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Feedback & Reviews 2011-2012 |
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The shimmering, transparent sound of pure silver.
What the customers/ reviewers say: Here's a selection of feedback from people who have purchased or reviewed our pure silver cables (most recent first). Reviews are high-lighted in yellow... We've now divided the feedback/reviews into individual pages for each year, to create pages of a more manageable size. Click the links below to go to the required year: May 2012 [Silver Dream interconnects]
"Hello Alister,
I have had the Silver Dream interconnects
for several weeks now. I bought them based on the info from your website and
from the 6Moons review.
I was
looking for a smoother sounding pure silver interconnect than what I was
using. Listening to a certain few of my cd's, I would have to put in my copper
interconnects, since the silver interconnects I had been using were a bit too
upfront/strident. Well, I can very happily say, I now have no need to swap
cables, no matter what recording I am listening to. The Silver Dreams were
exactly what I was looking for! The smoothness over my previous silver
interconnects was not subtle, I could tell the difference upon replacement,
the improvement was immediate.
Thanks, Alister, for making a GREAT
product that is affordable for the "common folk"!
Sincerely,
John Hill
Buffalo, Minnesota, USA"
AND...
[System wired right through with Ultimate Silver Dream RCA interconnects & speaker cables] "...Can't wait for the cables to arrive so I can return to an all-Artisan integrated interconnect system - I am noticing the difference in having to use my old PNF cables to connect pre to power amps (less transparency and openness and a lumpier, less focussed, bass). It is always a pleasure to purchase a high-quality boutique product from a top bloke. As Hot Chocolate said - 'Everyone's a Winner'. All the best, Matt" And from the same customer a couple of weeks later...
"Hi Alister - the interconnects arrived last Wednesday and are now fully
run-in. It makes such a difference to have all Artisan interconnects and
speaker cables. What stands out to me is the musical nuance made apparent by
your silver wonders. While most obvious in vocals and percusssion, this nuance
is a feature across the spectrum, including tighter bass. For me it is the
difference between being fully involved in recorded music, or not. Keep up the
great work.
Cheers, Matt - Canberra, Australia"
April 2012 [Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects - with Cardas RCA plugs] "Hi,
March 2012 [Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects] "...the sound from my system has continued to improve since I wrote in glowing terms a couple of months after installing the pre/power USDs. The system is now a treat to listen to every time and your cables make a vital contribution to that result... With best wishes, Richard Baker"
AND...
[Silver Dream Mark2 Sennheiser HD-650 headphone upgrade cables] "...I have to say that I'm really impressed and very happy with your cable. Listening to music through my headphones has become a totally different experience...
Thank you for a wonderful product and your
help,
Nicolaj"
AND...
[Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects] "Hi Alister, February 2012 [Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects]
"Dear Alister
I've taken a while to enjoy the music
revealed by putting my new Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects between my Linn
Genki CD player and my Linn Majik amplifier, and to try to find some words to
explain how they are performing. I had some pretty good interconnects in there
before, but having been so impressed with your Sennheiser cable, I thought I'd
try your USD interconnects, especially at your new price!
I was taken aback by the difference the
USD interconnects made. I've had my all-Linn system for more than 10 years now
and didn't really think the music it produced could be improved upon. Putting
these interconnects in has been like putting new shoe laces into a favourite
pair of shoes. All the familiar comfort is still there, but they're more
supportive and feel newer. I've heard
more of all my favourite music. More of each note played. More
differentiation between instruments; little nuances I hadn't heard before.
Feeling a little closer to the guitar strings vibrating on Steve Morse's
Strat; getting a little more subtlety from Joe Satriani's "The Extremist";
feeling the brass section overblowing in "Finlandia". It's really hard to
describe, because it doesn't seem to be an EQ change, it's more like enjoying
a favourite view through a familiar window, but maybe having opened the window
rather than looking through the glass.
Sorry these are not "audiophile" comments,
but they're the best way I can find to tell you what I've been finding, and
that I'm very happy with the difference your cables have made to my enjoyment
of music!
Best wishes
Simon Ward"
AND... [Ultimate
Silver Stream USB cable] "Dear
Alister,
January 2012 [Silver Dream Mark 2 Sennheiser headphone upgrade cable]: "Hello Alister I'm looking forward to receiving them [Ultimate Silver Dream RCA interconnects] and discovering how they affect my listening pleasure! The silver (for Sennheiser) headphone cable I bought from you a while back certainly revealed more music than my system had been able to deliver before.
Kind regards
Simon Ward"
AND...
[Silver Dream interconnects]
"Dear Alister.
Hope you can read my English writing.
