I recently upgraded my amplifier, going from the integrated Hegel H590 to Ayre MR-X twenty mono-blocks (purchased used). In doing so, I had to buy a new set of speaker wires and XLR IC. I had top of the line Audience cables but a dealer in Montreal, Lemay Audio, was kind enough to lend me a a set of both to try... I was simply stunned. I only wish I could find additional qualitative comments to add to your very well articulated review of these cables. My Audience cables found a new home and I truly enjoy my new Silversmith cables. The only downside is that they are bound to increase in price just because they deserve it compared to other manufacturers. I'm just happy to have able to buy them at that price. Talk about BANG for the buck,. My advice, grab them while you can...
Hello... I too use the Audience frontRow cables and have to agree with you that they are excellent... They were, in fact, one of the meter-and-a-half ICs I demoed these Fideliums against. I really feel the Fidelium's are more refined, and offer better transient properties...though the frontRow's seem to have a narrow edge in the body and bloom departments. 😉 But, you are right; pricing will ONLY go up...
@@theaudioanalyst The refinement and transient properties you talk about are what really sold me. I listen to a lot of classical orchestra masterpieces and in loud complex passages, the separation and details were lacking a bit with the Audience. But with the Silversmith, there is detail and separation without the brilliance normally experienced with other cables (although the Audience were not aggressive, they did not provide the same level of refinement). Refined, detailed and smooth...What more can I say...
I would love to hear your take on the Grimmaudio MU2 when connected directly to your amplifiers and speakers (yes by bypassing your very high-end preamplifier and, of course, using silversmith XLR IC and speaker cables). The MU2 is a combined streamer, Roon server, DAC and pre-amplifier and when used directly for digital playback the musicality and level of refinement is impressive. From their website : "Its built-in DAC takes full advantage of the Grimm Audio low jitter clock and high performance FPGA processor and high resolution Pure Nyquist upsampling filters are combined with a fundamentally flawless 11th order noise shaper of 1.5 bit". I know your friends at GTT claim that the MU1/Tambaqui DAC could sound better but... They have a commercial stake in the game. I truly enjoy your unbiased and honest reviews and product presentations, and would love to see how you enjoy it in your high-end system
Apparently, again Silversmith pricing is more in the affordable range. I wanted to move my REI amps 5 meters from the Poseidon to between my Von Schweikert VR9s but the cost of Westminster Labs Ultra and Masterbuilt Reference 5 meter XLRs are prohibitively expensive at this time. Based on your possible experience and the review which emphasizes the Silversmiths speed and timing (the 1.5 m Westminster Labs Ultra which I own appears to be superlative in that realm) how does it compare to either of the alternative and much more expensive cables I mention? Thank you.
As I've NEVER heard them in direct comparison, it would be impossible to say with any certainty. BUT, I can say that they were not embarrassed by cables costing 10 times as much, and - in some attributes - were their equal or better! All I can tell you is that they are stoopid great interconnects...
@@theaudioanalyst I really want to hear these new XLR cables in my system, even for my sources. They could be the ticket for a 5 meter amp-preamp IC for my system. There are many high end ridiculously expensive cabling that sounded "bad" in many systems I've heard, worse than Belden ICs which in my friends and my system, sounded less dynamic and have a flat soundstage/stuck in the speaker sound but are neutral, colorful and musically appropriate for lesser audio systems at their ridiculously low price. The consistently worst sounding cables I've heard in half a dozen high end systems were the expensive High Fidelity magnet cables (I say fortunately defunct company now).
Not so often something special crops up, perhaps even at an attractive price! Seems that Silversmith have repeated a similar feat twice in a row according to those that have got their hands on/ears around the loudspeaker cables and now these balanced interconnect cables. Makes you wonder what a price no object design brief may result in. 👍🏻
Hello. You are correct. Sadly, until he locks in a manufacturing deal with someone, his ability to produce them is limited. As such, he has chosen NOT to post them at the sight and have rampant orders that he cannot adequately fill right now. If you are interested, write him directly. Use his "Contact Us" link at the website - silversmithaudio.com/contact-us/
Yes, they truly are. While I'm sure you think you are being clever here by trying to be sarcastic, if you follow this channel, you'd know that I typically cover the hyper-audio product realm. And if you saw the whole review, you'll be aware that I compared them to cables ranging in cost from $4,250 to hand-made, special editions that sell for just over $35,000 a pair! In that sense, given how remarkably well they perform, they represent an incredible value...
The claim that the LRC parameters of cables will not have any effect on frequency response is a rewriting of electrical engineering principles that have been accepted and proven time after time since the telegraphers equations were devised by Oliver Heaviside in 1876. The claim that this is incorrect is indeed a great claim, and great claims require great evidence. Does this cable maker present any such evidence?
So, I've no idea why you would waste your time to even ask me such a question... Write to Silversmith Audio with such requests. And thanks for watching...
