Indeed.. I am still amazed with the degree of improvement you able to make
Sablon USB cable - 2020 model
- Thread starter Sablon Audio
- Start date
I have now had the new Sablon 2020 USB cable running for the last 36 hours. I must say, right after swapping the cable, the improvements were quite apparent and I promptly sent a message to Mark with my first impressions.The upgrade is a no-brainer, no question about that. The biggest difference for me is in the frequency extension on either side with added clarity and resolution. With every upgrade, the noise level goes down further revealing more and more detail.
The enhancement in bass texture and nuance is plain fantastic! Add to that, palpably more air on top..........one step closer to real!
Well done, Mark!
The enhancement in bass texture and nuance is plain fantastic! Add to that, palpably more air on top..........one step closer to real!
Well done, Mark!
It has been a week now that I received a bunch of cables from Mark ( that I thank again for this opportunity) : the new USB cable unpowered version, a pair of RCA cables and a King PC.
The USB cable being my priority, this the one I mainly tested for the time being and I concur with all the positive feedback: this is a keeper ! Resolution, dynamics, airy but at the same time the right level of density , no harshness at all. I am currently using an AQ Diamond which is a bit too thin sounding to my taste. I am also familiar with the Intona Ultimate but I never tried it on my system.
Bravo Mark for an excellent cable at a very “reasonable” price compared to the current top end USB cables !
Alex
The USB cable being my priority, this the one I mainly tested for the time being and I concur with all the positive feedback: this is a keeper ! Resolution, dynamics, airy but at the same time the right level of density , no harshness at all. I am currently using an AQ Diamond which is a bit too thin sounding to my taste. I am also familiar with the Intona Ultimate but I never tried it on my system.
Bravo Mark for an excellent cable at a very “reasonable” price compared to the current top end USB cables !
Alex
Today planned to compare the new 2020 vs the curios evolved regen link as promised in other thread. I need 2 USB cables for intona usb isolator.
As the new 2020 already running from extreme to usb isolator, so I unplugged the regenlink and replace with the old elite first as I never compare them.
Well well, the old elite excels in resolution and dynamic, curious evolved is more laid back and flatter sounding.
I prefer how sablon usb sounds in my system.
I aborted the comparison between the curious evolved vs the new 2020. I know which one will be the winner for me obviously..
As the new 2020 already running from extreme to usb isolator, so I unplugged the regenlink and replace with the old elite first as I never compare them.
Well well, the old elite excels in resolution and dynamic, curious evolved is more laid back and flatter sounding.
I prefer how sablon usb sounds in my system.
I aborted the comparison between the curious evolved vs the new 2020. I know which one will be the winner for me obviously..
Is worth mentioning that the SOTM tX-USBultra accepts an unpowered usb cable. I know quite a few people out there are using these, especially with DAVE dacs.
I have compared my Elite to the Curious evolved in the past. A friend brought it over for an afternoon, so I can fully disclose that I didn't have it over a period of time and optimize my system completely for it. However, I did do some tube rolling to cater to its nuances. I felt the Sablon was the better overall performer. The new Curious seems to be less clinical than its original iteration, which I owned. It was still not as full-bodied as the Elite. It also didn't bring out as much tonal color and inner details as the Elite. Also, its separation of instruments was lacking compared to the Elite. In the end, I wasn't tempted by it to consider switching. It was a very good cable nonetheless.
Thanks for highlight this point but to make sure the Hugo M Scaler and Chord DAC's required a powered USB cables, is it?
I can confirm the above: I'm running Vbus disconnected to the SOtM, with the SOtM providing Vbus to my Chord DAVE (with brand new Sablon 2020 cable I received today....thanks Mark!)
