21 May 2020
Dear Ron
What kind of magic do you possess? The cables are Absolutely remarkable: Bigger soundstage with with clearly better separation between instruments and a greater sense of three dimensionality, clarity, warmth, timber and dynamics. And Voice has become more supple and relaxed, with greater warmth body and weight. They cables hit every area of potential improvement. No shortcomings anywhere just upside. Curiously a power amp power cable typically adds warm, base extension and some added clarity. What was experienced with your cable, something more along the lines of a dac upgrade: In this case a substantial upgrade. With such an upgrade you find this same kind of improvement, an across the board sonic shift towards live music.
Thank you for you engineering wisdom.
Best,
Matthew Aboulafia
5 SEPTEMBER 2017
Hello Ron,
Thanks for your reply.
So about 10 hours will do, that's fine. No burn in signals, only music, will do! ;-)
I started off with the Excaliber today. In short, amazing!
It was difficult to stop listening, it sounds so real with your IC in place!
Can't wait to have a go with the planar.
I'm glad I've bought these IC'S. I while back I got the Mapleshade double helix speakercables. I never believed that such a tiny wire could sound good but was I wrong! From then on I was very interested in your products. I bought a Omega Mikro 100watt active powercord and now these Ic's
and every time I'm very impressed with their performance.
Unbelievable that these tiny or very thin cables sound so right. I'm already thinking about upgrading the speaker cables ;-) What can I expect from an upgrade to the planar speaker cables? Thanks!
Greetings from the Netherlands, Mike
Hi Ron,
Just a quick update. I connected the new/used speaker cables without the batteries and have been playing all of my ol' standby albums. After that I will connect the batteries and start all over again. I love doing things like that.
Over the years I have developed relationships with other, dare I say, audiophiles. Somewhere along the way I asked one of my favorite salesman what was the most important part of a system. Without hesitation he answered: the source - if you don't start out with all of the information, no matter how good the rest of the system is, it cannot sound any better than what you put into it. It's like the phrase I learned in computers - junk in, junk out.
With that in mind, I have always concentrated on the beginning. Although I have tested a number of brands of speaker cables, I never found that they really made much of a difference: some would be brighter, some smother, some with better base, etc. but I'm talking slight differences, nothing to write home about.
After listening to these speaker cables, I can truthfully say that they're something to write home about. I have been doing this for over sixty years. I have tested every type of component and cable within my price range. I would upgrade when I found something that improved my system and that I could afford (certainly with money, but later on with domestic approval) - always with the objective of getting better sound.
Now I come the end of my quick update. [š] These speaker cables have made a greater improvement in my system than any other single, or maybe even multiple, upgrade(s)!
I'm sure that you didn't need me to tell you that, but I thought I would anyway. I just needed to tell someone how impressed I am, and lucky you...
I have not had much time to think about Georgia. It's been one thing after another. This week (and next) is my wife's birthday. I am hoping that it only takes two weeks. Sometimes it takes longer. This is her sixty-fifth. I have a hunch it will be a long one. I'll keep you updated as it unfolds.
Thank you for everything.
David Vowell
2 March 2017
Hi Ron. I received the power cord from you today. It's hard to describe how good it plays with your power cables! WOW!
I have tried many different power cables through the years but Omega Mikro is a class by itself!
Now I really want to try the speaker cables or analog cables... :)
MPT
16 Sep 2016
Hi Ron, thanks for letting me visit your workshop and also listen to your equipment. You are building some very interesting components and I am amazed over your wiring technics with the flat conductors, Iāve been building components for 20 + years but I am very impressed with what you are doing. You obviously can hear well because your cables are so much better than anything else Iāve experienced, after hooking up the interconnects and speaker cables I just bought from you I laughed out loud when playing the first song because of the profound improvement that they brought to my system and as my Pass xa30.8 amp warmed up over the next hour I literally sat stunned (picture my jaw dropping to the floor!) over the huge and extremely well defined soundstage that materialized before me, I am still trying to wrap my head around everything I am hearing because there is so much more information.
Thanks again!
Todd S.
FEEDBACK
23 March 2018
Ron,
Just wanted to let you know I received the Impulse 250's, the ones from your warehouse, and they are spectacular. I don't have to tell you what they can do because you already know. They are way better than the already wonderful excaliburs. A true bargain as you stated. That leading edge excitement brings my albums to life like never before. Thank you.
Kevin Berglund
(Jim replaced a 100W Active LCX Tau-Series PPC with a 30 Watt Active 2x LCX Tau-Series PPC. Here is his unsolicited feedback)
...
Meanwhile the 30W double cryogenic wire, though not yet fully broken in, has made a very clear difference in my system. The classic āhearing things Iāve never heard beforeā applies. Amazing what a power cord can do. The music is just more sweeping, enchanting and beautiful. So much more alive. One enters interstellar space...
Jim H USA
2 April 2022
16 May 2020
Ron,
Your Planar Speaker Ebony Active (LCX) speakers cables, in tandem with the !mpulse 200 interconnect cables which I received last week, have brought the most wondrous improvement to my system. My music files have never sounded so musical and natural, as if I were in a live music session. Your speaker cables easily beat a famous brand's gorgeous-looking speaker cables I had been using that cost at least twice more (which were otherwise excellent and considered a "bargain" in comparison to those outrageously expensive cables, priced around $20-$30K, from even more "famous" brands). I did not even need to do an A/B test to confirm the superiority of the OM cables with my hitherto "benchmark" cables. Out of the box, the OM speaker cables immediately impressed as having more air and transparency; in two days' time, they became even better. I was literally dancing in my room the first day I used the OM cables, ecstatic with sheer joy. The high notes of violins no longer sound so shrill; the choral and orchestral music no longer sound so strident when sung or played in tuttis at high decibel. The sonic improvement is equivalent to the lifting of a veil, revealing the natural colors and timbres of human voices and musical instruments. With the OM cables, the sound from my system became more liquid, tactile and airy; the instruments and the voices had much more presence and vividness, close to "live" music experience. I could listen to music at significantly lower volume because of the huge improvement in transparency, thereby saving my hearing. It was difficult to tear myself away from listening to music with this unprecedented experience of natural music reproduction.
I am moving to your power cables and power treatment products, which I will provide feedback soon. I cannot thank you enough for your wondrous cables. Blessed be the day I discovered your products by sheer coincidence.
Thanks!!!
Raymond (California)
April 6 2023
Ron,
It went on!!! I applied consistent pressure downward against the bottom of the receptacle and it slid beautifully in. So damn happy. Sorry for the aggravation.
Kevin
12 March 2018
Ron,
I was able to get with Todd this Saturday morning and get my ribbons assembled. Assembly time was roughly an hour, not bad at all, in my opinion. I anxiously sped home and started the install process. Easy enough, once I figured out your schematic on the cardboard roll.
I laid out all of the ribbon prior to hooking them up and got what I deemed to be the proper amount of slack in each 1 before terminating them at my amp and speakers. Then it was time for a test power on and quick listen. "Wow!"... is really all I can say. The music sounded incredibly natural. I could hear each individual guitar string being plucked or picked, and then expire naturally, as if I was sitting in the studio or audience witnessing it live.
