Oyaide Armored Series IEC / AC Plugs

Introduction

Oyaide has just released a new line of AC and IEC plugs. It's been more than a decade since they launched their original lineup of premium AC and IEC plugs, so it is nice to see that they are not resting on their laurels.

The three model lineup consists of the AP/C-004, 037 and the 029. Sharp eyed readers will notice that two models models has been omitted, the 046 and 079. So, that leaves you with the two choices of plating, silver / rhodium, and platinum / palladium.

Here is a quick comparison table :-

Model  Blade Material       Plating

029      Brass                     None
037      Phosphor Bronze  Silver / Rhodium
004      Beryllium Copper  Platinum / Palladium

Oyaide and their local dealer X-Audio were kind enough to supply me with their new plugs, as well as the original versions for comparison purposes, and enough bulk cable (Oyaide Black Mamba V2) to hook everything up. Me old fingers will take a while to strip and terminate everything, so please be patient in the meantime.

Comparison of the armored AP-004 (top) with it's predecessor, the P-004

Teardown of the AP-004

A close-up view of the front housing

The new "floating" cable clamp

Cable clamp of the P-004

Rear housing

AP-004 (left) vs P-004 

Initial Impressions

Readers expecting the new plugs to be massive machined pieces like some of the competition out there will be sorely disappointed. Weight wise, there isn't any noticeable difference. The AP-004 weighed in at 65 grams vs 60 grams for the P-004.

Visually, the star-shaped terminal clamp is much thicker. The three piece body also feels more sturdy, with the pressure exerted by the screws more evenly distributed. Both the front and rear screws are secured through the metal insert in the midsection. A quick test with a multi-meter confirms that the plugs when assembled, the screws are fully conductive from rear to front screw. The next surprise is that the plastic body is conductive too. A quick check on Oyaide's website confirms that the polycarbonate is actually metal film deposit infused. It is not connected to protective earth though.  

A big thumbs-up goes to the "floating" cable clamp. The previous design had an annoying habit of pushing the cable off-center, and putting unnecessary pressure on the cable and weakening the mechanical connection between the star-shaped terminal clamp and the bare wires. I never really tightened down the cable clamp on the old design for that reason. The new cable clamp "floats" and is therefore self-centering.

You may also notice that the cut-outs for accessing the terminal clamp are larger now, and the clearly labelled as Earth, Live and Neutral. Hardcore DIYers have such information etched into their brain and can recite this in their sleep, but it is a nice touch nonetheless. Even nicer is the supplied instruction manual that is so detailed that it lists maximum torque for tightening each screw, and even recommended screwdriver sizes and brands. You really can't get more detailed than that !

004

Luckily for users, the double "0" does not refer to a licence to kill - we all want to enjoy our hobby for many years to come. The original 004 was a bit polarising, you either loved it or hated it, thanks to an extremely unforgiving level of resolution coupled with a slightly cool / analytical tone.

The AP/C-004 on the other hand is a much more likable plug. It does not sound drastically different from the P/C-004 but improves on it's resolving and focussed character. The Armoured plugs go deeper and tighter in bass notes, while mid-bass has a subtle sweetness and fullness. This was very obvious on the Oyaide Black Mamba V2, but not so obvious on the Acrolink 4030 Anniversario power cord. Midrange has a softer and gentler character, while high frequencies are both neater and more refined. I always considered the P/C-004 to be a poster child for neatness - very tidy imaging and soundstaging - everything being neat and stable. However, the Armoured plugs just go that extra mile and bring noticeable improvements in those areas !

It's difficult going back to the P/C-004 after hearing the benefits of the Armoured plugs. Well worth the extra expense in my opinion.

M1 / F1 dethroned ?

Does this mean that the M1 / F1 is no longer the king of the Oyaide castle ? Surely, Oyaide will have a new and improved version of the M1 / F1 soon ? Curiosity never did kill this cat, so I decided to terminate some Mamba cable with my personal set of M1 / F1 plugs.        

To be continued ...

DIY AC Power Cables

A short round up of some popular (and well, not so popular) AC Power Cables available off the reel for DIY projects.

1. Acoustic Revive Powermax 5000

This is a nice purple cable and is reasonably easy to handle in terms of flexibility, stripping the insulation, etc.

Otherwise identical to the Power Max Standard offered by Acoustic Revive, the Powermax 5000 lacks the carbon infused mesh used in the retail offering. Wire gauge is 3.5 square mm per conductor, and the sheath is infused with tourmaline.

