Transparent Cables = lower volume

[Bill Hart]

Only user accessible adjustments with the MIT. Transparent must be retuned for each component. The good news is that the turnaround is quick. I'm sure at worst Transparent would charge a fee to second owners for retuning. But they may not. A call to them will certainly answer the question.

Which brings me to the question whether these cables you borrowed are tuned for your electronics/speakers? If not, that might be the cause. It's actually very interesting how much of a difference that the tuning makes in the sound.

I think Floyd said that the wires were tuned to his components before they were shipped by mfr.

 

[microstrip]

What's old is new again I'm not sure if anything has been changed (one thing is that didn't have to solder anything!) in the cables. I haven't inquired about details as I prefer to listen and not let design cloud my impressions. I do know however, that I want to try these cables with my ART amplifier when I'm finished reviewing the Cello Encore amplifier. There are some things that this amp/cable combo do that are extraordinary--and R2R really brings out the combo.

Are you referring to the new Cello Encore by Matthew James or the old Cello Encore 150?

 

[Bill Hart]

That's the life of a reviewer

We have a friend and neighbor who is a well known 'car' reviewer- when you go by his house, sometimes the craziest new rides are sitting out front. His personal collection is rather different- he specializes in obscure british mini-cars from Morris, has an old E-type, and a 6.3 Benz from the late 60's that I would love to buy (had one once). But, I guess the point is, his personal taste is different than what's coming and going all the time for his writing job. His funniest piece was "Hummer in the City," about driving an original (H1?) Hummer - which is wider than some cars are long- across the Williamsburg Bridge.

 

[LL21]

Transparent cable are still the best I have heard for high level signals (Preamp to Power amp, Speaker).

From what I understand, the network boxes simply and intentially reduce bandwidth.

+1 All i know is i have bought TA Ref cables nearly 7 years ago...and never desired to move away from TA despite hearing other cables from time to time...now using TA Ref XL (older and MM2). I also will say it says something to me when Wilson and Rockport both use their cabling internally and often use their cables for voicing...i think CJ may use them as well. Rockport uses the TA cables internally and in their systems which tend to be Gryphon amplification. Since i run Wilsons, CJ and Gryphon...seems like there might be something to the fact that i like TA in my system as well.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

i owned Opus MM speaker cables from 2000 until late last year. for 2 years i owned 2 sets of them (Opus MM) when i bi-amped the VR9SE's. then i upgraded one set to the MM2 and used those for 5 years.

i owned a 1.5 meter pair of Opus MM2 rca's for 5 years.

back in the 90's i owned Reference XL speaker cables and XLR interconnects.

during the last 10 years i also owned as many as 6 sets of Nordost Valhalla interconnects.....so i had a 'ying' to the Transparent's 'yang'.

the early Ref XL boxes did slightly reduce bandwidth, but the Opus MM boxes mostly dealt with reasonance control.

the Opus particularly is a very sexy cable; and i think it was mostly voiced on speakers with slightly hot tweeters (read Wilson). it had super bass and bass texture, and a slight darkness. it was very detailed and natural sounding. the MM2 versions had more top end air and were a bit more neutral, not as much darkness.

i never had any sense of the volume being blunted.....and while the 90's Ref XL was a bit restricted in the top end, the Opus never seemed that way at all until i compared it to the Double Run Evolution Acoustics speaker cable.....and through the years i did lots of cable comparisons.

 

[mep]

That's the life of a reviewer

The ART isn't chopped liver either!

I totally understand what you are saying about the ART. Just saying though...

 

[Andre Marc]

+1 All i know is i have bought TA Ref cables nearly 7 years ago...and never desired to move away from TA despite hearing other cables from time to time...now using TA Ref XL (older and MM2). I also will say it says something to me when Wilson and Rockport both use their cabling internally and often use their cables for voicing...i think CJ may use them as well. Rockport uses the TA cables internally and in their systems which tend to be Gryphon amplification. Since i run Wilsons, CJ and Gryphon...seems like there might be something to the fact that i like TA in my system as well.

Until I hear something better in the same price range, they will be my references going forward.

Interestingly, I must note, they darken the sound for me between source and preamp.

For sources I currently use Kimber KCTGs ($1100 half meter) and Stager Silver Solids ($110 half meter) ha!

 

[MadFloyd]

Only user accessible adjustments with the MIT. Transparent must be retuned for each component. The good news is that the turnaround is quick. I'm sure at worst Transparent would charge a fee to second owners for retuning. But they may not. A call to them will certainly answer the question.

Which brings me to the question whether these cables you borrowed are tuned for your electronics/speakers? If not, that might be the cause. It's actually very interesting how much of a difference that the tuning makes in the sound.

Yes, they are tuned for my equipment. They sound great, I was just surprised at the difference in volume.