Once I knew everything functioned as it should, I went about the process of attempting to isolate each ribbon. My process is far from perfect or complete, but I'm pretty pleased with the outcome, thus far. You can see how I have to make compromises to cross the threshold to my front right speaker, but it is what it is. I'm waiting on 4 of your cable pedestals from maple shade to arrive to add them into the mix.
Long story short, I'm absolutely enthralled with the ribbons. Even my wife says that she notices large improvements in sounds heard and placement. We watched a movie that night, and the sound difference there was incredible in movies where we were very familiar with the track and sound effects. Attached are pictures, because, well, why not?
Best,
Grant Noble
From: Jim Sweeney
10 August 2021
Hi Ron,
Thank you again for the !mpulse 200. I liked the previous version with the polymer sleeve, but this is a whole different level. It's quick and precise, yet natural, not hard, with subtleties of intonation and timing I've never heard before.
I mentioned the small tear in what I think is a ground foil in one IC, in a previous email, but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere, and I can't hear any difference between the channels.
I notice also that you're discontinuing several of the IC's, replacing them with the !mpulse AX series. I wish you the best with that, and I think you're doing the audio community a real favor. I imagine that manufacturers may benefit also, having something better with which to listen, in their design and testing.
If ever you have a client living near me who would like to hear what the OM products sound like (or maybe "don't sound" like is a better way of putting it), I'd be happy to have them visit.
Thank you,
Jim
April 4 2023
Ron,
I love my new 100 W Planar Power Cord. It sounds wonderful! Everything you claim it to be.
I have a little problem with my 900 W Cord that it is replacing. It doesn't want to plug into my Decware power amp. My Clearview Cord plugs in nicely, but the 900 W plug seems to stop and not want to go any further. Do you have any suggestions.
Thanks, Kevin
Hello Ron, just wanted to give you feedback after getting the 2nd repaired Stratham with your magical electronics (line tamer?) back.
Compared your repaired Insound Stratum to a modified Mapleshade stratum (has your ribbon power cord but without the electronic cleanup).
Huge difference! You may not remember, but I donāt use your stratums on amplifiers anymore, to my ear thereās a slight loss in high frequency dynamics. But when it comes to digital equipment, your Stratum with line tamer (?) is second to none!
Using 2 stratumās: one without the internal electronics is on the headphone system now, and Insound Stratum with your electronics is on the main system.
But had a chance to compare both Stratumās on the main system. The Insound stratum you just repaired placed back in the main system was a big WOW factor!
TV looks completely different. Itās a brand new high-end Sony 4K Tv with one of your 100 watt red ribbon power cords added. Looked great. Then Plugging that into the just repaired Insound Stratum made it look like a whole new TV! The money spent to repair that stratum was well worth it just for the TV!
The audio was better as well, much clearer, better high frequencies, amazing product you have! Effects on digital are second to none!
Thx, Ron! Youāre ātheā Jedi Master of audio! Never had so much fun with it!
James Maciandaro
On Sun, Mar 19, 2023 at 1:51 PM Jim Masciandaro wrote:
Ps. Putting your triple treated 3 foot long ethernet cable between the fiberoptic converter and router made a huge difference, watching Netflix we see textures in the face and colors that werenāt there before. Superior products!
Thx!!
The 27 July 2019 FEEDBACK from Jim H USA is an exception to the above policy. Here is the background: Based on the improvements our customers had found with multiple cryo treatments of the LINE TAMER MODULE (based on blind test results) Jim H asked us if we thought the same might apply to our Planar Power Cords. We said we didn't know but if he wanted to try a second cryo treatment on a Planar Power Cord he had recently purchased we would not charge him provided he agreed to share his findings with our other customers.
30 August 2021
Ron! What have you done! This is the hottest interconnect Iāve ever heard!
Youāve probably heard it all already, but Iāve never heard my speakers till now, not heard anything like this with interconnects, never heard such a huge 3D impact. The clarity and high freq information are life like. Youāve created sometime super special with AX!
Thx for making life such a great experience with another excellent contribution here!
Regards,
Jim Masciandaro
10 December 2023
from James Masciandaro
in response to an !mpulse 200 Ray bought from the Omega Mikro Consignment Shop here is his reaction:
10 May 2020
Will ship the test box tomorrow and provide tracking. Second night of blissful music enjoyment; album after album had never sounded so wonderful, with the change of a mere pair of IC cables. Thanks!
Raymond (California)
Tue, May 21, 2024
Ron,
Thank you for the ICs. The shielding is working well, the buzzing is gone.
I am thoroughly impressed and delighted.
V/R,
Satoshi
4 June 2022
Hi Ron
Wow wow wow. The 200 is wonderful. And so glad I have the Macassar back. Between The two, sonics and dimensionality took a dimensional giant step forward. I forget how good/ the Macassar/ until I put back in/ was. Iām sure the chrio too has helped. (Kills that 3000.00 Adioquest Isquered Ive been trying.)
So you now have a 200 digital interconnect? The Impulse200.
Letās touch base during the week. Have a nice weekend.
Best
Matthew
27 April 2021
Hi Ron,
It is accurately descriptive to say that my system has awakened. The triple-cryoed 100W Omega Mikro Planar Power Cord, newly installed on my fairly new Antipodes K40 server, has unlocked the sound quality that the server is capable of, releasing a flood of luxurious and subtle musical detail I've never heard before from my system, or honestly had any idea it could do. Talk about resolution!
I can't tell you what a pleasure listening is. The sound is so much more open and complex, piano being a good example (if the recording contains it). As if standing above the piano, you can now hear the coat of many discrete colors like an elegant fan spread out following a note, individually audible and totally musical. I sat back and said "Oh, so THIS is what that recording contains!".
Thanks for your help in bringing all this about.
Jim H USA
1May 2023
13 July 2019
Hi Ron,
Thank you for repairing and returning the battery box.
Its timely arrival enabled me to conduct last night an extensive comparison of my 900W PPC and the AudioQuest Hurricane High Current power cord ($1,875 for 1.5M). The test was conducted after a six-hour continuous play of the system for warmup and final break-in of the PPC, and enough cumulative hours on the PPC to consider it broken in.
Over the course of the evening, 13 tracks of various kinds of music and repeated cable switchouts, I found the PPC to be superior to the well-regarded and popular AQ, which itself I found to make a big improvement when I first installed it into my system upon receiving it back then. Meaning the AQ was tough competition.
Music with the PPC had a freshness, aliveness and naturalness that were seductive. It was more distinct in air and more complete, richer in other words. It was better balanced across the bandwidth, meaning that no frequency stood out unnaturally from others, and double bass sounded tighter. Soundstage and image specificity were fine. Resolution was better. There was just a luxuriousness to the soundscape.
For an audio component, meeting all audiophile criteria is necessary, and apparently many people are satisfied with that. But to me it's that mysterious next step where all the criteria somehow come together to produce what I call beauty of tone that elevates a component into that elite class whose sound deeply satisfies the human psyche. Maybe designwise it's where science ascends into art. I'm not sure anyone really has that down to a formula. To me it's the holy grail of audio design, and the PPC had it.
