Audioquest vs Acoustic Zen

In MY SYSTEM the PAD Proteus Provectus was head and shoulders above the AZ Hologram II speaker cables. More air, more weight, better top to bottom integration and the soundstage was deep and wide. The AZ sc did not have any life or PRAT compared to the PAD cable.
The AZ Absolute Copper XLR ic was superior to the PAD Proteus Provectus ic from pre-amp (a VRE-1b) to amps (Atmasphere M60's. The AZ was cleaner sounding and you heard more details, the top end was more extended. The soundstage with the PAD was larger and the bass went a bit deeper but there was a mist to everything, it was like listening in a rain forest compared to the clean and fresh AZ ic.
So there you have it one from each camp came out ahead in MY SYSTEM.

Interesting Steve, thanks for the comparison. I do realize that this is just in your system, and to your tastes, but it's interesting nonetheless.
I'm not really surprised that $8K speaker cables bettered $1.2K speaker cables, though I guess I am mildly surprised to see that $1.5K interconnects bettered $3.6K interconnects. Do you know if Robert Lee has any plans to release an Absolute Copper version of his speaker cables?

Wow. That is interesting. The only cable that i have tried from AZ was their Satori Speaker cables . I'll just say that i like the Audioquest Gibraltar Speaker cables better, which is what i am now using.It has been more than a year since i tried the Satoris ,so i can't really remember exactly the Differences.
I see you do not have your system listed . It would be interesting to know that info.
Thanks Again

Dennis, Steve did say that he is using McCormack's VRE-1b preamp and Atmasphere's M60 amps in his thread on 2/12. I also believe he mentioned earlier that he was using Acoustic Zen Crescendo speakers on 1/23. Though I don't recall him mentioning sources.

The fact that you preferred the Audioquest Gibraltar over the AZ speaker cables, while I preferred the AZ over the Gibraltar's just shows how much of this cable and system matching is synergy related as well as personal tastes related. Just like Sksos1 did not like the Parasound CDP, while Calvinj is enjoying it immensely. You just cannot predict how one component or cable will function in another system, or suit another person's personal tastes.

well said John, I agree!