Review: Pure Note Epsilon Reference Speaker cable


Category: Cables

I have had many A-goners email me about these cables so I will write a brief review. Please refer to my review about the Pure Note interconnects here.

The Epsilon Reference is a unique speaker cable, supplied as individual runs and metal braiding over Teflon. Quality WBT connectors are used. The cables are held together by plastic blocks that also keep them off the floor. You can step on these and your dog or cat cannot eat through them. The idea behind the braid is not for shielding but to eliminate the dielectric absorption found in plastic cables.

I have owned the Epsilon Reference speaker cables for about a year. I have compared them to Silver Audio Symphony-48, Siltech G3, and Transparent Opus. First off I must say that the Opus is wonderful and perfect but at $30,000 (borrowed) I would hope so. I feel this is the ultimate reference cable. The Epsilon Reference at a mere $1300 (8ft) was very close to the soundstaging of the Opus but failed in ultimate musicality and purity. The Pure Note's however bested the Silver Audio's and Siltech's overall. The Pure Note's have superb wall-to-wall imaging and natural musical perspective. They are not hard, bright, or thin as one would suspect in silver cables. A review is scheduled on these cables in Positive Feedback, next issue, according to them.

[url]http://www.purenote.com[/url]

Associated gear
Martin Logan Requests.
Krell Electronics.
Sony SCD-1
VPI tt.
Various cartridges.

Similar products
Silver Audio Symphony-48
Siltech G3
Transparent Opus
sonic_genius
I have learned there is a great review on the Epsilon Reference cables from Stereo Times. Seems to be a very honest and fair review as I have found Pure Note cables to be the best. Congratulations to Pure Note!

http://www.stereotimes.com/cables091403.shtm
I had one eye on the PN speaker cables to go with all my other PN's, especially when they were on sale, but now I think I'd have to try them after the review.
I recently bought a pair of used Epsilon References version 4. I have never seen a woven metal jacketed cable before, they are very cool. Also nice WBT spades.

Pure Note has opted to go to a different design called Cerulean. The Epsilon Refs. are far more musical than any cable I have yet to audition (I have not tried the Ceruleans, hear they are even better). These cables are very life-like and open. Perhaps a tad thin but not hard or bright. Excellent focus and wide/deep stage. At used prices there is no equal, IMHO.
Correction. Six months ago I switched over to a less expensive cable that is far quieter, more pristine, more natural, and easily more musical than the PN Epsilon Refs. It was only then that discovered how much grain and hash the PNER's actually induced.

-IMO