Elrod Statement Gold PC compared to old Statement


I wholeheartedly agree with comments made on Audiogon that bestow many superlatives on the new Elrod Statement Gold PCs. I love how they transformed and elevated my system. They are phenomenal.

I have auditioned 2 Golds for the past 5 weeks and would like to share my observations based on an extensive comparison between fully burnt-in Statement Golds and the regular (old) Elrod Statement power cords.

All comparisons were done in my current primary system consisting of Maxx2, Boulder 2060 amp, APL Hi-Fi NWO-3.0SE CD player connected directly to the amp, Pure Power 2000 AC re-generator, Kubala-Sosna Elation interconnects and speaker cables, all Elrod Statement PCs, Critical Mass Systems Platinum* QXK and Grand Master platforms, dedicated AC lines, and dedicated Rives level 2 listening room which was featured (along with 2 other Rives rooms) in the October 2008 issue of Home Entertainment.

First, I must confess that I really liked the old Statement PCs. The more I added, the happier I became. There was a cumulative effect in the sonic enhancement. I ended up with 7 Statements in my previous primary system (Jadis JA80 driving Watt/Puppies, Conrad-Johnson Premier 350 driving the Wilson WHOW sub woofer, Sound Application RLS and Reference Linestage AC conditioners, Grand Master platforms, Kubala-Sosna Emotion ICs and SCs).

My current primary system requires only 3 power cords. As with my experience with the old Statements, there is a wonderful cumulative effect. Adding the second Gold to the system enhanced the sonics even more. I'll cut to the chase: I purchased the 2 Statement Gold PCs that I was auditioning and ordered a third one to complete my PC upgrade. This was a no-brainer!

The improvements over the old Statements are huge!! The Golds outperformed them in every parameter that came to mind: The bass is tighter, more controlled, more impactful and better defined. The highs are more open, cleaner, purer, and more sparkling. The decays are stronger, perceptibly longer, and are more transparent. There is greater resolution with more nuance and delicacy. Better macro and micro dynamics. Transients are faster and cleaner, with better defined peaks....more real. Images are more focused, more solid and stable. Separation between instruments is improved, the space between instruments is much cleaner/quieter, and there is more dynamic interaction between instruments. The clarity and transparency in the depth dimension of the sound stage creates a greater 3-D effect. More importantly, there is a greater organic wholeness to the sonic presentation that integrates the instruments into a coherent whole and reproduces the space of the recording venue. Overall, the presentation is smoother, more relaxed, natural, more real and involving.

Congratulations to David Elrod, the man behind this remarkable advancement in power cord design. A true gentleman and a creative and effective designer in high-end audio.

In all these tests, everything except the power cords remained the same. So, how can a power cord, which does not carry the audio signal, affect the resolution of so many sonic qualities in such a profound way? Among other things, the Gold PC lowers the noise floor level significantly....even lower than the already low noise floor in the old Statement. That allows the resolving capacity inherent in the CD player, amp, speakers, and signal carrying cables to be uncovered and perceived more easily. This is not unlike with video signals where the reduction of "snow" and other video noise can improve a whole range of visual parameters.

This outstanding low noise floor for the Statement Gold was evident throughout my audition. Initially, I compared the Gold with the Old on one component at a time. To minimize unsuspecting variables that may result from cable changes, I used the A/B/A testing pattern: I started with 3 Olds in the system, observed the sonic changes when the amp PC was changed to a Gold, then confirmed my observations by going back to 3 Olds. I repeated this process for the CD player and the AC re-generator. In each of these sessions, the more expensive Gold outperformed the old Statement. In my system, to my ears/brain/heart, it was not even close. At more than twice the cost, that should be expected. However, at its price point, the old Statement is a superb PC.

To test the cumulative effect, I also auditioned the Golds on 2 components at a time: CD/amp, CD/re-generator, amp/re-generator. I wanted to see/hear if the sonic benefit is worth the added cost. In my system, the resounding answer is Yes!

Additional details about my testing protocol: For short term tests, after each cable change the system was played for about 30 minutes (to re-stabilize it) before critical listening. When a test cable was removed from my primary system, it was installed in my second system (in another room) in order to keep it "warmed-up" for the next test. Finally, the results of my short term tests were verified by long term listening.

I used 15 CD test tracks....all well-recorded to minimize recording and mastering anomalies. I'll now convey the results with 6 of those tracks to flesh out a few of my comments about the Gold with greater sonic specificity and give a taste of its sonic bliss.

