|  | Home > 6 Moons September 2002
|
6 Moons September 2002 | | | Good Breeding
Their designs are also backed by the kind of real-world documentable engineering which --I've tested this -- receives unanimous praise from electronics engineers outside the cable arena proper.
Exposure
One very high profile reviewer told Markel that before he inserts any new statement cable into his system, he always calibrates his ears first with a run of Oval 9. He considers it his affordable reference.
So do I. A shotgun biwire run of Oval 9 has graced my system ever since it was first released.
Interim Connection
In short, Markel's done it. He's hit the famous bull smack on the nose. He's introduced the perfect mate to his Oval 9 speaker cable: Another affordable go-APe reference, but this time in the interconnect category.
Speaking of Which
How does the $399/8ft Oval 9 fare against the $870/8ft Oval 8?
Splendidly. Already being a heavyweight bass champ, the Oval 8 goes further yet, serious fun with the right material, as though adding another half octave of extension - which it doesn't, but the added heft appears that way.
Whether by virtue of a different dielectric I can't say, but the Oval 8 also makes advances in overall lucidity. The word that came to mind was "explicit" - despite an obvious family resemblance, with the Oval 8 the music sounded even more explicit.
The Value Equation
To this rare high-performance bargain bin category we now must add the new Solo Crystal interconnect. It's attractive, flexible, solidly built, performs rather indistinguishably against accoladed contenders double its price and is every bit as well-balanced, coherent and right-sounding as its new sibling, the Oval 8. Two -- very sweet -- peas in a pod then, these new solo crystal cables by A+.
6 moons; Sept. 2002
For the complete review,
click here
|
|
| | 
| |
Fed Price $397.00