Audience AU24 vs Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference

If like AZ product, the silver Reference is a Much better cable. AU24 is warmer. Neither one gives good detail.
You can also get an used NBS King serpent II or signature.
For source cable, I would used M-21 special from Stealth.

Hey Dean - great comments you've made above...that's the kind of reviewing I can understand and appreciate, as opposed to using words like "decaying transients" and "superfluous prognostecation of the dialectic wicket-waveform". Thanks for that my friend. Hey, so you mentioned your tests with the pre-amps and I do recall your waiting on delivery of that new Eastern Electric, but I couldn't find any threads you've started on those. How about some comments on the preamps since you said you definitely have favorites. I'd like to hear more! Or if you made some extensive comments just point me to the thread.

Marco

Dean

Your review has been very helpful to me as I am believer in the 'house sound'.

I think the Audience may be more to my liking as far as the more immediate presentation but, the part about not hearing the cymbol shimmer like the Hologram has me a little concerned. I used to own the Hologram I (single run) speaker cable and sold it for Reynaud HP216A bi wire for my Reynaud Trentes. I think the Hologram beat the Reynaud wire in only one way, and that was the amount of color/hues the cymbols had which is something I really like, the sensation of the cymbols cutting (and floating) through all the other instruments is very inviting too. I guess I am looking for tighter bass and a more open sound, maybe I should look to AZ Silver Ref instead of Audience.

A little note, the Reynaud wire is terrific, I am really getting picky with the cymbol comment because in the areas of detail and focus and definition (especially the bass) the Reynaud wire betters the AZ (single run) Hologram.

At least I am under the impression that the Audience is a sideways step and not going the trounce the AZ anytime soon.

S23Chang

I read a little about the M21 Stealth and they do sound really nice, especially the open quality that came up a few times. Will look into the NBS too. I do not have the money for them right now and consider the AZ and Audience bargain cables. I have heard the Silver Ref MKII quite a few times and think it has quite good detail so the cable you mention must be special.

I've had good results using the AU24s between my Electrocompaniet EMC1 and Thor TA-100 tube preamp, with a set of AZ Silver Ref Is completing the signal chain to a Bruce Moore Dual 70 tube amp.

The AU24s do favor the midrange, putting vocals and solo intruments a little more forward in the soundstage than the AZs. The AZs between the pre and amp round out the overall presentation by slightly emphasizing the frequency extremes. The overall result is a very balanced presentation with a nice wide soundstage, great imaging and excellent frequency extension.

By the way, I've tried reversing the order of the interconnects, but felt that the highs became slightly brighter, while the mids were not as warm and lifelike. Interestingly, as others have mentioned, I find that I can easily hear the differences by focusing on the way cymbals are reproduced. Must be that combination of transient attack, upper midrange fundamentals, overtones and decay.

Hope this helps.

Hey thanks Marco. When I listen to music I always hope to be moved emotionally, so when writing about my impressions they tend to be expressed in the same way, and not very analytical. If you got my e-mail you know what I mean, heheh.

I'm glad I was able to help Phil. Yes, I believe the AZ will bring you closer to that magical cymbal shimmer. If you currently have what you feel is a balanced cable scheme and insert the Silver Ref II anywhere, I think you'll be shocked by the extra clarity with cymbals.

For a few months I was using Silver Ref II from my DAC to preamp with full-sounding Mullard tubes in the DAC. During the course of my preamp testing I changed the tubes in the DAC to more revealing Siemens CCas and the DAC to preamp interconnect with Matrix Ref II. I was surprised that the balance was almost the same, but with just a slightly fuller sound.

However, if you swap out the Matrix Ref II for a Silver Ref II without any other changes you'll find that a massive amount of sonic information will suddenly become available, especially in the high frequency percussion you like. This is quite amazing and seductive initally, but I found that over time I had difficulty staying in the music because the overall balance became much thinner and areas I felt that should have a fuller, earthier presentation like acoustic guitars and pianos became too lean for me. They lost all their weight.

So I disagree that one is better than the other. They're just very different in this respect, and how they perform will depend on the rest of your system and what you value in playback.

But for you my friend, I'd like to say that when substituting the Silver Ref II for the Matrix Ref II in my system, the details revealed with cymbals and top hats become so abundant it's almost as if I have quantum/nano view into each vibrating superstring of each musical nuance.