Opinion 1

As the faithful and attentive readers surely remember, WK Audio from Plichtów inaugurated its joyful work with a power cord – the model TheAir, but also practically opened every subsequent series with the power cable belonging to it. It is enough to mention the flagship TheRed, or the budget TheOne – as part of a controlled leak, I can reveal that at any moment interconnects will see the light of day / hit store shelves, and actually, we already had the opportunity to have a casual listen. The exception confirming the above rule turned out to be the TheRay line, whose forerunner were the … loudspeaker cables, which I sent back to the manufacturer after testing, but after about two weeks of an annoyingly painful separation, I decided that without them it is not so much possible to live as to listen, and I politely asked for their return to be permanently plugged into the editorial system. However, coming back to the merits, i.e. the TheRay family, we had to wait until the last edition of the Audio Video Show, during which Witold Kamiński – the founder, constructor and owner of the brand – decided to show off power model. So since you are now reading these words, it is a sign that this cable has finally reached us, and thus we can share the observations we have made during its listening sessions.

In accordance with the family unification, TheRay Power was also dressed in a blue sheath and armed with aluminum sleeves acting as diameter reducers with an engraving informing about their origin – the manufacturer’s logo and lineage. Due to the fact that we are dealing with a series lower than the top TheRed, we somehow have to swallow the lack of jewelry confection, i.e. the 50s NCF from Furutech, and accept that this time WK Audio decided to use a slightly more budget shelf from the portfolio of the above-mentioned Japanese manufacturer, i.e. the FI-E38R landed on the side of the „wall” and the NCF R on the side of the receiver. And here I would like to make a small digression, because while the 15 may not impress with its appearance, nor catch the eye with the truly jewelry-like finish of the massive body, but its low profile is a kind of salvation for all owners of all kinds of slimline stingrays in the style of the Devialets (e.g. the Astra Opéra de Paris presented at AVS 2024), or Linns (Klimax), older incarnations of the Lumins, etc., where a normal plug – with a round, full-sized body – cannot be applied and when their owners do not necessarily feel the need for additional drainage of the pockets with the CF-C15 NCF(R). Speaking of savings, it is pleasing that the „optimization of cost” bypassed the packaging and the tested cable reaches the end user in an elegant plywood box richly lined with a sponge (vide unboxing).
As for the anatomy hidden from prying eyes, TheRay Power, like its siblings, is entirely handmade from very high purity copper with an original braid. The working wires have a cross-section of 6 mm² and each of them has a different construction. The aluminum sleeves visible in the photos above do not only play a decorative and informative role, but are also „tuned” anti-vibration components.

When I started listening to our guest, I was well aware that even a subconscious expectation of what TheRed presented to be found here, would only be to its detriment and indirectly also work to my disadvantage. But so what, if, contrary to common sense and at the same time according to the logic of the Minions („if you can’t do something, but you really want it, you can”), such wishful thinking appeared in the back of my head. And… please believe me, by handing it over to Jacek for further reviewing torment, I was far from feeling either disappointment or dissatisfaction. And all this is due to the surprising energy and vitality of the Plichtów cable, which, unable to compete with the nobler brethren, on one hand gave up trying to catch up with it, and on the other, compensated for a certain limitation (compared to TheRed) of the scale and volume of the generated sound with very attractive openness and freedom.
The bass was characterized by great differentiation, and although on Eminem’s „The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grâce)” it did not venture as low as the AudioSolutions Figaro L2 residing in my house can go, but it kept the insane tempos without stuttering or grimacing and maintained full differentiation on „The Reclamation of I” by Imminence, an album, which cannot be counted among the easiest to play. Fortunately, the ability to render frantic gallops is not its only advantage, because on the much more civilized „Brushed” by the markusphilippe plus bischi trio showed that operating with timbre, length of decay and differentiating the sound of strings from the body, or skilfully combining the crunchiness of the snare drum with the fleshiness of the double bass is not a problem for it. Some listeners will certainly also like the slight favoritism of the threshold of the upper bass and lower midrange, thanks to which the presentation proposed by TheRay Power appears to be more energetic and palpable, direct and at the same time devoid of subcutaneous nervousness or hyperactivity.
This way we reach the midrange, which very successfully combines pleasant saturation with resolution and communicativeness, so both the saxophone shining on the above-mentioned album, as well as the warm, silky vocals on „Shadow” by Lizz Wright were at your fingertips – truly made from flesh and blood. TheRay does not sharpen or contour anything, and at the same time it draws the virtual sources clearly and precisely, so we do not have the impression of excessive viscosity or even overheating of the sound, despite the fact that the treble is both surprisingly smooth and rich in all, even usually simplified or omitted, micro-information. We get a full pool of the so-called plankton and aura surrounding the musicians, the smallest murmurs and reverbs building a holographic space and a surprisingly large amount of „air” – both „on top” as well as at the back of the stage. Just reach for „In My Solitude: Live at Grace Cathedral” by Branford Marsalis and you will hear, or even feel it on your own skin the enormity of the cubature in which the project was recorded.

