Gabriel Gold IC's are they really this good?

I don't feel equipped to describe sound (mostly from lack of experience) but short of clapping two stones together and just declaring "me like!!!", I'll try. The impression I get listening to the Raptures is "solidity with finesse" meaning there is very solid and impactful bass foundation married to delicate defined treble information. Because I am very sensitive to a bright, harsh, edgy, irritating high end I will reject any cable or component that exhibits it. A system that possesses this quality, as mine does to a slight degree, demands an IC that does not accentuate it. However, this quality seems to be more software dependent in my system and while many excellent CDs are problem free in this regard, many more are IMO problematic. It would be great if a cable would attenuate this quality but then I suspect it would not be accurate in the treble.

I'm always hesitant to declare anything the "best" but I do believe the Rapture is the "best" IC I have had in my system. I don't feel that the Rapture is a "huge" improvement over the Revelation but I believe it possesses significant sonic benefits. Whether the benefits are worth the price difference between the Revelation and Rapture will vary with each system and owners priorities but for me, I believe the Raptures are priced fairly for the high level of performance they are capable of delivering, especially considering the prices of cables that would compete at this level. I would encourage anyone who is considering ICs in this price range or even significantly higher, to audition the GG Rapture. You may be very pleasantly surprised!

My most recent ICs were the Gabriel Gold, the GG Revelation and the Virtual Dynamics Revelation v.1, all balanced. Before those listed I used several highly regarded balanced silver cables which led me to the conclusion that I do not care for the sonic "signature" of silver.

Because I alternate between two CDPs that connect direct to my amp (EAR ACUTE and Wadia 270SE & 27i) I use only one set of ICs. The Wadias are connected with a VD Revelation Signature balanced digital cable and Aural Symphonics Optimism v.2 AT&T.
My speaker cables are bi-wire GG Revelations which replaced VD Revelation v.1 b-w which is a fine cable but extremely stiff and heavy. I was initially concerned about the gauge of the GG Revelation speaker cables being adequate but that concern has proven to be meaningless. All my PCs are VD Master v.3.

rja-
i have the exact same sensitivities and system issues and run screaming from silveras anathema in my system, and, i think your analysis is apt for the rapture with the exception that, for me (of course), the differences between the rapture and the revelation are pretty out there in the open in my system particularly regarding soundstage, air and, mostly, that ineffable thing of involvement...and, you're right, it's hard to describe, so i am going to sit and listen and think and nap and do it all over again until it becomes clear and i'll get back to you with my thoughts......i can say that i intellectually appreciated the revelation, but my heart never sang out with or for them while my heart is an open chakra for musical experience with the rapture.....

Budburma *** I take it you have a mix of Rapture and Eden interconnects.I saw in previous threads that you were a big fan of the Extremes.

Did you replace your Extreme with the Eden?

I have not heard much on this thread about the Eden.

I'm guessing if the designer replaced the Extreme with the Eden that it's got to be better or at least pretty different.

Your view on this is appreciated and sure to be engaging

I just participated in my first Audiogon auction and won!!!! a pair of Eden.I do not have the vast experience as some of the members on this thread as I have been using Harmonic Technology Magic and ProSilway for years.Before the Harmonic Tech stuff I was using midline Audioquest for nearly a decade just buying the latest stuff my Audioquest dealer was suggesting.When the Edens arrived they were enclosed in a nice Black case with a bed of foam on the top and bottom protecting them.This was a very good first impression and far from the plastic wrapping my other cables have come in.The looks of the Eden were also very nice and made my HT's look bland.I placed the Eden
interconnects between my Plinius SA 100mk 3 and my Joule preamp.I should not be too quick to judge but I immediately felt that the recordings sounded more organic and a lot less electronic sounding if that makes sense.Piano,horns and acoustic guitars seemed lifelike and easy to listen to and I still had all the detail.I have the system on repeat eating up my tube time on the Joule and if the sound improves I'll even be more pleased .I m very happy with my first Audiogon purchase

Well Budburma, I don't think the Raptures and Revelations exhibited the differences in my system that they did in yours. To me they were different but not dramatically so. This is probably due to differences in our systems. Frankly, I could live with either one with no problem.