Hifisoundguy, take a look here on the GON of my review of the Black boxes for the details regarding why there killers at improving the sonics of even very high end systems at a very reasonable price. Since I wrote the review another good audiophile friend got his Black Boxes from Bob Smith, he uses Wilson speakers, and is amazed how much improvement they made in his system. Bob just got back from the CES and will finish my two pairs since I biamp my MG-20's and he's building customized jumper cables with pins for me.
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I have just recieved the black boxes from Aether (Bob Smith) and initial impressions are quite favorable. I think what they seem to do is very similar to the bybee golden goddess speaker bullets which I have owned. They provide a blacker background, a smoother but no less detailed presentation....to me and in my system, and like most good equipment I have experienced, they seem to provide the illusion of slowing things down but you realize all the leading edge transients are maintained along with a very natural decay it is just so well articulated that some of the "stress" of listening is removed...very engaging and allows one to hear more into the recording! I have only had mine for a few days so these are initial impressions but I think these are worth a listen. I do have the same question about the difference between the Nuforce and the Aether....I suspect the Aether is better built and perhaps uses better internal wiring (I know the Aether uses the good Mundorf stuff but am not sure what is used in the Nuforce) Due to the collaboration with Aether and Nuforce I imagine the core technology is the same or very similar...but this is all speculation so I am interested to hear from someone who may actually know. Good Stuff in any event and Bob Smith seems to have hit on something here. |
Glide3, your assumption regarding the differences between Bob's Black Boxes and Nuforce's Magic Cube is totally correct. Bob's product uses much higher grade internal wiring, better binding posts, and even the enclosure (box) is built to a higher level. You can also request different binding posts if you desire. Both boxes use Bob's "Smith Cell" device to get rid of F1 noise just like the Bybee speaker bullets. When you think that the Bybee's retail for $4500.00 a pair compared to $500.00 for Bob's Boxes, this has to be one of the most "smoking" deals in highend ever! They really take a system to even a higher musical level without the loss of anything as far as I can tell. |
Teajay, Thanks for the clarification, that makes sense. I do want to also clarify that the Black Box is $500 per side so the total is $1000+ depending on what options are selected. I think there may have been a promotion some time ago that required less investment. The Nuforce units would be $500 per pair. |
Friends, This is Bob from Aether Audio. Below are some links you may find useful. The first is a PDF price list for the Black Boxes http://aetheraudio.com/100109%20BB%20Price%20List.pdf Then this next one is a white paper I recently wrote that suggests WHY different metals in conductors may sound different. http://aetheraudio.com/Sub-Debye%20Phase%20Distortion%20rev1%20.pdf The above paper was the result of my deeper research into the Black Box. To be quite honest, I had done some preliminary research into the possible science behind how different metals might sound different. Without digging much deeper, I sort of "jumped" to a conclusion (more of a guess than anything) as to what was going on, and then thought about what may be a way to reduce the undesirable effects. In all honesty, the white paper above was written AFTER I discovered that the Smith Cell actually worked. Before I or NuForce really started marketing them I HAD to understand just what was really going on. Talk about an education in Solid-State physics! Besides looking like a snake-oil salesman if I couldn't explain how they work, we also intended to apply for a patent as well, and you HAVE to have a solid science foundation in order to get one of those. OK... so I built this little thing I called the "Smith Cell" just to see what it would do. Having come from a very science based engineering background, I was a total skeptic and honestly didn't think the thing would have any effect at all. I knew it couldn't do any harm, but seriously doubted it would make one iota of difference - good or bad. Well, much to my surprise... the darn thing worked! Talk about serendipity? I was only tinkering around and never really had any intention of developing a product. My main thing has alsways been speakers (before now under the SP Technology name)and I only got involved in it all as a byproduct of my own curiosity. So then, I built a few and the feedback was remarkable. Before