Transparent Audio: Gen 6 Announcement

[ationg]

Are you dipping your toes in by buying or borrowing a used pair that aren’t calibrated for your system? Or are you working with an authorized dealer?

In the former case, contact Transparent directly. In the latter case take it up with your dealer.

My opinion is that you can’t make general assertions about how the Transparent Connoisseur level sounds out of full context.

You’re not buying copper vs precious metal. You’re buying bespoke cables specifically tuned to your gear.

I bought two new and tuned interconnects. Not full loom yet. Perhaps there is synergy going full loom with Transparent? I have always mixed and matched cables..

 

[JiminGa]

I had a full set of Gen5 XL cables on Rockport Cygnus. Now using different cables on Orion. My experience is that Transparent cables have a somewhat relaxed presentation. It is very “composed” and can feel a little rolled off in the highs though I’m not really sure that they are actually rolled off. I’m considering Gen 6 Opus but I’ll need a real good listen first. Other cables can have a livelier presentation which I might miss but all have their strengths. You really have to swap back and forth for hours to know for sure. No one can answer for you on your own equipment. This week I’ll spend 3 days going back and forth with Gen6 XL loaners vs my Tara Labs

 

[ationg]

I had a full set of Gen5 XL cables on Rockport Cygnus. Now using different cables on Orion. My experience is that Transparent cables have a somewhat relaxed presentation. It is very “composed” and can feel a little rolled off in the highs though I’m not really sure that they are actually rolled off. I’m considering Gen 6 Opus but I’ll need a real good listen first. Other cables can have a livelier presentation which I might miss but all have their strengths. You really have to swap back and forth for hours to know for sure. No one can answer for you on your own equipment. This week I’ll spend 3 days going back and forth with Gen6 XL loaners vs my Tara Labs

My immediate impressions too on my Cygnus. Please share what you hear on Orion.

 

[jfrech]

My experience is that Transparent cables have a somewhat relaxed presentation. It is very “composed” and can feel a little rolled off in the highs though I’m not really sure that they are actually rolled off.

I understand what you're saying. I might say natural vs your relaxed. And while they may seem less in the highs, you're right they are actually not rolled off. Every time I hear a violin trio in an airport or concert hall playing music, it reminds me of my cabling. Transparent is the best at live unamplified music reproduction.

 

[ationg]

The Transparent Opus power cord is competitively priced. Any thoughts what it sounds like compared to other top models?

 

[Another Johnson]

Keep in mind too that there is a legitimate break in many, if not most cables and interconnects. I love my AQ Thunderbird Zero loom. But as it broke in, over the course of perhaps 100 hours, the Transparents became more and more natural. The Thunderbirds may be more exciting in some ways, but the Transparent Connoisseur series (I am using Reference for Interconnects and power cords, and XL for speakers) grew on me as just being more revealing. I could go back to my Thunderbirds, but I am not motivated to. I am pleased with the Transparents. Below the Reference level (I tried Ultras first), the Thunderbirds won hands down in my system.

 

[dandylinpsst]

Can the G5 opus power cord also enjoy the upgrade plan to G6?
Is there any obvious difference between g5 and g6 in terms of opus power cord?
thanks

 

[Another Johnson]

Can the G5 opus power cord also enjoy the upgrade plan to G6?
Is there any obvious difference between g5 and g6 in terms of opus power cord?
thanks

From post 170 above:

“We have no plans in the near future to make changes to our power cord line-up or digital cables, so I recommend that you focus on your audio cables. Please call us or have your dealer call us (207-284-1100). Ian Steinbach is the Transparent answer man for precise trade-in values and more detailed information.”

My advice is that the definitive answer to your question is only available directly from Transparent.

 

[markramler]

Keep in mind too that there is a legitimate break in many, if not most cables and interconnects. I love my AQ Thunderbird Zero loom. But as it broke in, over the course of perhaps 100 hours, the Transparents became more and more natural. The Thunderbirds may be more exciting in some ways, but the Transparent Connoisseur series (I am using Reference for Interconnects and power cords, and XL for speakers) grew on me as just being more revealing. I could go back to my Thunderbirds, but I am not motivated to. I am pleased with the Transparents. Below the Reference level (I tried Ultras first), the Thunderbirds won hands down in my system.

I was told byTransparent that the G6 power cords and conditioners are the same as G5 versions and only the G6 analog cables are newer models.

