I've had anticables for about 2 years--first with Von Schweikert's early speakers that sounded better biwired, then with Emerald Physics CS-2's, and now with VMPS 626R's with several upgrades and a VMPS VSS subwoofer. It took the anticables several weeks to sound their best in the VS speakers. Initially, I liked the highs and mids better with the anticable and I used a home made cat-5 wire for the bass on a recommendation by Albert Von Schweikert because the bass was rather lightweight with the anticables. After a few weeks, I tried the second pair of anticables on the highs and switched the other antis to the bass. I was amazed at the improvement in the bass with anticables now connecting both ends. The same clarity was also there with the EP-2's. Not lightweight or thin, but dynamic and with excellent transparency through the entire spectrum of frequencies. When I got the VMPS 626's, I only needed 1 set but they sounded incredible with the anticables--lively, fun and like you are there. Still, being the typical, 'there might be something reasonable that sounds much better and more impressive looking at that', I tried a used pair of Harmonic Technology Pro 9+ ($1199.00) garden hose sized cables after reading their great reviews--are there any other kind? Upon insertion, the joy, and transparency was gone, although the individual sounds were all very good. I ran that used cable for a solid week non-stop. At the end, a hair better, BUT I reinserted the anticables and all the missing parts came back. They don't look like much, have a long break in time, but they are not coming out again. The rest of my system is Edge amp, Audible Illusions pre, VSE cd/sacd, Avid Diva II table, Origin Live Silver II, and Music Maker III cartridge. Give the cables a good chance. By the way, I wound mine rather tight--10 turns/ft. I seems to sound fine and it allows the springy wire to go where you want it. Bob
Anticables Review
Category: Cables
I need to preface this by saying I don't have what y'all would probably consider an "Audiophile" amp: An Onkyo 805 receiver. But it drives my Vandersteen 2ce sigs wonderfully (and in Pure Audio mode has no video circuitry on. I use Pure Audio (no time processing, no sub) for this comparison.
Ok so I got two pairs of Anticables from Paul. He shotgunned them to bananas on the amp end and put vintage spades on the other (biwired to the Vandys). My other cable is a set of Canare 4S11 star quad: hard-wired on the amp end with BJC spades on the speaker. My conclusion: I can only hope that others in this forum are correct in saying that AntiCables need 400 hours to break in. Right now, they sound thin, tinny, and very lacking in bass and overall stage depth. Putting the Canare back on, Jacqueline Dupre's cello once again sounds like a Strad (instead of a high school instrument), and the bass section sounds full and present (instead of weak and distant).
This comparison duplicates results across genres. For example Alison Kraus' Live SACD, the guitar strum sounds precise with the anticables, but very thin. With the Canare you can hear the string depth through the pick.
My next step is to clip off the spades and hard wire the AntiCables, as some have suggested. Will post an update if anyone's interested :) But for now I just wanted to voice my dissatisfaction thus far, and hope that this magnet wire I paid $200 for might somehow 'burn in' to match my $30 Canare 4S11.
I need to preface this by saying I don't have what y'all would probably consider an "Audiophile" amp: An Onkyo 805 receiver. But it drives my Vandersteen 2ce sigs wonderfully (and in Pure Audio mode has no video circuitry on. I use Pure Audio (no time processing, no sub) for this comparison.
Ok so I got two pairs of Anticables from Paul. He shotgunned them to bananas on the amp end and put vintage spades on the other (biwired to the Vandys). My other cable is a set of Canare 4S11 star quad: hard-wired on the amp end with BJC spades on the speaker. My conclusion: I can only hope that others in this forum are correct in saying that AntiCables need 400 hours to break in. Right now, they sound thin, tinny, and very lacking in bass and overall stage depth. Putting the Canare back on, Jacqueline Dupre's cello once again sounds like a Strad (instead of a high school instrument), and the bass section sounds full and present (instead of weak and distant).
This comparison duplicates results across genres. For example Alison Kraus' Live SACD, the guitar strum sounds precise with the anticables, but very thin. With the Canare you can hear the string depth through the pick.
My next step is to clip off the spades and hard wire the AntiCables, as some have suggested. Will post an update if anyone's interested :) But for now I just wanted to voice my dissatisfaction thus far, and hope that this magnet wire I paid $200 for might somehow 'burn in' to match my $30 Canare 4S11.