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  3. 147104-4121

Stage III Concepts Cables - Any Advice/Feedback/Thoughts is deeply appreciated.

I have a mixed loom of Stage III Concepts Cables on loan to me from a local dealer and need some help.  
There is hardly any user/owner/member/end used type of info out there so I wanted to reach out. 

Here is what I am demoing now and below is the why...

Stage III Concepts GRYPHON XLR 1.5m Interconnects   
Stage III Concepts MAGNUS 3.0m Speaker Cables
Stage III Concepts MINOTAUR 2.0m Power Cable
Stage III Concepts KRAKEN 1.5m Power Cable

Here is the why:

I received my new Magico S5 MK II Speakers 2 weeks ago upgraded from the original S5's.  
I wanted to upgrade my pre and amp but was waiting to hear my new S5 MK II's with my present gear first. 

Magico S5 MK II Speakers
Pass Labs X250.8 amp
Simaudio Moon Evolution P-8 pre
Bricasti M1SE w/built in ethernet media player
SGC sonicTransporter ethernet Roon server w/Uptone Audio JS-2 LPS
Kubala-Sosna Emotion Full Loom 

I loved my new speakers and so sold both my Pass X250.8 amp and my Simaudio P8 pre.
I bought Pass Labs XA-160.8 Monoblocks and was driving them direct with my Bricasti M1SE as pre/dac.

I was happy and while looking for a pre I stumbled into a local guy that had a Soulution 530 Integrated.
I thought you know what lets try it and if I like it then I will sell or trade my Pass mono's for a pre or use 530's preouts.

To make a long story longer I put it in my system and low and behold I like the Pass amps better. Maybe not a huge surprise as Pass gear is killer but then I phoned the local Soulution dealer to pick he brain. 

He told me the Pass amps should not sound better with S5 MK II's and it was due to the match of my Kubala-Sosna cables which work great with Pass, ARC, Ayre, Krell, etc. but Soulution is a different animal and needs a different cable. .
I thought OK here we go... Here comes the big old cable sales pitch but to be fair I called him. So I listened.

He loaned me the cables I have listed above to prove what he was saying was true.

You know what happened. Low and behold he was 100% right and they blew my mind. No snake oil but real results.  

They sound insane and actually really good with my Pass amps too but the match with Soulution is breath taking...

Now I see why the Soulution amps are darn expensive. They should recommended cables like Spectral and MIT does.  

So with so little info out there I wanted to ask for you guys for any and feedback, or opinions.

It is really expensive stuff and sure there is some savings because some is former gen cables and they are demo's but still its really expensive stuff so I just was hoping I could get some more info from you folks.

Sorry for long write up but wanted to share my thoughts and my situation and ask for some help on these.

Thanks 
       





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dave_b's avatar
dave_b
2,267 posts
 
Joe Abrams can have anything built for you at 50% to 60%. I’m pretty sure I can say that? Anyway, my name wouldn’t hurt if you want to mention it to him. Careful of the echo chamber in here from others who have gone off the deep end into Gucci Cables. MIT actually has advanced engineering behind it and is one of the original companies at the forefront of high end audio reproduction. Their stuff works, sans Merlin’s Metals.
jetter
1,035 posts
 
fsmithjack, sorry this is what I meant to say. If you were a close friend I would say whoa baby, stop and smell the roses, you already have great equipment, your getting too into it.

jafant
10,525 posts
 
fsmithjack -
Welcome! to the club. Cabling does make a difference as you have had the "experience". I am a cable guy first and foremost. K/S are very fine cables/cords indeed. Then, there exists the upper tier products Stage III, EnKlein, Echole...etc. Not for the faint of heart. Not for every Audiophile neither. Careful system matching and synergy is key.
I have had the aural pleasure of the Minotaur and Kraken PCs. In the right set-up, matching system, pure magic. I look forward to your next report as you spend more time with this brand. Be certain to throw every musical genre at them for best outcome.
Happy Listening!
dave_b's avatar
dave_b
2,267 posts
 
Be careful of joining a “Club”....you may find yourself in a position of not being able to “Get Out!”  Rich wankers will always want the exclusive option, despite performance.
inna
5,245 posts
 
fsmithjack, that's interesting, isn't it ? I discovered it some time ago. Now you will just have to make a decision. And it certainly confirms that Stage III power cords are great, especially with some particular equipment. In my system Purist Audio Dominus on the integrated did the same trick but apparently with your Soulution amp and Stage III power cord the effect is profound.
Try to remove Stage III power cord from the dac and put KS back there, see what happens with just one Stage III cord on the amp.
Unless you already tried it and it was obviously much worse.
In fact, this experiment that you have been conducting is serious tuning.
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