Tag Archives: audio interconnects

Opinion 1

If the basic audio components, i.e. electronics and loudspeakers, are considered to be the key organs of an audio system, then their wiring automatically becomes the circulatory system – veins and arteries transmitting valuable signals. The above analogy, extremely metaphorical, and made from a purely subjective point of view caused by the appearance of our today’s object of affection, seems nevertheless quite appropriate, because the latest TheRed XLR interconnects, still having that “fresh from the factory” smell, because they just came from the Plichtów WK Audio manufacture, with their bloody color fit perfectly into this symbolism. So if you are wondering how do they compare to their predecessors, there is nothing else left for me but invite you to the read the sequel.

As the name suggests and the photos above prove (people suffering from protanopia are asked to take our word for it) TheRed XLR are … red. However, while they share a passion for aluminum couplers/splitters with their power cord brethren, only the color and belonging to the known series is shared with the, equipped with the polished balsa cubes, loudspeaker cables. In addition, Witold Kamiński – the founder and owner of WK Audio, decided during the design process, which took over eight months, to focus on the conductors themselves and their geometry and not to mess with the confection, so once again he reached for the top Furutech plugs (in the XLR version delivered for testing these were the CF-601M / 602F R NCF, while the CF-102 NCF R terminated the RCA version). Silver-plated copper of high purity was used as the conductor and the leads were routed according to the company’s proprietary braid pattern. It should be mentioned at this point, that the XLR and RCA versions differ in geometry, which is upheld by special stabilizers, perceptible under the fingers and visible against the light through the external sheath, reminiscent of the “guides” from in-akustik. Equally crucial for both types of connectors is the presence of the above-mentioned aluminum couplers/splitters, the installation of which turns out to be an extremely precise operation. These elements, thanks to their design, protect the conductors from harmful vibrations and regulate their stress throughout their run. These stresses have a highly significant impact on the final sound of the conductor and are adjusted during their assembly in a special process, which is impossible to reproduce in conditions other than those used at the manufacture. This process can be compared to tuning stringed instruments, where only the proper tension guarantees a clear sound of a specific frequency.

Since, due to its rather difficult to overlook appearance, the presence of the TheRed XLR in the system is unlikely to escape the attention of seemingly uninterested household members, it would be good if they had nothing to be ashamed of in terms of sound. And this is indeed the case, because I did not find any reasons for criticism after applying them, despite my best efforts. I am writing this not without satisfaction, because the Polish interconnects not only sounded with a noticeably higher quality than my Furutech DAS 4.1, but also established a surprisingly even fight with the V1 tested at the same time. However, without anticipating the facts, there is no denying that The Reds had a very impressive entrance, and this is just an introduction … So, taking advantage of the opportunity, and an extremely favorable first impression, I decided to strike while the iron is hot and put a short, but very concise metalcore EP „Manifestations” by The Veer Union on the playlist. The rough, bubbling with energy, almost breathing fire and sulfur material may not bear all the hallmarks of audiophile sophistication, but in terms of energy it takes no prisoners, so as soon as there is even a hint of a block somewhere in the systemic bloodstream, everything immediately stops, the revs drop and instead of a rock rollercoaster, we get out teeth drilled with a jamming dental drill that remembers the sixties. Meanwhile, with TheReds, Crispin Earl’s vocal was crushing walls, and dirty guitar riffs and drum gallopades, occasionally watered with synthetic sauce, aroused respect with their power and emotional charge. The sound was open, hellishly fast, but at the same time it did not lack fullness – or body, the proper bass foundation, what made talking about any signs of dryness or sterility impossible. The sound was sharp, strong, but extremely concise and simply uncompromising. Equally convincing was the electronics of 潘PAN (“Pan the Pansexual”) which is slightly different to the play-safe music that is currently promoted in the mainstream media, where all kinds of noises and crackles are not a racket, but create maybe a raw, but at the same time extremely intriguing and, most importantly, logical and coherent musical event. And if we add to this an extremely bold exploration of the borderline lower frequencies which are still capable of being reproduced by the system, we will quickly find out that the native interconnects have absolutely no limitations in this respect. Not only can you hear, but also feel that the presence of the Polish cables has an unblocking effect on the flow and transfer of energy between the components of your system. There is no room for any veiling here, or too much roundness or plushness. Of course, if we turn on such a „bedlinen” repertoire, TheRed will not sharpen and contour it on their own, but it is worth bearing in mind that they will also not soften anything and will not pour a thick layer of icing on it, just to appeal to the audience who appreciates casual elevator music. Just take a look at „Nightfall” by Till Brönner and Dieter Ilg, and even in extremely minimalist jazz forms, you will find both playing with silence, soothing peace, but also feisty phrases, or infectious timing and motoric. In addition, the Plichtów interconnects, with innate charm and no less natural truthfulness, show the consistency, texture and character of the so much different instruments. On one hand, it is a certain roughness and „brass” dullness of the (ordinary) trumpet, because the flugelhorn, which Brönner also uses, sounds smoother and darker, while on the other hand, the velvetiness, elasticity and depth of Ilg’s double bass, but those instruments do not compete with each other for the attention of the listeners, but complement each other perfectly.

