"
Anyway, my take on them is that they are very powerful, rich, vibrant, and musical cords which offer a well layered sound-stage.
However, as I recall, they do not provide a high resolution sonic picture. "
Good questions....I have no experience with the EPS cords or anything prior to very late 2011/early 2012 but have heard similar feedback from several friends and other audiophiles that I've communicated with over the years.
Speaking only for those Statement Gold and Silver powercords, Statement Gold interconnects and Signature Gold and currently, Statement Gold speaker cables in my system prior to the MASTERS SERIES, I can tell you all of the above positive feedback/attribute list is true of what I hear as well accompanied with great pacing/timing accuracy of the music, soft to extremely full-on dynamics, ultra-quiet backgrounds and energy together with a very accurate and high-resolution sonic picture. The high-resolution sonic picture is not just instrument and voice plus ensemble placement accuracy but also accuracy of size of an instrument, voice or ensemble in the sound-stage. Another attribute I've noticed in addition to the well-layered sound-stage is also the sheer size of the sound stage in all 3 dimensions plus the wrap-around sound when recordings are laid down properly in 2 channel.
From what I understand, Elrod has added/modified his designs extensively in recent years and is always innovating and looking for the ideal combination of metals (there is much more than OFC/top-tier copper in his cables but I don't know details beyond that), sizes/layout of ribbons and the terminations, connectors and techniques) and topology to give an incredible capacitive effect in his cables without smearing, blurring or tonal coloring. My own experience listening has definitely supported this as I hear all that I've written above and more accompanied with getting my system to be incredibly musical and have certain tube-like harmonics and transient behavior that I've only heard in the finest all-tube, all-analog systems; all the while having a 100% solid-state and digital=>analog system.
All of that is up to the latest iterations of Statement Gold products that I've been using for anywhere from 1 to 4+ years. Take all of that feedback and then add the "final 1%" audible improvements I've written about with these first MASTERS SERIES Statement Gold cords I'm using and you have one hell of an audio performance emerging from my speakers. In fact, as I have mentioned these singleton powercord-only updates have shown me things that that amp, preamp and Transport/DAC are capable of over and above what I ever thought possible having been extremely happy with the Statements Golds I've been using with great success.
These cords and the prior Statement Gold and Signature Gold are larger than many other choices (but smaller than some I've seen), require a bit of planning and measuring to ensure proper length, layout, no major bending, etc...and are top of the heap (and beyond) as far as being well beyond anything I thought I'd ever be spending on cables but they are well worth it and I'm glad I was introduced back in late 2010. For me, Statement and the new MASTERS SERIES are 'destination' and it will take me some years to move up to MASTERS SERIES across the entire system, after that I plan to be done. I hear there are MASTERS SERIES "Diamond" level that those who are fortunate enough to be able to try/have in their systems are raving about; I'll never get there for several key reasons but at the same time, I cannot imagine what I am not hearing per se as what I do hear is at times, beyond words.
Have a great day!
However, as I recall, they do not provide a high resolution sonic picture. "
Good questions....I have no experience with the EPS cords or anything prior to very late 2011/early 2012 but have heard similar feedback from several friends and other audiophiles that I've communicated with over the years.
Speaking only for those Statement Gold and Silver powercords, Statement Gold interconnects and Signature Gold and currently, Statement Gold speaker cables in my system prior to the MASTERS SERIES, I can tell you all of the above positive feedback/attribute list is true of what I hear as well accompanied with great pacing/timing accuracy of the music, soft to extremely full-on dynamics, ultra-quiet backgrounds and energy together with a very accurate and high-resolution sonic picture. The high-resolution sonic picture is not just instrument and voice plus ensemble placement accuracy but also accuracy of size of an instrument, voice or ensemble in the sound-stage. Another attribute I've noticed in addition to the well-layered sound-stage is also the sheer size of the sound stage in all 3 dimensions plus the wrap-around sound when recordings are laid down properly in 2 channel.
From what I understand, Elrod has added/modified his designs extensively in recent years and is always innovating and looking for the ideal combination of metals (there is much more than OFC/top-tier copper in his cables but I don't know details beyond that), sizes/layout of ribbons and the terminations, connectors and techniques) and topology to give an incredible capacitive effect in his cables without smearing, blurring or tonal coloring. My own experience listening has definitely supported this as I hear all that I've written above and more accompanied with getting my system to be incredibly musical and have certain tube-like harmonics and transient behavior that I've only heard in the finest all-tube, all-analog systems; all the while having a 100% solid-state and digital=>analog system.
All of that is up to the latest iterations of Statement Gold products that I've been using for anywhere from 1 to 4+ years. Take all of that feedback and then add the "final 1%" audible improvements I've written about with these first MASTERS SERIES Statement Gold cords I'm using and you have one hell of an audio performance emerging from my speakers. In fact, as I have mentioned these singleton powercord-only updates have shown me things that that amp, preamp and Transport/DAC are capable of over and above what I ever thought possible having been extremely happy with the Statements Golds I've been using with great success.
These cords and the prior Statement Gold and Signature Gold are larger than many other choices (but smaller than some I've seen), require a bit of planning and measuring to ensure proper length, layout, no major bending, etc...and are top of the heap (and beyond) as far as being well beyond anything I thought I'd ever be spending on cables but they are well worth it and I'm glad I was introduced back in late 2010. For me, Statement and the new MASTERS SERIES are 'destination' and it will take me some years to move up to MASTERS SERIES across the entire system, after that I plan to be done. I hear there are MASTERS SERIES "Diamond" level that those who are fortunate enough to be able to try/have in their systems are raving about; I'll never get there for several key reasons but at the same time, I cannot imagine what I am not hearing per se as what I do hear is at times, beyond words.
Have a great day!