Transparent Audio: Gen 6 Announcement

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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LINK TO ANNOUNCEMENT FROM TRANSPARENT AUDIO:


TRANSPARENT EVOLUTION
INTRODUCTING GENERATION 6

Thousands of hours of correlating listening results with measurements in the Transparent music studios have finally led us to Generation 6. New listening tools have been instrumental in helping us to advance our musical standard even closer to the experience of music heard live. Since the introduction of Generation 5, Transparent has made some significant updates in the reference systems in our studios with exciting, new, associated ultimate components such as D’Agostino Momentum Amplifiers and HD Preamplifiers, Audio Research 160 M Amplifiers, Audio Research Reference 10 Preamp, and Wilson XVX Speakers. In addition, high resolution and MQA digital streaming has provided the design team with a vast array of exciting new source material that is at a level of fidelity that exceeds our previous digital sources.

These investments in time and listening tools have always been vital to advance the state of our art and to serve our loyal customers who have for decades followed the path of continuous performance improvement in their audio systems with Transparent and our comprehensive upgrade program. Our steady path toward improving the performance of our products and our unparalleled customer support have rightfully led and will continue to lead music and audio connoisseurs to Transparent.

GENERATION 6

Generation 6 represents a higher level of refinement and precision to the Transparent design model. Our research led us to unlock a totally new measurement metric. This metric not only ensures that every customer will be able to take fuller advantage of the past 6 years of advances to the design model, but each product now embodies a demonstrative evolution of the Transparent musical standard. Subtle but distracting electronic aberrations that stand in the way of the music over long-term listening fade away to indiscernible levels.

Generation 6 also heralds a new and more comprehensive approach to using different types of advanced materials and more mass to eradicate resonant frequencies from within and from without network enclosures, particularly on the REFERENCE level and above. In addition to a more solid foundation for the music’s lowest frequencies, the listening result of removing vibration and resonance is a quieter sound field with low-level information retrieval that is capable of revealing previously hidden “you are there” details on your favorite source material.

Although every Transparent Audio Cable benefits from the cumulative efforts of our research and development over the past 6 years, it should be no surprise that the new Generation 6 MAGNUM OPUS, OPUS, XL, and REFERENCE Audio Cables lead the way in terms of redefining yet another great leap forward.
 
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dandylinpsst

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This time the new G6 change seems to focus on the shell material rather than the internal network
 

Bobvin

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Very interesting timing, in my case, as I am parting with my ARC Ref components and Wilson speakers. I have been exposed to Transparent by the Wilson, Dag, ARC dealer in Seattle and I liked the way the cables sounded in my system. I find the press release a little odd in mentioning only those brands which, imho, might lead people to believe the cables are designed for those components, less so for all systems. I hope their component stash is larger than those mentioned.

I suppose I will get a chance soon enough to hear my existing cables on completely different electronics and multiple speakers. Investing in my new gear means that, for a time, I’ll use the cables I have (though I will send back a pair of interconnects and speaker cables for ‘recalibration’ to work optimally with the Pilium.)

I had a small group over the other night for a listening finale with my ARC & Wilsons... end of an era! I mentioned reading how some folks would strongly disagree with using a networked cable on a horn (e.g. Diesis). I think it would be foolish to agree with that comment before taking time to hear for myself. It will be an interesting summer, burning in a lot of new gear and then spending time to get acquainted with everything.
 
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marty

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One should be a little suspicious of a company who purports to improve the SQ of their cable products using the "MQA digital streaming". Maybe it's just me, but I always thought the best reference was live music. MQA is hardly an aspirational choice for product development. Color me jaded since I went down the rabbit hole of sequential upgrades with networked MIT cables for years. All those manufacturer claims about how those new iterations advanced the state of the art were really mostly marketing hype. The louder Brisson proclaimed "nirvana" was achieved with every iteration, the deeper that rabbit hole became. Recall there were so many iterations available, even MIT had to create artificial sourcing between web based sales and dealer sales for what were essentially similar or identical cables in different cosmetic packages. I'm not critiquing the performance of Transparent or MIT cables, but I am circumspect about "transformational" upgrades using networked technologies that are now over 20 years old.
 
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Bobvin

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I'm with you Marty... the cable world is full of marketing gibberish. At least they didn't say "quantum"! But, as always, listening is essential 'cause I've had my biases and preconceptions invalidated more than once. Then of course it becomes a matter of resources.

I'm certain I'll try others in the future... but as you say be mindful of the rabbit holes. Particularly the bottomless cable hole which cannot be filled with money.
 

ack

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One of the dumbest announcements that I have seen from Transparent, who also has no lead engineer anymore
 

microstrip

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Cables complement a system. More than once, some of the best sound reproduction I have listened used Transparent Cables. As I have owned them and had several generations of their top cables along many years until the appearance of the Magnum Opus, that was out of my reach, I can assure that the improvements along the years were significant, not marginal.