With Chord DACs, once the handshake is established, you can disconnect Vbus, but you do need Vbus for the handshake. Another strategy is to use an unpowered cable to the Chord DAC with an adapter that allows you to inject 5V Vbus. Once handshake is established, you can disconnect the Vbus and isolate the DAC that little extra bit. (I do not run this way, I have a powered Sablon cable)
With Chord DACs, once the handshake is established, you can disconnect Vbus, but you do need Vbus for the handshake. Another strategy is to use an unpowered cable to the Chord DAC with an adapter that allows you to inject 5V Vbus. Once handshake is established, you can disconnect the Vbus and isolate the DAC that little extra bit. (I do not run this way, I have a powered Sablon cable)
I received my Sablon 2020 USB this morning. With relatively few hours of play what I hear is a tonally saturated presentation, full-bodied images, superb timing, clarity and articulation for miles, and a wonderfully dimensional picture of the recording venue and all the players in it.
Even more impressive, the clarity and low-level detail give real insight into the musicians‘ touch and vocalists’ phrasing, which moves the experience from listening to music on the stereo to becoming emotionally invested in the musical event Itself. Quite the accomplishment.
If, as Mark has advised, the next 24 hours further develops the Sablon USB’s positive characteristics, well this is very impressive cable, indeed.
steve Z
Even more impressive, the clarity and low-level detail give real insight into the musicians‘ touch and vocalists’ phrasing, which moves the experience from listening to music on the stereo to becoming emotionally invested in the musical event Itself. Quite the accomplishment.
If, as Mark has advised, the next 24 hours further develops the Sablon USB’s positive characteristics, well this is very impressive cable, indeed.
steve Z
That’s a great start Steve, though with an Extreme and Vivaldi you deserve nothing less! Do please let us know how you feel about it after a bit of burn in time...
Just spent another hugely enjoyable session at Blue58, indulging in his SGM2015 server, Aqua Formula XHD dac, Java Triple Shot pre, 3W/ch 45 tubes monos, AG Duos Omegas horns.
He's done quite a bit in the last few months, from new analog board on dac, some adjustments on server filter settings, Duos XOvers surgery, and Daizas all 'round.
To this list he's added the most recent change, Mark's Sablon Reserva 2020 USB cbl.
Now I'm not the person to give a reliable opinion on USB A v B etc, but some things are noticeable. First bass drive and definition are well up. A bass torture track, James Blake "Overgrown", that was a tad listless and floaty in the bass previously (certainly compared to his T&A Dac8 which nailed this track way better than the Aqua), had much more focus and drive w the Sablon. The track was now properly propelled rather than bobbling as it had done on previous visits. Particularly evident was a pertinent wave-like feel to the bass line, and a lot of air around the electronic percussion that bubbles just under the surface. Big success.
Other jazz and jazz funk material felt on the money, great timing and ambient info. As in live music, pulse and air in great harmony.
What me and the other two guests, plus Barry (ie all of us Lol), fully agreed on was great tonal variation from one track to the next.
No sugar coated euphony, no system-imposed tonality, way less evidence of system mechanics ie the rig got right out of the way of the music. And the Sablon 2020 USB a critical part of the illusion, one that I think we're all working to in our varied system-building exploits ie revealing more of the music and less of the gear.
Big kudos to Mark and this cbl.
He's done quite a bit in the last few months, from new analog board on dac, some adjustments on server filter settings, Duos XOvers surgery, and Daizas all 'round.
To this list he's added the most recent change, Mark's Sablon Reserva 2020 USB cbl.
Now I'm not the person to give a reliable opinion on USB A v B etc, but some things are noticeable. First bass drive and definition are well up. A bass torture track, James Blake "Overgrown", that was a tad listless and floaty in the bass previously (certainly compared to his T&A Dac8 which nailed this track way better than the Aqua), had much more focus and drive w the Sablon. The track was now properly propelled rather than bobbling as it had done on previous visits. Particularly evident was a pertinent wave-like feel to the bass line, and a lot of air around the electronic percussion that bubbles just under the surface. Big success.
Other jazz and jazz funk material felt on the money, great timing and ambient info. As in live music, pulse and air in great harmony.
