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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 
       





128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xfsmithjack
inna
5,245 posts
 
As they say - road to truth has many turns. You of course would have to listen a little more but it seems to me that you definitely like Soulution/Magico match much more overall than Pass/Magico match. With the right cord on the amp and ideally all Stage III cabling.
Not familiar with Soulution but read about them. I guess, Soulution and Magico are much close to each other in terms of 'school of thought' than Pass to either of them, so the outcome of your experiment should not be surprising, at least this part of it.
Before you make your final decision, I would suggest playing poor quality recordings and see how they sound thru Soulution/Magico with both KS and Stage III interconnects and speaker cables.

inna
5,245 posts
 
Alright, Ed, no problem.
jetter
1,035 posts
 
fsmithjack, thank you for understanding that I only wanted to help and I still do.  There is at least one long time member here who is encouraging you to buy the cables here as if he would.  I would guess his entire system cost less than the cables, but you would not know it by his talk.  I am just saying be very careful whose advice that you get from Agon you take to heart and it would be much preferable to have a really trusted source.  The fact is you know more about equipment than 99% of the people you are asking advice from.
jetter
1,035 posts
 
Please reread dave_b’s, stereo5’s and celander’s advice above. You asked an honest question and they provided great advice. If you have not already pulled the trigger on the amps and cables, try to do nothing for a month or two and then decide. By then something twice as good may be out, that’s how it goes.
inna
5,245 posts
 
But you will, my boy. Cost of cables and cords is about 1/3 of the total. Two pairs of interconnects were bought new, speaker cables and four power cords used. Three sources - turntable, cassette deck and cd player, which I use very rarely.
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