Ansuz, Mainz D8 and cables

I have the MainzD8 - Ceramic power cords and speaker cables. The MainzD8 is something special. It is highly recommended with Ansuz power cords. Because the design focuses on the grounding of the system. The day I got the MainzD8 I also got the Aavik U300. I plugged the U300 directly into the wall. Then I added the MainzD8 to the wall with nothing plugged into it. What a difference. The background got quite a bit blacker. Then I added the U300 to the MainzD8. Background got a lot blacker. Better detail and more natural sounding. What I haven't tried is other power cords. The design uses a 10mm ground with smaller hot and neutral wires criss crossed in a way the it cuts back the capacitance and inductance. I got the speaker cables a few months later.

That said I've only had demos of the Ceramic and Diamond cables. Yes the Diamonds are even better but very pricey. Also a 4M power cord sounds better than a 2M. Don't know why but it does. The Ansuz X cables are supposed to also be very good but I haven't heard them. BTW these are from the designer of the Nordost Odin. The only downside is the cables are pretty ugly.

Thank you for your comprehensive answer Xti16. Also the Aavik U300 is a very nice integrated amp.

My own audio set is far more humble. If I were to buy Anzus cables it would most likely be one of the X, p or 1 A series. The C series is well out of my budget.

Ansuz advises to use the best power cable from wall socket to mainz and that if budget is limited, lesser cables can be used from mainz to the components. Have you experienced that as well?

So 1 A series from wall to mainz and rest X series or all P series? I find cables always a difficult thing.

First lets test the mains and see from there.

btw, the designer (forgot his name) is a very friendly man. Very open about his ideas, his time at Nordost etc.

I was at a private demo with Lars K and heard the Ceramic Power Cord get replaced with the Diamond from wall to MainzD8. So I agree with the best you can afford from the wall to Mainz. It was huge. This demo was D5's being driven by Soulution integrated and cd player.

As I said before I only demoed the Ceramic and Diamond cables. So I can't offer any opinion on other cables. But my local dealer did have a customer that wanted Nordost Tyr2 cables. He threw in some Ansuz X cables and that customer thought he would pay more. Turns out he bought the X because they were less expensive and sounded better (again per my dealer - I wasn't there). Anyhow I can't recommend the MainzD8 and first PC enough. Beyond that I'm a firm believer in NOT going 'hog wild' on cables until your system is finalized. Your taste in preferences may change and cables can be very expensive. I found over my many years cables (not power cords) are a minor difference in sound quality until you get into some very elaborate electronics.

Keep posting your findings BTW the designer is Michael Borresen. The designer of Ansuz - Raidho - Aavik and Scansonic along with a bunch of Nordost products.

Oh yeah I have Raidho D2's for speakers too. So all are a Mike B design