After nearly two weeks of hosting the WK Audio TheRed XLR in my system, I can say with full responsibility, that the period of “gnawing” on the world High-End by the products of the Plichtów manufacture can be safely considered as being over, as the tested interconnects put on an equal fight with much more titled competition. Nevertheless, although I am well aware that the final decision of some of the listeners may be determined by a more famous/recognizable „label”, if we only focus on the sound qualities and the above-average quality/price ratio, I am strangely certain about the outcome of the listening sessions; they will be a one way ticket to our Polish interconnects…

Marcin Olszewski

System used in this test:
– CD/DAC:Vitus SCD-025mkII
– Network player: Lumin U2 Mini + Farad Super3 + Omicron Magic Dream Classic; I-O Data Soundgenic HDL-RA4TB
– Turntable: Denon DP-3000NE + Denon DL-103R
– Phonostage: Tellurium Q Iridium MM/MC Phono Pre Amp
– Digital source selector: Audio Authority 1177
– Integrated amplifier: Vitus Audio RI-101 MkII + Quantum Science Audio (QSA) Violet fuse
– Loudspeakers: Dynaudio Contour 30 + Brass Spike Receptacle Acoustic Revive SPU-8 + Base Audio Quartz platforms
– IC RCA: Furutech FA-13S; phono NEO d+ RCA Class B Stereo + Ground (1m)
– IC XLR: Organic Audio; Vermöuth Audio Reference; Furutech DAS-4.1
– Digital IC: Fadel art DigiLitz; Harmonic Technology Cyberlink Copper; Apogee Wyde Eye; Monster Cable Interlink LightSpeed 200
– USB cables: Wireworld Starlight; Vermöuth Audio Reference USB; ZenSati Zorro
– Speaker cables: Signal Projects Hydra + SHUBI Custom Acoustic Stands MMS-1
– Power cables: Furutech FP-3TS762 / FI-28R / FI-E38R; Organic Audio Power + Furutech CF-080 Damping Ring; Acoustic Zen Gargantua II; Furutech Nanoflux Power NCF; Esprit Audio Alpha
– Power distribution board: Furutech e-TP60ER + Furutech FP-3TS762 / Fi-50 NCF(R) /FI-50M NCF(R)
– Wall power socket: Furutech FT-SWS(R)
– Anti-vibration platform: Franc Audio Accessories Wood Block Slim Platform
– Switch: Silent Angel Bonn N8 + Silent Angel S28 + Farad Super3 + Farad DC Level 2 copper cable
– Ethernet cables: In-akustik CAT6 Premium II; Audiomica Anort Consequence + Artoc Ultra Reference + Arago Excellence; Furutech LAN-8 NCF; Next Level Tech NxLT Lan Flame
– Table: Solid Tech Radius Duo 3
– Acoustic panels: Vicoustic Flat Panels VMT

