BEST DIGITAL AES/EBU CABLES - 2011

Hi Ijarvile,

Since I wrote my review on the Sextet over six years ago I have continued to audition many other digital cables. The only ones I have not listened to that you have on your list are the Audio Nirvana and ASI Liveline, so I can't address how they compare to the Stealth Sextet.

I still have found the Sextet to be my favorite cable in my system. It just gets out of the "way" more then the other cables and lets the music flow out more naturally from my rig. I don't think the Sextet would improve a "bright/forward" sounding system, short of that I can't imagine that it would not have good synergy in most systems. If you wanted a cable with a very slight warmth added to the mix I would then suggest the Kubala Sosna that you have on your list.

Hi Teajay,

Great input and similar experiences that I have with Sextet and in the next few weeks I will have a chance to test Kubala-Sosna (I hope) and ASI Liveline AES/EBU cables.
I am a very interested to hear what are the differences between MIT Oracle MA-X and Sextet? I know that Sextet is the best I know ...so far as not been able review Kubala and Asi yet.
Please, if somebody has had a chance to do real comparison between MIT and Sextet, your input will be highly appreciated. I have heard extremely good reviews about MIT, that its delivers almost everything perfectly, but also downsides are that its not able deliver reality and be lively sounding as Sextet? Can someone comment on that?

Teajay, my system is pretty neutral sounding, and I think Sextet is a strongest contender at the moment, but like said Kubala and ASI on the way to my and my friend systems ...And I always appriciate audiophiles you are willing to share they experiences and recommendations on the way searching the perfect audio nirvana ;=)

- Ilkka -

It's been a while since I have had other digital cables but I spent a great deal of time auditioning prior to selecting the MA-X. For me, it was simply better at everything and the gap was not a small one. Both the Sextet and Emotion are very nice cables as is the Valhalla but none of them produced the level of detail and even more so, image placement, that the MA-X did. Some of the comments above describing the Sextet as musical, rich and full sounding is very much what I heard as well. It produced a massive stage in my system and is overall quite pleasant. The Emotion is very similar, slightly less detailed and less articulate in the lower registrars.

At this level it is important to spend time with these cables in your own system. I think you will find that they all have different character's so it becomes a subjective choice. I'm a detail freak....Spectral/MIT/Wilson/Berkeley so the MA-X fits my taste well. Others prefer some bloom and more warmth and could care less about getting exactly what was done on the recording. Many many flavors for many many tastes....

Hi Richard,

Thanks for your great input. As described the Kubala-Sosna is for people who love very warm sound...
As I love details (though I am not freak ;=)) and neutral sound (why I love Millenium MK IV), you can easily make differences with different component (pc or interconnect).

...how you would describe MIT vs. Sextet in case of neutrality and instruments sounding close to real?
...Is MIT able to deliver instruments warmth or is MIT a lot of dynamics and details leaning a little bit more analytical side comparing to Sextet?

...Frankly saying if we assume that system is E2E a very neutral sounding from recordings point, but instruments should take a little step forward sounding a more real which one you would recommend?
(Taking guitar and playing it vs. recording)

Sorry that I tried to approach a same thing from different angles, but hopefully you understand what I am looking for ;=)

Yes, we audiophiles have different tastes, but there are also the people who share the same taste ;=) My perfect audio nirvana is that instruments e.g. guitar sound close to real and neutral (warmth sound is there when it is there) even I would played myself at the same time when playing the same song from front end (source) ;=)

Ijarvile....I really am not sure, it's been some time since I had other cables here. I definitely found the MA-X more true to the source. My system does produce very "real" sounding instruments and I suppose the digital cable is an influence but all of my gear was selected for accuracy so it's also a sum of the parts.

Do let us know the outcome of your trials.