transparent Gen 5

number95

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May 14, 2014
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Newbie forum user here. I just discovered this community and feel I can add some perspective on this particular topic. I purchased my first Transparent cable in 1993 and have been a customer ever since. I've been through their entire range over the years. Currently have Opus MM2 speaker cables and Ref XL or equivalent on all other interconnects, clock cables etc. Each and every time I paid handsomely for an upgrade, I was rewarded with an increase in performance. I don't think about it any more, just get the upgrades when available. My SC's are headed to Maine on Saturday for an upgrade to the Gen 5 configuration. It is pretty pricey but I know from 20+ years of experience that it will be worth the price of admission.

Cincy

I agree with you 100pct for Transparent. I also have Magnum Opus SC, I am sure you will love it.
 

shapo

Member
Jul 5, 2018
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Hey guys, I just purchased Reference XL Digital cables, 75 ohm BNC and 110 ohm AES XLR.

Were these Digital cables also updated to Gen 5 or are they the same?

The 75 ohm cables came with a Gen 5 label while the 110 ohm AES XLR came in a 'older looking' style paper box which didn't specify which generation.

Pics attached IMG_8222.jpg
IMG_8223.jpg
IMG_8224.jpg
 

jfrech

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Looks like the same box mine came in ...
 

microstrip

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As far as I know TA found they could not improve their digital cables, so Reference XL is still the top - no Generation V, Opus or Magnum. But probably their labels now refer to Generation V.

They are really superb - either with DCS or Metronome. Once you try them you do not want to go back.
 

shapo

Member
Jul 5, 2018
29
11
8
Ahh thanks for the info guys. I was just worried I got the older version :p


Here's the response I got from Transparent:

XL digital cables were actually one of the first cables to feature Generation 5 technology and we have only made one version.

A packaging and naming change was made when we launched the rest of the G5 line, but the XLAES 110 ohm cable that you have is current and the same cable we are shipping today- you just have the older style packaging.
 
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Kingsrule

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As far as I know TA found they could not improve their digital cables, so Reference XL is still the top - no Generation V, Opus or Magnum. But probably their labels now refer to Generation V.

They are really superb - either with DCS or Metronome. Once you try them you do not want to go back.

Actually I thought they were terrible on the Vivaldi stack. Slow, veiled, no dynamics. Like an old tube sound. Switched to Tellurium Q. The TA's were so bad I had them checked. They were reported perfect.
 

jfrech

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Actually I thought they were terrible on the Vivaldi stack. Slow, veiled, no dynamics. Like an old tube sound. Switched to Tellurium Q. The TA's were so bad I had them checked. They were reported perfect.

I'm sticking with my Transparent Digital Cables. No way I'd describe them as your experience...
 

microstrip

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Actually I thought they were terrible on the Vivaldi stack. Slow, veiled, no dynamics. Like an old tube sound. Switched to Tellurium Q. The TA's were so bad I had them checked. They were reported perfect.

In this hobby one man's meat is another man's poison.

Cables are extremely system dependent. Can we know what was the system and the other cables?
 

Kingsrule

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Sure
At the time I made my evaluation I was using Soulution 511's in mono with Magico MProjects along with DCS Vivaldi dac and upsampler
 

parkcaka

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Sep 11, 2016
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dCS is using Transparent XL digital cables in their factory Vivaldi setup so TA may not be to your taste brother but I don't think they are flawed. dCS would know. They can have any digital cable they want in their factory demo setup. If you ask the guys in dCS personally they also answer that these TA XL digital cables are pretty pretty special.

But in any case it comes down to personal taste.
 

microstrip

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Sure
At the time I made my evaluation I was using Soulution 511's in mono with Magico MProjects along with DCS Vivaldi dac and upsampler

Thanks. In such system I can imagine that the Transparent cables were the opposite of what you needed. I could risk that the overall balance would be extremely "thick". I do not remember of ever seeing a Soulution system with Transparent Audio cables.
 

microstrip

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dCS is using Transparent XL digital cables in their factory Vivaldi setup so TA may not be to your taste brother but I don't think they are flawed. dCS would know. They can have any digital cable they want in their factory demo setup. If you ask the guys in dCS personally they also answer that these TA XL digital cables are pretty pretty special.

But in any case it comes down to personal taste.

And system compatibility.

Some of the best pubic known systems in the world use Transparent Audio cables. Many of our members use or used them (changing to an alternative does not diminish a great product, something many audiophiles fail to understand). Some people feel better having strong negative opinions - we should learn from them and surely remember that their opinion is relevant just in their systems.
 

Kingsrule

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dCS is using Transparent XL digital cables in their factory Vivaldi setup so TA may not be to your taste brother but I don't think they are flawed. dCS would know. They can have any digital cable they want in their factory demo setup. If you ask the guys in dCS personally they also answer that these TA XL digital cables are pretty pretty special.

But in any case it comes down to personal taste.