--- (edited)...
Thanks again for the work on the battery box.
Jim H USA
Ron,
I would like to share my renewe experience with traditional cables in comparison to Omega Mikro (OM) cables.
I used to use the topline cables from Audience (FrontRow) and Inakustik, which included speaker, power, analog and digital cables, as well as their respective topline power conditioners. I sold all of them after acquiring your OM cables and Stratumās three years ago. Those traditional cables and conditioners were not even close t the OM cables and Stratums (power purification systems) in SQ. I did not even need then to do any AB tests. Once I heard music with a veil lifted, the new experience was so exhilarating that I literally danced on the floor. Each of the traditional cables was listed for sale practically the day after each acquisition of an OM cable.
With the memory of the use of the traditional cables long faded, I became curious again, especially when an audiophile friend kept goading me that I should get a 5 gauge power cable for my 350W amplifier (āyou are suffocating the amp with the OM PCā). How would such cables sound in my present system? Last week, an opportunity presented itself. I auditioned a topline PC (thick and heavy) and IC (thick and heavy, both with the much-touted big Bocchino plug sets) made by a well-respected manufacturer (WBF commentators piled over each other in their praises of that manufacturerās cables). The cables were as good or even better than the Audience or Inakustik cables. I was shocked, however, by what I heard ā they pulled a āblanketā over my sound system.
Now my memory has been refreshed ā with the passage of three years, the chasm between the traditional cables and OM cables has widened in my new system (which has significantly improved in transparency). I have gained more insight into what the OM cables have contributed to my system. I now believe that there are only two kinds of cables in the world: OM and the rest (which are variants of the same kind). No matter how intricate those cables are made (fancy plugs, ingenious twisting and shielding etc.), the laws of physics or electronics control ā all those layers of shielding, and so many conductors touching each other inside, invariably āsmearā the sound. I recently auditioned a $400K system (flagship Aurender server -> MSB Select2 DAC, with its own VC and 2 separate power suppliers -> MSB SS mono amps -> von Schweikert 7 speakers, all with topline Synergistic Research cables (such as $18K IC and $30K speaker cables) in a large, dedicated sound room. While impressed by the scale, that system left me cold. I lost the patience to listen further after 15 minutes. I guess it must have something to do with the cables. The use of the OM cables will give one a huge advantage over the use of traditional cables ā one can spend $400K on a system, but the full potential of that system will not be realized if one uses the traditional cables. My more modestly priced system sounds much better, much more musical, than that 400K system largely because of the OM cables.
Thank you, Ron, for the wondrous OM cables! Once one has heard their wondrous effects, one cannot unhear them. In my case, I cannot imagine listening to music in my system without the OM cables. The OM cables are godsends.
Gratefully yours,
Raymond (California)
5 January 2020
Hello Ron,
Hope your Christmas/New Year holiday season has gone well.
The OmegaMikro FSGP ribbon I purchased has elevated the sound of my system to another levelā¦clarity/transparency
and the music just sounds more real ā thank you!
...
Thanks again for what you do Ron. What you and Pierre have created has helped me reach a point in this audiophile hobby where I can just sit back and enjoy the music and not worry about upgrading.
Steven T
31 July 2020
Dear Ron,
Thank you for your kind patience and many advices for my recent purchase.
I was using and enjoying the Clearview Excalibur Analog (Plus) Interconnect, 8ā Double Helix V.2 Speaker Cables (Plus) and Clearview Biwire Jumpers.
However, I invested in a new amplifier and wanted some improvements and through your advice, I got the !mpluse 200 passive analog interconnects, 8ā Planar Speaker I speaker cables and Ebony Jumpers.
I connected the items one at a time so that I can hear what each does.
First was the Ebony Jumpers, it made a huge improvement to imaging and separation which lead to more details being heard. Vocals and instruments are firmly in positions now. It also tighten up the bass significantly. I was so surprised what these tiny little things did. Next, I installed the !mpluse 200 and it made the voices and instruments much more live-like. A friend listened to Tidal-streamed Sam Smithās Too Good at Goodbyes (album version) and asked me if it was a live version or acoustic/unplugged version ! That made me smile about the meaning of live-like as mentioned by you. The !mpluse also added more bass, solidified the imaging with more weight and enhanced overall details and any sound effects the music have, piano strikes with much more attack and basslines are so easy to follow. As I listened, I really enjoyed so many never-heard-before details and āliveā experience was just so easy to immerse myself. Lastly, I installed the Planar Speaker I and it added more air and space. It also made everything sound more natural, smoother and the live-like music more enjoyable than ever !
So overall, the music improved a lot ! Better imaging, separation, more live-like more details, natural and striking presentation of all kinds of music. A big thank you ! Now I am really re-discovering all my favorite songs again.
Kindest regards,
Felix LauSingapore
19 December 2019
(Jim replaced another 100W Active LCX Tau-Series PPC with a 30 Watt Active 2xLCX Tau-Series PPC. Here is his unsolicited feedback)
11 Feb 2020
Hey Ron -
WOW: focus, clarity, sound stage depth and height, all jumped. Iām always amazed by your cables: They are easily capable of making improvements as significant as electronics upgrades. Always stunningā¦
Best
Matthew Aboulafia
27 July 2019
Hi Ron,
Last night I completed efforts to evaluate the effects of the second cryo on my 900W PPC Active LCX Tau, plugged into my Aesthetix Atlas Eclipse stereo amp from my Stratum 0. In short, I feel the second treatment brought good effects, and that, at least in sonic terms, it is worth doing. The following may be more detail than you want.
My impressions really came from three evaluations. The first was of course just initial listening. The cable only started to come alive at about 13.5 hours of break-in with mostly dynamic music, after which it improved steadily, continuing to do so even up to the 28 hours now on it, with the rate of improvement now beginning to taper off some. But even in this initial listening period, up to 19 hours, initial impressions were that the sound seemed more alive, better resolved, "cleaner", and more enjoyably musical than the original PPC.
For the second evaluation, conducted at 23 hours on the PPC, since memory of listening from the past is notoriously unreliable, I decided to again conduct a comparison with the AudioQuest Hurricane High Current cord which I still have, feeling that a more reliable memory was the amount of difference between the original PPC and the AQ, rather than just trying to recall the standalone sound of the PPC.
So after a four hour system warmup and PPC break-in completion, I proceeded like last time, using six of the same tracks of varying types of music in an A-B-A listening comparison, however only switching out the cables the twice required for A-B-A (I really didn't want to do this disciplined work again, but was just curious what it would show). This was when I felt more confident in recognizing the effect of the second cryo.
My recollection from the comparison with the original PPC was that the difference from the AQ was apparent and pleasant, as stated in my previous comments, but not readily recognizable. I had to listen attentively to eventually conclude my preference for the PPC.