This is a very smooth and inoffensive cable. It has a laidback and very refined sound that makes it perfect for countering digital and/or solid state glare. The level of detail is quite good but this cable lacks dynamic snap and drive.

2. Acrolink 7N-4030

A personal favourite of mine, the 7N version of the 4030 is far superior to its 6N predecessor. Apart from tighter bass and better dynamics, the 7N version has superior high frequency extension and control.

High frequency extension and air is almost a given for an Acrolink product, so no real surprises there. Rythmically, the timing gang may still find this cable subjectively slow sounding. The high frequencies are extended in a natural way and slightly wet sounding, which makes for a less fatiguing presentation.

3. Furutech FP-Alpha 3

A sweet cable that is otherwise quite neutral. It lacks the bass slam and deep extension of the Oyaide Tunami and the high frequency extension of the Acrolink 7N 4030. Otherwise, this is quite a neutral cable with very little attention being called to any particular frequency.

It lacks a bit of bloom on the mid-bass and transients are slightly soft. I think it sounds better with bigger sounding plugs like Furutech, as compared to Oyaide.

4. Nanotec Golden Strada #305

Any cable skeptic should listen to this cable. Infused with gold and silver particles in oil from liver of a deep sea shark, this should leave both the electrical engineers (who mostly don't believe in cabling anyway) and animal conservationists shaking their heads in dismay.The #305 has a distinctive signature which is readily discernible whether used on my power amp, preamp or Mac mini.This cable imparts sweetness, liquidity and smoothness to the most stubborn of systems.

I personally find it too heavy handed, making most music sound similar in presentation. I don't mind my vocal tracks or chamber music presented this way, but it is a bit too much when Meatloaf sounds too sweet and nice.

5. Oyaide PA-23

This is the thinnest cable of the lot and is easy to terminate, even into a standard UK mains plug. Technically, this is similar to the Tunami with PCOCC-A conductors, carbon impregnated damping and a copper foil shield. The PA-23 uses 2 square mm conductors.

Sonics wise, the PA-23 is day, while the Tunami is night. The PA-23 sounds faster and more extended than the Tunami but lacks bottom heft. It's thinner midrange and lack of control over high frequencies (it has a tendency to become slightly messy when the track mix gets heavy) require careful matching.

6. Oyaide Tunami

This is the only cable in the group which I really hate to terminate - the conductors are far bigger than anything else here, at 5.5 square mm conductors.

The Tunami has powerful and extended bass. The rest of the frequencies are very quiet, but a bit dark sounding. I prefer to use this on amplifiers compared to source equipment, where it sounds too dull. However, it sounded quite dead on the Calyx Femti amplifier, which sounded far better with the Acrolink 7N-4030.

Conclusion

An interesting round-up - some of the cables performed quite well on specific equipment, but fared badly on others. The plug used can be quite critical in tuning the balance of the cable to your exact liking. It may be useful to have a look at my shoot-out of AC receptacles and plugs too - click here.

Oyaide INS-BS with INS-CF, INS-BD and INS-SQ

Top row (Left to Right) : INS-BS top side, bottom side
Bottom row (Left to Right) : INS-CF black side, INS-CF silver side, INS-BD Black Diamond Hematite, INS-SQ Smoky Quartz

Oyaide's INS-BS is a small chrome plated brass footer (35 mm diameter and 15 mm in height) with a recessed hole on one side, and a carbon fibre disc on the other side. The recessed hole accepts the INS-CF carbon fibre disc. Oyaide also advertises that the INS-BD Black Diamond Hematite disc or the INS-SQ Smoky Quartz disc may be used in substitution for the INS-CF.

In the case of the INS-CF, the carbon fibre disc is black on one side, and silver on the reverse. This actually gives the INS-BS a total of 8 ways of usage, with the footer used with the inserted disc facing upwards or downwards, and with INS-CF either used with the black or silver side.

However, after much liberal experimentation, I was unable to fit the INS-BD or INS-SQ reliably into the INS-BS. Either excessive force had to be used, or the insert was unable to fit at all. Rather disappointingly, most of the evaluation was therefore made in respect of the INS-BS with INS-CF and the INS-SQ and INS-BD had to be used in isolation.

Technical glitch aside, the INS-BS and INS-CF proved to be a highly versatile and effective tuning disc. Using the pair facing upwards and downwards sounded quite different. I preferred the set with the INS-CF facing upwards towards the component.