I have used the Artisan cables in my
system for about 3 weeks now. I use them between my great Wired 4 sound dac
and my high end Gryphon Diablo amp.
The bass goes deep and are very tight. The
middle are open, transparent and dynamic. Both men and female singers sounds
very natural.
The treble is very open, with a lot of
air. And best of all, there are no hardness or sharpness at all ! Very nice.
At this price, I think they are
outstanding ! Cannot ask for much more.
Highly recommended ! Love these cables.
Thanks, and many regards
Harry Johansen"
December 2011 [Ultimate Silver Dream
interconnects] "Hi Alister AND...
[Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects and speaker cables]
"Hi Alister. The cables arrived in
Canberra last Tuesday. I picked them up on Wednesday and have been running
them in continuously since then (around 92 hrs at present).
In summary, I love them! Openness,
transparency and micro-detail which has had me hearing subtleties in the mix
and nuances in recordings I have been listening to for 30 years. Vocals really
soar, the soundstage is enlarged vertically in particular. My previous PNF
speaker cables and interconnect were very good for the money but the USDs take
the music to another level again. It is interesting how the USDs emphasise
different elements of the music...
BTW, I have a MARANTZ KI Signature Pearl
CD player, modded Atoll power amp, modded Shanling pre-amp and Merlin Audio
TSM monitor speakers. It is a very revealing and neutral combo but tends
towards being slightly light on 'punch'.
Overall, the word 'stunning' has come to
mind repeatedly in the past 4 days.
Thanks for everthing from start to finish...
Cheers mate,
Matt"
October 2011
"Alister,
The (Ultimate Silver w/ Cardas plug) interconnects are first class and
your customer service ranks with the best based on my experiences of
over thirty years around quality audio gear. I would wholeheartedly
recommend your Ultimate Silver interconnects to any audiophile seeking
a high value, high performance product.
Best Regards, Geoff Trout"
September 2011
[Silver Dream XLR
interconnects] "Your cables are
the only analogue interconnect in the system....from the Uther to the Nuforce.
So far, I am loving them. At 20% of what I paid for my KCAG's years
ago.....you rock.
A nice review of the Artisan Silver Phono Stage [Discontinued product] at "Soundstage! Network": "Right from the get-go, the Artisan belied its size by laying down bass that was strong, rhythmic, tuneful, and tight...I often found my foot and head bobbing in time. When I played music that highlights complex time signatures or is built on a strong rhythmic pulse, the Silver kept time beautifully, delivering the full flow of the music right on time for dinner.... With the Silver MC’s good extension at both ends of the audioband and its clear, robust midrange, well-recorded acoustic jazz, chamber music, and acoustic folk and pop all came off rather well. This was perhaps the Silver’s greatest strength: a tonal consistency and overall coherence that sang right along with the music. The Silver’s sound was very natural and unforced -- there were no obvious tonal aberrations or frequency-response bumps that spotlit instruments in a certain way or highlighted specific frequency ranges. This is a good thing in any phono stage, and somewhat unexpected in one so reasonably priced... As I write this, I’m listening to Tears for Fears’ The Seeds of Love (Fontana 838730), one of my all-time favorite pop records. The CD is rather steely, but the vinyl sounds fantastic through the Artisan, as have many more LPs from my collection. Without comparison to phono stages costing many times the MC’s price, the Artisan’s enticing blend of tonal and frequency coherence, good extension at both ends of the audioband, and a bubbling, snappy rhythmic capability might get me thinking I’m pretty satisfied. If something like the crisp and brisk, direct and forthright sound of older Naim products speaks to you, then you’ll really like the Artisan Silver MC. I think the Artisan would pair nicely with something like a Rega P3 or Pro-Ject turntable, and an MC cartridge such as a Dynavector 20X2, an Ortofon Blue, or a myriad of others. It would be a killer upgrade for those who have good-quality integrated amplifiers and who use the afterthought built-in phono setting. My point here is that those who play LPs but don’t want to sink a lot of money into associated equipment now have a great starting/stopping point. If the Artisan Silver MC doesn’t pull the carpet out from under truly high-end phono stages, it’s still a solid, robust performer, and I’ve heard more expensive phono stages that can’t better it. All this for 305 bucks? Fuhgettaboudit. I don’t think I’ve heard the Silver MC’s equal for anywhere close to that amount. To better it, you’d need to move higher up the price ladder." Full review here.
AND...
Now you needn't just take my word for it: The Centrance DACmini [Discontinued product] is a killer component! Great review from Hi-fi World magazine - click here to read.
August 2011 [Silver Dream Mark 2 Headphone Upgrade Cable] "Hi Alister,
The Silver Dream Mark 2 headphone cable
you send me at August,8th arrived to Portugal at August,10th by 10 o'clock.