As you have surely guessed, WK Audio TheRay Power is not the best power cable in general, or even within the portfolio of the Plichtów manufacture. This is an indisputable and non-refutable fact. And that is very good, because this is not its role and its designer did not have such ambitions. The idea was to create a model that would require less resources to make, residing a notch lower than the flagship TheRed, while reducing the price and maintaining as many features of the older sibling as possible. Mission impossible? Well, I dare say that Witek succeeded in this art and TheRay Power does not bring shame to the family. In fact, it seems to be a great addition to the successively growing catalog and at the same time quite an obvious, if not a partner, then a very tasty appetizer before tasting the advantages of the top model. And in all seriousness and without too poetic metaphors – I consider the duo TheRay applied in the source and TheRed in the amplification to be worth recommending, both in terms of sound and economy, and thus I strongly encourage you to verify such a configuration by ear. Of course, nothing stands in the way of starting your adventure with WK Audio with TheRay Power’s solo performances, or purchasing the whole blue set (well almost whole – there is still no interconnect) and instead of unsuccessfully chasing the longed-for bunny, finally focus on the music.

Marcin Olszewski

System used in this test:
– CD/DAC: Vitus SCD-025mkII + 2 x Quantum Science Audio (QSA) Blue Fuse
– Network player: Lumïn 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; AudioSolutions Figaro L2
– 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: WK Audio TheRay Speakers + 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)
– Switch: Quantum Science Audio (QSA) Red + Silent Angel S28 + Farad Super6 + Farad DC Level 2 copper cable
– Ethernet cables: In-akustik CAT6 Premium II; Audiomica Laboratory Anort Consequence, Artoc Ultra Reference, Arago Excellence; Furutech LAN-8 NCF; Next Level Tech NxLT Lan Flame
– Anti-vibration platform: Franc Audio Accessories Wood Block Slim Platform
– Table: Solid Tech Radius Duo 3
– Acoustic panels: Vicoustic Flat Panels VMT

Opinion 2

About 4 months ago, we had the pleasure to meet the TheRay line from the Plichtów brand WK Audio. At that time, it was an interesting speaker cable, which turn out to defend itself without problems, despite being much more modestly priced than the great-sounding flagship TheRed. From what I remember from that test, it sounded without chasing performance, but also not losing the necessary spark and the right dose of energy, thanks to which the music was always full of life. At a relatively customer-friendly price, the effect was so good that after the test we did not fail to ask the manufacturer if he had any plans for other cables from this line. To our satisfaction, the answer was quick and affirmative. And when it seemed that, as it happens in life, it will take a long time to get all the things polished, right after the new year we got a call that the construction activities have come to an end. In this way, thanks to the dynamic operation of WK Audio stationed in Plichtów, today we will take a look at the TheRay Power power cable.

What of is the tested cable made of and how? Due to the frequent attempts to steal know-how by masters of counterfeiting everything, there is not much information available on the Internet. Therefore, based on the information contained on the manufacturer’s website, we only know that the conductors are made of high-quality oxygen-free copper. These were formed into the company’s proprietary weave, tested for many months, and in order to minimize external interference, they were finally dressed in high-quality insulating and vibration-dampening materials. When it comes to the termination of our hero, bearing in mind that those are meant for a wide range of users/customers, relatively inexpensive, but with an excellent price/performance ratio, Japanese Furutech plugs – FI-C15 NCF R and FI-E38 R were used. Finally dressed in a blue sheath, the nicely looking cable is packed in a plywood box padded with a profiled sponge and is provided with a certificate of originality.