 

[Mikeylee]

I’ve had Transparent Audio cable though out my system for the last 8 years and love them. I have gone up a couple of levels in each cable and always enjoy the sonics being increasingly musical throughout the audio spectrum, moving closer to “being there,“ and being, well, transparent.

I currently have Ultra Gen 5 balanced interconnects between my Rossini Apex dac and Simaudio Moon 700i integrated amp, and Ultra Gen 5 speaker cable between the 700i and Rockport Aviors (original version). I also have 1 Reference power cable and three premium power cables. My plan is to order Gen 6 Reference interconnects next week if my favorite sales guy can show me the sonic difference. Speaker cable upgrade will have to wait until next. I’ll chip away at getting all of the power cables up to Reference level through the next year.

 

[ationg]

I’ve had Transparent Audio cable though out my system for the last 8 years and love them. I have gone up a couple of levels in each cable and always enjoy the sonics being increasingly musical throughout the audio spectrum, moving closer to “being there,“ and being, well, transparent.

I currently have Ultra Gen 5 balanced interconnects between my Rossini Apex dac and Simaudio Moon 700i integrated amp, and Ultra Gen 5 speaker cable between the 700i and Rockport Aviors (original version). I also have 1 Reference power cable and three premium power cables. My plan is to order Gen 6 Reference interconnects next week if my favorite sales guy can show me the sonic difference. Speaker cable upgrade will have to wait until next. I’ll chip away at getting all of the power cables up to Reference level through the next year.

Thanks for sharing... from someone who is just starting to try out Transparent cables. When I was buying my first MIT speaker cables some years ago and asked about Transparent, my MIT dealer told me Transparent cables sound anything but transparent.. ie very colored : )

 

[Mikeylee]

Thanks for sharing... from someone who is just starting to try out Transparent cables. When I was buying my first MIT speaker cables some years ago and asked about Transparent, my MIT dealer told me Transparent cables sound anything but transparent.. ie very colored : )

I have found a pretty consistent audio truth, most dealers badmouth what they don’t carry and praise every small revision of what they do carry to be a “must have” upgrade. Once they pick up the line they previously dissed, it becomes the new panacea.

I’ve had 8 gauge speaker wire, lower end MIT, middle of the road Nordost, and top of the line Cardas cables. Only Transparent cables let the music shine through…in my systems. As always, YMMV.

 

[treitz3]

Thanks for sharing... from someone who is just starting to try out Transparent cables. When I was buying my first MIT speaker cables some years ago and asked about Transparent, my MIT dealer told me Transparent cables sound anything but transparent.. ie very colored : )

Hello ationg and good morning to you. Marketing, rags and salesman hype aside - please allow me to offer you my unbiased opinion/experience between MIT and Transparent I have experienced over the years. I tried out some MIT cables, a couple of them and they did not last very long at all in the rig. Probably less than a day. The reason why, was that they were too colored. They had a sounds signature that no amount of break in would erase.

While MIT and Transparent were "born", if you will, of part of the same cloth (as I understand it), differing ways of how they did things is what led to the split up in the first place. After flying through a plethora of cables, I ended up getting a low line Transparent cable just to try out for something in the rig. Put it in and was so impressed, that I moved on up the line, then kept moving up the line and eventually got a loom of Transparent Reference for the rig at the time. Those cables are still in parts of the rig, a good decade later.

So my observations and experience did not mimic what you were told. In fact, the exact opposite was the case.

Tom

 

[ationg]

Hello ationg and good morning to you. Marketing, rags and salesman hype aside - please allow me to offer you my unbiased opinion/experience between MIT and Transparent I have experienced over the years. I tried out some MIT cables, a couple of them and they did not last very long at all in the rig. Probably less than a day. The reason why, was that they were too colored. They had a sounds signature that no amount of break in would erase.

While MIT and Transparent were "born", if you will, of part of the same cloth (as I understand it), differing ways of how they did things is what led to the split up in the first place. After flying through a plethora of cables, I ended up getting a low line Transparent cable just to try out for something in the rig. Put it in and was so impressed, that I moved on up the line, then kept moving up the line and eventually got a loom of Transparent Reference for the rig at the time. Those cables are still in parts of the rig, a good decade later.

So my observations and experience did not mimic what you were told. In fact, the exact opposite was the case.