long I figured I'd get swamped with orders and would need to out-source their construction, as one guy (me)could never keep up if they really started taking off. Anyway, I went to my good friends at NuForce to see if they could help. An evaluation pair was sent to them, and the next thing you know they thought they were so good that they wanted to market them under their own name. That led to the NuForce Magic Cube AND my working for them as well in further product design, marketing, technical writing and high-end product technical support. AND... I still get to market the technology under my own Aether Audio brand... at twice the price though. You see, the agreement is that I can't directly compete with them from a price standpoint. Therefore, my "Black Box" version incorporates all Mundorf Silver-Gold (about the best I think) wiring and your choice of Cardas binding posts for both inputs and outputs (I can include custom ones from other vendors of your choice too). There is also the option to add a selector switch which allows you to adjust the BBs for optimal performance with your particular amp. The switch engages one of 3 filters, or without the switch they are built with one filter to match your amp and it is permanent such that it cannot be changed to a different one at a later date. Finally, there are several options for locating the switch and/or posts, as well as the option of adding mounting brackets. See below: http://aetheraudio.com/100109%20BB%20Price%20List.pdf As far as the NuForce version goes, they offer at least 95% the perforance that the Aether Audio version does, and at 50% the price or less. You can purchase the base "Smith Cell" section alone for $249.00 each, or add the optional filter for another $49.00 each. See here: http://www.nuforce.com/hi/products/magic-cube/index.php In my opinion, most folks will get the most value from the NuForce version, as I designed it myself and it meets all of the same basic performance criteria of my Aether Audio version. The only difference between the two is whatever marginal gains the Mundorf wiring and Cardas binding posts may offer, and/or the convenience that the switch and other options offered in the Aether Audio version. So... that's the story - or at least the beginning anyway. The rest is being told one pair at a time by you folks. Will they improve your system? I'd like to say positively that they will - but... you know how such things go. All I can say is that there's a pretty good chance that they will, considering their track record so far! Take care, :-) -Bob |
Ooops... wrong link for the options. Sorry about that. See here instead: http://aetheraudio.com/bb_options.html Thanks! -Bob |
My two pair of Black Boxes will arrive next week (just got off the phone with Bob) and will go between my SP Tech customized Mundorf crossovers and my Sp Tech Revelation MR 1 Mk 3's. I've been using a prototype of them (sans Smith Cell) for some time and they have elevated an already incredibly palpable soundstage to a new realism. They lower the perceived noise floor somewhat, but what they really do is clean up the microdetail, as if the drivers now have servo mechanisms that allow them to stop instantaneously, allowing harmonics and complex cues to become very real and discernible. I can;t wait for the full Monty. I'll report back.... |
My 2 sets of BB's arrived the other day and I've let them settle in a bit. I'll be posting my full impressions later today over on Teajay's Aether Audio Black Box review...but suffice it to say..WTF!! WOW! Wonderful. It's as if the amp/speaker connection just got fused together, and the overall efficiency of the speakers just got a whole lot better. But more than that. The transient response is clearly improved. Harmonics, microdetail, ambient cues, air around instruments, and stealing from Teajay's vernacular..image density (the ability for images floating in space to take on more body, more palpability) all improved significantly...this is not subtle folks. I will say that the boxes, cold from UPS delivery, did seem to make my speakers (bass) feel almost overpowering at first....but that upper bass bloom settled out within 24 hours and is completely gone. Realize, there are slight ribbon dielectrics to be charged, and some capacitor break-in at work here. Bob Smith, although now a close friend after all these years of working with him, never ceases to amaze me with his knowledge, his product value, and his simplified tackling of an issue up till know unbeknownst to most of us...in this case..the highly ineffective signal path and feedback loop of an amp and its speakers. And I use Remote Sense cables, which monitor that feedback loop. Still, my changes were noticeable on first note! For the record..my amps: Spectron Musician III Mark 2 monoblocks, my speakers are Bob's SP Tech Revelation MRI Mark 3's with external Mundorf crossovers. The BB's go between the crossovers and the speakers. |
