SUMMER |
2005
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Feature Article
What the World Needs is a Great $200 Interconnect
A number of years back,
Chris Somovigo introduced a range of ground-breaking digital
cables. The Illuminati line was instantly recognized for its
revolutionary design, superb performance and high value,
defining a new industry benchmark in the process. Chris is
at it again. His new Stereovox Studio cables, like his
earlier designs, combine innovative philosophy with
remarkable performance at exceptionally reasonable cost.
HDSE
(High Definition Single Ended) is a small, thin cable
constructed with unusual precision. It is a combination of
pure, tape-wrapped Full Density PTFE Teflon, a silver-plated
copper woven shield, an FEP jacket and a single high-purity
copper conductor with a very unusual feature: it is a
micro-sized tube with 0.008" thick walls.
This "microtube"
gives the conductor the skin profile of a 32 AWG conductor
while maintaining the lower resistance of a larger gauge
wire. This permits the HDSE to perform with the
agility and grace of thin-conductors without suffering from
their high resistance - and yet, as a “monocoque” design, it
won't suffer from
problems associated with stranded and litz designs, which
have purported to solve the "skin-depth vs. resistance"
challenge. Huh? Ok, those are Chris’ words and most of that
description went right over my head, but you get the point,
there’s a teeny-tiny little tube inside, and that’s the
important part. ‘Nuff said.
We’ve found
the Stereovox HDSE interconnects almost universal in
their appeal, drawing raves with each audition. This ability
to work well in most every system is rare. I can think of
only a few cables (Cardas Neutral Reference, JPS Labs
Superconductor FX and all the Shunyata AC cables) that fit
this mold. What is it that allows a cable to integrate so
seamlessly into such a broad range of applications?
Every audio component has a recognizable personality. Let’s
call it a fingerprint. This fingerprint is the combination
of its various traits or characteristics and defines the
basic nature of the piece. The more obvious these
characteristics are (especially tonality), the more easily
definable it is. Components with strong, easily recognizable
personalities will mesh in a much smaller range of systems
than components with a less discernable character.
So how does all this tie in with the Stereovox cables? The
Stereovox HDSE does not have a strongly recognizable
personality. It’s not clearly positioned at either extreme
of the tonal range. Such a cable is very useful when a tonal
correction isn’t needed, suggested or is uncertain. Many
times this lack of explicit personality is not only an
advantage at the outset, it’s a plus later as components in
the system change – having less character of its own will
mean it’s less likely to create a mismatch.
The
lack of significant tonal fingerprint lessens strong
character, but there are many other areas we can describe to
give you a better picture of the HDSE. For me,
clarity is the most salient one word description I can think
of. I miss that most when another cable is substituted for
the Stereovox. It’s the openness and sparkle about the
HDSE that is so appealing. The same quality could also
be described as speed or transparency, and in many systems,
this quality will really open things up.
The
HDSE is also a stellar performer when it comes to
dimensionality. I find this cable quite amazing it its
ability to quantify and delineate the boundaries of the
soundstage and localize the images within. For the price,
I’ve heard none better in this regard.
So there you have it, a great cable at a very affordable
price. If you’re shopping for interconnects in this price
range, you owe it to yourself to give the
Stereovox HDSE a try.
HDSE is the winner of a three-way
shootout between Crystal Cable, Q- Tao interconnects - Six
Moons - http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/thin/thin.html
Oh yes, Stereovox makes a killer digital/video cable, the
HDXV. It utilizes technology very similar to that
outlined above and at $99, is a certified steal.
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