Review: Michael Wolff Source and Gain Cords Power cord


Category: Cables

As you will become quickly aware, I was not an English major. And, I do not often try to articulate my what I hear. However, I have had such a good experience with Michael Wolff's Source and Gain cords that I wanted to share it.

Michael's use of Carbon fascinated me. So, I emailed him to try his Source cords. I should have realized that if a manufacturer offers his product for a trial without charge, the he must be very confident that most will buy it.
He shipped them the same day and set my expectations that they would take a couple of weeks to sound their best. After about 3 1/2 weeks, I was listening one evening and thought to myself that I had deliciously good power. Everything sounded great. The noise floor was low, the music was dynamic, strings and vocals were tonally beautiful. The soudstage had an ambiance all its own. The next evening I still had the great sound. I thought our utility had upgraded some equipment or fixed a problem. So, I packed the Wolff cords up and was ready to ship them back. The next evening I discovered the nothing had changed with my power. It was the Source Cords. I went through a bunch of power cords that I had on hand from a Shunyata Diamondback to a BMI Whale Statement Supreme and none of them gave me the same good sound. So, I bought the two Source Cords.

Michael offered to send me two Gain Cords for mt VAC 70/70. I really didn't want to spend another $1,400 but I thought I would check them out for future reference. I bought them too. Now I have a Gain Cord on my First Sound Preamp - another trial. Interestingly enough, this last cord has made a much larger inprovement than I thought it would. It only has about 30 hours on it. Last night I was listening to the 3rd track on Diana Krall's new CD, Temptation. The piano playing at at the left of the soundstage sounded strong and alive. It used to be rather faint. My soundstage usually recedes form the front of the speakers. Now is is just there - to the front, to the sides, and behind. I don't perceive the front plane anymore. It is really cool.

I would usually have thought that a couple of thousand dollars would best be spent on equipment. However, the Wolff cords that I have now made as much of an improvement in my system as did moving from my old Sony 5 disk DVD changer as a transport to my Accustic Arts Drive I. By the way, Michael is a very nice guy and easy to work with.

Associated gear
Click to view my Virtual System
brooksl
My search for power cords for my tube mono amps has been a long one. I have owned Elrod 3's, then 3S's, Kimber Palladian's, Virtual Dynamic Nite's, and Silent Source Signatures, and now the my search is over. The Wolff Gain cord's are the best power cord I have tried by a WIDE margin. They combine great bass control and thrust with a sweet and pure top end, BUT, it's in the midrange that this cord betters the rest. Both male and female voices have a more natural sound to them. The soundstage seems very wide and depth is as good as I have heard in my system. Now to start saving for a Source cord.......
Hi5Harry, I think you will be very impressed with the Source Cords. I have them on my transport, DAC, and preamp. Last Monday, I replaced the original Source cord on my preamp with the upgraded one that Micael sent me. It sounds great. It is a larger improvement than I expected. I am very anxious to get the newest version of the Gain cords. Michael said he is working on them now.
I ordered a pair of GAIN cords for my monoblocks and was immediately impressed with the improvement in my system. The amps sounded more open and more dynamic, even when played at lower levels. It seemed as if their output power was increased. And they're straight out of the box. I had installed a SOURCE cord on my pramp earlier, and had forgotten the magnitude of change these cables deliver. These cables certainly earn the right to be called components. I think they're definitely worth their cost.
I have owned the Source cord now for about 2 months. I have the APL 3910, connected to Wavelength Cardinal X1's. My power cords are as follws:

Xindak Gold-list 1895
Virtual Dynamics- Nite 1295
Wolff Cord-Source 650

In my system, with my APL 3910(The best digital I have ever heard)and is very very revealing. I feel the Source cord gives me the best balance for

1)Dynamics
2)Soundstage-width, and depth
3)Extension
4)Imaging
5)Depth
6)musicality
7)Black Backgrounds
8)Accuracy

I started my journey with stock cords, and until I built my
simple, I could not really hear the difference in wire. Today is another story. Any change in wire, changes the sonic signiture of my system. The Xindak is my least favorite, as the backgrounds are not as quite as I like, the Bass is a bit loose, but, the midrange is wonderful. The high end is a bit loose, not as accurate as I like.

The Nite cord, with my APL is too laid back, takes away too much midrange, is a bit blacker in the background than the source cord, and gives me too dark of music. It seems to recess my soundstage to the point I feel I am missing something. The Nite cord is great with the Modwright DVP9000es I heard in my system, but, I did not have the source cord to compare at the time.

WINNER for me is Michaels Source cord. With his cord, I have MUSIC, extension, wonderful black background. Treble that floats, midrange that draws me into the music, and best of all for me, ROCK solid bass. No mush here. I am a bass fanatic.

Michael, keep up the GREAT work, and keep them prices reasonable, you will go far.

Smilin
just got a source cord for my apogee minidac and it has brought a much needed improvement in transparency, soundstage openness and dynamics.