Shunyata ztron power vs cx cables...

My dealer brought 4 anaconda zitrons by today. 1 20 amp for my triton, 3 15 amp on my trans/clock/dac currently.

The trans & dac had king cobra cx's, the clock anaconda cx, and the triton a kc cx. The 4 zitrons have about 3 hours in my system and a few days running off his heavy duty wine cellar chiller.

I am sure i have more breakin to do.

Umm this isnt subtle. Its like the hdray vray ii to triton differences, but maybe more. So more transparent, much less aggessive, but more resolute, warm, and dynamic. In a simple word, more like what i hear live unamped guitars, pianos, more distinct placement....

Although many seem to report the new Ztron are much better than the previous version (including Shunyata themselves which is no surprise) there's at least one guy I know who owned the new Cobra power cables and said he did not like them because compared to the CX, they are "less precise". He mentioned they are less focused and added "halos" around instruments. He said that he returned them because from his perspective, he could tell the Cobra were "clearly" entry level. Of course, it's only one opinion but I can tell you this guy knows his stuff. Personally, I have 2 of them not broken in yet so it's hard to tell. Also, since I came from the stock cables, adding the Cobra was significant in my system. I'm waiting for another power cable (Ztron Python this time) so I will be able to compare the Cobra and the Python and determine if they are worth the price difference.

With respect to how the Anaconda CX's compare with the Cobra Zitron power cables, the folks at Shunyata have told me that they are aware that some people prefer the Anaconda CX's to the new Cobras because the Anacondas are "warmer and more romantic." The Cobras are very fast and "live." The people I've spoken with freely state that in some applications and systems, the Anaconda CX's may be the better choice. It's one thing I love about the company: they keep b.s. to a minimum and have often steered me to spend less rather than more when selecting an upgrade.

When it comes to cables, it is always best to "try before you buy." I would add one caveat: don't waste your time with quick a/b comparisons. Listen for several days and then remove the cables. If you don't miss them, keep your money.

I'm ordering a Zitron Anaconda for trial tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see how it fairs against my beloved Anaconda CX's.

Well said Vhiner. Thanks for confirming what I felt. I love my CX Anaconda power cords to much to try the Zitron, but I did try and then order a digital XLR Zitron for the transport to DAC connection, it just seem to convey more detail.

I have always used Anacondas over the last 10 years and have several models (Alpha, VX, Helix, CX). The funny thing is that sometimes one is better than the other, regardless of which is newer. In my current system, after much experimentation, I use a VX on CDP, a CX on my power amp, and Alphas and Helixes on preamps/headphone amps for the best results.

The older models have their unique charms and are sometimes better sounding for a particular component than the newer ones.