Opinion 2

We have clashed with the Plichtów-based manufacturer of audio cabling on our pages more than once. There were power cord and loudspeaker cables from several product lines. What is very important, looking at this topic from a broader perspective, using them in my own environment clearly showed that the aforementioned cables made noticeable progress from model to model and from series to series. So much so that when the decision was made to test the latest cable from the TheRed series, I was very curious not about the quality of the sound offered – I mentioned that everything was fine, but how it would compare to its brethren from the same line in terms of sound aesthetics. What is the reason for this uncertainty? Well, now we operate on a different signal level than the electrical network and the connection between the amplifier and the speakers, because we now received an interconnect. Do you have any assumptions how it fared? Please relax and refrain from passing any judgement prematurely. First, read my report from the test of the WK Audio TheRed XLR signal cable.

When it comes to the design of the tested interconnect, according to the information provided by the manufacturer, the clou is its assembly. It is about the action that affects the final sound, eliminating the harmful vibrations of the conductor, resembling the strings of instruments, with the only difference that we stiffen the signal wires inside the red-blooded braid. How? With the help of seemingly simple, but very complicated in terms of construction and assembly, aluminum cans bearing the brand logo and the model name. Of course, I do not know the method of assembly, but the constructor assures me that it is a very laborious process that can only be done with the use of dedicated equipment. What do we know about the conductor itself? It is high-purity, silver-plated copper made according to the company’s proprietary braid pattern. The terminals are the latest, top Furutech XLR CF-601M R NCF and 602F R NCF plugs. The cable offers a length of 1.5 m as standard. Other lengths are made to individual order. On the way to the customer, the cables are packed in aesthetic wooden boxes.

Following the question from the editorial, how did the XLR TheRed fare? When you use the portal search engine, it will turn out that each of the predecessors put emphasis on slightly different components of sound. One of them accentuated the projection of the midrange, while the other illuminated the higher midrange a little. So what did today’s tested cable do? I will say that it did a very nice job. It served everything in a very balanced way, that is, well embedded in mass, energy and full of breath. However, unlike his predecessors, it added a clear drawing of the whole sound as the icing on the cake. It is about using a sharp edge for projection, supported by a surprising signal rising speed, which made the music pulsate with life, something so important for listening to it with the proverbial open mouth. It had enough mass and joyfully showed the diversity of the material listened to, illuminating the smallest nuances contained in it, which is so important in such a way reproducing of music. Admittedly, this can sometimes be the so-called “God’s Finger” for a badly configured system – we are talking about setups on the edge of good taste in terms of sharpness of sound – but taking into account the test process that lasts several days, full of good and bad recordings, if something like that happens, it will mean that a given system is very bad, and not just bad. My setup, although it showed everything with the smallest details, did not fail even once, so the above warning, although justified, should only be read as purely informative, and not a panicky warning against the effects of plugging the TheRed XLR into your audio path. Its application will rather take you to a different level of communing with your beloved albums, than do you any harm. Full not only of the expected aggression, but also delicacy, freedom and, thanks to the latter, sparks in the upper registers, which are so important when listening to the contemplative jazz. Examples of the kind of unexpected twists and turns could be multiplied endlessly, but I will use two most representative ones.
The first of the hard-hitting genre will be Ken Vandermark’s live compilation from The Vandermark 5 series „Alchemy”. It is free-jazz, but in relation to Peter Brotzmann’s work, it is a bit light, but still full of fire, that it allowed us to check how the tested cable performs in terms of clearly showing quick changes of passages of several brass instruments at once, and at the same time, whether it does not lose the legibility of their presentation and, most importantly, if does not fall into excessive sharpness. And to my satisfaction, nothing like that happened. Of course, the band was moving on the edge – it was fast and aggressive, but this is the essence of this kind of music, and that’s how it should be. But one thing to note, in order for the event not to turn into an indigestible cacophony, the presentation of the whole thing, as in the case of The Red, must be supported by good saturation of the instruments. That is why from the very beginning I mentioned good sound weight, thanks to which the cable came out of this clash victorious.
Another one that nicely shows the most important and naturally best features of our tested cable is another live album, this time the latest release from the ECM label, Tomasz Stańko’s album with Marcin Wasilewski’s ensemble, entitled „September Night”. It is a thoroughbred musical material playing with the so-called silence. Of course, there are more energetic pieces, but the aforementioned silence in the slower ones helped me understand the approach of the product from Plichtów to visualizing single, endlessly hanging in space, sonic entities. As I wrote before, it was bold in giving the smallest accents of the music and I wanted to verify their quality and the length of potential vibration. And I must say that today’s hero managed that without any problems, because not only did it carve each of them out nicely, but he also allowed them to hang in the ether for a long time. As long as the recording engineer allowed, of course, but it was audible that the title cable has this subject under its full control.