Using the INS-BS in isolation brings a sharp increase in focus and energy. I found this to be overwhelming with explosive dynamics albeit with an increase in sibilance and harshness. Inserting the INS-CF with the silvered side upwards balanced this out with a slight smoothness and increase in bass bloom. Reversing the INS-CF with the carbon side upwards increase the density of tone with a slight loss in dynamics and focus.

Using the INS-SQ was interesting to say the least. The overall balance of a system can be tuned using these smoky quartz discs in the most illogical of places, like on top of speaker cabinets, the component chassis , etc. Use is limited only by the boundaries of your imagination.

The INS-SQ further improved focus, texture and the length of decay, with a slight lightening of tone. The INS-BD on the other hand did not quite agree with me. It made the sound overly sharp and phasey-sounding.

I enjoyed the INS-BS / CF thoroughly. Use of crystals is not totally alien to me, with my prior use of Acoustic Revive products like the RTP-6 and QR-8, but the INS-SQ still delivered some surprises.  I highly recommend this product in light of affordable pricing, versatility of use and good performance. However, I would like to see Oyaide address the tolerance issues I faced with using the INS-SQ and BD.

AC Outlet and Plug Shoot Out (Work in Progress)

I've had a sufficient breather since the pain of my capacitor shoot-out, so the time is ripe for another round-up, this time of AC receptacles and plugs. Now, this is almost as fun as watching mould grow on walls - yippee !

A generic aluminium distributor chassis will be the unfortunate test platform for AC receptacles (installed one at a time only), while two spare Acrolink 7N-4020 power cables will be used to try out the AC plugs. The 7N-4020 was chosen as its wire gauge is relatively thin, and plugs can be removed and replaced in less than 10 minutes. It is also useful to be able to switch back between two sets of cables for comparison purposes.

All outlets and plugs will be burnt-in for at least 200 hours prior to testing. Some of the test subjects have been in use in my system for a few years. For receptacles which allow split wiring, only the "direct" wired outlet will be used.

The participants for this slug-fest will be the following,

AC Receptacles

1. ATL ETP-1000RH
2. Furutech FT-D20A(R)
3. Furutech GTX-D Gold
4. Furutech GTX-D Rhodium
5. Hubbell 8300H
6. Hubbell 5362i
7. Maestro Outlet
8. Orb HP-2GB
9. Oyaide SWO-XXX
10. Oyaide R0
11. Oyaide R1
12. Synergistic Research Teslaplex

AC Plugs

1. Furutech FI-28 R / M(R)
2. Furutech FI-11(Cu) / M(Cu)
3. Furutech FI-50M(R) / 50R
4. Iego Ti-2000 8085 Gold
5. Oyaide P/C 046
6. Oyaide P/C 004
7. Oyaide M1 / F1 (New)
8. Wattgate 320i / 5266i

A word of thanks to TC for his loan of the ATL, Furutech GTX-D Gold and Synergistic Research receptacles for the shootout.

Do also bear in mind that voltage in Singapore is 230V. Some of the comments left by visitors were marked different from my own impressions. Does voltage have an effect on the sound ?

AC Receptacles

ATL ETP-1000RH

ATL Power describes the ETP-1000RH as having pure copper contacts with silver, gold and rhodium plating. Like the Furutech GTX-D, the contacts are said to be designed not to mar the finish of mating plugs. Sound wise, the ATL sounds quite similar to the Maestro with close soundstaging and a degree of forward projection. It has a prominent midrange which is weighty and smooth. It is not as neutral as the Maestro, with an emphasis on the upper treble. This gives it a bit of zing on higher pitched percussion work. Lower treble is dry and dull in comparison. Things get slightly messy when mixes get busy.

Furutech FT-D20A(R)

The FT-D20 catches your attention first with its midrange which is relatively prominent. Bass is nice and tight with the right amount of extension, bloom and control. This is a very "black" outlet, with very quiet silence. Spatially it is a a bit flat sounding, with a lack of soundstage depth. The FT-D20 trades off a bit of air and microdetail compared to the Oyaide R-1. It is by no means rolled-off though, the high frequencies are all there, but are not quite as prominent as the R-1.