Last night, though, this evaluation was clear, and very pleasantly so. With the AQ, the music was a bit congested, and emerged with a thin coating of clinging artifacts--sort of a light whisper surrounding the sound of each instrument--that got in the way of being able to really hear the music. It was interesting to notice how much difference this made in the enjoyment of the music--a lot. I still understand why the Hurricane is well regarded and popular. I wasn't aware of these objectively minor but affectively significant shortcomings in its performance until putting the PPC into my system.
With the PPC, the music emerged clean from empty space. Each instrument could be heard within this space more distinctly and completely--they weren't competing with each other. The music sounded effortless and "relaxed", a comment I'd heard but never understood until it occurred to me last night while listening. Needless to say, image specificity within the wide soundstage was clear. The difference in resolution and clarity from the AQ was considerably more apparent than with the original PPC. To me this was a reliable benchmark. For OM's purposes, as comparison it was more meaningful because of the quality of the AQ.
The third evaluation was simply continuing to listen for enjoyment after the comparison with the AQ, about 24-28 hours. I do think it is reasonable to consider this a discrete evaluation. What occurred during this was an even further increase in appreciation and enjoyment. It confirmed previous impressions. Once the "pressure" of focused evaluation and decisionmaking was off and I could simply listen to music, the beautiful performance of the double cryo PPC became even more apparent.
In short, the re-treated PPC resulted in less of what shouldn't be there, and more of what should. I found myself marveling at the clarity and sheer beauty of the musical presentation I was listening to. The luxuriousness of the soundscape had been increased by the second cryo. And boy, is it nice!
Jim H USA
Ron,
It is interesting that the second cryo made the difference that it did. I must add that upon embarking on this test, I was not necessarily optimistic that the second cryo would make a significant difference. I tended to lean on the side of thinking it wouldn't be much of an improvement. As you can tell, it's a real pleasure to hear that my expectations were on the wrong side.
Just thought I'd add this since it may make my findings more acceptable, in that there was no confirmation bias involved.
Jim H USA
An Added note: So you know, I have been trickling down all of your cables to my second system/ the loving room. I have my Galloās there. I can't believe how those speakers have been transformed. So that system, as of yesterday, has a Macassar interconnect, Planar LCX active speaker Cables, and a planar Power central. Transformed / I would not have imagined the Gallos could produce this level of harmonic tonality: piano chords now have such a lovely harmonic ring to them. The sound stage has jumped easily by three. I'm just flabbergasted, and Ihave. been an audiophile for 50 plus years, by just how much, a pair of speakers like the Gallos can be transformed by the cables and electronics.
Best
Matt
.
Apr 9 2023
Ron,
Talk about hitting the mark, and how brain biochemistry repeats.
Never had nor have ever heard a sound system like mine.
Itās not boasting if you can actually do it, LOL!
The Audio store in San Francisco sells $30,000 gear and systems that cost a bunch more, and nothing there touches this, thatās especially so after including the last few ribbon power cords and ether net cable. Streaming now beats all.
Donāt know if youāre familiar with Brahms Requiem, but the third and sixth movements are some of the best choral pieces. Not just me, thatās also according to a choral singer from the San Francisco symphony, who I once had the pleasure of doing an ultrasound on. I asked her what the best and worst pieces for her/them to sing, and she said w/o a doubt that Beethovenās ninth is the worst, its all over the place. And that Brahms Requiem is the best and funnest for a coral group to sing.
When I listened to the third movement of Brahms Requiem yesterday, found myself in near tears, and remember you telling me about a similar experience a performer had listening to a system that was even more fully integrated with your gear and ribbon wire. Thatās brain biochemistry repeating. Itās so exciting to listen to my system now, girlfriend into it now, too!
Really canāt thank you enough!
Donāt know if you can use, but feel free to use pictures and quotes as always, attributing to myself.
Unfortunately, the Macassar digital Internet doesnāt work on anything now. May have something to do with breaking your test box when trying to repackage it. But was sure about the setting, and it was dialed back a bit after the sound came on.
Do you want to send another test box out and Iāll be more careful with it?
Thx again!
-Jim
Feedback
19 December 2020
Ron,
I cannot thank you enough for your advice about speaker placement. I rearranged my room and setup following your advice, and the improvement to sound is breathtaking. As you know, I have to use an irregularly shaped and untreated bedroom (roughly 16' x 17') for my listening room. Even with the limitations, I experienced very good and truly musical sound, for the first time, after I replaced the highly touted Inakustik (and before that, Audience) cables and power conditioners with Omega Micro top-of-the-line cables and power treatment devices (Stratum II). With just a "mere" change to Omega Micro cables and Stratums I experienced, for the first time, truly musical and life-like sound from my system - the "digititis" (unpleasant, even painful digital metallic edginess) which audiophiles constantly complain about caused by the "smearing" from jitter (as you explained in the interview articles posted on your website) largely disappeared. I was so elated with the newfound experience that I sold all my other cables and power conditioners. I was contented and could live with the vastly improved sound. Then I learned much more from a recent casual conversation with you. Following your advice, I pulled the speakers 68 inches (before 24 inches) from the front wall, which necessitated removing a front desk and pushing the bed all the way to the back wall (all worthwhile). OMG, for the first time, I truly experienced 3D sound stage and startling presence of recorded music - jaw-dropping and breathtaking. The sound entered another level. I can only imagine the sonic nirvana I would further experience if and when I move to truly transparent and low-jitter speakers and amps (such as your new battery-power "V" amp), DAC and streamer. Your coming Diract DAC and streamer could be a game changer.
It was a godsend that I found you and your products. Not only did I get the best products, I also got free insightful advice from a true expert and music-lover. Where else in the world could I get such utterly professional and caring service? God bless you!
Gratefully yours,
Raymond (California)
Here are letters from some of our customers.
They're unsolicited (unless otherwise noted) and published with the writer's permission.
9 JUNE 2016
Hi, Ron,
I really like the improvements I am hearing with your RCA plugs, and would like to order six (6) more! I am sending $198.00 via Paypal. I already use Mapleshade Ultrathin and Excalibur interconnects (also, Mapleshade brass footers, maple platforms, power cords, and recently tube crowns.). As you said, the plugs make a difference in revealing a more natural sound (a cleaner sound with excellent inner detail and improved accuracy in instrumental timbres), which is what I am after. I listen mostly to orchestral music and jazz. I am a DIYer with champaign taste and a beer budget! I will probably be interested in trying your phono wire, soon. I look forward to getting some more of these stock plugs out of my components and putting your plugs in their place.
Best Regards,
Dave
Hi, Ron,
I would be glad to let you publish my email. I would like to add that I have been using Mapleshade and Omega Mikro products for about three to four years. I have tried other brands of interconnects and upgrades but I have always found your products to be superior. Not only is the sound cleaner, but it is more open and relaxed. I think the key word as you said , is "natural" ā like the instruments are in the room, or maybe it is more like having entered the room where the recording was made. I am a semi-retired professional musician (orchestral trombone) and music educator (East TN State University), and have spent much of my life listening carefully to the natural tone qualities of instruments and voices. I think your (and Pierre's) efforts in this regard have been the most successful I have heard. I do have to qualify all this by saying that I have never heard a $2,000 interconnect or any of the really expensive hi fi equipment available today. But, I have tried interconnects, speaker wires, and power cords in the under-$500 category from other companies, and again, I have always found yours to be superior.