What me and the other two guests, plus Barry (ie all of us Lol), fully agreed on was great tonal variation from one track to the next.
No sugar coated euphony, no system-imposed tonality, way less evidence of system mechanics ie the rig got right out of the way of the music. And the Sablon 2020 USB a critical part of the illusion, one that I think we're all working to in our varied system-building exploits ie revealing more of the music and less of the gear.
Big kudos to Mark and this cbl.
Thanks Marc and I’m glad you were able to discern the uptick so easily. Kudos to Blue58 for having developed such a great system through diligently sweating the details.
Re Barry sweating the details, yep, he's had a focussed and logical plan here. Like me he's avoided the easy temptation to ditch his gear and build a new rig. Instead, he's realised he has a great core sound built around what was the best server prior to Extreme, one of the very best dacs (confirmed by Mike Lavigne's ownership comments), great balance of neutrality and tone w his Java/45 tubes amp chain, and always engaging Duos horns.
And the responsiveness of this system to the aforementioned changes incl yr USB makes his decision making as easy as pie.
And the responsiveness of this system to the aforementioned changes incl yr USB makes his decision making as easy as pie.
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Mark's new cables (one unpowered and one powered) arrived at a propitious time, as I also had in-house a few other cables under evaluation from Intona and Habst. Until their arrival, the combo of Intona Ultimate/Reference was in pole position for imminent purchase. Why do I need two? You'll see below.
The Sablons impressed from the get-go, but initially sounded a bit recessed and closed-in. After about 100 hours of burn-in, they've really opened up! Without further ado, my findings. Here is my chain as tested:
I held the second USB cable from tX-USBultra to the M-Scaler constant with a Sablon 2020 powered cable. I varied and compared the following cables between the server and the tX-USBultra:
So while it was not a slam dunk, in aggregate, the Sablon won the head-to-head comparison. But once I compared the combo of Sablon unpowered+powered 2020s to the Intona Ultimate+Reference (I just cannot afford 2 Ultimates), the gap widened, while still coming in at a lower cost than the Ultimate+Reference combo. The combo of unpowered and powered 2020s on both sides of my tX-USBultra seems to synergize particularly well in my system.
I just added to Mark's workload.
The Sablons impressed from the get-go, but initially sounded a bit recessed and closed-in. After about 100 hours of burn-in, they've really opened up! Without further ado, my findings. Here is my chain as tested:
- chain of audiophile switches under review > bespoke custom server > (USB cables under test) > tX-USBultra > Sablon 2020 powered USB > Chord M-Scaler > dual BNC > Chord DAVE > Meze Empyrean headphones
I held the second USB cable from tX-USBultra to the M-Scaler constant with a Sablon 2020 powered cable. I varied and compared the following cables between the server and the tX-USBultra:
- Sablon 2020 unpowered
- Habst Ultra III
- Intona Ultimate
- Intona Reference.
- Sablon 2020 unpowered
- Intona Ultimate
- Habst Ultra III
So while it was not a slam dunk, in aggregate, the Sablon won the head-to-head comparison. But once I compared the combo of Sablon unpowered+powered 2020s to the Intona Ultimate+Reference (I just cannot afford 2 Ultimates), the gap widened, while still coming in at a lower cost than the Ultimate+Reference combo. The combo of unpowered and powered 2020s on both sides of my tX-USBultra seems to synergize particularly well in my system.
I just added to Mark's workload.
Rajiv, thanks for taking the time to carefully evaluate my cables and report back. As I said to Romaz a few days ago, you are also a thought leader from Computer Audiophile whose carefully considered and collaborative posts I have admired from afar. You are both serious enthusiasts with strong personal integrity and I value your endorsement.
Touching on the subject of burn in, this cable is pretty benign from the get go but will intensify significantly over a few days left on repeat. Generally speaking, most listeners will be wowed from cold however those with Intona Ultimates as their reference will need to give it a bit of time. I guess that says as much about the capabilities of the Intona as it does mine!
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