Review: Argent Audio Pursang Interconnect


Category: Cables

Please let me begin by saying that my listening room dimensions are 30' x 18', with a high beam ceiling. I prefer a cable that can deliver superb tonal balance or balance frequency response from top to bottom. Because of my listening room size and the fact that I am using a dynamic speaker, I greatly favor a wide and deep soundstage with a detailed and holographic presentation. Of course, dynamic range is an important issue too with my personal preference for big band music (Ellington, Basie, and so forth), however personal and intimate vocal recording artists are favored during late evening listening sessions. Finding a cable that can play uncompressed or without the digital brightness and hardness is equally important, big band dynamics and strong vocal performances often stretch the limits or range of a speaker. Truly, I find enjoyment when music flows with ease, effortless, and uncompressed.

I have tried many different interconnect cables throughout the years, some have been quite good while others were not so favorable. Besides the similar products that I have listed, I have also heard or auditioned many other interconnect cables ranging in price from $200 to $4,500 per meter. I have purposely avoided mentioning which cables are my least favorite, although after using copper cables for years, I must confess my current preference for silver cables when designed and built correctly. There are those audiophiles who claim silver cables are often bright or harsh, I am not one of those who share those beliefs because the cables I am using defy their belief.

About 18 months ago, I was using the Nordost Quattro Fil interconnect cable, which I still believe is an excellent cable. Reluctantly, I succumbed to purchasing the very first Jaden Standard RCA Interconnects sold by the designer, Ric Cummins from Argent Audio. I do not have deep pockets nor did I want to throw more money down the drain buying another cable which I hadn't heard. Yes, I too have spent my fair share of money buying cables that others tout are good, but their performance was less than expected, leaving me cables that I could not sell knowing others might be equally disappointed.

I originally contacted Ric Cummins for cable suggestions for a personal friend. Ric was not commercially selling his cables at the time, but he had made a few for shows because he was not satisfied with other products. I suppose that I purchased Ric's cables because I had the guilty conscience of buying used speakers that he designed, Rosinante Dulcinea, from a private seller. I, and a few friends, were impressed by his speakers' performance at The Home Entertainment Show at the Tuscany Hotel in Las Vegas in January 2001. I eventually crossed my fingers that his cables were good because I knew that Ric's cables were unknown in the retail market and nobody in his or her right mind would buy these cables from me.

Surprisingly, I preferred the Jaden Standard Interconnects over the well regarded Nordost Quattro Fil, and so did a very good buddy of mine who replaced his Silver Audio Appassionata Interconnects. Shortly thereafter, another close audiophile friend replaced his Nordost Valhalla for the newer design, the Jaden Signature Interconnect. For those who are curious, the Jaden cable was named after Ric's grandson.

The Jaden line was quite impressive, with a superb tonal balance quality, wide and deep soundstage, and very musically detail. I quickly discovered that my system was tipped from mid to high after employing the Jaden cables in my system.

About seven months ago, Ric sent me his latest interconnect cable, the "Pursang," which had the same qualities of his earlier designed Jaden Signature series, but even better tonal balance. More specifically, the Pursang cables have a superior cutting through quality that allowed me to play my audio system at a lower volume level with greater satisfaction (this is important to me and my family because I do not have a dedicated listening room). The Pursang cable has more extension from top to bottom, and specifically greater detail and a better dynamic range, although his Jaden cable line will deliver high end performance. With the Pursang cable, I am able to see more into the soundstage, a very holographic experience.

Lastly, I am presently auditioning the Pursang Plus speaker cables, which I plan to write a review in the near future.

I am extremely happy for Ric that he has developed a strong following for his cables. This was not an easy feat, especially since his cables were unknown 18 months ago. In my opinion, if you are looking for a high performance cable that is competitively priced, the Jaden Signature or Pursang cables are a consideration. I know many audiophiles with lavishly expensive systems who favor Ric's hand-made cables, which are light and easy to use, unlike some other cables in the market today that are heavy and rigid.

There are still many audiophiles who do not realize that Ric Cummins is the designer of the Room Lens and Dark Matter Platforms. Ric may be contacted through his website: www.roomlens.com

Associated gear
Esoteric DV-50 Universal Player
Audio Logic 2400 DAC
David Berning ZH-270 Amplifier
REL Stentor Subwoofer
Rosinante Dulcinea Speakers

Similar products
Siltech
Coincident CST
Nordost Quattro Fil
Cardas Golden Reference
Harmonic Technology
Sakura (Labs 47)
Acoustic Zen Silver Reference
Synergistic Research
Totem Acoustic
hawaiikid
As another ecstatic user of Ric's Pursang cables, let me add my enthusiatic agreement to your comments. You're describing exactly what I hear in my system. I've never heard cables with such clarity, dynamics, naturalness and realism all rolled into one package.