Terrific service.
The Cable construction is suberb.
At the very first beginning I felt
immediately the potential of the cable in comparation with the stock cable.
All the spectrum of the music much more there.
After about 100 hours of burn-in the cable
gives me all the plaiser that I'm looking for...music with
transparence,information and balance. Beautiful product. Congratulations.
I'm using it with the following system:
-Primaluna Prologue Eight Tube CD Player
-Graham Slee Solo SRPG II headphone
amplifier
-HD 650 headphones
-Giant Killer interconnect.
I'm very happy and always open to ear
something from you concerning improvement in this area.
All the best.
José Frangolho"
AND...
[Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects] "Hi Alister.
Thank you for my second pair of
ultimate silver dream cables. I've used this set to connect up my quad
pre-power amps and what a differance they have made yet again. They do
exactly what you say on the web site. I was using good quality cables
before which cost more than your cables but all i can say is that the
ultimate silver dream cables have blown my other cables out of the water.
The improvement is unbelievable. The sound from my rogers studio 1's has
so much improved. Cheers Ady."
AND...
[Ultimate Silver Dream RCA
interconnects]
"Hi Alister AND... ["Ultimate Silver Dream SE" interconnects] "Alister, After a couple of months' listening, I am very pleased with the results with your interconnects. I use them to connect a Da Vinci turntable/Thales tonearm/Soundsmith strain gauge cartridge to connect to the Soundsmith pre-amp. They have corrected an over-brightness with the former cables and basically disappeared into the system....
Best Regards, Simon"
[Ultimate Silver Dream speaker cables] "Hi Alister, I've had the cables in my system for 200 hours now (I know exactly as my preamp has an hours counter) and I am very pleased. They are excellent, giving me more of the same as the interconnects. I'm particularly impressed with a new level of transparency and clarity. As with the interconnects, I love the musicality and tonal balance produced. Out of interest I found the circa 100 hours mark to be the point at which things really started to get good... Many thanks and Best Regards, Howard"
June 2011 Tony Bolton has given the Artisan Silver MC Phono Stage [Discontinued product] a very nice review in July 2011's edition of Hi-fi World magazine. Click here for the full review. AND...
[Silver Dream 5-pin DIN to 2
RCAs interconnect] "Hi
Alister, Hope you are well.
Right I've had the silver DIN
interconnect in my system for a while now so they should be more or less
burned in. My impressions are that the difference I immediately encountered
on the balanced interconnects was not as apparent. In no way did I feel that
the sound had worsened just that there wasn't so much difference. I
therefore just ABd with my previous DIN Anticable interconnect, something I
didn't even bother with the XLRs, I knew immediately the sound was better...
Overall, I'd say the silver
interconnects pretty much do everything the website says. I like the
description "shimmering". The sound is livelier, more musical and sweeter.
The tonal balance is spot on for me. I also agree that ropey recordings
aren't as bad with these interconnects in place.
I am now seriously tempted by the
summer sale and just wanted to confirm that this would apply to the speaker
cables I inquired about...
Kind regards,
Howard"
AND... "Dear Alister, I should have emailed you earlier in how much I have enjoyed the first interconnects you made for me. They are just wonderful, in all of the most musical areas. When I got your email today with the 20% sale I just could not resist. Please apply the SUM 20 to the order I just placed. I'll bet I order another pair before the end of August. All the best, and thanks for such a superior product at a really wonderful price. Sincerely David Worth." AND... [Ultimate Silver Dream interconnects] "Hello Alister,
firstly
thankyou for your prompt service in supplying my U S D cables.It's been
a few weeks since delivery and I've now accumulated some 48 hours of
use. I must say at this point how important it was reading about
'burning in' the cables, on hearing them initially the sound was very
bright with a definite lack of real base. So much so that the beat
to the music seemed to be provided by symbols more than bass, and
after two days of intensive use I was seriously thinking they might
be returned. Detail and clarity were obviously present but the tonal
balance was positively lacking. Now for the good news, after
approximately one week of use the bass started to come through, and
the treble lost its harshness and prominence to become sweet and
much more relaxed. At this point the attention was rightfully drawn
to the wonderful clarity of voices, and lyrics I could now
understand for the first time on more involved tracks. As of
present I am now 'seeing' a very precise soundstage that was not
there at the beginning, which after some 48hours of use is still
improving. Very fine cables in my bi-amped and bi-wired system, and
NO they will not be sent back.
Many thanks, Pete S."
