Cable Asylum: REVIEW: Tara Labs Air AC Cable by Luminator

Model:	Air AC
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$695
Description:	Power Cord
Manufacturer URL:	Tara Labs
Model Picture:	View

Review by Luminator on October 04, 2001 at 16:49:10
IP Address: 64.170.155.10

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for the Air AC

Inmates: You've said in the past that powercords effect more change than do interconnects.
Lummy: That's true. Everywhere I go, powercords change the sound more than interconnects. However, that does not mean that that "change" is necessarily good. Those changes can go in the negative direction, as well.
Inmates: So why haven't you given us any reviews on powercords, while you've done several on interconnects?
Lummy: I haven't had the opportunity to do exhaustive comparisons. Also, I never had enough powercords to wire whole systems. You can't just try or buy one sample. You need to replace all the powercords in your systems, both one by one, and all at once.
Inmates: You've said before that, using myriad "affordable" powercords, you chased your tail. So what have you come up with?
Lummy: After hearing Tara Labs' Air AC, and some of its similarly-priced competitors, I declare that almost everything below these models is unworthy for my systems. That does not mean that the more affordable powercords aren't good enough for other 'philes. But from my experience and for my needs, anything less than the Air AC is unacceptable.
Inmates: Okay, so let's not waste any time with the inferior products. Let's get on with the Air AC!
Lummy: Whoa, hold your seahorses for a moment. There are some excellent affordable powercords, including Audio Magic's Sorcerer, Harmonic Technologies' Pro AC 11, Kimber Kable's Power Kord Gold, Shunyata Research's Sidewinder Gold, Synergistic Research's AC Master Coupler, Tara Labs' own RSC Prime AC, and Vans Evers' stock cords. But it is true that the Air AC is clearly more neutral and honest than any of these. That neutrality is what makes the others seem like mere toys, whose colorations ultimately get in the way of the music.
Inmates: So tell us about the Air AC itself.
Lummy: The Air AC isn't very thick, yet, it's rather stiff. If this is a problem, don't get it. The Air AC comes with rather standard IEC plugs. One can only imagine how much better the Air AC would sound, had it used Wattagate connectors.
Inmates: The Air AC comes standard with a pale blue outer jacket, right?
Lummy: That is correct. However, the Air AC is of small enough diameter, that Tara Labs will make it with any color outer jacket for no additional charge. I got mine in the clear/white outer jacket. I have white walls, and against these walls, the Air AC simply vanishes from sight. That is the ultimate in aesthetics.
Inmates: What about shorter lengths?
Lummy: Several others and I have wrangled with Tara Labs, but any length 6-feet and under is still $695. I believe that the minimum length is 2-feet. I can't confirm another audiophile's quote that any length shorter than two feet does not meet UL standards. Still, 2-feet is the minimum length.
Inmates: How does the Air AC sound, right out of the box?
Lummy: I'm glad you asked. A new Air AC sounds cloudy, slow, and opaque. The first 24 hours of burn-in will get the sound to open up. After ten to twelve days, the sound starts to settle down. And after a month or so, the fine details emerge in the right proportions, and the images stay firmly focused in space. Be very patient with this cord. If you audition one that has not been burned-in, you will be highly disappointed.
Inmates: So what does a fully burned-in Air AC sound like?
Lummy: If you were to take the laundry list of audiophile sonic parameters, I'd rate the Air AC as "very good" to "excellent" in all of them.
Inmates: But that doesn't tell us what it means, musically.
Lummy: True. Rather than going through all those parameters, when I think about the Air AC, I think about what it does NOT do. Unlike 90% of the powercords out there, it gets the bass balance correctly. It does not add that ubiquitous bass boom. Why do so many powercords insist on boosting the mid-to-upper bass? The Air AC does not hype the upper-mid to lower treble region. Refreshingly, the Air AC does not truncate soundstage depth. The Air AC does not artificially inflate image size.
Inmates: Please give us some examples. What about Christina Aguilera's "Genie In A Bottle?"
Lummy: As you know, there is something really wrong with this recording's treble. The Air AC allows your components to reveal exactly what is going on in the treble. You will hear that unnatural ring, but it will not be further pinched, highlighted, or rolled off. Simply put, if you're a guy, the Air AC will let you in the studio, and you will want to rub Ms. Aguilera the right way. And if you're a girl, you'll reject any loser guy who can't rub you the right way.
Inmates: Certain parts of San Francisco are constantly shrouded in fog. When that fog lifts, what song makes you enjoy those sunny days?
Lummy: Steve Perry's "Foolish Heart." I recall several sunny days out on Clement Street. There used to be this expensive toy store, King Norman's. King Norman's would get in the latest Star Wars action figures, usually several weeks before Toys 'R Us did. I remember getting all excited about looking for the latest toy releases. I would hum "Foolish Heart" in my head, as I walked from school to King Norman's. Also, several of my PAL baseball games were in the Presidio, a place that is normally foggy. I remember the sun coming out, and I'd again hum "Foolish Heart," and enjoy the rare sun over the Presidio. Whenever I hear "Foolish Heart," does it evoke those sunny-day images in my mind? Or is it just bland, like a normal foggy day out on Clement Street? Well, with the Air AC in my system, "Foolish Heart" puts a smile on my face, and melts the 17-and-a-half years that have gone by since those spring 1984 days hanging out at King Norman's and the Presidio.