I had an interesting experience last night. My system is wired from stem to stern with Pursang, but to get there I went through a couple of stages that left me with full systems of other wire. Because I'd gotten where I am through a series of incremental additions I'd never compared a full system of Pursang to full systems of other cables. Over the course of about three hours last night I did just that.

The signal wires in the system consist of a digital IC, a pair of balanced ICs, a pair of RCA ICs and a pair of speaker cables. In all cases the RCA and XLR ICs were the same wire.

First up was an Acoustic Zen setup, consisting of an MC2 digital cable, Silver Reference interconnects and Satori speaker cable.

After listening to the Pursang for some months I was shocked at how much detail went missing when I fired up the AZ setup. The sound lost dynamics, drive, lucidity, engagement and all-around realism. It was as if a thick cloth had dropped over the window on the music. Now for people who use AZ wire this may seem a bit over the top, or even downright unbelievable. All I can say is that this is a fair description of what I heard. The sound took on a degree of remoteness that I just didn't expect. Now, I hadn't used these cables in about two months, but they had been well broken in when I put them away, and at least the single-ended ICs had seen consistent use in my living room system since then.

Next up was a multi-manufacurer system consisting of a Nirvana DC-110 digital cable, Wireworld Gold Eclipse III+ interconnects and Magnan Signature speaker cable (the wide black ribbone).

This combination was more successful. More detail and emotion came through, and the dynamics were better than with the AZ system. There was a better soundstage, resolution was a bit higher, and there was more of a sense of the performers as real people. But (you knew there was going to be a "but", didn't you?) I still had a sense of something missing. The "there" just wasn't all there. While I could hear the musicians as people now, I was still missing a lot of insight into their artistic intentions and how they were realizing them during the performance.

After a couple of hours doing this, I was feeling pretty dissatisfied, and finally gave in to my urges. I rewired the system with Pursang - a digital cable, two pairs of ICs and the speaker cable. I hit "play", and the first two bars reaffirmed why I've become a Pursang zealot :-) The "there" was all there. I could hear all the nuances of the performances, the dynamics sounded real again and the veil over the perfomances lifted. Not only were there real people making the music, I could now hear and understand the artistic decisions they were making - fingerings, phrasing, the interactions between pairs and groups of musicians, the breathtaking realism of voices. When I played some Schubert it was as though the EPA had stepped in and ordered all the pollution to be removed from the lake so I could see every glittering scale on that quintet of trout swimming below the surface. Sheer bliss.

As far as I'm concerned the Pursangs define a new state of the art in audio cabling, and Ric Cummins is a freaking sorcerer.
Gliderguider, thank you very much for taking the time to respond to my product review. Interestingly, I too experienced the same results when comparing the Acoustic Zen Silver Reference interconnects and Satori speaker cable to the Jaden Signature cables. Now, the difference is even greater when compared to the Pursang cables.

I am presently using the Pursang cables throughout my system (digital, interconnects, and speaker cables). By the way, I am also using Ric's latest power cord, the Brujo. You can expect the same high quality performance from the Brujo cords.
I know what you mean about the Brujos, too - I'm using a pair of Brujo HCs on my Wavelength amps. Once they had burned in they were significantly better to my ears than the Nirvana power cords that the amp's designer recommends.

The only non-Argent cable left in my system is a pair of Nirvana PC Plus powercords on the digital components. Once Ric delivers their Brujo replacements, like you I'm going to completely wired with his cable. It's magical stuff.
Hawaiikid,

Thank you for your insightful review of Ric Cummins Pursang cabling. Ric has developed a very faithful following. Comments here and on Audio Asylum seem to indicate many have achieved the elusive "sonic nirvana" by deploying Pursang IC's, digital cable, and speaker cable in there systems.

I purchased a used pair of Jaden standard IC a while back, it certainly made a big difference in my modest system.

Having achieved a well balanced system, looks like cable upgrades will be my next step. From my casual observations of posts it looks like the Pursang's or Ridge Street Audio Designs Poiema are garnering the most kudos.

Roger