May 2011
[Ultimate Silver Dream Speaker
Cables] "Hello alister
Received speaker cable on Friday,sounds very good the mid range is much more clean sounding with more detail.Hearing back ground sounds which are more defined and audible now.Some discs which were bad recordings with harshness are now more enjoyable to listen to,and the cables are not fully broken in I am expecting more detail to improve as the cables get used more...Thank you petro" AND... "Thank you Alistair for
a wonderful product, April 2011 "Due to
excellent results in my big hifi-rig at home, I have just ordered another cable
from you...I'm looking forward to a complete connection from source to amp with
your cables! They're really good... March 2011
"Hello Alister,
Your two pairs of xlr ultimate silver
dream interconnects have convinced me to no end. I use them from my cd player
to my pre amp and from there to my poweramp (all Primare). I consider myself
extremely lucky to have come across reviews on the internet. I prefer your
cables to the very expensive MIT cables. I noticed cleaner bass response. I
can now sit closer to the back wall in my listening room and the sound remains
uncongested. I can 'see' further into the music. Sounds previously not quite
distinguishable become true to life/live instruments. This is all very nice of
course but now the downside: I fear my present speakercables will have to go.
I would like to order a pair of ultimate silver dream cables (2x2metres) to
feed my audio physic tempos. No more copper for me; artisan silver rules!
kind regards, peter fennis"
AND...
[Ultimate Silver Dream speaker cables]
"Hi Alister
I just wanted to let you know that I'm
very pleased with the speaker cable I purchased. Your products and service are
terrific, keep up the good work!
Thanks
Geoff"
AND... [Ultimate Silver Dream XLR interconnects and Ultimate Silver Dream speaker cables] "Hi Alister, The cables have made a huge difference in the system; the sound is exactly how it should sound I am very happy with my purchase. Kind Regards Vanny Sherry" February 2011 [Silver Dream USB cable added to a system already containing all silver interconnects] "Hi Alister, Last night I had my first listen with the USB cable. From the first note it was so obvious that my skepticism that there could be any truly audible differences between USB cables was entirely unfounded. I was blown away actually. I thought "I'm not even going to bother A/B'ing this with my old cable as the difference is so major that there's no point A/B'ing to confirm what I already know." Absolutely everything has improved very noticeably. Was I ever missing out on much unrealized potential of my system. My system already sounded great, but this cable has really lifted everything to a whole new level and I am shocked quite frankly. I really wasn't expecting this.
Thank
you! January 2011 "Hello Alister, Thanks for giving me the privilege of buying your cable. It is now fully 'run in'. Well how shall I describe it? Easy! Although not cheap its one of the greatest hi-fi bargains out there. An audio equivalent of the Nissan Skyline. All the performance for a quarter of the cost of anything near it. The cable brings with it an ease of sound, tangible weight and extended clarity. No harshness just a beautiful sweet righteousness. I have been a hi-fi nut for more than 30 years and in that time I have used many many cables. Your cables are right up there with the Valhallas and AN Silvers of this world. Thank you once again. Best Regards, Andy Dziegiel (Artisan Silver Cables 'No Brainer' Fan) P.s When funds allow I will look to purchase some speaker cable..." AND... "I've now listened to these fairly
extensively and will be keeping them. At first listen they seemed "soft".
After a short listen that impression was gone. They allow a lot more of the
"texture" of the music through. CD's are much more listenable with new nuances
presenting themselves. SACD's have added warmth compared to my previous cables
with no loss of detail. The cables are a bargain in my opinion."
"Alister,
Having let the cables settle, I can say
I am extremely pleased that I went ahead with the Ultimate Silver Dream
balanced XLR interconnects.
Sometimes when you compare components
the differences are subtle and you have to swap many times and do very
extended listening to hear the difference. That was not the case this time,
there is a very noticeable difference between your cables and the Kimber
KCAG balanced cables they replace.
Very initially it seems the KCAGs are
more detailed but then you quickly realize they are just forward in the mid
and upper range. You can say they are a bit brittle or harsh. Your cables
are in fact more detailed but beautifully sweet and pure. They have lots of
attack but are not "in your face".
The bass again is different. The KCAGs
superficially sound to have more bass but what they do is smear the base
notes together. The Ultimate Silver Dreams go as deep but are more detailed
so you hear the individual notes. This detail extends across the whole range
so you hear a lot more micro dynamics which makes the music sound more real.
I also found while the sound stage of
the KCAGs is broad and instruments placed across it, they blend one into the
next. The Ultimates create an inky black silence on to which the instruments
are then placed so there is space around them. It's like going from 2D to
3D, the room just got larger.
So once again the Ultimates have really
delivered the goods. Great product at a great price.
Regards, Peter" AND... "Hi Alister,
For feedback/ reviews from earlier years, please click the links below:
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