 

[MadFloyd]

Interesting. I'll have to try swapping out my source TA cable for my PAD and see I hear the same.

 

[MadFloyd]

i owned Opus MM speaker cables from 2000 until late last year. for 2 years i owned 2 sets of them (Opus MM) when i bi-amped the VR9SE's. then i upgraded one set to the MM2 and used those for 5 years.

i owned a 1.5 meter pair of Opus MM2 rca's for 5 years.

back in the 90's i owned Reference XL speaker cables and XLR interconnects.

during the last 10 years i also owned as many as 6 sets of Nordost Valhalla interconnects.....so i had a 'ying' to the Transparent's 'yang'.

the early Ref XL boxes did slightly reduce bandwidth, but the Opus MM boxes mostly dealt with reasonance control.

the Opus particularly is a very sexy cable; and i think it was mostly voiced on speakers with slightly hot tweeters (read Wilson). it had super bass and bass texture, and a slight darkness. it was very detailed and natural sounding. the MM2 versions had more top end air and were a bit more neutral, not as much darkness.

i never had any sense of the volume being blunted.....and while the 90's Ref XL was a bit restricted in the top end, the Opus never seemed that way at all until i compared it to the Double Run Evolution Acoustics speaker cable.....and through the years i did lots of cable comparisons.

Sounds like you've moved away from Transparent?

 

[Mike Lavigne]

Sounds like you've moved away from Transparent?

i have moved away; but i still really like the Transparent Opus MM2 cables and think they are one of the worlds great cables.

regarding speaker cables, i slightly preferred the Evolution Acoustics double run speaker cables to the TA Opus MM2's in my system. the Evolutions went a bit deeper in the bass, had a bit more dynamic contrasts and snap, and were slightly more extended in the top end. also; the Evolutions were open and light and had a better overall top to bottom balance compared to the slight 'darkness' of the Opus MM. the Opus maybe was a bit more texturally interesting in the bass....slightly. as far as clarity and tonal rightness, i'd say they are slightly different but equal objectively, i prefer the Evolutions in this area as being more 'right', but it's likely a matter of taste. the Opus is ideal for a speaker with a bit of an agressive top end. the slight darkness is a balance i think. this was a year ago. 6 months later, i had a chance to acquire the new Evolution Acoustic triple run speaker cables which were a good deal better overall in my system than the double run. which is what i'm now using.

and one does need to consider the Opus MM2 12 footers i had retail at $34,500. the Evolution Acoustics double run at $6k for the first 8 feet, and $9k for triple run 8 footers.

as far as interconnects; i don't use conventional interconnects. i use the 'zeel' BNC cables from Evolution Acoustics for darTZeel amps and preamps. i have these between my dart pre and dart amp(s), and between my Playback Designs MPS-5 digital and the dart pre. i also use a darTZeel made 'zeel' BNC cable between my King-Cello tape repro and the dart pre. i loved the 1.5m TA Opus MM2 rca's, but sold it since i did not need it. the 'zeel' interconnects easily outperform any conventional interconnects in my system.

the Opus MM2 1.5m RCA's retail for $15k.

 

[MylesBAstor]

Are you referring to the new Cello Encore by Matthew James or the old Cello Encore 150?

New.

 

[microstrip]

If posters do not specify exactly what cables they are referring to and what electronics and speakers they are using we will never be able to understand what is happening. There is an high variation in the parameters relevant to signal interface, it is impossible to have a generic answer to this type of question.

 

[MadFloyd]

If posters do not specify exactly what cables they are referring to and what electronics and speakers they are using we will never be able to understand what is happening. There is an high variation in the parameters relevant to signal interface, it is impossible to have a generic answer to this type of question.

Added signature with my equipment list.

 

[LL21]

Added signature with my equipment list.

Congrats on getting the Doshi! Heard great things about it!

 

[MadFloyd]

Congrats on getting the Doshi! Heard great things about it!

Thanks, I really like it.

I'm going to try Nicks amps next week.

 

[LL21]

Thanks, I really like it.

I'm going to try Nicks amps next week.

Definitely please post!!!

 

[jfrech]

Madfloyd, just curious where you ended up on the Transparent cable? I've heard this volume change to when I moved from Purist to Transparent...I think some of this, to me at least, is the blacker backgroud the transparents are presenting. And the Purist are NO SLOUCH in the quiet area...

I've been very happy with my Transparent's and the switch from Purist....it was a hard choice however...both are good and system context is really the deciding factor I think...

 

[chrisr]

Yes, the volume drops as you move up the line. I demoed several of their models at a dealer and found myself increasing the volume each time. The dealer noticed this and commented that this was the correct thing to do because as you move up the line the load changes and you need to increase volume to match level.

 

[MadFloyd]

I like the Transparent cables, especially in the bass. I hate the cost though.