Best Regards,
Dave
7 November 2014
Thank you. There is a bright side to this extra step, however - I'd like to order another Line Tamer! The thing is a Dragon Slayer! An immediately darker background with an increase in that almost spooky sense of presence, notes coming into being against a 3D backdrop caressed in detail - like tightening focus on a lens - that extra bit of clarity and grace. I have two circuits feeding my main system and would like to have this upgrade on both, so let's include another in the return shipment to me. Cheers - and Happy Thanksgiving. - Jeff
22 May 2020
Ron,
I received the two Planar Power Central Stratum II power treatment devices (I would not call them power conditioners because they are so different from my last two power conditioners). Last night I experimented with using them alone with all my existing components, not in conjunction with the !mpulse 200 interconnect cables and the Planar Ebony Active speaker cables I had received earlier. The Stratum's alone, with no additional Omega Mikro products, produced the best sound from my current system - the sound becomes more transparent, spacious and smooth, with very "black" background. Even though I use my existing (third-party) power cords, the Stratum's greatly improve the sound, provided each component of the sound system is mated correctly with the Red or Blue Stratum. Without the need for an A/B test, the Stratum's "blow out of water" the 4 times more expensive top power conditioner from Audience (which I had owned and sold) and another famous power conditioner which I have been using (which costs at least twice more) - I am selling that one too and so keep it anonymous for now.
I will review soon the combined effect of !mpulse 200 interconnect cables, the Planar Ebony Active speaker cables and the Stratum's in my system soon and revert. One wondrous Omega Mikro product after another wondrous product from you! I will move on to Omega Mikro's power cords after changing my components. And I cannot wait to get your battery-powered DIRAC DAC and Jukebox. They are all "game changers" and enable me to experience reproduction of music as if it were "live".
Cannot thank you enough for your wondrous products and professionalism!
Raymond, California
(Jim replaced another 100W Active LCX Tau-Series PPC with a 30 Watt Active 2xLCX Tau-Series PPC. Here is his unsolicited feedback)
Hi Ron,
Listening to the 30W double cryo PPC last night was a real pleasure. Its sound was a significant improvement in all ways over the 100W PPC that it replaced.
Specific improvements are: resolution, in the form of more distinct instruments, increased depth hearing into the sound, and cleaner and deeper empty spaces within the music; tighter dynamics, presumably meaning improved timing; increased size of three-dimensional sound space, with instrument locations more clearly defined within it (this one surprised me); greater ease in listening, so that one was captivated by the music and not distracted by extraneous elements in the sound.
The enjoyment was such that it was hard to stop listening. It was a real luxury.
By the way, I consider OM's customer service to be top notch.
Jim H USA
Omega Mikroā
On Mon, Jul 10, 2023 at 6:46 PM
Hi Ron:
I hope this message finds you in good spirits. I am delighted to inform you that I have received the set of 4 Deep Walnut Quadrads I ordered from InSound, and they are nothing short of exceptional.
Finding the perfect cable lifters for my ribbon speaker cables had been a challenging endeavor. My search seemed to yield lifters that were predominantly made of synthetic materials and lacked the necessary height. This is where your Quadrads truly stood out.
I've been a dedicated supporter of Omega and MapleShade products for quite some time, with many of Pierre's cables still in my possession. Your products have consistently maintained a high quality that resonates with the philosophy I deeply appreciate: often, the simplicity harbors the greatest complexity.
The fastidious attention you pay to create solutions for intricate audio matters like these is genuinely commendable. I truly value the quick and efficient handling of my order, and the exceptional customer service experience you provided.
Thank you,
-- Vick
Hey Ron!
After replacing your Zephyr with the Macassar digital, with its jitter reduction network, from a Bel Canto streamer to their DAC, can tell you that the Macassar digital cable is w/o a doubt the single most important component in my system.
The speaks you built for me, the components and entire rest of an all ribbon stereo system, doesnāt sound nearly as exciting w/o the Macassar.
Thereās just no life to the music with anything other than the Macassar. Wet vs dry sound with clarity thatās life like. Thank you for the work you have done especially in producing Macassar, what a difference youāve made!
BRAVO!!!
Regards,
Jim
From: Bob Anderson
21 August 2021
Ron,
The attenuator measures exactly -14. A direct hit on the bullseye. I am able to run it both on the analog and digital side. The volume feels just right on both sides (analog and digital). When I run the attenuator on the digital side, I can have no volume adjustment digitally. Very nice.
I have not had time to do serious listening and AB comparisons to a passive preamp. That will take a while and I am quite busy. What I do notice is that some LPs that I tested with my passive (gold point) preamp, need more than -14 attenuation because at -14 they were too bright/edgy. Now at -14 that edginess is reduced. They sound much more balanced/smooth that with the passive preamp. I think that is an indication that everything is sounding more natural, more easeful. More like music should. I will listen into it more when I have time.
I think I am going to want a second attenuator that plays a little louder, but I need to dial that in.
I will continue to hound the post office about the lost package. I will initiate another inquiry, then you should be able to submit a case.
Thank you for helping me make such big improvements to my sound system over the last year. It is a whole new sound!
All the best,
Bob
2 May 2014
Hi Ron;
Just wanted to drop you a line and share some interesting testing I did with the Zephyr and my other digital cables and jitter reduction unit. The Zephyr is an exceptional cable in that it truly gets out of the way of the music. With the Esoteric D-07 DAC I am able to upconvert by 2x, 4x, 64x, or no upconversion of incoming digital frequencies. At 44.1k the Zephyr absolutely blew away the combo, (Audioquest toslink Vodka, Empirical Audio Synchromesh, and Harmonic Technology Cyberlink Platinum). At 88.2, and 96k the difference was not so noticeable, at 176.4 &192k the gap narrowed even more and at 64xfs which is 1 bit 2,822Mhz I really had to listen closely but once again the Zephyr was better, it just had more snap to it, bass was rounder and slightly more refined. Surprisingly the shoot out also placed instruments and vocals in slightly different locations, I found this to be very interesting. So there you have it, the Zephyr is an extremely articulate cable. You have succeeded in spades with this product. Going up the Planar chain would reveal even more difference but for now the Zephyr is a very pleasing experience indeed. Thanks for your input and keep up the great work, we as audiophiles rely on people like you who truly deliver rather than those who are selling snake oil which there are a lot out there doing just that. Have a great weekend.
Aloha and Mahalo,
AlexJune 2013
Hi Ron,
Just wanted to drop you a line about the jumper cables. Like many of your customers, no doubt, I have been in this hobby for a long, long time. That being said, I have to rate these jumpers as BY FAR the best bang for buck, ever, in my purchasing experience. We all love that kind of surprise! Nice seeing you, and hearing some audio stories, as well.
Has whetted my appetite for your power cords. Uh, oh.