" When you think that the Bybee's retail for $4500.00 a pair compared to $500.00 for Bob's Boxes, " Please, no misleading! I don;t know what tweak is better but regarding the price: 1 Bybee you quoted are "Super Effect Bybee" 2 Its the set of four 3 Super Effect reduces signal smearing in time domain which you can hear as improvment in three-dimensionality Rafael |
Imaging #1, micro detail, over all better top and bottom end. I have Nuforce amps. I like my magic cubes with the filters. The web page from Nuforce says most people will like them better without filter. Everyone who has heard my system has left speechless. My system was so good before but after upgrading to the V3, their cables, and magic cube. The system has went up a notch in my opinion to World Class. I have had people listen who have been in the business for 35 years and sold equipment who just say wow. They have heard the Magico M5's with all spectral gear. They say it is every bit as good if not better. Really happy with my sound never new it could get that much better. Try them!! |
This technical explanation sounds like a stretch to me. Sure, 1/f(otherwise known as pink noise) exists in your system. No noise in mine is audible from my listening chair. Even if the magic box or the Bybee magic stuff really eliminated it,what audible effect would it have? The Bybee thing is supposed to able to tell a noise electron from a music electron. How? The difference between noise and music is preference. If the device can read my mind I should be able to put one in line with my speakers, play a JayZ album, and no sound should come out of my speakers. |
Dear Rcwortman, I would like to clarify things a bit based on your comment regarding 1/f noise. I realize that for the most part the following is a bit academic and likely of little interest to most readers, but for the occasional individual that is technically minded I will go ahead with the clarification. Specifically, the Aether Audio Black Box / NuForce Magic Cube does not provide system improvement via a reduction of the latent 1/f noise in the cables and/or the equipment connected to them thereby. Rather, they address the physical "mechanism" inherent within the conductors that also "just so happens" to give rise to 1/f noise as well. If you were to read the following white paper, it will help to explain: http://aetheraudio.com/Sub-Debye%20Phase%20Distortion%20rev1%20.pdf You see, noise voltages arising within conductors is an important field of study in the fabrication of LSI & VLSI integrated circuits. In some applications, these devices use very small amounts of metal as conductors internally for the transport of signals from one area/transistor array to another. The metal (usually aluminum) is vapor deposited and then etched via a lithography process, which leaves behind extremely small conduction pathways. As a part of an ongoing quest to miniaturize these devices and/or compact an ever-increasing number of circuits within them, all forms of noise along with a multitude of other effects at microscopic levels become of increasing importance. As a result, much research has gone into identifying the various mechanisms involved, and much has been learned in recent years. The upshot is that the cornerstone of this research has to do with what is termed "thin film" samples of various metals. By applying a very thin film of a given metal to a stable substrate, any effects manifest by said metal are "amplified" due to the much higher bulk resistance such samples exhibit. This then makes any processes involved (noise, charge migration, etc.) much easier to detect and study. As a result, a preponderance of evidence has been observed that indicates there are numerous processes involved and specifically, some of the processes giving rise to 1/f noise (as well as others). To be sure, if we were actually talking the 1/f noise generated by a conductorÂ… there wouldn't be much to discuss. If metals were significant sources of self-noise energy, whyÂ… we could "tap" them and us them as batteries by converting the noise to usable power! Quite to the contrary, the "source impedance" of this noise is extremely high and therefore the noise only manifests as a barely detectable voltage. This being the case, it simply cannot "source" any significant current such that it could ever be audible in the operation of an audio system. ButÂ… when current flows through a conductor from an external source (amplifier) to a load (loudspeaker), another variable has been added that changes the scenario significantly. Specifically, it is our opinion that phonon vibrational energy, ever present in the form of ambient heat