I’m still using the Shunyata Sigma I’ve borrowed from a friend and am blown away with just how good it is. I know, it’s mental money, but I seriously trying to square the economics in my head. The shear weight and tonal accuracy it adds is simply unreal. There’s not a track I’ve played where it’s anything other than utterly amazing. There’s so much more new information to comprehend, little pushes and dynamic interplays I’m hearing make it all so much more enjoyable. As for the timing it’s just in a different league. Above all it just sounds so natural, nothing forced, everything real and tangible.
To be honest this is the first bit of kit I’ve used that has given my system a fundamental shift forwards. I had few bits that give the system a ‘tweak’ but this is so much more than that. Most of the time I find the tweaks a step back rather than a step forward so, for me, this is a real find.
I’m using the Sigma but the next model down the Alpha (I think) uses one filter and not two like the Sigma and is about the same price as Diamond. I’d say the Sigma improvement is similar in scale to going all Superlumina and adding powerlines all at the same time!
@drago if I’m not mistaken the vodka is copper and the diamond is silver. These materials having a significant effect on the overall sound. Silver has a smoother top end and is more articulate than coppper however it usually doesn’t have that midrange weight that we all crave from our hifi. Strangely enough I think a silver cable that I had custom built had this midrange body and weight to the sound - but after a year of usage.
I say I think because I can’t be sure. There were so many changes in my system that year.
On top of that Audioquest cables tend (excluding diamond) to have that edge to the sound which other brands like Chord or Wireworld do better IMO.
As ever spot on.
Yes diamond is fully silver. Vodka only 15%. Resolution pure for diamond (voices are to fall on the floor) - but without body. Vodka does this … without full resolution.
You should also try the. Neotech Neet-1008. It’s not just a silver cable it’s a UP-OCC silver cable. Sound is very good and I’d say very neutral. It feels as if it just gets out of the way
The Shunyata has filters built in. Common mode filters that I suppose blocks out high frequency noise. This might give that cable the edge in a system with common mode noise. Sneaky😅
I still think we are in the absence of a full room tuning with bass absorber’s etc……we are tuning to-our own ears and music. A full room tune might be better……but the rest of family might be less enthusiastic?
I’ve always found the difference between Ethernet cables audible but marginal. But one person’s small is another’s HUGE. Like with so many things in life.
For what it’s worth, I have a Chord Shawline ethernet between my EE8 and the Nova and it gives a nice natural sound. AQ Vodka was much more shiny and hifi. Maybe a Chord cable is worth a try. But an ethernet cable won’t polish a turd.
SL (Both 5-5 and DIN-xlr) are really good. They really cleared everything up - like all stress is away. But very neutral - not rich. If in downside talk - a bit artificial.
Lavender is very musical - but a bit closed in. Morgana better - but also a bit stressed to my ears - but in a nice dark tone.
No, I’m not using the LHY I have that powering another switch on the other side of the house but I did buy a mates old LPS who moved on to a more expensive one. It’s maybe marginally better than the LHY but not by much. Yes, this streaming stuff is very quirky. With Catsnake the SMPS seems to work better and with the Shunyata I much prefer the LPS. I’ve absolutely no understanding why the two sound so different using different power supplies. It baffles me! Up until I tried the Shunyata I too would have said that most of the ethernet cables I tried were small degrees apart and that they were shaping the sound in some way. Trouble is the Sigma on my system has really pushed the envelope and made me re-evaluate the importance.
Perhaps because Shunyata Research’s proprietary Kinetic Phase Inversion Process includes four days of continuous KPIP™ processing to dramatically reduce burn-in time and significantly improve sonic performance, delivering a relaxed and life-like presentation.
]