FTA (Final Touch Audio) Callisto USB cable

[NEXTLEVEL5]

Hearing the Curious cable in my setup is exactly why I decided to upgrade to another cable from what I had. A friend of mine let me borrow his broken in curious cable and right away I noticed more realism and a little more transparency over the Pangaea cable. I did not have the ability to compare the curious and the FTA but I did play the same songs. The improved sound stage on the FTA really stood out to me. I cannot wait to hear your results.

 

[LampiNA]

Hearing the Curious cable in my setup is exactly why I decided to upgrade to another cable from what I had. A friend of mine let me borrow his broken in curious cable and right away I noticed more realism and a little more transparency over the Pangaea cable. I did not have the ability to compare the curious and the FTA but I did play the same songs. The improved sound stage on the FTA really stood out to me. I cannot wait to hear your results.

As good as it is now, by the time you get to 100-150 hours of burn in it will be even better. Keep us posted

 

[Legolas]

I just got mine today. I'll be back....

 

[rugyboogie]

What ^ he said.

 

[Golum]

What ^ he said.

I’ll be back

 

[Legolas]

I will test the Callisto from tonight, I am drowning in Munich preparations (folding leaflets) LOL.

It is insane how a USB cable can affect the sound, but in quality, resolution, timbre, depth, width, FR. Who said digital is easier than vinyl?

I also have spoken to guys who have swopped out their network switch for SOtM and it improves things a LOT. As does adding Linear Power Supplies to the router, switch, music server. Anything in the chain in other words, cables, power supplies, main cables and quality of main supply.

I find digital also plays at it's best off regenerated mains in my system, really a nice upgrade their to all items powered of it.

I'll Be Back......

 

[christoph]

It is insane how a USB cable can affect the sound, but in quality, resolution, timbre, depth, width, FR.

I told you so

 

[Legolas]

Well, this cable is mighty fine indeed. I went through various USB cables last year, including the AQ Diamond, Phasure Lush and finally the Curious USB. The Curious is good, and I liked it's speed and transparency. It has beaten quite a few cables at over twice it's price. But the battle is over I am afraid.

Listening to the FTA Callisto tonight, right off the bat it us as transparent as the Curious, but oddly digs even deeper. I can pick out decay and subtle details that were not so apparent before. It is only 3 hours, but it seems to have a balanced FR, clear but not cold. The mids are slightly more forward than the Curious, and the bass is about on par with the Curious, bit more texture, but the same extension and drive.

The big change right away however is the soundstage, it is like walking into a bigger room with my LCD4 headphones on, things just got super wide and deeper, more separated and placed in the stage. This is great, a really important aspect there. How did they do that?

I expect the cable to burn in a bit, so will come back with more impressions. I can't fault it so far, it is both exciting and easy to listen to, a character that is hard to find in one component.

This brings it home, how a cable change can further elevate a system, and in a very affordable manner. I'll Be Back with more impressions after Munich.

 

[Golum]

01010100 01101000 01100001 01101110 01101011 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

And if you guys can tear yourselves away from your cellos and violins for five minutes there is some wicked playing here umongst the multi layered keyboards,from my least favorite period of Rush. Some evil bass with some very patient but intense sticking by Neil topped off with a blazing geetar solo.

Lyrics provided for the read a long since its not a fat lady.

One humanoid escapee
One android on the run
Seeking freedom beneath the lonely desert sun
Trying to change its program
Trying to change the mode, crack the code
Images conflicting into data overload
One zero zero one zero zero one
SOS
One zero zero one zero zero one
In distress
One zero zero one zero zero
Memory banks unloading
Bytes break into bits
Unit One's in trouble and it's scared out of its wits
Guidance systems break down
A struggle to exist
To resist
A pulse of dying power in a clenching plastic fist
One zero zero one zero zero one
SOS
One zero zero one zero zero one
In distress
One zero zero one zero zero
It replays each of the days
A hundred years of routines
Bows its head and prays
To the mother of all machines
Songwriters: Neil Elwood Peart / Gary Lee Weinrib / Alex Zivojinovich
The Body Electric (Live) lyrics © Ole Media Management Lp

 

[christoph]

View attachment 51263

Well, this cable is mighty fine indeed. I went through various USB cables last year, including the AQ Diamond, Phasure Lush and finally the Curious USB. The Curious is good, and I liked it's speed and transparency. It has beaten quite a few cables at over twice it's price. But the battle is over I am afraid.

Listening to the FTA Callisto tonight, right off the bat it us as transparent as the Curious, but oddly digs even deeper. I can pick out decay and subtle details that were not so apparent before. It is only 3 hours, but it seems to have a balanced FR, clear but not cold. The mids are slightly more forward than the Curious, and the bass is about on par with the Curious, bit more texture, but the same extension and drive.

The big change right away however is the soundstage, it is like walking into a bigger room with my LCD4 headphones on, things just got super wide and deeper, more separated and placed in the stage. This is great, a really important aspect there. How did they do that?

I expect the cable to burn in a bit, so will come back with more impressions. I can't fault it so far, it is both exciting and easy to listen to, a character that is hard to find in one component.

This brings it home, how a cable change can further elevate a system, and in a very affordable manner. I'll Be Back with more impressions after Munich.

I told you so
This cable combines attributes that normally don't go together
On other cables/gear those attributes almost even exclude each other

 

[Legolas]

I told you so
This cable combines attributes that normally don't go together
On other cables/gear those attributes almost even exclude each other

Correct, quite a difficult thing to do.
Not unlike many DACs actually. The detail frenzy 'modern' DS sound, and the R2R tube based DACs, which when well designed have the detail AND the timbre AND realism.

 

[christoph]

Correct, quite a difficult thing to do.
Not unlike many DACs actually. The detail frenzy 'modern' DS sound, and the R2R tube based DACs, which when well designed have the detail AND the timbre AND realism.

Like Lampi DACs

 

[Legolas]

The Kassandra

 

[NEXTLEVEL5]

The Kassandra

Maybe one of these days

 

[christoph]

The Kassandra

When was the last time you heard a Lampi DAC?
And never directly compared to the Kassandra, right?
We did several times
Think of the Kassandra as the Curious and the Lampi as the FTA Callisto

 

[Hieukm]

So in the <1000 USD range, the two stand out candidates is FTA Callisto and Intona Ultimate. Wonder has anyone compared these two. The next step in USB cables seems to be the heavy weight: Skogrand, Dalby, Siltech, Gobel, Nordost , Crystal Dream costing 2000 upwards.

 

[jturbo]

So in the <1000 USD range, the two stand out candidates is FTA Callisto and Intona Ultimate. Wonder has anyone compared these two. The next step in USB cables seems to be the heavy weight: Skogrand, Dalby, Siltech, Gobel, Nordost , Crystal Dream costing 2000 upwards.

Im using the FTA ahead of the Tyr2. No idea vs the V2.

 

[StefanT]

Im using the FTA ahead of the Tyr2. No idea vs the V2.

What is the "V2"?

 

[jturbo]

What is the "V2"?

Nordost Valhalla 2