within the conductor, is the culprit. As an example, it has been scientifically shown that impurities and crystalline defects (stresses) within a given sample of metal are a primary source of 1/f noise. At the microscopic level, such impurities and defects also behave as phonons (quasi-independent "virtual" particles)Â… along with the underlying crystalline lattice and just about any other physical feature at those dimensional levels. It has been shown that when impurities and stress defects are reduced, so too is the 1/f noise in direct relationship. Anecdotal observations also tell us this in the audio world, as "high 9s" purity of conductors is greatly sought after for use in various cable formulations. In closing, it is not the 1/f noise "per se" that our devices are directly addressing, but rather an underlying "electrical current modulation" mechanism that is present (and apparently audible), which also happens to be the source of 1/f noise as well. I hope this helps and doesn't come off sounding like pseudo-science or snake-oil. If you do the research to find the many existing scientific papers concerning the subject as I have, you'll eventually see what I mean. Take care, -Bob |
Just recieved a demo pair of the Nuforce Magic Cubes. It took a few days for the units to open up. But when they did, I hear a deeper soundstage, with a very nice center image and better frequencey extremes. But, I did not have the Filter plugged into it. What does the SS Filter do? There are no markings as to which way to install, left or right, does that matter? Thes units may be a keeper. |
Ozzy, Thanks for your input. I'll do all I can to help. For those that don't know, the NuForce Magic Cube is provided as a two-piece system consisting of a "base" unit called the Smith Cell and a docking filter network. The filter can be purchased as one of three different versions intended for use with three different basic forms of amplifiers. The "smallest" filter (SCTH) is intended for use with small, low-power (mostly) tube amplifiers. The next up in size (SCTL) is for larger tube amps and the largest (SCSS) is for solid-state amps. We recommend that the SCSS only be used with solid-state amps, but the others can be used on SS if one finds that the SCSS "softens" the sound a bit too much. Basically, you can use any of them on solid-state amps, but you should not go in the reverse - using the SCSS on tube amps. Similarly, if the SCTL seems to soften the highs a bit on a larger tube (push-pull) type amp, you can go "down" one level and try the SCTH instead. If you are using a SET type tube amp, you should only use the SCTH filter... or none at all. Regarding your question as to which way the filters should be plugged into the Smith Cell? - It makes no difference whatsoever. Seeing that music is an "AC" signal coming out of the amp, all components used in speakers or devices such as the Magic Cube are not "polarized" - meaning that reversing the polarity will cause no harm or benefit. Well, unless we're talking about reversing the polarity of one speaker compared to the other... but most of us know that already. As far as what the filters do goes... they help to reduce the effects of stored electrical energy within the speaker causing negative interactions with the driving amplifier. The amp and speaker are really a "system" and it can be a very complex one at that. The amp has enough "work" to do in sending the signal to the speaker to begin with. If it also has to contend with delayed energy being sent back to it from the speaker, that energy can cause the amp to make new "errors" (distortion). By helping to relieve this burden from the amplifier, one will often find that the filters offer a smoother, lesss fatiguing and more natural sound coming from the speaker - particularly from upper midrange to the highest frequencies. At the same time, there should actually be an increase in detail and resolution. If when using a given filter, you find that detail and resolution seems to decrease or the highs seem almost "too soft," try using the next smaller filter. Again, their size "range" from small to large is: SCTH - SCTL - SCSS... in that order. Just as a side note, the Aether Audio Black Boxes/NuForce Magic Cubes are being reported as benefiting from a few days of burn-in. I'd say that about 100 hours would be the most... if that much. As most folks know, burn-in is a controversial issue and opinions as to how much is needed vary widely. If anybody out there has any observations regarding the matter, we would be most obliged if you would be so kind as to comment. I hope this helps :-) Thanks all and... Take care, -Bob |