Take for example, the first 2 minutes of track #1 on the CD titled "Master of Chinese Percussion" (LIM K2HD 033). When the drum is struck, I feel the powerful impact of the waveform hitting my chest; and I hear the mallet contact the drum membrane, the response of the membrane, the resulting musical waveform, the resonance of the drum's body, and the changes in the tautness of the membrane depending on how close to its boundary the drum was struck. All are distinct events, unfolding sequentially in real time...in a split second!....Startling realism in the time domain. With lessor PCs, these elements may not be so easily or clearly distinguished; and possibly be merged into one homogeneous "boom".

Listen to the high frequency notes on the first 2 minutes of track #11 on Fim Super Sound II (FIM XR24 067). With the Golds in the system, each and every one of these strikes on the triangles and xylophones is crystal clear with fast and cleanly defined transients. The decays are so transparent that you can hear the interaction between the decays of different notes as they create a symphony with their ethereal harmonic textures....Sublime realism in the frequency domain. With lessor PCs, some of those strikes are smeared enough to make you wince or cringe; and some of those decays may be weak and smeared enough to obscure that exquisite symphony.

The 3 orchestral test tracks I rely on the most are track #1 on each of the following 3 CDs: Holt's The Planets/ Zubin Mehta (JVCXR 0228-2), "This is K2 HD Sound" (FIM K2 HD 078), Fim Super Sound (FIM XR24 066). With the Golds, orchestral presentation is reproduced with exemplary resolution, focus, clarity, separation of instruments, and coherence to die for. Instruments float.....liberated in space. You feel the action of the air they propel. You experience the sonic waveform from even the "minor" instruments at the back of the sound stage. You not only hear the air around the instruments but also the air around the entire orchestra....One organic whole....pulsating with life. Yes....There is a sonic Nirvana!
puremusic
An Update: My system requires only 3 power cords. At the time of my review of the Elrod Statement Golds, I had only two Golds. I left them on the Boulder 2060 amplifier and the APL Hi-Fi NWO-3.0SE CD player, with the old Elrod Statement on the Pure Power 2000 re-generator. In the review, I noted that adding the second Gold made a significant sonic improvement over what one Gold offered. Recently, I received the third Gold which I installed on the re-generator. Since my system was already sounding fabulous, I was not expecting an additional major improvement. However....

When I sat down for a critical listen with just 45 minutes of burn-in time, I was stunned with amazement. Out-of-the-box, the third Gold made at least as big of an improvement as the first two Golds COMBINED. The third Gold further improved all the sonic parameters discussed in the review: better dynamics and greater realism; faster and cleaner transients; greater clarity and articulation; purer tone and better 3-D effect; better ambiance; etc.

What would account for such a huge enhancement? The first thought that came to mind was: The third Gold went on the re-generator which feeds both the amplifier and the CD player. Therefore, it improved both components at once. Whereas, the first 2 Golds each were linked to only one component. On second thought, I don't think that accounts for the entire improvement because of the results of the various combinations I tested during the review process. I had tried re-generator/Gold plus amplifier/Gold plus CD player/old Statement, as well as re-generator/Gold plus amplifier/old Statement plus CD player/Gold. To the best of my recollection, neither combination gave me anything near what I am getting now. Another factor that would help explain the huge addition by the third Gold could be better synergy between the three Golds. Perhaps, Robert (Strapper211) can comment on his experience of adding additional Golds to his system.
Hi Puremusic and fellow members,I started with 3 Golds and added 3 more and finally a 7th one because the effect of his cords are cumalative,you get more of what the first one did.As david explains it his cord works best when the gold feeds a gold through a conditioner,his cords have a tremendous synergy together.I learned that when I was using a vd geneis to the walker motor controller and a gold from the conrtoller to the motor,when I replaced the vd with a gold the change was staggering.My recommendation is if you start with 1 put it from the wall to your conditioner,if you have no conditioner wall to pre-amp,wall to cd,wall to turntable,wall to amps,wall to tuner,in that order.Amazing product.
Robert
".. Out-of-the-box, the third Gold made at least as big of an improvement as the first two Golds COMBINED"

In a few weeks I also will receive my 3d Gold Statement and I will report here my observation.

In general, I agree that the effect of David Elrod's power cord and speaker cables are cumulitive. However, his Gold Statement interconnect add somethat different quality to the sound - "analog", liquid... Brrrr...
Hi Strapper211 and Simontju, I've been dealing with a project deadline, so I'm a little late in responding to your posts. Thanks for sharing your experience with the cumulative effect of adding more Gold Statements. Strapper211, you mention the enhanced effect when a Gold feeds a Gold. I totally agree with you. During the review process, when I was testing the two Golds in different configurations, I also observed that when a Gold fed a Gold the sonics were muchly improved over the option when the 2 Golds were on the amp and CD player (and the old Statement was on the re-generator).
John
Hi,I just put a silver statement on my pioneer plasma and has the same effect as on audio,it makes the picture more colorful,detailed,3d and tubelike.Davids cords are just amazing.

Robert