Where would I see the tested The Red XLR interconnect, with its articulated features such as good weight, and at the same time great sharpness of the musical drawing and the rising speed of sound? First of all, in systems that are a bit sluggish due to the sound being a bit overweight, because it will give them a bit of energy. Secondly, in systems that have problems with the unwanted mist on the virtual stage, which the cable will blow away with grace. And thirdly in systems that seem to be perfectly tuned, and yet a potential buyer would like to tackle the fire contained in the played music. In each case, it will be an obvious adrenaline rush, after which you will experience a different state of consciousness about playing music through advanced audio. However I cannot forecast where it will fit in one hundred percent. But I am strangely calm that if you are open to a different way of dealing with music, in these three mentioned cases, potential failure can only be a result of really small nuances in the sound. It does sometimes happen. But even in such case, I can say this one thing as an encouragement: every minute spent with this cable in your system will be embellished with something really interesting. And if so, it is at least worth trying. Don’t you think?

Jacek Pazio

System used in this test:
Source:
– transport: CEC TL 0 3.0
– streamer: Lumin U2 Mini + switch Silent Angel Bonn N8
– DAC: dCS Vivaldi DAC 2.0
– Master clock: Mutec REF 10 SE-120
– reclocker: Mutec MC-3+USB
– Shunyata Research Omega Clock
– Shunyata Sigma V2 NR
– Preamplifier: Gryphon Audio Pandora
– Power amplifier: Gryphon Audio Apex Stereo
– Loudspeakers: Gauder Akustik Berlina RC-11 Black Edition
– Speaker cables: Furutech Nanoflux-NCF Speaker Cable
IC RCA: Hijiri Million „Kiwami”, Vermouth Audio Reference
IC XLR: Tellurium Q Silver Diamond, Hijiri Milion „Kiwami”, Furutech DAS-4.1
Digital IC: Hijiri HDG-X Milion
Ethernet cable: NxLT LAN FLAME
Power cables: Hijiri Takumi Maestro, Furutech Project-V1, Furutech NanoFlux NCF, Furutech DPS-4.1 + FI-E50 NCF(R)/ FI-50(R), Hijiri Nagomi, Vermouth Audio Reference Power Cord, Acrolink 8N-PC8100 Performante, Synergistic Research Galileo SX AC
– Table: BASE AUDIO 2
Accessories: Quantum Science Audio Red fuse; Synergistic Research Orange fuse; Harmonix TU 505EX MK II; Stillpoints ULTRA MINI; antivibration platform by SOLID TECH; Harmonix AC Enacom Improved for 100-240V
– Power distribution board: POWER BASE HIGH END, FURUTECH e-TP80 ES NCF
– Acoustic treatments by Artnovion
Analog stage:
– Drive: Clearaudio Concept
– Cartridge: Dynavector DV20X2H
– Phonostage: Sensor 2 mk II
– Eccentricity Detection Stabilizer: DS Audio ES-001
– Tape recorder: Studer A80

Polish distributor: Audiopunkt
Manufacturer: WK Audio
Price: 5 500 € / 2 x 1,5m