Graham 2.2 tonearm cables

I agree fully with SS with respect to the damping fluid. I almost gave up on my 2.2 before critically experimenting with the fluid level.

Sirspeedy,

First here's a copy of the email I sent Jim Aud of Purist after I got back from CES where I picked up his "show" set of Venustas phono cables -- his personal broken-in set! If I tell you what I paid, you'll throw up, so we won't go there!

Hi there Jim,

I enjoyed spending a little time with you and Kimberly at CES. It's been a long while since an audio component totally blew my mind, but the set of Venustas phono cables I bought from you really did it. I have a pretty good system (see attachment) but the analog section never gave me the goose bumps I thought it should. I was even thinking about getting a Colibri cartridge to replace my Frog, but not now! I suppose the set of Venustas IC's I got to connect the ML 25s phono preamp to the ML 26s preamp helped too, but I know it was the phono cables that knocked my socks off!

I'm buying a pre-owned pair of 25 foot Venustas XLR's to go from the preamp to the amp, and I'll eventually replace the Virtuoso speaker cables. As an old time audiophile ( I did research on stereophonic perception at MIT, ca.1963!), I've heard it all, from snake oil, to the truly inspired. And I know how much work goes into creating a really exceptional audio product with performance improvements that are obvious to everyone who hears it.

Nice goin' Jim!

Neil Golden AIA

More explanation below, but first, here's my system:

Preamp....... Mark Levinson 26s

Phono Preamp.... Mark Levinson 25s

Amp (driving CLSII-z's full range)....Mark Levinson 23.5

TT..Goldmund Studietto with JVC quartz-controlled motor

Arm...SME V just rewired internally at the factory with van den Hul MCS-150M

Cartridge.......vdH Frog Gold Mk-2

CD transport.....Wadia T2000-S w/heavy duty Teac mechanism.
DAC..............Wadia 1000 X-64.4 Digimaster

Cassette.........Nakamichi CR7a

Tuner.....Technics ST 9030 upgraded by Ryan Huizenga.

Speakers: Main...Martin-Logan CLSII-z, Sound Anchor stands.
Low frequency... Martin-Logan Depth

Cables -- IC's...Straightwire -- Maestro II, Virtuoso
Madrigal -- CZ Gel
Purist Venustas -- IC, Phono cable

Speaker cables…....Straightwire Virtuoso

I've had most of this system for 15 years, with minor changes, mostly the subs (Wilson Puppies > Kinergetics SW 800 > ML Depth) and cables, so I know what it sounds like.

I've always used the vdH phono cables that came with my arm 15 years ago, but last summer, I had the arm serviced in England and "splurged" $250 for a new set of vdH Silver-Hybrid phono cables. (A "person" at Sumiko told me he didn't like those and personally preferred the Cardas
Golden Reference phono cables. When the new vdH cables didn't sound much different from the old ones, I thought, "well, if I see some Cardas at a good price, maybe I'll try 'em" And of course the Hovland started making news, along with (what I hear) an amazing cable from Silvercable. They're all about $600 +/-.

I hadn't heard a lot about Venustas, but all of what I heard was rave! So when I had a chance to buy a set at a giveaway price, I figured I'd try 'em out and if they weren't "all that," I'd just sell 'em at a profit, and maybe buy a Cardas AND a Hovland! Well, that won't be happening (and a new cartridge is a long way off too!)

The night I got back from CES, I stuck 'em in my system (which as you can tell, ain't that bad) and I nearlly fell over! I mean, we've heard all the words before -- but now they became a physical reality: detail, black background, precise placement of players, hall ambience (air), and something that is special to me (because I seem to have a problem with it) - I could hear any lyric as if I were watching subtitles! Well, that did it! You can just imagine the mess -- I started pulling out every album I own -- "Let's see what this sounds like....Oh OK, now what about the chorus on that one, or Sinatra's Mo-Fi pressing! You get the picture...........

Neil

Thank you for the wonderful feedback.I can see by your systems that you know what you are doing,and are not fooled by the LATEST HAS TO BE BEST ATTITUDE that many people are too inclined to believe will give best sound.A NEW QUESTION:Any thoughts on the PURIST TOP CABLING as an even better signal carrier?It has been demonstrated to me that phono cable is very sensitive stuff and, I, a few years ago, would never consider further upgrading here,but,I do like to weigh all alternatives.

Hi Speedy,

If by "Purist Top Cabling", you mean the Dominus, I haven't really A-B'd Dominus with Venustas. Dominus is VERY expensive, and VERY fat (probably to flatter the folks who can afford it!) And because of its size, probably impossible (impractical) to use in lengths less than 1.5M -- so I can't see how it could be made into a phono cable. (Jim Aud even had to scale down the thickness of the standard Venustas cable a little bit to make the phono version.)

I suppose if you had the money, as well as the space to place your components so that you could "dress" (layout) the cable properly, why wouldn't you use Dominus? The fellow I bought my 8M Venustas XLR from is going to get a pair of Dominus -- and he has a great system and has taken the time (and can afford) to try some of the best cables out there. To sum up what I've heard and read on the Venustas-vs-Dominus subject: Dominus is the ultimate and Venustas is VERY close. More importantly (for most of us) Venustas is way, WAY ahead of what ever is in third place, (which would probably be another Purist cable, the Meuseaus.)

I think the biggest complement one can give Jim Aud is that you really can't describe his cables using any kind of adjective (warm, bright, rich, dark, smooth, blah, blah) All you can say is "they're not there."

Neil