Bob, Thank you so very much for the much needed info. ItÂ’s funny, how you described the SS filters, I feel that with the SS filter in the cube the music lost its 3 dimensional sound and yes the upper treble lost much of its air that was so beautiful without the filter in. So, I prefer it without the filter, but perhaps I should try one of the other filters. Which one would you recommend? By the way, I am using a Pass Labs X350.5 Amp and Andra 2 speakers with Synergistic Apex Bi-wire speaker cabling. |
As far as what the filters do goes... they help to reduce the effects of stored electrical energy within the speaker causing negative interactions with the driving amplifier. The amp and speaker are really a "system" and it can be a very complex one at that. The amp has enough "work" to do in sending the signal to the speaker to begin with. If it also has to contend with delayed energy being sent back to it from the speaker, that energy can cause the amp to make new "errors" (distortion). Thanks for your explanation Bob, I found it very helpful in understanding more about how your product works. Regarding the above quote, is what you are describing here known as EMF or back wave? I use a set of pig tails made by Creative Cable Concepts that I place on the positive binding post of both the amp and speaker. Their purpose is to reduce EMF/back wave energy. I have noticed a lowering of the noise floor and smoothing out of the sound as you describe. Another question, how does your product differ from products like the Walker speaker filters? I use a DIY version made by a friend of mine and the effects are positive, similar to the effects users of your product describe. I'd be curious if your product operates on similar principles. |
Ozzy, You are more than welcome! – Glad I could help. As far as the observations you've made with the SCSS filter go, your intuition is correct. My advice would be to try the SCTL next. That may very well give the correct balance between absorbing the reflect energy from the speaker while avoiding any loss of detail. If that's still doesn't strike the right balance, then you can still try the SCTH filter. It offers the least amount filtering action and should not cause any loss of "air" or detail whatsoever – especially with your amp. Clio09, You are most welcome as well sir! Yes, we are addressing the back-emf from the speaker as you suspect. The concept is no real secret and is relatively simple from an engineering standpoint, but it can make an amazingly significant improvement in performance. I suspect that the Walker device performs a similar function, but from my observation of its physical size, I suspect it does not "reach" down into the audible band as far as our units do. You see, there are things going on in the ultra-sonic region that can give rise distortion in the audible band. Again, I suspect the Walker unit is concentrating its efforts primarily in this region. Our filters are designed to address the ultra-sonic region as well as reduce loudspeaker back-emf in the audible band as far down as 1kHz – depending on the model/values of the filter selected. On the other hand, the Aether Audio Black Box / NuForce Magic Cube is a two-part process, with the filter being the simplest aspect. The fundamental section of both versions incorporates our proprietary "Smith Cell" technology (hey… we're all subject to a bit of vanity) and therefore we cannot disclose the method of its operation at this time. Seeing that we are in the process of applying for a patent and that it can be adapted to many areas of electrical engineering and products (including high resolution scientific apparatus), I'm sure you can understand our self-imposed limitations. Thanks. What I can share is that it helps to reduce the problem I believe I have identified here: http://aetheraudio.com/Sub-Debye%20Phase%20Distortion%20rev1%20.pdf I have a number of supporters in this effort, none the least of which are some well-known audio and electrical engineering PhDs – one of which is taking the paper to Essex University in the UK for further study. Just "how" the Smith Cell works I must leave shrouded in some mystery for the time being, but I can tell you that it reduces the statistical likelihood of electron current flow through the conductors being "modulated" by phonon vibration, as identified in the paper above. Seeing that the process of phonon-electron modulation increases as a percentage of total current flow... as amplifier output current flow through the conductor decreases, the Smith Cell has its greatest effect on the weakest of audio signals. These weak signals carry the information that we refer to as detail and air. They also constitute the very low-level "ambience" signals that give rise to soundstage and imaging. Therefore, one should be listening for improvements in these areas of performance when auditioning either version of the product. I hope the above info helps. Have a great day all and… Take care, -Bob |
