Cable Asylum: REVIEW: VH Audio Pulsar Ag (finished) Cable by Duster

Model:	Pulsar Ag (finished)
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$269.99 (single with Silver Bullets)
Description:	Solid OCC Silver interconnect with AirLok insulation for SPDIF or shielded analog applications
Manufacturer URL:	VH Audio
Model Picture:	View

Review by Duster on June 13, 2011 at 13:59:37
IP Address: 24.17.164.100 Add Your Review
for the Pulsar Ag (finished)

VH Audio Pulsar Ag Silver Digital Cable Review

VH Audio Pulsar Ag OCC silver digital cable terminated with WBT-0102 Ag NextGen silver rca connectors (1.5 meter).

Preface:

In recent times, I've enjoyed exploring the acquisition of an S/PDIF digital cable collection comprised of various coaxial cable types and rca connectors that present various sonic signatures to choose from for selective use within any given listening session. Perhaps digital cable swapping being what it is can go far enough to be considered digital cable rolling such as what some audiophiles do with vacuum tubes. At any rate, it’s been great fun and I think highly informative, too.

Introduction:

The Pulsar Ag silver digital coaxial cable terminated with WBT-0102 Ag NextGen Silver rca connectors is a VH Audio statement design that fits squarely within VH Audio’s AirLok dielectric product lineup which includes the stellar AirSine power cord, CHeLA speaker cable, and Spectrum Cu interconnect cables, all featuring VH Audio’s AirLok dielectric design of which I’ve enjoyed so much over the years. The AirLok dielectric is VH Audio's proprietary form of foamed/cellular Teflon insulation with an ultra-low dielectric constant of 1.45 (with air being 1.0). Additionally, VH Audio claims to have perfected a method to precisely control the application of the AirLok dielectric, achieving the ultra-tight tolerances needed to achieve a consistent 75 ohm impedance, the ideal impedance for an S/PDIF digital cable interface. The Pulsar Ag cable features a 24 AWG solid core .999997+ purity OCC (Ohno Continuous Casting) silver center conductor. The Ohno Continuous Casting manufacturing method results in a single crystal grain structure, with none of the typical grain boundaries produced via conventional manufacturing methods. Furthermore, the premium WBT-0102 Ag NextGen Silver rca connector is a SOTA “75 Ohm friendly” design that’s arguably the finest rca connector for S/PDIF digital coaxial cable applications.

Acquisition:

The cable was fully cooked but not cryo’d since VH Audio finds the performance of silver to be unaffected or to slightly deteriorate with cryogenic treatment. Besides, single crystal wire has no crystal boundaries to improve via cryo treatment, so I usually opt for non-cryo treated OCC wire anyway (YMMV). While the cable is not specifically labeled with a directional arrow, I was advised by VH Audio to listen to the Pulsar Ag when placed in each direction to find out if the cable provides better synergy when placed in one direction or the other, of which I found to be true. I would suggest that if/when the sonic signature of a specific orientation is identified as being preferable, mark the source end of the cable with a small wrap of Teflon tape or other marking material. Furthermore, cables tend to become directional to the ear after burn-in, so in my opinion cables should always be connected in the same preferred direction after a particular orientation is established. The cable can always go through another burn-in process if placed in the other direction for some reason down the road. That said, the direction that ended up sounding best to my ear was the orientation that presented a slightly more assertive presence with a bit more forward holographic projection into the listening room. A subtle difference, but noticeable nonetheless.

Pulsar Ag/NextGen Ag digital cable vs. reference DIY Oyaide/Xhadow silver digital cable:

As compared to my reference DIY Oyaide/Xhadow silver digital cable, my first impression of the Pulsar Ag/NextGen Ag silver digital cable was that it obviously had greater intelligibility of information in the upper frequencies, with an overall level of unmasked micro detail, micro dynamics, and spatial information including soundstage depth, notably missing in the presentation of the reference cable. The Oyaide/Xhadow seemed to present a level of subjective smearing that came across as a subtle residual brightness that masked a level of clarity as compared to the Pulsar Ag/NextGen Ag which sounded flawless in comparison. From then on during that first evaluation session, my general impression was simply deduced to finding that the Pulsar Ag/NextGen Ag had no sonic downside as compared to the DIY Oyaide/Xhadow cable which obviously presented subtle sins of commission.

