[Review] Zanash Speaker cable!

Zanash Speaker cable!

Firstly my apologies to Z as I've had these a few weeks now and have been very slow to post up my findings.

Having been blown away by some IC that Z sent me I asked him to make me up two 6m runs of speaker cable. He gave me a few options and I went for the silver 5mm/3mm in cotton option (sounds like a boutique item).

Initial impressions - On opening the package there were two neat rolls of what looked to me like haberdashery! This cable definitely didn't fit my mental picture of sleek sci fi super special stuff (did you like the alliteration there? ). This is not to be seen as a negative point as from previous experience I know Z knows his onions! Anyhow I set about removing the old Gale bi-wire cable and fitting silver jumpers and cables. Then I left the system on for a couple of hours to cook.

System: Project xperience/rondo red cart, Minimax cdp, Icon Audio 40i amp and ProAc Studio 140's.

I dug out a few of the standards I bring when auditioning new kit and gave them a blast. Firstly with the TT and the first Goldfrapp lp. I found much more depth and definition to the music. Previously it was very good but now there was a little more presence and a slightly more open sound stage. Vocals just seemed to hang in the air mid room. This proved to be the case with most of the vinyl that I played.

I than stuck some Nils Petter Molvaer in the cdp. I'd had some misgivings about this cdp when I first bought it but it has really blown me away over the last month. The Molvaer cd has some crazy bass that can sound awful if not controlled but with everything set up and warmed up it sounded amazing. I could really crank it up without losing any clarity at all (mind you I am nearly sick of hearing the first two tracks now). Mid range and top end were sweet and controlled also.

Then the real test was Massive Attack v's The Mad Professor. This cd has bass that is so low it can make my cat empty its bowels . Again everything was controlled and there was none of the flabby bass I'd heard before.

On a slightly negative point I did find some recordings a little strident to begin with. Miles' Kind of Blue in places was very very shrill but I am willing to conceed that this may be the nature of that recording. Over the last week or so any shrillness seems to have gone though. The cables seem to let you hear the music without adding any colour or characteristics of their own.

I had a friend over at the beginning of this week for a listen. It turned into a marathon 4am session and he was absolutly blown away, the silver cables definitely seeing off his Nordost wires! I had always aspired to own a system like his and now it's the opposite. After seeing off the 4am hangover we paid a visit to Kronos hifi over here and it looks like he'll be ditching his original audiolab and cyrus for some valve kit and good cables.

Once again thanks to Zanash for the advice, time and effort. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending his cables.....they have helped transform my sysyem.

 

Cheer thanks for the comments....I'm pleased you like them !

Mine are very special ...better than the solid core ones by some margin. Which Nordost did you compare to ?

 

The Nordost was Solar Wind.

 

Just find it hard to believe that silver was sweet sounding and the bass more powerfull.I can understand Miles soundindg shrill with silver.I don't know the character of your system but I'll guess its dark to begin with.
Silver has always been bright,thinand edgey to my ears.In time you will find many of your recordings sounding thin.Over time you will find the excitement of the clarity and up front presentation old and want to try some copper.
Does Zanash offer copper cables of the same purity and construction,it would be a very interesting comparison.
Hey gents whats your preference SILVER or COPPER and why?
rollo

 

no ...copper just doesn't do it for me

 

Copper is too grainy, I don't find silver too shrill or lacks bass, Zanesh I would be interested to hear some of your cables peraps you could send me a pm, Keith.

 

Hi Zanash,
I'm new to this forum world so forgive me if I dont appear to know what I'm doing!

 

sounds to me like your describing the sound of silver plated copper cables.. which all sound like that IMHO... pure silver on the other hand is among the smoothest ive heard.

the missing link balanced cables against various chords and nordosts sounded much smoother, warmer and richer.