I have also occasionally owned a few sets of MIT - the only thing they have in common with Transparent are the big boxes, they sound completely different, a night and day difference. As always cables are not miraculous - they only show their potential in adequate systems.

Although I really enjoy their performance with the XLF's I sold my Transparent Audio Opus complete set recently because of the specific tuning feature - they are not adequate for someone who is currently listening to several amplifiers and preamplifiers.
 
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sbnx

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the cable world is full of marketing gibberish. At least they didn't say "quantum"!

Amen to that. The overuse of the word quantum is a pet peeve of mine. Most of these companies using the "q" word wouldn't recognize Schrodinger's cat from the tabby next door.
 

microstrip

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Just for fun, I thought I'd take a look at their website. Wow.

View attachment 77075

Well, a good friend owns them and I have listened to them several times. His system sounds great, and when he switched from the Opus it was a nice improvement.
 
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microstrip

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I'm with you Marty... the cable world is full of marketing gibberish. (...)

Bob,

Marketing of expensive cables is always gibberish - how can you get the attention of audiophiles, considering that 99.99% of them do not fully master the concept of impedance and there is no real accepted explanation for their subjective properties?

The only clear thing - that we should listen to them in our systems takes just three lines maximum!
 
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Bobvin

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The good side is, I thought the Gen5 cables were a step up from prior MM2 era cables. So with a new version released, used Gen 5 may be available at an even better price.
 
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RussR

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Very interesting timing, in my case, as I am parting with my ARC Ref components and Wilson speakers. I have been exposed to Transparent by the Wilson, Dag, ARC dealer in Seattle and I liked the way the cables sounded in my system. I find the press release a little odd in mentioning only those brands which, imho, might lead people to believe the cables are designed for those components, less so for all systems. I hope their component stash is larger than those mentioned.

I suppose I will get a chance soon enough to hear my existing cables on completely different electronics and multiple speakers. Investing in my new gear means that, for a time, I’ll use the cables I have (though I will send back a pair of interconnects and speaker cables for ‘recalibration’ to work optimally with the Pilium.)

I had a small group over the other night for a listening finale with my ARC & Wilsons... end of an era! I mentioned reading how some folks would strongly disagree with using a networked cable on a horn (e.g. Diesis). I think it would be foolish to agree with that comment before taking time to hear for myself. It will be an interesting summer, burning in a lot of new gear and then spending time to get acquainted with everything.
Hi Bob,
I am watching your announcement with much anticipation.........Alsyvox Botticelli speakers are I believe such a wonderful speaker ,you are in for a fantastic journey. Pilium amps I have not heard but they sound like a very special beast top class sound without the heat.....I like that thought and look foward to your reaction to your new system, Enjoy.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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LL21 said:
it should be no surprise that the new Generation 6 MAGNUM OPUS, OPUS, XL, and REFERENCE Audio Cables lead the way in terms of redefining yet another great leap forward.

Hi Tima,

I copied and pasted the first part of the press release from Transparent so people would not have to go to the link to read the first part. So those words are Transparent's not mine. That said, I am a big fan of Transparent, and thought others might want to know about this latest iteration of their cables. Hope that makes more sense now.
 
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tima

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Hi Tima,

I copied and pasted the first part of the press release from Transparent so people would not have to go to the link to read the first part. So those words are Transparent's not mine. That said, I am a big fan of Transparent, and thought others might want to know about this latest iteration of their cables. Hope that makes more sense now.

Lloyd, yes, of course - I know this was a press release and I wasn't commenting on the cables as much as the mind-numbing marketing speak. I was reacting to the quasi-Maoist "...Audio Cables lead the way in terms of redefining yet another great leap forward." - not about improved sonics, but about ... . Looks like the writer got to "redefining", forgot what they meant to say, then let a rabbit finish the sentence. :)
 
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marty

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How many years of good pair of season tickets to Carnegie Hall can you buy with your Masterbuilts? :)
Good one!! The answer is.... more!
MB Ultra speaker cables cost a lot less than 72K.
Actually I went from Oracle MA something (90?) SHD rev 2 to MB Ultras for not a big $ difference, but then again, the MITs retailed for about half of the latest Transparent Magnum Opus. Of course, all 3 are excellent speaker cables and a preference decision, but the TMO takes the retail prize and by a considerable amount.
For 72K, you could probably rent out the Philadelphia Orchestra, but that's not realistic as they wouldn't all be able to fit into my listening room. :rolleyes:
 

andromedaaudio

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I could spent 72.000 $ on a cables purchase
71.800 on a Audi RS automobile and use this to drive to the nearest music instrument store to spend the remaining 200 $ on the cables i needed .

In case of transparent its most likely a couple of coils / caps in a shiny box, tone control but a rather expensive one
 
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