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Stage III Concepts Cables - Any Advice/Feedback/Thoughts is deeply appreciated.

I have a mixed loom of Stage III Concepts Cables on loan to me from a local dealer and need some help.  
There is hardly any user/owner/member/end used type of info out there so I wanted to reach out. 

Here is what I am demoing now and below is the why...

Stage III Concepts GRYPHON XLR 1.5m Interconnects   
Stage III Concepts MAGNUS 3.0m Speaker Cables
Stage III Concepts MINOTAUR 2.0m Power Cable
Stage III Concepts KRAKEN 1.5m Power Cable

Here is the why:

I received my new Magico S5 MK II Speakers 2 weeks ago upgraded from the original S5's.  
I wanted to upgrade my pre and amp but was waiting to hear my new S5 MK II's with my present gear first. 

Magico S5 MK II Speakers
Pass Labs X250.8 amp
Simaudio Moon Evolution P-8 pre
Bricasti M1SE w/built in ethernet media player
SGC sonicTransporter ethernet Roon server w/Uptone Audio JS-2 LPS
Kubala-Sosna Emotion Full Loom 

I loved my new speakers and so sold both my Pass X250.8 amp and my Simaudio P8 pre.
I bought Pass Labs XA-160.8 Monoblocks and was driving them direct with my Bricasti M1SE as pre/dac.

I was happy and while looking for a pre I stumbled into a local guy that had a Soulution 530 Integrated.
I thought you know what lets try it and if I like it then I will sell or trade my Pass mono's for a pre or use 530's preouts.

To make a long story longer I put it in my system and low and behold I like the Pass amps better. Maybe not a huge surprise as Pass gear is killer but then I phoned the local Soulution dealer to pick he brain. 

He told me the Pass amps should not sound better with S5 MK II's and it was due to the match of my Kubala-Sosna cables which work great with Pass, ARC, Ayre, Krell, etc. but Soulution is a different animal and needs a different cable. .
I thought OK here we go... Here comes the big old cable sales pitch but to be fair I called him. So I listened.

He loaned me the cables I have listed above to prove what he was saying was true.

You know what happened. Low and behold he was 100% right and they blew my mind. No snake oil but real results.  

They sound insane and actually really good with my Pass amps too but the match with Soulution is breath taking...

Now I see why the Soulution amps are darn expensive. They should recommended cables like Spectral and MIT does.  

So with so little info out there I wanted to ask for you guys for any and feedback, or opinions.

It is really expensive stuff and sure there is some savings because some is former gen cables and they are demo's but still its really expensive stuff so I just was hoping I could get some more info from you folks.

Sorry for long write up but wanted to share my thoughts and my situation and ask for some help on these.

Thanks 
       





128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
Hey Owl,
We have VERY similar systems. Thats cool.

I had:

Pass 160.8
Bricasti M1SE
Magico S5 MK II 

So i can help you.

1st thing - are you using the ethernet network player in your Bricasti?

If not get it back to Brain ASAP and get it installed. It is way better then Aurender, Auralic, Lumin, Sonore/Uptone and Antipods or the like just because it gets rid of USB and does a ethernet which is cleaner to start via its Is2 conversion right before the chips which as Brian will tell you is the most pristine way to do it. No Is2 cable or connectors needed.

2nd - if you are using the Bricasti ethernet player then I can help as well.

What are you feeding it Roon with and how are you powering that unit and with what Ethernet and dc cables,

Once I know this I have other info but that said you need get this. Google this and buy it. HUGE update and was only $895

The Linear Solution OCXO Ethernet Switch and matching 912 power supply and get their RJ/E Cable. It is a HUGE upgrade but even more so with the Bricasti ethernet player. This Ethernet player loves this switch / LPS combo. 

Don't hesitate. Buy it. You will be very happy... Let me know on the other info as well.

I would say reading your cable description is exactly what I felt before this experience. 

Now i did not find the same improvement with these cables when using my Pass amps although there was a great improvement it just was that great improvement but not the utter night and day - make the amp entirely different. The Soulution just soared and erupted with Kraken. I have tried removing the Kraken power cable and tried others and the drop off is just ridiculous. They should charge $10,000 more for these and ship it with this cable. It would be well worth it.

Let me know on that other info.

Thanks for sharing with us...



 
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fsmithjack OP
712 posts
 
owl 
These below are incredible - i tried so many different items to get the most out of my Bricasti. I talk to Brian regularly about what might work best and why.

Here is some info. Who knows you already may have a great set up but for Bricasti/Ethernet/Roon there is NOTHING that works better synergy wise. I bought and used and tried so many options and this is the best by far!

** Switch and Power Supply and Ethernet cable
https://thelinearsolution.com/ocxo_switch.html

Don't worry about the poor quality and odd color website pics - it is black and normal looking because the switch is incredible - just fantastic with the Bricasti.

** Roon server to feed your Bricasti. 2TB SSD option 
https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/audio-server/products/sonictransporter-i5?variant=208...

I tried them a bunch of these. The combo beat out Innuos Zenith Mk II which was second best. I attribute to their amazing proprietary software.

**Power Supply 
https://uptoneaudio.com/products/js-2-linear-power-supply

for Server and your Ethernet router (2-rails to power both)


DC Power Cables for power supplies to server and router
https://www.ghentaudio.com/part/list-dc.html

_____________________________________________-


https://audiobacon.net/2018/09/28/the-linear-solution-ocxo-audiophile-switch-reference-ethernet-cabl...


owl's avatar
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owl
139 posts
 
Brian is the best - a genius I'd say and has some of the best customer service I've ever seen in high end audio. Stellar hi value product and company. Thanks for the heads up on these. The M1SE has a lot of performance in it if you care and feed for it correctly. I love my unit on Shunyata Sigma NR BTW - tried a lot of different ones including Audience SX etc and that one just ticked off all the right boxes for me, although the Audience was sex on wheels and gave that excitement of live music being created in front of you I prefer the more laid back presentation of the Shunyata FWIW.
karmakarma
22 posts
 
Thanks for the kind words about Darwin Cables fsmithjack. As remarkable as the Darwin Truth's are, The Truth II's are even better. The original design was very stripped down. The Truth II is more rugged and yet still extracts even more details from recordings. And we've just released the best cable we've ever built, The Enlightenment by Darwin. —Tony Bender, Darwin Cables www.darwincables.com
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dave_b
3,159 posts
 
Crystals...yeah!!  Silver...oh boy!!  
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