Actually I don't think dCS has a "factory" setup. I do believe they also have a full loom of Nordost in play. And I do not think they recommend any brand. For whatever reason at most shows they show with Wilson so put 2&2 together. I think alot of dCS buyers just get TA and thats it. I'll bet most haven't tried anything different.
In any case I just report what I hear. And it was no contest.......
 

Barry2013

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Yes that is my understanding as well.
I use Entreq Apollo i/cs with my sources (2 Infinity with one due to be upgraded) and their Apollo speaker cables.
Very good synergy with my DCS Scarlatti.
 

microstrip

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Actually I don't think dCS has a "factory" setup. I do believe they also have a full loom of Nordost in play. And I do not think they recommend any brand. For whatever reason at most shows they show with Wilson so put 2&2 together. I think alot of dCS buyers just get TA and thats it. I'll bet most haven't tried anything different.
In any case I just report what I hear. And it was no contest.......

No, they have at less two "factory" setups - one with Transparent Audio and D'Agostino's. But comprehensively they do not endorsee any products and try their DACs with several other brands.

I have tried Transparent Opus, Crystal Dreamline, Cardas Golden Reference, Straightwire Virtuoso, Nordost Valhala and Odin, Van den Hul top 3Ts with the Vivaldi, and my preference depends on the system being used - e.g. with conrad johnson the TA Opus were clear winners, with the Lamm's I am prefering Crystal Dreamline.
 

parkcaka

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Actually I don't think dCS has a "factory" setup. I do believe they also have a full loom of Nordost in play. And I do not think they recommend any brand. For whatever reason at most shows they show with Wilson so put 2&2 together. I think alot of dCS buyers just get TA and thats it. I'll bet most haven't tried anything different.
In any case I just report what I hear. And it was no contest.......

Yes they do brother.

https://www.soundstageaustralia.com/index.php/features/61-hq-visit-dcs-cambridge-united-kingdom

But I'm not saying that to imply TA is the best digital cable in the world. I pointed this out to say that TA can't be flawed or have very poor performance. dSC would never ever let that kind of thing to happen in their factory setup. Next year they might use Nordost as well. Nordost is also not flawed.

Just a week ago we tried Shunyata Sigma, Canare and TA digital cables in my friends setup (Vivaldi One+Vivaldi Clock, Magico M5 and Pass XS150). Transparent was so ahead of others there was not any competition.

Again they are all great cables but to our taste in this specific system TA produced the bloom the system needed. The others played very well but they were boring after hearing the bloom and musicality of TA. By the way I was not a Clock Cable believer and I'm still using Canare cables with my Rossini and Clock. I was shocked to hear the difference and scientifically I still don't know how that can happen. The audio signal is not carried on these cables so perfect measuring cable should sound the best right? I'm lost here.

If our system was different we might reach a different conclusion.

Love and respect,

Cagdas
 
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jfrech

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Actually I don't think dCS has a "factory" setup. I do believe they also have a full loom of Nordost in play. And I do not think they recommend any brand. For whatever reason at most shows they show with Wilson so put 2&2 together. I think alot of dCS buyers just get TA and thats it. I'll bet most haven't tried anything different.
In any case I just report what I hear. And it was no contest.......

I've used Cardas, Purist and Transparent Digital cables. Cardas are great for the money. The Purist are quite good also. I felt the Transparent bettered them but not in price performance...
 

all2ofme

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Aug 17, 2018
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Actually I thought they were terrible on the Vivaldi stack. Slow, veiled, no dynamics. Like an old tube sound. Switched to Tellurium Q. The TA's were so bad I had them checked. They were reported perfect.
@Kingsrule Which Tellurium Qs did you end up with? I’m looking at a Vivaldi stack one day (soon, I hope) and the rest of my cables are all TQ. I’ll likely stay with them as I’ve been pretty happy so far.

I’ll need to get the clock cables from someone else, I think (as far as I can tell TQ don’t do them), but it’d be great to hear which model you went for with the AES cables. I have plenty of Black Diamond XLRs knocking around, but I understand I should behave and use a pair of proper 110ohm digital versions instead.
 

Kingsrule

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I still have all the Tellurium Q cables I used in my Vavaldi stack....if u are interested in them send me a pm
 

Ian B

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Hey, I was wondering at what level do you have to go before you lose a lot of the TA coloration like grain, glow, and compression? I'm trying out some Reference level XLRs and kind of surprised how much grain and compression there is, although I did expect that they wouldn't be very airy. They also don't have the deepest blacks.

A recent Shunyata Sigma V2 really killed these in terms of dynamics, noise (blacks), air, width, and detail, but of course the TA win terms of tonal balance, bass, image size, and ease of listening. The Shunyata price is actually $600 less. The Reference is actually probably the least dynamic cable I've used in a while, including $500 Audioquest Colorado. I'm wondering if the Sigma V2 is more comparable to the more expensive Reference XL, or if some of these artifacts are just part of the sound until you get to the very top cable models.
 

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