So how did the tested TheRay fare? Well, actually it performed very good, because by complementing the portfolio of this product line, it followed the path of the loudspeaker cable. This, in turn, means a good use of brilliance, energy and the edge of sound necessary to build an interesting musical performance, by which I mean an unobtrusive one, but clearly outlining entities on the virtual stage. Without dangerous competitiveness, to avoid the razor blade effect, but without any problems reproducing even the most outrageous performances on the double bass, which is everything for me. Yes, yes, this instrument, despite its apparent simplicity, playing with a juicy sound in fast passages is very difficult to reproduce. On one hand, it might be too contoured and will be poor in artifacts created by the body, and on the other hand, with too softly defined edges, it will start to play only with the body. One thing is bad, and the other is bad too. That is why it is so important to have the right consensus between the sharpness of drawing and filling a given sound with a juicy impulse. This balance was properly determined during this test. The first material proving this thesis is the concert of Keith Jarrett (piano), drummer Jack DeJohnette and crazy bassist Gary Peacock „Inside Out”. The vast majority of the tracks are ballads, but as is usually the case in improvised jazz, it is a standard that from time to time each musician has his own five minutes. I will say this – the whole album is great. In fact, each of the musicians is a master of their instrument. But probably contrary to most of you, for me the most spectacular is the work of the “oversized violin”. And in fact, the reception of this album always determines the level of my acceptance of Gary’s playing. And since TheRay, which was the focal point of this meeting, dealt with this topic very well, from the very beginning I have been writing about it as a worthy complement to the offer of a loudspeaker cable that also sounds great, in exactly the same aesthetics. But of course, man does not live by the clear drawing of virtual sources alone, and apart from the previously described dealing with the double bass obstacle course, I have been paying attention to the general specificity of the presentation of this album all the time. Naturally, it is about the way this live event is presented. In this case, I mean a good visualization of the size of the environment, with the audience rewarding the artists with thunderous applause, as well as appropriate suspension and vibrating of individual sounds in this vastness. In the first case, it was about the gradation of the planes of the ubiquitous applause, while in the second case, it was about avoiding the disappearance of delicate-sounding notes too quickly, which is often the aftermath of the frantic pursuit of the contour of the sound and the inadequately fast attack of the next phrase. In this aspect, the Plichtów cable also came out victorious. It sounded freely, with good timing and breath, which throughout the test, thanks to the skillfully implemented nuances of the sound, articulated from the very beginning, was a guarantee of a nice communion with all kinds of music. Not only jazz, but also the more aggressive ones. Can it be done better? Yes, and you do not even have to look far, because a better product can be found in the WK Audio portfolio in the form of the TheRed series. But first of all – it comes at a higher purchase cost. And secondly – before you start listening from the top, I recommend trying out our tested hero. It is cheaper, and at the same time full of vitality and energy, which will surely fully satisfy many of you.

How will I finally encourage you to try out the tested cable? Do not worry, I will not be too repentant, because the cable will defend itself perfectly. I will just tell you not to pay too much attention to the plugs used. I know from many friends that the evaluation of the components used in the production is one of the first criteria for determining a potential list for many audio enthusiasts. In the test model, they are not from the highest Furutech series and I was surprised by such a choice at first. However, I can assure you, they do not degrade the sound in the slightest, and in return allow to offer you a reasonable price, which is rare nowadays for many manufacturers. And a small correction of the phrase „they do not degrade”. It is about the fact that the potential of the conductors used and their internal design is used to the maximum with a reasonable valuation of the offer. For the manufacturer and, as the test shows, for me these are easily sufficient. This in turn shows that WK Audio The Ray, offers interesting sound even with inexpensive plugs. What sound? You have to check it yourself. For me, it is worth every penny asked.

Jacek Pazio

System used in this test:
– Digital transport: Lumin U2 Mini + switch Quantum Science Audio (QSA) Red
– CD player/DAC: Gryphon Ethos
– 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: Hijiri Milion „Kiwami”, Furutech DAS-4.1
Digital IC: Furutech Project V1 D XLR
Ethernet cable: NxLT LAN FLAME
USB cable: ZenSati Silenzio
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 NCF Power Vault-E
– 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 (Europe & USA only): 3 000 € / 1,5m