Ok I have FINALLY been able to get down to reviewing these cables!
The first thing you notice is the weight. These babies are heavy for what they are, and represents the excellent construction used. I do have one bitch, the bannana connectors need a little more "spring". They dident seem to want to stay put in my speakers, though they never did fall out.
I compared these directly to the Speltz Anti-Cables and this may have been a bit unfair.
I played all the tracks listed below and then changed out the Speltz's and inserted the Zebras, which were used on the mid/tweeter ribbons of my Apogee's.
The first thing I noticed was a "tightening up" of the soundstage. It was not as expansive, though the detail level was on-par with the Anti's, to a point. Where the Zebras were lacking was in micro detail, and the ability to let the listener "sense" the sound field of a given recording. It was almost as if the very top octave was rolled off. This gave a most recordings a slighty shallower depth of field.
I then single wired the speakers with the Zebras (using jumpers from the woofer panels to the mr/t's) to see what the bass response was like. Here again detail was better than the 16 ga flat braided Radio Shack that I was using. However it became apparent that the lowest registers were, as with the top end, rolled off. Bass, though very nicely detailed lacked the "punch" that I was used to.
In summary, these are good cables, though if you have very "picky" speakers (Apogees are known to be a pain in the ass) you may notice the subtle differences that I found to be toward the negative side. I Found these to have very good upper bass/midrange detail. I thats what you are looking for these cables would be worth an audition.
Equipment used:
Amp: Bedini 150/150 MKII
Pre: Luxman C02
CD player: Marantz SA 8260
Speakers: Apogee Duetta II
IC's: Zebra Analog
Cd's used: ( Artist, Album, Track)
The Essential Stevie Ray Vaughan, Life by the Drop.
Muddy Waters, Folk Singer, Big Leg Woman
Van Morrision, Moondance, Crazy Love
Spin Doctors, Pocket Full of Kryptonite, Forty or Fifty
Talking Heads, Naked, Flowers
Jennifer Warnes, Famous Blue Raincoat, Bird on a Wire
Blink 182, I Miss You (debut album?)