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In Reply to: RE: Transparent Audio Ultra MM2 Directional posted by Dr.Phil on April 04, 2015 at 09:56:31
Beautiful pic!
Follow Ups:
I just ordered 2 sets of Ultra MM2 balanced I.C. I cannot image if they will sound as good as the Ultra MM2 speaker cables do. I just had to try to run all MM2 from the front end to the speakers.
PJB
Excellent choice- Dr Phil.
yes, experimentation is the only way to be certain which cables/cords will "jive" within your system. Keep me posted & Happy Listening!
Just ordered a 20' set and a 1 meter set. The dealer said you will love them, unless you go up to crazy money these are as good as you will need for my system.
PJB
Looking for an update?
Cables I.C. have not arrived yet. Thursday.
PJB
Much Thanks!
did you buy new or used/demo?
New. Store had 2 sets that they never used for a project. Got lucky again. 20' set and 1 meter set. Arrives tomorrow.
PJB
Very nice. As soon as received begin your burn-in process.
At least 200 hrs before any critical listening can begin. The cables will be permanent after 500 hrs. Keep me posted and Happy Listening!
Cables arrived. I hook them up later tonight.
What should I expect? Listenable. Will a burn in disc help.
PJB
Great! Possibly listenable?
A burn-in disc will help for sure. Which one(s) do you own?
A disc that came with my Esoteric K-03 SACD player. Made by Esoteric.
PJB
Sure- that will work fine. There are many, many demo/test discs out there.
So long as you get the 1st 200 hrs, as quickly as possible.
Keep me posted and Happy Listening!
Arrived safely. Can you share your experience with these cables. I know you must know them very well. What should I expect? settling in time, changes, when will I get idea of their capabilities. Never owned a whole set from front end to the amp and then to the speakers.
Excited to see what they do with my system.
Have a nice evening.
PJB
If you only play 12 hrs each day, then, you will reach 200 hrs in 14-15 days.
Hooked up the Ultra's MM2 I.C. to go with the speaker wire and let the system run for a hour, sat down and took a listen. 1st thing that I noticed was how the jazz group sounded so coherent, the inter play between them and the feel of what they were doing was much more present. Tone, color and the balance of it all, no highlighting of certain notes for instance. The stand up bass was detailed and really had a wood body connect to it, the pull of the strings you could feel it.
Really was like listen to the recording all over again. The piano had such a right tone to it, you could feel the fingering going across the keys and the little timing, the space between the strikes. Really was impressive.
I might sum it up like this, other cable give you the sound of each instrument, dynamics, and detail kind of thrown at you, the Ultra MM2 give you tone, color, dynamics along with a balance, a clarity, with a live sound of a group playing together instead of individual sounds and the feel of how the group was playing together as a whole, I guess the word would be the arrangement of the music comes across much more, how each instrument plays off the other with the tones blending and pulling together as a whole with details of each.
It really is a whole bunch of small things that really add up, word comes to mind is the feel, soul of humans playing. There is meat to the bones without being colored, or weighty towards the lower mids and bass. The highs are very airy, I think these are going to image well as they break in more, you can feel it already. The bottom end is really, really good, dynamic and tight.
Not sure how they will improve as time marches on, but right now these are so enjoyable and really as taken listening to music to another level. This recording was a CD from the early 90's Harry Connick's Lofty's Roach Souffle, which sounded good, but now sounds like it was a audiophile recordings, the glare, grayness is gone, color and tone replaced it. Almost like phase errors are gone, cannot put it into words, there is a wholeness now.This was a jaw dropper for me, I thought they sound good, but this is a different experience all together, and my dealer says give them 100 hours and everything you like now will only improve, he said there will be no going back now.
Nothing bad about my other cables, but these are on a different level, they do much more than any I've owned.Was money well spent, I am glad I decided on making the purchase and I was back and forth on chasing the old audiophile improvement when something already sounded good. By the way who says the Quads cannot do dynamics, mine rebuilds can and now I am really hearing it.
So much talk of cables don't make a difference or the cables with boxes are over priced, or do more damage than they do well, are all wrong.
If you enjoy music the Transparent cables will increase the enjoyment more so than changing out equipment. These cables are special and I've owned many of the top brands over 30 years of this hobby.
PJB
Edits: 04/17/15 04/17/15 04/17/15
Happy Friday-
good to read about your early report. As time moves forward and you start stacking the hours on the cables, you can expect, both, macro/micro dynamics to improve. Once permanently burnt-in, every recording will sound like the 1st time hearing it- only better resolution, detail and dynamics. Feel free to report your findings at every 100-hour mark.
Happy Listening!
Good to read your cables arrived safe & sound. W/ these particular cables every 100 hr mark, will open up a little more as you march towards the 500 hrs goal. After 200 hrs, you will notice a settling-in. There are 24/hrs in a day- I figure you can reach that mark in 7-8 days, if constantly playing content (tuner, cd/sacd player or turn table).
100-200hrs will be a time of ebb -and - flow (good sound then not so good sound). 200-400 will be a time of good to excellent resolution and overall pleasant sound on a daily basis. 400-500 hrs will yield excellent to outstanding results every time you listen to music. Real extention from top to bottom, demonstrating what Transparent is capable of doing.
Give a shout-out for your local dealer/retailer.
He is correct- the next and last step up would be the OPUS.
Believe me when I say, the OPUS, will be your last set of cables/cords ever! Of course you will want to buy them used or demo only.
Opus, that would be a dream, a dream I hit the lottery. LOL
PJB
not so far out as it seems, last year (2014) I did see several OPUS cables/cords go through Audiogon at very affordable prices.
The key, watch both eBay and Audiogon EVERY day, to catch those "lifetime" opportunities.
Anything good about TA power cords? I see a nice reference MM2 for sale. I've read mixed reviews on their power cords. Would be used on my McIntosh MC 402 amp @ 400 watts, using the Clarius Crimson right now which as been a good match.
PJB
Honestly, on the Transparent power cords, my only reference is the OPUS model, which comprised an all-OPUS system. I have heard that set-up several times, primarily w/ ARC gear & Wilson Sophia + Sasha loudspeakers.
I will say that all of the Transparent models are closely matched to one another = Reference, Reference XL and OPUS.
cables started to sound just average, I guess I am at that stage, still good but lost some of the great bass weight, and musical toe tapping, I call it soul. Looking into a power cord. Saw a Reference MM2 for $1,400 used, almost bit, but I held off to I learn more.
PJB
Hang in there it takes time as I was told by owners of Transparent cables, and my dealer. I was so bummed for awhile as it lost that " toe tapping feeling" that is in music. It does return after the time stated. I finally have a system with one specific brand of cabling. It made a huge difference in my system!
Have you tried their power cords?
PJB
Dr Phil-
if you need a reference at Transparent, ask for Brad.
Have you logged your 1st 100 hrs on the cables?
You are correct. Sometimes they sound like a gauze is over the sound, lack of dynamics and toe tapping is gone, then the next day it sounds better. I'm in the up and down phase. I just ordered a the new generation Reference power link cord for my amp. My dealer said get ready to really enjoy the system, he says once with Transparent there is no going back.
PJB
Have you logged the 1st 100- hour mark ?
not yet, They bounced back tonight. When they are good they are very good.
PJB
Yes, very good indeed. If you will be so kind as to keeping me informed on the 100- hour marks (100,200,300,400,500)?
It is going to be interesting how the cables settle into your system and provide you w/ excellent sound.
Precisely, this is the ebb-and-flow aspect, until you reach that 200 hour mark.
Well I've added a curve for break-in. 3 Reference Power Cords! @ of the newer design and 1 MM2.
PJB
How many hours do you have on the cables?
about 75 hours. I have 3 power cords coming next week. All newer Reference cords for all my gear. Should be interesting to have all my cables from TA.
PJB
where are you w/ the break-in ?
Thanks for the update.
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