@@TerryClarkAccordioncrazy LOL, no - I didn't answer your question. The only thing we can dismiss here is your sincerity to understand Commander Smith's approach and understanding. If you want answers, ones that I would CLEARLY not be able to provide, ask him! Or, just take the lazy way out and make your assumptions. These are the opinions formed over years of cable development by Silversmith Audio CEO/Designer Jeffrey Smith, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering. He also earned a Master of Science Degree, with Distinction, from Missouri State University and was a National Defense University Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Fellow. His initial tours in the Navy included assignments in which he studied sound transmission in, and worked with the acoustic environments of, some of the world's oceans. He has experience and understanding that I'll wager you cannot begin to match. While Jeff modestly suggests that he is one of only "a few" cable designers to base his designs upon the physics model of electricity as electromagnetic wave energy instead of the movement, or "flow," of electrons, I can tell you that he is the only one I've spoken with in my nearly five decades exploring audio cables and their design to even mention, let alone champion, this philosophy. So either open a dialog with him and see what he has to say...or stick to your dogmatic views. I'd urge you to open a conversation with him, as he is one of the most engaging and knowledgeable cats on the entire physic model of electromagnetic way energy transmission I've yet spoken to.
@@theaudioanalyst "He has experience and understanding that I'll wager you cannot begin to match." - You know nothing about me, my qualifications or experience, but that is not the point here. If I were to list my credentials that would merely be the same kind of "appeal to authority" that you have made. That is not how things work in science and engineering. You call my view dogmatic but that is a misunderstanding on your part. Dogma means positing an opinion as fact. I am doing the opposite - I'm explaining the known facts of how signals travel down cables, established by theory and experimental practice in physics, materials science and electrical engineering with 150 years of experience backing up the fact that the LCR parameters of cables absolutely DO control how signals propagate along them. These telegrapher's equations are in textbooks, taught in universities, and utilized in practice by engineers who design cables for demanding applications such as long distance and high frequency communication. By contrast, audio cables are fairly undemanding. If someone wants to propose an alternative theory of how wires work then the burden of proof is upon them to show that their new idea is better than the existing understanding. The ideas presented here amount to nothing more than pseudoscience. The designer may well be sincere but misguided. Or this may be yet another "spin" story designed to sell extremely expensive products that are simply pieces of wire.
Jeff is a true gentleman. Now if he would just entertain making power cables :)
I recently upgraded my amplifier, going from the integrated Hegel H590 to Ayre MR-X twenty mono-blocks (purchased used). In doing so, I had to buy a new set of speaker wires and XLR IC. I had top of the line Audience cables but a dealer in Montreal, Lemay Audio, was kind enough to lend me a a set of both to try... I was simply stunned. I only wish I could find additional qualitative comments to add to your very well articulated review of these cables. My Audience cables found a new home and I truly enjoy my new Silversmith cables. The only downside is that they are bound to increase in price just because they deserve it compared to other manufacturers. I'm just happy to have able to buy them at that price. Talk about BANG for the buck,. My advice, grab them while you can...
Hello... I too use the Audience frontRow cables and have to agree with you that they are excellent... They were, in fact, one of the meter-and-a-half ICs I demoed these Fideliums against. I really feel the Fidelium's are more refined, and offer better transient properties...though the frontRow's seem to have a narrow edge in the body and bloom departments. 😉 But, you are right; pricing will ONLY go up...
@@theaudioanalyst The refinement and transient properties you talk about are what really sold me. I listen to a lot of classical orchestra masterpieces and in loud complex passages, the separation and details were lacking a bit with the Audience. But with the Silversmith, there is detail and separation without the brilliance normally experienced with other cables (although the Audience were not aggressive, they did not provide the same level of refinement). Refined, detailed and smooth...What more can I say...
I have the speaker wires, a set of their RCAs and XLRs and my system sounds amazing! Very pleased with Jeff's new Interconnects!
Where did you buy the RCAs?
@@a.s.2426 From Jeff @ Silversmith. Give him a call or send an e-mail he is selling them even though they are not listed on his website yet.
I would love to hear your take on the Grimmaudio MU2 when connected directly to your amplifiers and speakers (yes by bypassing your very high-end preamplifier and, of course, using silversmith XLR IC and speaker cables). The MU2 is a combined streamer, Roon server, DAC and pre-amplifier and when used directly for digital playback the musicality and level of refinement is impressive. From their website : "Its built-in DAC takes full advantage of the Grimm Audio low jitter clock and high performance FPGA processor and high resolution Pure Nyquist upsampling filters are combined with a fundamentally flawless 11th order noise shaper of 1.5 bit". I know your friends at GTT claim that the MU1/Tambaqui DAC could sound better but... They have a commercial stake in the game. I truly enjoy your unbiased and honest reviews and product presentations, and would love to see how you enjoy it in your high-end system
Apparently, again Silversmith pricing is more in the affordable range. I wanted to move my REI amps 5 meters from the Poseidon to between my Von Schweikert VR9s but the cost of Westminster Labs Ultra and Masterbuilt Reference 5 meter XLRs are prohibitively expensive at this time. Based on your possible experience and the review which emphasizes the Silversmiths speed and timing (the 1.5 m Westminster Labs Ultra which I own appears to be superlative in that realm) how does it compare to either of the alternative and much more expensive cables I mention? Thank you.
