That is a quote from RH67 above repeating what Lee Harvey has previously stated that I'd like to comment on.
This December will be a year that I've had the iFI gear. A few months after I got it, I remember talking to Oscar about the Micro being to warm in my system....it was so warm that it was putting me to sleep...sleepy time. It had no excitement for me after It had its run in....its true nature was coming front, but it could have been so warm because it was already running through tubes in my amp and preamp......I felt it needed a little help in my system. Now previously, months before that...Oscar and I had several discussions about interconnects and cable and the different metals manufacturers use in their cables and depending on the metal, what one should use in their systems for that perfect synergy. At that time I explained to Oscar why my Vincent gear needed only the purest copper cables I could find and afford. I used Analysis Plus Continuous Cast Copper ( Ohno Continuos Cast) interconnects because of the rich, full body tones as well as the transparency. I explained to him I couldn't use silver of any kind because the Vincent hybrid gear is so rich and full bodied as it is....it needs no help. Silver always pushed it over the top. Now I suppose the Vento speakers had a lot to do with it as well as these speakers use ceramic tweeters...and aluminum woofers. These speakers can go nice and low for a stand mount speaker. These speakers are a little over 14 inches tall and 12 inches deep...a nice size stand mount. Canton list the frequency response 27...40.000 Hz, and all who hear them cant believe the bass that comes out but I don't know that its really going as low as listed on Cantons site, but the bass is really great. Its a very well balanced speaker that's for sure. No pollution from the tweeter and woofer at any volume and I've played it very loud at times. The mids are nice and warm and the staging is excellent!
But when I got the Micro ran in, due to it being really warm, I had to use a silver cable. I needed a RCA cable that would bring some life to the DAC. I had a pure silver cable in my stash, put it on the DAC to the preamp but it pushed the system over the top. To bright! I couldnt stand it! So I borrowed a pair of WW Silver Eclipse RCA cables and boy was I in heaven! I had all I could ever want in this cable. It was a decision I had to make because these cables cost a lot more than the Micro! Well, I bit the bullet and man these RCA cables where all that. And they where and they are Cast Silver over Cast Copper which made them some of the purest silver and copper you can get in these metals. The DAC/system had synergy and is clicking!
So now I've put the iUSB3.0 in the system, and im still hearing nothing but fullest, richnes and a full body from my system! I had it before, but with the 3.0 things are magnified! Its at a great dynamic! The sound stage is bigger, there is more transparency..warmth and realism...better separation and yes female voices are all that, and notes linger on in the air as well. I've never been missing warmth and fullness....always had it. The 3.0 gave me a darker background as well.
I really think all of our systems with the different components are one of a kind in sound with what they offer. All that means is that one system may need this and one system may need that to get the recipe correct. synergy is the key.....if a system is clicking, then its clicking. If not, them add whatever one sees fit to make it click. And I for one am clicking. Doesnt mean I wont add anything, or that I need to add anything to make it click....just means I may make it click on another level.
Brotha B,
As we both know, as I'm certain others have picked upon the tell tale signs that one system actually should rely upon the uppermost two ICs nearest the Source ( in the case the one leading into ones integrated or preamp ) as well as the flavor of the USB cable, as mentioned earlier ones tweeters or speakers in general with always give their owner clues on which direction their voicing needs to be addressed, be it adding some sort of silve or silver plated copper to add extension or air at the very top end, and copper if it requires a fuller, water, more weightier presentation throughout the midrange.
As your case proved by adding the better grade of OCC Silver ICs as well as counterbalancing it with a silver plated USB cable where both your power cords and speaker cables consist of Cryo'ed copper which in interface offers a warmer presentation, yet with a cleaner , clearer more lush soundin top end that differs from solid core in that it has better balance which not robbing the high end of substance and textural information further hidden within underlining musical structure if you will.
All this to say that the 3.0 shows no such brightness in my system either, but then I've paid a lot if attention to trying to make each component as well as cabling integrated more seamlessly with what's there, as listen enough to know when something that enters either improves or deminishes the finer point as they relate to SQ as it fits my preferences and never question what I then hear as fits my ears to a " T ", so in said sense we agree on the importance of voicing our systems accordingly, and once done correctly ............, it's best to move on.
And on that Supra versus Curious Cable USB comparisons, as the sonics of the Supra so matches what's heard with the Regen as well as 3.0 in my system..........., and more importantly to my ears upon hearing it, I knew within minutes while the latter is reported as being one of the best cables out there bar none, the voicing of my entire system has to be taken into account................, and as it stands, " it's clicking enough " where I can put its purchase on the back burner until after the new year, as it'd merely change the sonics, yet it's not saying it'd be for the best, and im truth there are the rare moments in one quest, where its best to leave well enough along.
" Click, Click " there's no place like home..............., as Dorothy remembers those finer moments from her pass, to which she tried to escape due to misunderstanding just what she had all along .........., therein lies the moral of this story.
You have more tubes in your system than I do and putting the Regen in there would probably overwhelm systems balance. You know best for what your system needs. I got my Supra USB cable yesterday and have it plugged in this morning between the iUSB and the Regen. Its replacing the Pangea silver cable for now. I am also playing with the 3D & bass switches on the iTube & iDSD to see what works best there.