Sincerely,
David Coker
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18 March 2013
Hi Ron,
I got the power cord yesterday and it replaced the XLO Reference cord...What can i say? - What a wonderful and natural cable!!
Much more details , air and presence.I love Omega Mikro stuff....After 20 or so years in this hobby , your products are amazing , and the way you think - is out of the box.
I am saving for a few more stuff from you....
Thank you very much for your help and your great products
Sincerley
David A.
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25 February 2013
Hi Ron,
I got the interconnects you sent. Only had a chance to drop in the 1m from my CD to the pre-amp. I expected they would sound better than the Clearviews that I have been enjoying over the last few years, but I wasnāt quite prepared how dramatically the sound would improve with the change of one set of 1m interconnectsā¦and your Clearviews are excellent, I might add. I am a bit nervous handling the wires ā they actually make the Clearviews appear substantial. However, I have much experience with your wires, so the first set is in with no issue.
The Planer Analog Ebony interconnects are most excellent. Iām glad I jumped to the top of your line on a few wires for my system.
Itās always a pleasure doing business with you and Pierre. I may be broke, but I love music, and you and Pierre have designed and provided some products to help me enjoy my music listening so much more than I could have anticipated.
Best regards,
Mike S.
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25 January 2013
Ron,
Thank you for the Planar Analog II Warehouse Sale set. I had a chance
to just sit down and listen to them for 20-30 minutes tonight, really
for the first time since installing them (life is busy!). They replaced
a set of old Omega Mikro analog cables, the ones with the hair thin
conductors in the silver tubes (now in my desktop system upstairs),
connecting from my DAC to the preamp. It turns out the cables between
the preamp and amp that I thought were Excaliburs are OM Planar Analogs
as well, the ones with the heavier RCA connectors.
The system just sounds beautiful with the new cables in, vocalists and
instrumentalists almost physically present in the room, with all the
clarity and openness one could want, yet all the emotion and warmth as
well. (The first track from Leonard Cohen's latest album, Old Ideas,
has a soundstage so deep I could swear there are a pair of claves
playing behind me. This is not a slap echo, I sit 25 or so feet in
front of an irregular back wall. I heartily recommend the album if you
like Leonard Cohen.)
You've done it again.
Take care,
Jud
ā
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23 June 2012
With O-M wires replacing every wire in my system, I can now hear every improvement, like lifting wires off the floor, in ways that I now know can't be heard with conventional wiring because of all the smearing. In fact, your wire is so different from anything else, and sounds so much better than anything I've ever heard, that it must be that either you've gotten it right and everyone else is wrong, or else the opposite is true - your money back guarantee says it all! While I can imagine that you've heard it all before, I really cannot express in words the improvement that your Omega-Mikro wire has made, but your reference to live music hits the mark. I cannot get enough time in front of my system since I've change to O-M wire; I now listen to a timbre and sound stage that rivals anything that I've ever heard before. The level of musical enjoyment is beyond words and brings about a state of relaxation, or euphoria, that I've never experienced before, it is beyond comparison and goes beyond goosebumps. While I'm sure there are better amps, dac's, etc., thanks for bringing out and making my stereo system the reference system that it is today, and for allowing me to obtain a connection to the music that, in 40 years of active listening, I never knew was possible. Add into all of this the personal service, and you really do have the best audio product ever produced. Ron, you have made my world a much better place to be! Many thanks.
Regards,
Jim
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21 March 2012
Hi Ron,
You were right. There's a substantial difference with batteries attached. Your web description is dead on: astounding and startling realism that you have to hear to believe. Also it's amazing now how much difference there is from disc to disc (cd & dvd) depending on how the recording was made. We use this system for 2-channel movie sound and the sound is now all over the room. Also interesting, how clear and natural spoken dialog is, right in the room presence. It's like I got two upgrades, first the cable, then with the batteries attached.
By the way, I attached the analog vii between tuner and preamp. It rejuvenated the tuner. I now listen to alot more public radio classics and jazz. Tucson has a 24 hour public classics station and 12-hour evening/nighttime jazz station.
My wife doesn't say very much about equipment, but when I switched in the ebony (without batteries), after a few bars on the piano, she said that's much better than what you had before, no contest.
All in all, these planar analog and digital cables have made our music listening much more enjoyable and involving.
Wanted to phone you earlier, but it's been a busy two weeks plus getting income tax ready for accountant.
Maurice
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9 Feb 20 12Ron -
Now that I've had a chance to let the new speaker cables break in, I
wanted to let you know what a great deal of pleasure they are bringing
me.
As you know I managed to clumsily screw up one set initially, so I got
the chance to listen to one set of my old cables (biwired set from a
very good, reputable large manufacturer) and one set of the new ones
(Planar Is with Ebony jumpers) side by side for a couple of days.
(Thank you also, by the way, for the very prompt repair and your
excellent customer service throughout.) The preliminary impressions I
formed then were borne out once I was able to connect both speakers with
the Planar Is.
The nearest comparison to the difference the Planar Is have made in my
system is the replacement of my original preamp 20 years ago with a
Spectral unit. Now as then, everything has become much clearer - not
the artificial clarity of an inaccurately heightened treble frequency
response, but instruments and vocals sounding more like themselves
throughout the range, from electric bass to cymbals. I notice
particularly a much more accurate, sweeter violin sound, both from the
solo instrument and massed orchestral string sections; more "air" in
vocals; less muddy electric bass, with different bass players'
techniques, or different techniques from the same player, easily
audible; and the authoritative "crack" of real percussion. Recordings
made in large venues provide realistic reverb and decay, while in one
studio recording it is easy to tell the producer has put the vocalist
off in a small booth by himself. The poor fellow sounds just like what
he is, a guy singing in a plywood box (this, disappointingly, from a
producer with a fine reputation who often lives up to it, but not this
time).
I am really looking forward to enjoying my music with these cables in my
system for many, many years to come.
You are very welcome to use this, or any part of it, as a testimonial if
you would like.
Thanks and take care,
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Ron,
Just to let you know the 'wire' has arrived (It took about 10 days for it to clear customs),
and i put in yesterday.
It replaces 50cm single wired runs of mundorf silver gold ribbon between monoblocks (otl) and speakers (electrostatics)
(my aim was to have as little cable as possible).
Well i guess you already know the wire is good, and i guess i'm not the first and won't be the last to tell you its even better
than what they already have.
Your wire is more agile and informative than the mundorf, and there is no area where i have the impressionits worse, so I'm very happy (and the mundorf was already better than anything else i had used before). Always difficult to use words to explain the sound, but overall, i have the impression that everything is more 'in sync' (and i guess that leads to a feeling of credibility in the sound).
I do find it weird that such a short length of wire can make that difference....
Thanks, all the best.
Alan/Belgium
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Ron,
I wanted to thank you for recommending the Field-Shaping Ground Plane ribbons (FSGP).
It is not easy to describe all the positive elements it added to my listening experience.
The sound is definitely more detailed and refined (particularly noticed with vocals and strings).
The sound staging opened up very nicely giving a more of a sense of a three dimensional live performance.
The FSGP are a real bargain for the solid benefits you get.