Inmates: What makes that so?
Lummy: Surely, the Air AC's balance, smoothness, refinement, and elegance allow the music to speak for itself.
Inmates: What about something that does have a cloudy, melacholy mood?
Lummy: Just before Y2K, I picked up the Pet Shop Boys' "Nightlife." Some time in January, right after the light rain had subsided, there were still mist and drizzle, as I walked from the Embarcadero Center towards Washington Street. "For Your Own Good" and "Footsteps" are ethereal, misty songs, perfectly befitting the weather. When I now play these songs, the Air AC refuses to cloud them further, so the mood is just right. So when I play "Nightlife," the music, not the equipment, transports me back to Y2K, walking behind Embarcadero Center on that misty night. This, my friends, is what music is about. With the Air AC not doing anything to mitigate or emphasize certain sonics, we're finally free to get off on the music.
Inmates: The Air AC's natural competitor is Synergistic Research's Reference Master Coupler (RMC). How do the two compare?
Lummy: First of all, I have compared the RMC to Synergistic Research's AC Master Coupler (ACMC). The Absolute Sound did a review of both of these, and I disagree on a couple points. First, TAS found the RMC to be "tipped slightly upward." Wrong. The RMC is neutral, while the cheaper ACMC has the pervasive and common problems with boosting or emphasis of the mid-bass. TAS also did not find the RMC to be a bargain. Be that as it may, the RMC is a significant improvement over the ACMC. The RMC is so much more detailed, neutral, transparent, and (naturally) colorful. It makes the ACMC sound crude and boorish. In the long run, when ultimate musicality is the goal, the RMC gets so much closer than the ACMC.
Inmates: Okay, that's fine, but you didn't answer the question. How does the RMC compare to Tara Labs' Air AC.
Lummy: Let me state up front that the Air AC and RMC are, overall, equals. They do not sound the same, so some people will prefer the Air AC, some people will like the RMC, and the rest will hate 'em both and go for something more expensive.
Inmates: Start off with tonal balance.
Lummy: The RMC has a slight emphasis in the deep-to-mid-bass and also in the mid treble. The Air AC seems to lack that center-of-the-earth solidity in the deepest bass. The Air AC does a better job at balancing the stick hitting the cymbal with the air above the cymbal.
Inmates: What about instrumental textures and harmonics?
Lummy: Take Stuart Hamm's "Black Ice." With the RMC, you will be amazed at the color of the instruments. But with the Air AC, the emphasis is on the organic whole. You really feel like being on a roller coaster, or car desperately clinging to the road.
Inmates: What about soundstaging?
Lummy: Take the Phantom Of The Opera. With the RMC, you tend to focus on the individual performers. With the Air AC, it's like you're sitting in the balcony, and can see the whole stage. With the RMC, you get big, bold images. With the Air AC, you get a nicely layered soundscape, with ample depth, if it's on the recording. Go read Stereophile's review of the Krell KRC-HR preamp. When it comes to soundstaging, the RMC is like the Krell KRC-HR, while the Air AC is the Conrad Johnson Premier 14.
Inmates: What about dynamics?
Lummy: In the macro sense, the ability to go from any level to screamingly loud, I think the RMC wins out. The Air AC appears more refined, elegant, and poised. But in the micro sense, the starting, stopping, and decaying of the notes, I think the Air AC has a more accurate, velvety touch.
Inmates: What about totally artificial electronica?
Lummy: It is here where I think the RMC goes over the top. The RMC's emphases on the mid-bass and mid-treble make electronica too much of a boom 'n' sizzle affair. With electronica, the Air AC's smoothness, balance, soundstage depth, and lack of hype win out.
Inmates: Okay, so the Air AC and RMC are two of the best in their class. But how does the Air AC compare to Tara Labs' own The One AC?
Lummy: That is a tough question. First, let me state that The One AC is a very tough product to evaluate. It is so neutral and self-effacing, that you need to use it with all sorts of electronics, and then compare it to other powercords. It took me a year to figure out what The One AC does and does not do. But anyway, the Air AC reigns in dynamics, and thus, the soundstage, ever so slightly. This shows up in comparison to the RMC and The One AC. The One AC removes a fine veil, allowing very low level textures and nuances to emerge. The One AC captures the natural weight of each instrument. By comparison, the Air AC very slightly robs the big instruments of their power. Play Tom Petty & The Heartbreaker's "Don't Come Around Here No More." With The One AC, the instruments glisten, yet, the sense of atmosphere is huge and expansive. The Air AC ever so slightly holds back from these qualities.
Inmates: So what do you recommend?
Lummy: Be aware that The One AC is twice a thick as the Air AC. The One AC's weight alone will stress lightweight components. Sonically, I'd recommend The One AC if (a) you have top-notch electronics, and (b) you can afford $1195 powercords. Otherwise, the Air AC is all you'll need.
Inmates: What if you can't afford to re-wire your entire system with Air ACs? If you can only afford one at a time, where should the first one go?
Lummy: You'll get the biggest effect by placing an Air AC between the wall and your powerline conditioner. If you get a second Air AC, I'd put it on the preamp. The third Air AC should go either on the power amp or DAC.
Inmate: Where is the Air AC least effective?
Lummy: On my computer!