Tom

Tom, thanks for sharing your experience. My cables have been one of mix and match. I started with copper cables from Harmonic Technology, and then promptly moved up to a mix of copper/silver, silver/gold, and silver cables from Kimber Select, Purist audio, Synergistic Research, Crystal Cable, Siltech, Argento, etc for the enhanced resolution which only silver seemed to provide..so I thought. My early impression with two Transparent XL interconnects and a XL BNC has been positively intriguing that I have ordered the XL speaker cables and an Opus PC. I will see what the loom sounds like.
Alec

 

[Another Johnson]

Thanks for sharing... from someone who is just starting to try out Transparent cables. When I was buying my first MIT speaker cables some years ago and asked about Transparent, my MIT dealer told me Transparent cables sound anything but transparent.. ie very colored : )

I do think that this is a classic example of the sales tactic of attributing unwarranted negatives to the competition, especially in light of Transparent’s very effective impedance matching to the connected components.

That’s one of the nicest aspects of Larry Marcus and his team at Paragon Sight and Sound. They stay on the positive side and sell by letting you discover the good, rather than to try to steer you by false warnings against brands they do not sell. The only reason for this plug is that Paragon is a major Transparent dealer with good demo capabilities. My local Transparent dealer doesn’t stock anything and could not give a good demo on a bet … they sell everything on the price, and aren’t really geared toward sonic differences.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I do think that this is a classic example of the sales tactic of attributing unwarranted negatives to the competition,

+1

For beginners just getting into the hobby talk like this by a dealer is a big red flag. We can argue about price versus value, but all components today sound legitimately good to somebody.

If a dealer badmouths a competing product I would encourage the beginner to walk away and find another dealer.

especially in light of Transparent’s very effective impedance matching to the connected components.

I used, enjoyed and was very happy with my Transparent interconnects and loudspeaker cables for 25 years. I still respect the impedance-matching design philosophy.

 

[jfrech]

The Transparent Opus power cord is competitively priced. Any thoughts what it sounds like compared to other top models?

I've used Purist, Shunyata and Transparent Opus over the years. Transparents power cabling closely mirrors their speaker and interconnects. Very rich, very extended, able to pull off the high resolution but with a richness in tone. The also seem to posses better dynamics than others I've tried. The Opus cords will mate well with any brand of speaker or interconnects, but system synergy I feel is real. I've been all transparent on cabling and power for a few years now. Just love the sound I get...

 

[jfrech]

Thanks for sharing... from someone who is just starting to try out Transparent cables. When I was buying my first MIT speaker cables some years ago and asked about Transparent, my MIT dealer told me Transparent cables sound anything but transparent.. ie very colored : )

Hmm what else would a MIT dealer say? It's like asking the Ford dealer what they thing of a Chevy...

 

[JeromeFrancis]

I've used Purist, Shunyata and Transparent Opus over the years. Transparents power cabling closely mirrors their speaker and interconnects. Very rich, very extended, able to pull off the high resolution but with a richness in tone. The also seem to posses better dynamics than others I've tried. The Opus cords will mate well with any brand of speaker or interconnects, but system synergy I feel is real. I've been all transparent on cabling and power for a few years now. Just love the sound I get...

You seem to be very familiar with Nagra components and Transparent cables. I am currently running a full loom Cardas Clear Reflections and i am looking to upgrade in the next year or so to either Cardas Clear/Clear Beyond or somewhere in the Transparent Ultra/Reference cable line. May be you could give me some insights about your experience. My dealer recommended them too btw. but thought they were a bit too expensive at the time and the Super cables I tested against the Clear reflections sounded a bit too thin for my taste. But Nagra is also using Transparent cables in many of their setups so I assume there should be real synergy there. Thank you for sharing, really appreciated.

 

[jfrech]

You seem to be very familiar with Nagra components and Transparent cables. I am currently running a full loom Cardas Clear Reflections and i am looking to upgrade in the next year or so to either Cardas Clear/Clear Beyond or somewhere in the Transparent Ultra/Reference cable line. May be you could give me some insights about your experience. My dealer recommended them too btw. but thought they were a bit too expensive at the time and the Super cables I tested against the Clear reflections sounded a bit too thin for my taste. But Nagra is also using Transparent cables in many of their setups so I assume there should be real synergy there. Thank you for sharing, really appreciated.

Hi, Cardas Clear is a good cable, I have heard it before. It's odd that you say Transparent Super sounded thin (how long did you listen to it, was it broken in?), but I haven't really heard super. I will say Transparent Ultra is a fantastic cable and should beat most anything out there. If you go to Reference, you won't look back...as you step up in Transparent you get lower noise, better bass, better resolution everywhere, more richness, more tambral density.

I don't think you'll go wrong with either, I do think longer term the network technology that Transparent has is real and makes a meaningful difference in the realistic portrayal of music.