As always your products exceed my expectations!
Cheers!
S. Hays
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Hi Ron,
Finaly , i got the ic's today from the post office.I hooked them instead of
my XLO Signature ic - and the difference is very clear - the OM is a much
better cable , espeacialy with the new plugs.
I don't know what to say - everything sounds much much better than before ,
more life like,with so much more AIR and presence.
Thank you very much for a state of the art support , and state of the art
products - I am hooked!!!!!
I am saving now for your power cords............
If , any time in the future , you are planning to visit Israel , you are
more than welcome.
Again , i would like to thank you for your kindness,knowlege and support
My best regards
David
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Hi Ron, I'll give you some more specific comments that you can use if you like:
CRT remains the gold standard for television sets in my opinion, so a bigger screen is not necessarily better. On my 40" CRT at 1080i, the color, sharpness, and detail are AMAZING through the Zephyr component cables. Prior to owning these cables I didn't realize my television's capalities. By comparison, other component cables and HDMI now seem dull and washed out. Now that I've gotten used to the Zephyr cables, I can't enjoy a movie viewed through anything else.
Thanks! Will Strickling
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Hello Ron,
The Planar VII interconnects that I recently purchased from you are astonishing. The clarity is light years ahead of anything I have heard before.
Regards,
Ben
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Hello Ron,
You asked for some feedback on cables I recently bought from you, so here are my thoughts so far.
Well, I am very impressed - and relieved - to find that they do indeed perform to the product description. I did a head to head with some 47 Lab OTA Stratos cable and it was no contest. One track told all I needed to know about the planar's superiority, in tonality, timbre and note decay. I have never heard notes decay I such a natural way before.
Acoustic guitars -big Doc Watson fan - are superb. Strings are naturally steely yet there is also the woodiness of the guitars body is also there. With live amplified harmonic you can hear the metal reeds vibrato, I have never heard that effect on my system until I used your cables. Paul Butterfield and Taj Mahal's playing is far more expressive now.
An interesting phenomenon, live recording seem 'liver', but it now shows up the artificial way certain albums were constructed. I am thinking of Steely Dan albums which always seem to be meticulously recorded, yet now they have a sterile lifeless quality. Which means, of course, that the truth can hurt.
The Gaincard also runs cooler now on the same volume setting, than the when I was using the pure silver cable, which I infer is that the silver cable was presenting the amplifier with more resistance.
So, obviously very impressed with your cables. I have cribbed your wife's cable lifter idea and made my own out of bamboo - somehow in keeping with using an amplifier from the Far East!
I have taken a number of looks at the Mapleshade site. Some very interesting and intriguing products and I shall be purchasing some items in the next few months. I am drawn to the brass footers for my Linn, the nano points and the anti static brush.
I agree with the their thoughts on hard turntable mats. For years I have used soft - rubber, felt - or a Ringmat. I switched to a Sound Dead Steel mat last Autumn and the difference is not subtle. I don't know if you are aware of the product? I see that you are inveterate experimenters and this item is well worth evaluating.
I look forward to further audio advances in the future with the help of your products.
Best regards,
Paul
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Dear Ron,
I just listened to the 100Watts PowerCord you shipped. I have to say OMG OMG OMG!! Itās a SUBSTANTIAL Difference!!
I canāt go back to 900Watt version again. The sound difference is just startling! First thing, I hear the soundstage is HUGE! Itās just opened up so much, and the dynamic is just shocking. The sound has a much better PRaT to it! . And the air! Lots of air! Iām honestly very impressed!
Best Regards,
Jeffri Lingo
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Hi Ron. The new cables arrived last Thursday and I got them in the system over the weekendāwhat amazing clarity and detail. Iāll try to pack up the digital cable I bought on audiogon and send it to you for upgraded rca terminals when I get a chanceāIāll let you know when it goes.
Aloha.
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Hi Ron
...Now I have attached the Active speakers cables to the Quads, the passive cables to the dipole
subs, the Planar I IC between preamp out and crossover in, the 2m Analog VII IC between SACD and preamp (and still have the Ebony IC's and active 100W power cable for the MusicServer/Transporter when it arrives). The sound and musicality of the system is the best I've ever head, even after big upgrades like the two box ModWright tubed preamp
with outboard supply. My wife agrees - very musically involving, much more so than before and the bass and bass articulation seems to be better as well. Now the music really
draws me into listening without the "fatigue" I used to get in my early systems, which resulted me turning them off after about one hour.
The only non OM cable I still have are two IC's: One pair of Acoustic Zen Silver Reference RCAs (1m) from crossover output to tube power amp (Quads), and one pair of Audioquest
Columbia dbs 72V XLR's (1m) from crossover output to the GamuT MosFet amp (subs).
Whilst my personal budget is overdone current, and my financial manager here at home won't allow more right now, I am seriously interested in getting a 1m pair of Analog VII's the
the tube power amp and a Mk VII (or a Mk I?) for the subwoofer amp as well - even though I would have to use some kind of XLR to RCA adapters here because GamuT amps only
have balanced XLR inputs. Is there a certain adapter that you have good experience with and would recommend? Then, all my cable would be Omega Mikro ones.
In any case, I'll keep this in mind and also be on the lookout for any new products coming out this year. Thanks again, Ron. The sound quality has just improved in a big way.
Installation, of course (with limited space) was very tricky, but haven taken enough time and care to do it in the best possible way, I'm now satisfied with it. Many cables are now
suspended from the wall using thread. Also, at some points where I could not avoid the planar cables touching other cables, I have inserted a big off pure silk (Acoustic Revive
Japanese raw silk - looks like cotton) material between the cables...
...I'll go ahead and take two 1,0m long A VII LCX IC pairs with the new RCAs...
Have a nice weekend and best regards,
Chris
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Hey Ron,
Woooeee! The Zephyr really opens up the soundstage and smooths out the jitters. I still love my turntable, but the sonic improvement is better than I ever thought possible in digital. You can post this if you wish.
Thanks,
Mark Bolliger
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"When you first listen to the Omega Mikro cables, you will immediately notice how real the music sounds -- very rich and clean. Each instrument is focused, the bass is controlled, focused and quick. At first, you may think the bass is weak. I assure you it is not. Listen again to the recording and concentrate on the placement of the bass within the soundstage. Unlike most cables, when the music comes to a climax, the soundstage does not converge to the front and the bass does not dominate. Every instrument stays in its relative place, each instrument maintains its individual character, and the bass is still at the back of the soundstage ... where it should be. The bass is still clearly focused, only louder, and in correct proportion to the rest of the music. This is the result of eliminating the skin effect and minimizing the dielectric effect. You'll hear parts of the music that you didn't even know were there. The magic is in the details." -Walker Audio
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"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! The Planar Digital VI is just great! Everything sounds so much smoother, detailed, correctly timbred, spatially solid and located (I have been reading way too many Stereophile Magazines!). It is so nice to know that a crazy day at work can be followed by sanity and beauty from my system...
