) And the second, that I have to leave here tomorrow, so will be without this amazing sound until early next week when I return.
Your speaker cables and the new USB cable have taken my musical enjoyment to heights I really didn’t believe possible.. :)
Simon"
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April 2017
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["Ultimate Silver Dream" interconnects with "Cardas SLVR Silver Signature" RCA plugs]
"Hi Alistair
Whilst the cables still require many hours of burn in, I am delighted with how good they are. I auditioned some other cables recently, a couple of which were much more expensive, your cables are considerably better in every aspect.
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Music sounds so much more coherent & real. My inspiration to improve my audio kit has always been driven by my experiences of seeing live music & the desire to recreate some of that experience through recorded music. The cables have taken me a big step forward in getting closer to the heart of the music & musicians playing it.
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I will hopefully be able to order another set soon for my phono stage, when funds permit.
Many thanks
Iain."
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March 2017
[Simon seems quite pleased with his speaker cables!
Bi-amped "Ultimate Silver Dream" speaker cables with WBT 0610AG banana plugs.
He is on a long-running quest for a system that sounds like real musical instruments and he runs a highly and carefully optimised system, fronted by the amazing and intriguing Sophera LH1 speakers.]
"Hi Alister,
I’m now well past the first 50 hours of play time with your Ultimate Silver Dream/WBT Banana plug speaker cables since they arrived a few days ago - and indeed, have to admit that I’ve actually actively listened to well over 30 hours of that time - and that’s a very good indication of just how great they are!
I’ve been puzzling over describing the essence of the difference the cables have made - because it’s more than additional clarity and better resolution.. I think the best way to describe it is that the cables have freed every ‘voice’, every layer, many previously unheard harmonics and really every note - so that the sound is far more three-dimensional and just so much more ‘open’ that it beggars belief. It is now an exercise in bliss sitting listening, regardless of genre, volume or resolution of the recording!
It is a revelation - both literally and metaphorically. Given the time and energy that has gone into optimising every aspect of the signal path (from power to the speakers) in an attempt to achieve ‘real’ musical reproduction, I can honestly say that the investment in your cables is arguably the best investment yet. If I died today, I’d die happy!
Thankyou! :)
Simon"
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And...
[Further feedback from Davin on his "Nth Degree" flagship analogue interconnects]
"VERY VERY happy with the cables. I managed to borrow a nice power amp with XLR connectors and had both sets of cables running .. rca from phono stage to pre amp and XLR from pre to power amp.
I can't wait til my new mono blocks arrive, but using this stereo power amp at the moment, the sounds I'm hearing are incredible!! I've heard my system with 'dick smith' cables and have heard the difference each set of cable changes has made. I can't believe the difference your cables have made! Everyone who's had a listen are completely blown away by the sound. We even did a comparison to another set of silver cables and as good as the other pair were, they were no match for your set 😬
I am so glad I came across your cables while randomly searching for silver cables on the internet and took the plunge in investing in a couple sets. They are worth every cent spent!
I will be sending you back the damaged cable today. I will send you another email with tracking number as soon as I've posted it.
Thank you again, for the great service and will definitely be recommending your cables to anyone I come across who are in the market for silver cables 😬
Regards,
Davin."
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And...
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["Ultimate WBT" analogue interconnects (upgraded from Ultimate Silver Dream)]
"Hi Alister,
I must admit that I'm floored by the performance of the WBT-USD cables.
With the WBT plugs almost all aspects of the sound improves: more air, more depth,
added pinpoint sharpness and micro dynamics and a generally improved sense of the music
just flowing naturally from the speakers...Best regards, Lars"
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February 2017
["Silver Hybrid 2" mains cable & "Silver Dream 2" headphone cable]
"Hi Alister!
I received yesterday the parcel and tried the Hybrid 2 in my system. I tried with headamp and found that it sounds very clear. I decided to try it with CD (Audio Analog Maestro DAC) and was stunned. Both my systems (main and head) got the new level. In my main system I use RCA cable (McIntosh 6500 has only RCA plugs) NORDOST RED DAWN and I want to try silver cable here too. Right now I'm preparing the order.
Thanks a lot of your headphone cable. It makes me happy more and more. It warmed and sounds now gently and details. I really like silver sound and thank you for your work and democratic prices.
With regards,
Alexey"
And...
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["Silver Dream 2" headphone cable]
"My initial experience with the cable is really good...
...It is not comfortable to do an A-B comparison as it requires swapping cables, but the first impression is that it is so much more involving... wider... the channels are more separate... lively... a huge pleasure for my ears. When I plug back the standard cable... I reject it!" (Simone, Italy)
And...
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["Nth Degree" flagship RCA interconnects]
"Hi Alister...
...the sound coming thru the system with JUST that one change.. I have the RCA running from phono stage to pre-amp... I am totally blown away by the sound ... the detail .. coming thru my speakers is simply amazing...
...I don't know how to describe it but I'm sure you know exactly what I am talking about! ...I am so blown away by the sound and all I've done is replace the phono stage to pre-amp section. I am sure there is an element of "run in time" as well that hasn't happened yet? I cannot wait to pick up my new pre and power amps to run the XLR set! Your cables have definitely changed the sound coming out of my system - very very impressed 😬
Thanks again,
Regards,
Davin."
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