Furutech GTX-D Gold

The Furutech GTX-D is Furutech's top of the range outlet. It is available in both Rhodium and Gold plating, the latter which is on test here. It promises pure copper contacts and a special clamping system that will not mar the finish of AC plugs. The GTX-D sounds totally different from the FT-D20A(R), which was comfortably left in the dust. Soundstaging is more distant and imaging is very precise, similar to the Oyaide.  The GTX-D has more tonal density than the Oyaide and has more bloom in the bass and midrange. The midrange in particular has a light golden and honeyed hue to it. Comparisons with the Oyaide reveals that this comes at the expense of some resolution which is smoothed over. On the plus side, sibilance is less obvious on the GTX-D. High frequency extension is good but is outperformed by the Oyaide. Maybe the Rhodium plated sibling could perform better in comparison ? Praise should also be given for the GTX-D's excellent control and refinement. Although I enjoyed the GTX-D, I felt that its level of performance was not good enough for its hefty price tag - it is easily the most expensive outlet on test !

Furutech GTX-D Rhodium

I have long since returned the GTX-D Gold to TC. So, any comparisons I noted were based on memory for what it’s worth. The GTX-D Rhodium presents the soundstage slightly closer to the listener. It is also far more impactful and incisive. At the same time, it is supremely confident and controlled. Detail is delivered up with precision and yet is utterly glare-free. This outlet also has very tight and deep bass, and very good dynamics. Any reservations I may have had with its gold plated sibling in respect of “softness” and loss of detail are laid to rest here. This is an excellent outlet with a correspondingly high but justifiable price tag.

Any drawbacks ? If you have sibilant recordings, it comes through loud, clear and nasty. The tone may be a bit too analytical and unforgiving for some, but it definitely floats my boat. Even when paired with a humble Wattgate 320i AC plug, it’s sonic signature is clearly identifiable.

Hubbell 8300H

The Hubbell 8300H turned out to be a surprise. I was not expecting much out of it, given the far more exotic and sexier models on test here. It has good tone with vibrancy and a neutral tone. It manages to project a very deep soundstage with a slightly distant presentation. It has good high frequency extension but lacks the refinement and control of the Oyaide outlets, with a tendency to sound a bit hashy during busy mixes. It has a warmer tone in the midrange and high frequencies, with female voices having more body and less sibilance. On the downside, the outlet sounds slightly soft, with less snap and definition. Microdetail is not as good as the exotic outlets on test here. For the money, it does more things right than wrong. As an upgrade from an old and corroded outlet, this Hubbell makes a lot of sense both from the perspective of both budget and performance.

Hubbell 5362i 

The 5362i sounds more vibrant than the 8300H. It has a less deep soundstage with an overall "closer" presentation. It's midrange is clearer than the 8300H but still remains on the full and warm side of the spectrum. Music has more incisive snap to it. Other than that, most of the other comments on the 8300H apply here as well. Between the two, I prefer the 5362i.

Maestro Outlet

Visually underwhelming, the Maestro outlet looks like a plain vanilla Hubbell outlet. The manufacturer claims unplated copper-brass alloy contacts, cryogenic treatment, a special coating for RFI / EMI rejection and mechanical resonance treatment.  That's a mouthful for a plain jane looking outlet ! It's backstrap, mounting tabs and screws are magnetic, which is odd given the amount of thought given to the design. Right off the bat, let me state that this is an excellent outlet for the cost. The Maestro has a neutral balance with excellent resolution. Like good organic food, this is a healthy product without genetic modification or nasty chemicals. Soundstaging is closer compared to the Oyaide outlets, and all instruments have a prominence that make it easy to follow individual lines. This is a very natural sounding outlet and highly recommended if you want an outlet that does not alter the tone of your system. This Maestro should be particularly commended for lack of glare and control over the busiest of mixes. To nitpick, it has slightly less high frequency extension, and soundstage width compared to the Oyaide outlets. I like the Maestro very much. It is close to my taste in women - wholesome goodness in every bite !

Orb HP-2GB

This outlet really got the better of me. Physically the shape of this outlet differs slightly from the rest, and regardless of the amount of filing of the cut-outs on my distributor, this outlet stubbornly refuses to fit. Any evaluation of this outlet is put on hold until this problem is overcome.

Oyaide R-0

The R-0 is a special version of the R-1 which omits any plating. Like the R-1, long burn in required. The R-0 trades off some resolution and high frequency extension in favour of slightly more bloom and bigger image sizes. Users who found the R-1 too bright or thin should be quite comfortable with the R-0. Although I think the R-1 is a better outlet, the R-0 should fit into more systems without issue. As an added bonus, the R-0 is packed with Oyaide MWA-EC outlet covers.


