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REVIEW: Margules Audio Magenta ADE-24 Analog/Digital Enhancer Passive Components

63.140.13.42

I don't know if I'm insane, or this product is. It's a small black, plastic box, with a green LED in front and four jacks and a power cord in the rear. It's made by a Mexican company I'd never heard of before auditioning it. I saw it at my dealer's place sitting unconnected to anything, on top of a speaker; in fact, in all the times I've visited my dealer, I've never seen it connected to anything there.

So, it doesn't look like much, it's obscure, and the guy who sells it doesn't even push it much. In spite of my skepticism, my dealer warned me that, if I took it home to listen to it in my system, I probably wouldn't bring it back.

What's this thing supposed to do? In the words of my dealer, it makes digital sound more like analog.

I'm not one of these "every little change in my system makes my jaw drop" types. In 25 years of hi-fi, I've invoked the name of the deity one time--when I connected the turntable I still own and played my first record on it. Nevertheless, I was literally stunned upon playing CDs once I had the ADE-24 hooked up in my system.

According to Margules' web site, the ADE-24 acts as an analog filter which reduces high order odd harmonics, and also acts as a low output impedance buffer into the amp. Whatever. All I know is that the sound of my digital front-end made a quantum leap with the ADE-24. No, it's still not the equal of my 'table, but, what was once a necessary evil (tamed into pleasantness by the MSB Gold DAC) is now very enjoyable and at times even compelling. Shoot, I had a headache when I connected the ADE-24 into my system; fifteen minutes later, after listening to CDs with it, the headache was gone. When's the last time anyone had a digital experience like that?

Margules claims improved sound in five areas: (1) enhanced detail; (2) greater "air" and space between instruments; (3) reduced "edginess" and harshness; (4) improved imaging; and (5) improved dynamic range. I heard all five of these to a greater or lesser degree on every CD I played-- the first two especially. The sound is much more three-dimensional than before (the biggest difference between analog and digital in my system). As for detail, it's much easier to follow, in a very natural way, background singers and instrument lines with the ADE-24 than without.

The most striking thing about this unit, though, is something that I didn't see mentioned on the web site. On some recordings, there is a sense of immediacy that is incredible. For example, on the "Desperado" soundtrack (not exactly something you'd see on anybody's "Golden Ear" list) there is a cut sung/breathed by an unaccompanied Selma Hayek, that, through the ADE-24, is the closest thing to aural pornography I've ever experienced. I was a puddle on the floor when it was over.

Complaints? Well, it ain't exactly the sexiest looking piece of equipment on the planet. And that increased dynamic range sometimes, on some recordings, results in some boomy bass. But the biggest disappointment is that I can't get that "immediacy" magic to work on all my CDs.

I recommend that you beg, steal or borrow this unit from somebody (but, not from me-- I am keeping mine) and give a listen. My dealer tells me he's sold hundreds of these, all over the country, and had never had one returned by a dissatisfied customer. We can't all be crazy!

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