Ozzy, To add to what Bob says, I have the equivalent of the weakest SCTH filter (mine are Aether Audio Black Box versions) on my treble boxes and I have Spectron Musician III Mark 2 monoblocks (and currently eval'ing the Sanders Sound Magtech amps..both very high power amps). The filter level is perfect; I would assume your SS level is too much for such a resolving and high power amp as the Pass's. Drop down a level or two and you'll be amazed! Amazed I say. :) Ted |
Well, I guess this filter is system dependent. I have the same amp as Ozzy - Pass 350.5 and prefer by large margin SCSS. With no filter I couldn't hear any big sound difference - placing filter I got huge 3D, very extended low frequencies, more dynamics and more transparency - you can see deeper in the stage. IMHO this magic cube is one of the best bargains on the market right now. If you can afford and place new Synergistic Galileo Speaker Cell in addition to cubes you will start to rediscover your complete music collection again... |
Vuckovic, Because of your last posting I decided to give the SCSS Filters another go. With those filters in place I can hear that there is a better center image for the vocals that is quite nice. But, the treble and the bass is still not as defined and deep. In fact, I pulled the Nuforce unit out of the system and played my stereo without it. Without the Nuforce units there is a muscular sound that the Nuforce units robbed from the music. Best I can describe it is, the Nuforce unit makes the music too polite (with or without the filters). Again, originally I used the Nuforce unit with used Morrow Speaker cables that I had just purchased. My reference Cables (Synergistic Apex) along with the active shielding were disconnected for over a week. Once I started using the Synergistic cables the defects in the Nuforce unit started to appear. I am trying to get the dealer to send the other filters to try before I make a final judgement. |
Hi Ozzy, You are doing right thing. It seems that SCSS filter is not for your system - otherwise you should hear very easy a big sonic difference right away. I think that right filter choice depends on amp-speaker interaction. I have electrostatic speakers with transformer based crossover so maybe that is the reason for different sonic results I got comparing with your results. I would like to ask you a question: How would you compare your Morrow speaker cables + Magic cubes vs Apex alone please? Thanks |
Vuckovic , I hope my dealer will send the other filters to try before the Nuforce trial period ends. The Morrow cables and the Synergistic are very different cables. In a way, its unfair for the Morrows because ALL of my other cabling is the top of the line Synergistic. In addition, changing out the Synergistic cables is difficult and with the Active shielding it takes a few days for them to settle back in. At this point, I want to concentrate on the Synergistic cables with the Nuforce unit. But, I will say that the Nuforce unit had much more affect with the Morrow than with the Synergistic. |
Ozzy, Synergistic Research is coming out with the Galileo cell boxes to catapult there Apex speaker cables to sound 75% closer to their $400,000 Galileo cables they showed at CES. I would wait and get the new Galileo cells that are coming out any day now. Call Ted and he will explain them to you. There are two different Galileo cells boxes one for speaker cables and one for interconnects and they are compatible with any speaker cables and interconnects from other brands as well. |
Yoby, You can use two per amp channel... but you don't necessarily "need" them. For Bi-Wire apps you can place them near the output of the amp and connect from the amp to the BB/MC with a short jumper. Then out of the BB/MC you connect both sets of wires as if they were being connected to the output of the amp. If you did want to use a second set, you could place both pair at the speaker end, one each at the end of the bi-wire pair of speaker cables. Then of course you'd use jumpers to each of the speaker input sections from the BB/MC. You just have to remember one thing... you only want to use one filter on a given amp output channel at a time. Where would you place it? You would want to experiment for sure, but I'd say to try the filters on the tweeter section first. Actually, there are a bunch of different ways you can use the Smith Cell section and you can use as many as you wish with no concern for the safety of the amp or the speakers. We have yet to do further experimentation ourselves, but there's a good chance extra benefits can be had by putting a Smith Cell at each end of the speaker wire - amp side and speaker side. Heck... if you had really long speaker wire runs, you could even put a Smith Cell in the middle too. The reason