Product Weakness: 1.) Takes four to five weeks to burn-in fully. 2.) Fairly stiff. 3.) Shorter lengths still cost $695. 4.) Makes you wonder how much more detailed it would sound, if it had Wattagate connectors.
Product Strengths: 1.) Available, at no extra charge, in any color. 2.) Has neutral, well-balanced sound. Noted for what is does not do. 3.) Can be ordered with right-angle IEC for use under components (e.g., Mark Levinson).

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	AudioPrism Debut II
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Mark Levinson No. 380
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Theta Jade and Mark Levinson No. 360; Fanfare FM FT-1; Rega Planar3/RB-300/Grado Platinum
Speakers:	ProAc Response One SC
Cables/Interconnects:	Tara Labs The One and The 2; RSC Reference Bi-Wire
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Rock, pop, metal, oldies, R&B, Hawaiian, some classical and jazz
Room Size (LxWxH):	16' x 15' x 8'
Room Comments/Treatments:	9" ASC Tube Traps
Time Period/Length of Audition:	Six months
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	MIT Z-Center and Z-Iso-Duo
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	1.) Takes four to five weeks to burn-in fully. 2.) Fairly stiff. 3.) Shorter lengths still cost $695. 4.) Makes you wonder how much more detailed it would sound, if it had Wattagate connectors.
Product Strengths:	1.) Available, at no extra charge, in any color. 2.) Has neutral, well-balanced sound. Noted for what is does not do. 3.) Can be ordered with right-angle IEC for use under components (e.g., Mark Levinson).