The VH Audio Pulsar Ag/NextGen Ag silver digital cable presents such a complete list of high performance audiophile listening cues without caveat that I would have to go through a full litany of audiophile listening cue descriptors which may come off as a bit over the top in terms of gushing audiophile praise. But, I will venture to proclaim that I find the Pulsar Ag/NextGen Ag silver digital cable to be exactly what I hoped for from an S/PDIF coaxial cable upgrade for my particular digital front end. It certainly beat my prior reference cable, and that’s a matter anyone can identify with who seeks further improvement of their audio system via cables that provide increasingly more satisfactory performance levels. BTW, VH Audio mentions that the Pulsar Ag may even be the finest performing shielded analog interconnect cable, but an evaluation of the Pulsar Ag for analog applications would need to be tested by another end user at this point. When implemented as an S/PDIF digital cable, it could very well be the most transparent sounding audio cable I’ve ever experienced.

Further observations:

The leading edge, trailing decay, and their pivotal mutual symbiosis never sounded more in sync, in phase, and sonically correct as presented by my main audio system before the Pulsar Ag was in place. A very pleasant further impression is that the cable does not sound aggressive even when very dynamic passages are involved. Sometimes, I even found poorly produced over-processed program material to sound more acceptable to mind and body. However, I don’t find the presentation to be musically euphonic in the slightest while also not sounding like a ruthless soulless analytical beast of science. In fact, it’s quite easy thank science for VH Audio’s AirLok dielectric and the SOTA Ohno Continuos Casting process for enabling greater musical enjoyment via the advanced design of this particular high-end digital cable. From my perspective, it was a no-brainer to decide that the Pulsar Ag digital cable was a real keeper for my wants and needs, and clearly in the same league as and complimentarily towards the performance of a pair of stellar VH Audio AirSine power cords and other premium VH Audio AirLok dielectric cables placed in my main audio system. That said, the Pulsar Ag/NextGen Ag is my new reference digital cable and I don’t expect to do any digital cable swapping now that it’s placed within the digital front end of my main audio system.

Conclusion:

The Pulsar Ag presents a sublimely coherent sonic signature with outstanding clarity, detail, dynamics, soundstage depth, spatial cues, ambient information, extended frequency extremes, with no tonal bloom to speak of which seems to further allow delicate timbral information and inner detail to be vividly illuminated against an inky black background (gushing audiophile praise). In essence, an ultra-low noise floor with no discernible sonic artifacts due to dielectric involvement gives me the lofty impression that the Pulsar Ag performs not unlike the archaic “straight wire with gain” notion (pure silver single crystal wire, at that) which is the ultimate audiophile Holy Grail.

Cheers, Duster

Product Weakness:	None that I can detect.
Product Strengths:	Across the board high performance SOTA digital cable with truly transparent sonic signature.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Bryston 3B-SST
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Aragon 18k MKII
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Theta Digital Pearl CD Transport, Museatex Melior Bitstream D/A Converter
Speakers: B&W Matrix 805 with Sound Anchor 805 Stands, customized stereo subwoofers system
Cables/Interconnects: VH Audio (AirSine, CHeLA, Spectrum Cu), Acrolink, Oyaide
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, Rock, Classical
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 weeks.
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): VansEvers Reference Model 12, MIT Z-Strip, PS Audio UPC-200
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Bryston 3B-SST
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Aragon 18k MKII
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Theta Digital Pearl CD Transport, Museatex Melior Bitstream D/A Converter
Speakers:	B&W Matrix 805 with Sound Anchor 805 Stands, customized stereo subwoofers system
Cables/Interconnects:	VH Audio (AirSine, CHeLA, Spectrum Cu), Acrolink, Oyaide
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, Rock, Classical
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 weeks.
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	VansEvers Reference Model 12, MIT Z-Strip, PS Audio UPC-200
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner