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Model: | Flavors 1, 2, and 3 |
Category: | Cable |
Suggested Retail Price: | $129 |
Description: | VH Audio Power |
Manufacturer URL: | VH Audio |
Review by Biffo (A) on May 13, 2003 at 23:18:56 IP Address: 24.71.223.142 | Add Your Review for the Flavors 1, 2, and 3 |
VH Audio Flavour 1 Digital AC Power CordSeveral weeks ago, at the friendly advice of the gentleman that manages a local high end Audio shop, I tried out a $500 US Power cord. I was quite impressed with what the cord did when it replaced the Belkin cord which came with my Krell KSA 150 amp. I noticed a small but significant improvement in my system's bass response and focus. I returned the cable reluctantly, but felt the improvement in sound did not justify the expense.
I wasn't willing to spend $500 on a single power cord, but was willing to spend approximately 1/2 that amount on two Flavour 2 AC cords and 1 Flavour 1 AC power cord from VH Audio.
Honestly, I mainly wanted the Flavour 2 cords for the Krell and my Richard Grey Power Conditioner. The Flavour 1 AC cord was an afterthought as when I had auditioned the pricier cable on my CD transport, an aging but excellent Meridian 208, I heard very little sonic improvement.
So I replaced the Krell and Richard Grey AC cords with the VH Audio Flavour 2 cables and used the Flavour 1 cable on the transport. I then waited a week (30 hours of music) to allow the cables to burn in.
Immediately I noticed, better bass response and slightly improved imaging. This improvement immediately justified my purchase and was as significant as the improvement I heard with the more expensive AC cord.
After about 1 week of burn in, I was discussing my failure to get a sonic improvement from the transport with the original AC cord I borrowed earlier with my friends at my local audio shop. They suggested that I should try the VH Audio Flavour 1 AC cord on the Meitner Bidat DAC After all what did I have to lose?
Two days ago I replaced the AC cord on the Meitner Bidat with the VH Audio Flavour 1 AC cord. Nothing else was changed (so this review deals with the effect of the AC cord on the DAC).
Day 1
Before I even made it back to my listening chair, I knew something was very very different - very very right.
I was stunned, the bass response, which I had been working on for some months to improve had become superb. Imaging and the sense of depth became uncannily real.
I'll try to elaborate:
Low Frequencies:
Accoustic bass heard on Dave Brubeck's "Gone with the Wind" CD, went down lower than I had ever heard it before. The Hammond Organs on Joey and "Papa" John Defrancesco's excellent "All in the Family" CD became real to me. I could actually feel the rumbling. It felt as though I had adding a subwoofer.
Imaging/Soundstaging:
Not only did the pin pointing of instruments become simpler, but the depth of the soundstage increased. Instruments were placed precisely in 3D. What I found interesting (read wonderful) was that I was actually hearing the room reflections/reverberations in live recordings. This also helped in creating the "you are there" illusion.
I spent the entire first evening of the cable change listening to my "new" CD collection. Next day I went to work, and returned home wondering if I had imagined some of the effect.
Day 2
So on went the excellent Jaccinth "Autumn Leaves" CD. I had imagined nothing, everything was right. Bass was superb, 3D imaging was uncanny. On went Patricia Barber's "Verse" CD, again better focus, seismic bass and a sense that the musicians are there. I am very familiar with this last album as it is my current favourite and normally play it almost every day.
Summary:
I really thought I'd be reviewing the effect of better AC cords on a power hungry Amp, not on a DAC, but while the other cables made a modest difference, this single AC cord on my DAC gave me what is in effect a new system.
Will you get this effect? I can't say, the effect on the Meitner was nothing short of miraculous. The effect on my transport as I mentioned earlier was minor. I got lucky, but the VH Audio AC cord with the right equipment can make magic. There's a money back (excluding shipping) guarantee so theres little to lose.
I'm annoyed with myself for not trying this earlier and essentially hobbling my DAC for the last 6 or so years.
Biffo
Product Weakness: | The female recepticle is about 1/8th of an inch longer than the connectors on most equipment, so the plug tends to hang out from your equipment by this amount (1/8th inch). |
Product Strengths: | Read Above |
Associated Equipment for this Review: | |
Amplifier: | Krell KSA 150 |
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): | Audio Research LS2 |
Sources (CDP/Turntable): | Meridian 208 / Meitner Bidat |
Speakers: | Ambience 1800 |
Cables/Interconnects: | Straightwire Maestro/Black Silc |
Music Used (Genre/Selections): | Jazz |
Room Size (LxWxH): | 20 x 21 x 8 |
Time Period/Length of Audition: | 2 Days |
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): | Richard Grey |
Type of Audition/Review: | Product Owner |
Follow Ups:
Nice, thorough review. Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences.Have you experimented with vibration control with the DAC? Is it possible your results are at least in part due to different mechanical coupling with the power cord?
HiListened to the Bidat with and without black diamond racing cones, with the new AC cord.
While the cones made a small difference, the AC cord improvements remained.
Regards
Biffo
HiI'm using Black Diamond Racing Cones on everything except the Krell. I noticed a fairly significant improvement in the transport with the cones (on the transport) but little change when I added cones to the DAC.
But your question is reasonable, this weekend I'll try removing the DAC's cones and see how the sound is affected.
Its nice to see a "review" for power cords that is longer than three sentences. Thanks...happy listening!
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