I have both the Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference and Silver Reference interconnects. They are both good cables. What they both share is a great deal of detail, immediacy and presence. When introduced into the system they do reveal a great deal of low level detail. They seem to do this without introducing excessive brightness into the system. The Matrix, in particular is quite dynamic. The bass is solid. They throw a superwide soundstage and imaging is very, very good. So what could be wrong? I find this high frequency detail to be overemphasized. In other words, I don't believe that it is in the recording, at least not to the degree that these cables demonstrate it. Even though I wouldn't call this detail "brightness", I believe that it is a coloration of some sort. The bass while solid, and perhaps overly solid, displays roll-off below the midbass. Likewise the extreme highs are also a little rolled off. The Silver Reference, is more difficult to characterize, Designed to be used between source and pre, it doesn't appear to display as many colorations. I have not as yet detected any rolled off bass or treble or overemphasis of the midbass or hiper-detailed treble. I am still testing it. I have been testing the Silver Ref with JPS Superconductor between pre and power. This seems to be a pretty good combo which I find quite natural-sounding, but the problem is that so far, I don't hear enough to cause me to stop using the Kimber PBJ from CD to Pre rather than the Silver Reference.
One thing that both the Matrix or the Silver and Matrix together seem to excel at far more than any cable combination I have tested: They appear to give you the listening sensation that there is nothing between you and the music in the sense of no "fog", no "veils" etc. Of course, there is always something between you and the music and despite the palpability, snap and presence of these cables, after a significant listening session, you will hear the flaws as well.