being that all this might be worth a try is that the effect of the Smith Cell extends both directions down the wires that it is connected to. Theory would suggest that the further the wire gets from the Cell, the less effect the Cell has on reducing phonon modulation of the electron current flow. In other words, as conductor material (speaker wire) becomes further removed from the cell, phonon vibration becomes more random due to thermal energy (heat) and less controlled/reduced by the effects of the Smith Cell. As I said though, this is just "theory" and it is possible that the additional cells will have minimal to no effect. I guess that would be a good thing though as then we'd all know "one cell does the job" and therefore represents even further value. On the other hand, if additional cells do provide further improvement, then at least we know there is further improvement that can be had if we want to go that far. If anybody does decide to give it a try, we'd be "all ears" (pun intended :-)and love to hear from you. I wish I had the time to experiment more myself, but I have a lot of other things on my plate right now. Anyway, I hope this helps. Have a great week all and... Take care, -Bob |
Aetheraudio, Thank you for the additional info. I found that with my Biwire Synergistic Apex Cables the Nuforce sounds better at the speaker end on the Mid/Treble leg compared to installing it at the Amp end. This may because 1. The Synergistic Apex Cable have active shields that are powered at the Amp end 2. The Synergistic cables appear to be way larger in gauge compared to the jumper wire supplied with the Nuforce. |
I actually thought the Nuforce units reduced the dynamics. Upon first listen they sounded impressive, especially the center image. But after a week of going back and forth I came to the conclusion it makes the music too polite. Perhaps it was because the included jumper cable is of a low quality compared to my SR Apex speaker cables. |
I just got my Magic Cubes without any filters. I hooked one channel up and purposely left the other channel the same as it was; did this quickly while I was struggling to get out of the house this morning. Anyways, the Magic Cube channel sounder louder, smoother, and a bit more forward than the other channel. Will hook the other one up tonite to my Magnepan 1.7's. My head hurts with all of the upgrades popping up! They are driving me broke. I am a tweaker deluxe. The Synergistic cells are more costly but seem to have very positive buzz about them. Anyone listened to the Magic Cubes as well as the Synergistic cells and have an opinion about which one sounds better? |
Actually listened this morning to my system with Magic Cubes installed; heavily modded Audio Van Alstine 250 wpc fet-valve amp (daikom filters on terminals), heavily modded air-tight tube preamp, Alesis ML 9600 Balanced power technology modded CD player/recorder, locally made copper cable interconnect and speaker cable (by automotive cable engineer), and Magnepan 1.7's with enacom speaker filters attached. The addition of the Magic Cubes produced startling improvements in the air around instruments, the separation of instruments, the tone colors, dynamics, imaging (now extends clearly beyond the speakers) and increased the overall body of the music across the frequency spectrum. No frequency was accentuated. The changes overall were a very noticeable improvement to a fine sounding system. The system was just cleaner and clearer with a perceived lower noise floor. I give the Magic Cubes very high marks. I have tried many, many tweeks. I have had good, bad, and everything in between. It is hard for me to imagine what you could do for your system of about 500 bucks that would get you close to what the Magic Cubes did in my system. It also seems to clearly provide incremental benefit to the other tweaks in my system. I can't wait until they truly break in. |
Jaymark, play them for a week or two then take them out. Like I had posted earlier: "Upon first listen they sounded impressive, especially the center image. But after a week of going back and forth I came to the conclusion it makes the music too polite. Perhaps it was because the included jumper cable is of a low quality". Now, maybe the design has been improved upon since I last demoed them. So, based on your return comments in a couple of weeks, I may try them again. |
Ozzy - I will try taking them in and out as well as listening to them without the enacom speaker filters. My initial listening impression detected no taming of the music in my system making it more polite. In fact, it was more in the opposite direction - a bit more forward, more bite, dimensionality, etc. Who knows - different systems and interactions with different equipment, different ears/brain, different musical tastes??? |