As I've NEVER heard them in direct comparison, it would be impossible to say with any certainty. BUT, I can say that they were not embarrassed by cables costing 10 times as much, and - in some attributes - were their equal or better! All I can tell you is that they are stoopid great interconnects...
@@theaudioanalyst I really want to hear these new XLR cables in my system, even for my sources. They could be the ticket for a 5 meter amp-preamp IC for my system.
There are many high end ridiculously expensive cabling that sounded "bad" in many systems I've heard, worse than Belden ICs which in my friends and my system, sounded less dynamic and have a flat soundstage/stuck in the speaker sound but are neutral, colorful and musically appropriate for lesser audio systems at their ridiculously low price. The consistently worst sounding cables I've heard in half a dozen high end systems were the expensive High Fidelity magnet cables (I say fortunately defunct company now).
Not so often something special crops up, perhaps even at an attractive price!
Seems that Silversmith have repeated a similar feat twice in a row according to those that have got their hands on/ears around the loudspeaker cables and now these balanced interconnect cables.
Makes you wonder what a price no object design brief may result in. 👍🏻
Hello, Marcus. Funny you should mention that... Jeff has revealed to me that he IS working on such a product. Stay tuned! 😉
I'm not seeing them on his website. When will we see them available?
Hello. You are correct. Sadly, until he locks in a manufacturing deal with someone, his ability to produce them is limited. As such, he has chosen NOT to post them at the sight and have rampant orders that he cannot adequately fill right now. If you are interested, write him directly. Use his "Contact Us" link at the website - silversmithaudio.com/contact-us/
Do you use these cables
I currently use them between my DAC and Linestage. I still use the hand-made limited edition Stealth Śakra v17 between my phonostage and linestage.
Wow only $1k?!?! What a bargain!!!
Yes, they truly are. While I'm sure you think you are being clever here by trying to be sarcastic, if you follow this channel, you'd know that I typically cover the hyper-audio product realm. And if you saw the whole review, you'll be aware that I compared them to cables ranging in cost from $4,250 to hand-made, special editions that sell for just over $35,000 a pair! In that sense, given how remarkably well they perform, they represent an incredible value...
The claim that the LRC parameters of cables will not have any effect on frequency response is a rewriting of electrical engineering principles that have been accepted and proven time after time since the telegraphers equations were devised by Oliver Heaviside in 1876. The claim that this is incorrect is indeed a great claim, and great claims require great evidence. Does this cable maker present any such evidence?
So, I've no idea why you would waste your time to even ask me such a question... Write to Silversmith Audio with such requests. And thanks for watching...
@theaudioanalyst You've answered my question : no evidence was presented. Thus we can dismiss their claims.
@@TerryClarkAccordioncrazy LOL, no - I didn't answer your question. The only thing we can dismiss here is your sincerity to understand Commander Smith's approach and understanding. If you want answers, ones that I would CLEARLY not be able to provide, ask him! Or, just take the lazy way out and make your assumptions.
These are the opinions formed over years of cable development by Silversmith Audio CEO/Designer Jeffrey Smith, a graduate of the United States Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Engineering. He also earned a Master of Science Degree, with Distinction, from Missouri State University and was a National Defense University Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Fellow. His initial tours in the Navy included assignments in which he studied sound transmission in, and worked with the acoustic environments of, some of the world's oceans. He has experience and understanding that I'll wager you cannot begin to match.
While Jeff modestly suggests that he is one of only "a few" cable designers to base his designs upon the physics model of electricity as electromagnetic wave energy instead of the movement, or "flow," of electrons, I can tell you that he is the only one I've spoken with in my nearly five decades exploring audio cables and their design to even mention, let alone champion, this philosophy. So either open a dialog with him and see what he has to say...or stick to your dogmatic views. I'd urge you to open a conversation with him, as he is one of the most engaging and knowledgeable cats on the entire physic model of electromagnetic way energy transmission I've yet spoken to.
@@theaudioanalyst "He has experience and understanding that I'll wager you cannot begin to match." - You know nothing about me, my qualifications or experience, but that is not the point here. If I were to list my credentials that would merely be the same kind of "appeal to authority" that you have made. That is not how things work in science and engineering.
You call my view dogmatic but that is a misunderstanding on your part. Dogma means positing an opinion as fact. I am doing the opposite - I'm explaining the known facts of how signals travel down cables, established by theory and experimental practice in physics, materials science and electrical engineering with 150 years of experience backing up the fact that the LCR parameters of cables absolutely DO control how signals propagate along them. These telegrapher's equations are in textbooks, taught in universities, and utilized in practice by engineers who design cables for demanding applications such as long distance and high frequency communication. By contrast, audio cables are fairly undemanding.
If someone wants to propose an alternative theory of how wires work then the burden of proof is upon them to show that their new idea is better than the existing understanding. The ideas presented here amount to nothing more than pseudoscience.
The designer may well be sincere but misguided. Or this may be yet another "spin" story designed to sell extremely expensive products that are simply pieces of wire.