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...Yes, Please feel free to post my letter. I think Mapleshade, Omega Mikro are the "sleeper" products of the industry - fantastic products at great prices - I'm surprised more people haven't heard about them. I'm sure they will in time - quality is the best advertisement. Thom Jones"
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I ordered Planar Speaker V active LCX 8 set. Spectacular cables. I new about INSOUND and MAPLESHADE's exceptional products, but what i discovered was nothing less then magic. Simply amazing! I'm really inspired now and gonna continue do business with you guys. Best Regards. Roman Sukner.
ā
18 October 2018
Kevin Berglund
Ron,
First of all thank you so much for fixing me up with the clearview power cords with the wood plugs! They are amazing! I wanted to get at least 10 hours on them just to really get a feel and that's about how long Silclear needs to break in. Of course I know the cords take much longer but they are already perfect. I do have the Mapleshade wall outlet and of course your Impulse 250's among many other mapleshade upgrades. Why I waited so long to get the cords I'll never know. They really have taken things "closer to the music". Everything is soooooo right. Not a scintilla of doubt. "Newfound clarity and realism"? Absolutely. You guys don't deceive. You just call it as you hear it. And I'm hearing it too. Warmly resonant overtones, soundstage depth, ambience, etc. And those high hats! My goodness, someone is whacking those things, and they sound so sweet So utterly satisfying. You and your partner in crime Pierre have vision. Everyone else wears bifocals. Thanks again, your a scholar and a gentleman.
6 April 2020
Hi Ron,
It's a pleasure to let you know that installing the nuts/pucks footers under my Rossini made a very nice improvement in the sound. I'm using three, rather than the four stock feet, which I've left on.
There's more ambiance, as in a cavernous empty space in which the music has room to expand and be whole. This hall ambiance is a holy grail to me. It creates more of a sense of being there and is a real luxury. Its effect is to hear more of the music, as in resolution, timbre, components of the music heard discretely, well-defined soundstage. It's more enjoyable to listen to.
There was one curious thing. On one female vocal track that I know well, an average recording quality, the voice seemed thinned out and off tone. I'll have to listen more, hoping that there wasn't something seductive about the initial hearing that fooled me into missing a similar effect in other music. I did, however, deliberately listen two nights before offering comments.
In my three experiences with these footers to date (server, amp and DAC), they've worked best under solid state components, since they made a good difference under my solid state server and DAC, and little difference under my hybrid tube/solid state amp (from which I removed them and replaced with Megafeet on pucks which have a smaller but still good effect).
I plan to call today to order three more pucks, with high hopes that they'll make a nice difference under my speakers.
Thanks for all your help and guidance in these projects.
Jim H USA
"...nothing gets you closer to the music."
12 April 2022
Ron
Wow . I canāt believe how good the STRATUM II w LTM is. Amazing transformation. Just canāt believe it. I expected an improvement but not to this level: solidity of instruments, timbre, atmospheric/ ambient nuance, base impact, darkness of background, separation/ sound stage width depth and focusā¦. Last night I just kept shaking my head, ā oh my / this is ridiculous, I canāt believe thisāā¦. Super/ youāre a magician.
Best,
Matthew
17 June 2020
(from Cy Gilbert)
11 January 2018
Hi Ron,
So I had a chance to do some listening tests, comparing the 'el cheapo' BNC to RCA adapter that came in the box with your product.
The results of the listening tests are not so obvious as they are comparing digital cables, however, they are noticeable.
I did my listening test with both headphones and with speakers. The headphones were more revealing and the speakers not so much. However, the brain picks up on the subtle nuances of the sound coming from the speakers and after a while you hear the same exact outcome as the headphones.
The tonal quality of the sound of both products were the same, as were the imaging, bass response, dynamics (brass was ever so slightly better) and timing. However, the biggest difference between the two products is the lack of smearing effect the brass unit has compared to the cheap ass product. You don't realize how much of that smearing is actually going on until you have something to compare it against. It's very subtle at first but then when you go back and forth you can really notice it. The instruments have a better separation and the female vocals don't into what I call, "the distortion box." They stay clean, crisp and don't distort when high notes are hit. Bass is a bit more defined, but not deeper.
I had a similar result when comparing Mapleshade Audio's Integrated Record Coupling System. The product didn't hit you over the head but if you spent enough time with it you would discover the results.
I hope this information is helpful.
Mike P
19 December 2019
Hi Ron,
"...
I connected the D-IV. I played it both ways on both CD players. It sounds really good both ways. I even got my wife to listen, and that wasnāt easy. Her hearing is so much better than mine that I try to get her to listen when I am in doubt. Even she could not decide which direction sounded best ā just different. The closest we could come to deciding was that one way sounded louder than the other way. Would that be indicative of the correct direction?
Just a note on the sound. Not only do my favorite recording seem to sound better, I am hearing things that I had never heard before. It has me guessing: am I just listenng more intently now, or does the D-IV really do this?
There is one amazing improvement I can describe. One of my musical friends passed and left me his collection. It had LPs, R2R tapes, cassettes, and CDs. About forty of the CDs were copies, probably burned on a computer. He did an amazing job putting the CDs in cases along with both the exact cover and descriptions of the originals. There were some really good selections. Not long after receiving them (before installing the DIV) I put one of the CDs on and sat back for an enjoyable listening session. What I heard was almost unlistenable. The music sounded very distorted. I put on another CD. Same thing. I went through ten or eleven before giving up. Over time, I had thought about discarding them, but he had gone to so much work, I just couldnāt.
Yesterday, I had the thought of trying one of his CDs using this D-IV cable - that maybe the distortion I was hearing was actually jitter. I was correct. The sound is now distortion- free. Well, lets say the distortion is now below my threshold of hearing it. This is going to be fun listening to his CDs.
I know you like hearing good things about your products. Well, I canāt say enough good things about them.
Again, thx for all of your help. You and your products have really improved my listening life.
David Vowell
6 July 2018
Hi Ron,
Got the Digital cables today. Must say they sound great, may be the best I've had. They sure seem do to everything just right.
Great product,
Thank you,
Dave Thompson
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28 APRIL 2018
Hi Ron,
Repaired cord delivered yesterday ā it works remarkably well with the Arcam CD36 player ā transforms the sound with other cords from āmissing musical detail, dynamics and the timbres are offā into music.
Best regards,
Harvey
5 January 2018
Ron,
I've had a chance to listen to my system with your digital cable. The word used to describe the sound quality of this cable is, "zero." Zero colorization, zero noise, zero digital artifacts, zero anything. In fact it sounds like there is no cable at all. It's completely transparent and totally neutral. It's like someone took the wool blanket off of the speaker cabinet. The clarity of instruments is superb and what really amazed me is how the depth of sound-stage improved. Some of my recordings sound much brighter than before, and some sound even a bit confused. This would mean that your cable has brought out the mistakes made on the engineering side of the recording. Bad recordings seem to be un-forgiven with your cable and good recordings seem to be rewarded greatly.
I played a song by Count Basie and the separation of instruments of horns, bass, xylophone and string instruments were unreal. I'm not only sold I'm hooked.
Thanks again for your effort in this!
.............
Thanks,
Mike P