Oyaide R-1

The R-1 is Oyaide's top of the range outlet. Contacts are made out of Beryllium Copper alloy with Platinum and Palladium plating. Contact force is especially strong. One word of caution - do not make any quick impressions of this outlet. Long burn in time is not just recommended, but mandatory. Failure to do so results in a slightly thin and very bright tone. Coming back after two weeks of use, the R-1 is much calmer and refined compared to initial evaluations carried out after just 24 hours of use. Much of my comments on the SWO-XXX apply except that the R-1 has a higher degree of control and focus. The R-1 is also slight quieter and more resolving. A drawback of the R-1 is its ruthlessly revealing nature - any change upstream or downstream is immediately noticeable.

Oyaide SWO-XXX

The SWO-XXX was formerly Oyaide's flagship product but has since been supplanted by the R-1. Contacts are phosphor bronze with Gold and Palladium plating. Tonally, the Oyaide is lighter and brighter than the Furutech FT-D20A(R). Soundstaging is also quite laidback but has good spatial projection and depth. The Oyaide sounds tight and focused with crisp and controlled transients, and fine microdetail. Image sizes are precise but quite small. It does not have the ultimate control and focus of the Oyaide R-1, but other than that, the two outlets are more similar than they are different. One common trait between the two is seemingly limitless high frequency extension.

Synergistic Research Teslaplex 

The Teslaplex is closer in balance to the Hubbells and the Maestro. Perhaps this is something in common with unplated outlets ? The Teslaplex is a Leviton outlet that has been zapped with Synergistic Research's Tesla coil. The outlet is non-magnetic, including the backstrap. However, the mounting screws supplied are magnetic.The first thing you notice about the Teslaplex is the close soundstaging it projects. In fact it is so close that you could do hand combat with the musicians in the recording. Bass is on the warm and rounded side. Midrange is smooth and laidback, sacrificing some detail for a pleasing and non-offensive presentation. High frequencies are extended though and quite well controlled. The Teslaplex has a good amount of detail, but lacks the very fine microdetail of the Oyaide outlets. Overall, the presentation is slightly soft and lacks a bit of crispness. If you like the sound of unplated outlets, I would recommend the Maestro or Hubbell 5362i instead unless you need to tame some midrange forwardness in your system.

AC Plugs

Furutech FI-11(M)Cu / FI-11 Cu

The Furutech FI-11 (M)Cu / 11 Cu is a midrange priced AC / IEC plug set. It utilizes a star shaped clamp like Oyaide, and the build quality is quite and reassuring. Contact blades are made out of Furutech’s alpha treated copper for the male plug, while the female plug uses phosphor bronze. Sonically, this is an excellent plug for the price. It has good neutrality and does not appear to call attention to itself in any part of the frequency range. Despite the dissimilarity in metals used, the FI-11 Cu is a great match for the GTX-D (R). Consider this a very cost effective step-up from the Wattgate 320i/5266, and a baseline reference for premium plugs.

Furutech FI-50M(R) / 50R

Visually stunning, this is Furutech's top of the range AC plugs, boasting technology such as Furutech's earth ground jumper system, nano ceramic and carbon particles, with a steel and carbon fiber housing. Connectors are rhodium plated copper. It handles like a Swiss watch, with smooth screw action and close tolerance fit. In terms of looks and feel, this is easily the top of the heap. Enough said - this is love at first sight.

These plugs are dominated by a deep and powerful bassline. High frequencies are prominent and extended. Where it all falls down is the midrange, which sounds mechanical and slightly nasal. Frankly, this plug sounded quite unpleasant plugged into my Oyaide MTB-6 R1, where it sounded thin and nervous with brittle highs. Luckily for me, it was a lot better paired with my Acoustic Revive RTP-6. Nevertheless, I found the presentation too hi-fi like, etched and artificial, with prominent bass and highs, but with a lack of fluidity and bloom. For all its virtues, it is simply too expensive for its performance. Maybe it could perform with careful matching ? It sounded significantly better paired with the Acoustic Revive Powermax 5000 AC cable, but the midrange nasality and and mechanical sound remained.

Oyaide P/C-004

This is the partnering plug to the Oyaide R-1 outlet and shares most of its characteristics. In a painful lesson in matching, the P/C-004 sounds bare and clinical with the Acrolink 7N-4020. Make sure that your cable has sufficient heft and bloom before using the P/C-004. Despite this, the P/C-004 is an excellent match with the bigger sounding Acrolink 7N-4030. Moral of the story ? Don't rush out to buy the P/C-004 throwing it at every cord you own. Consider how this will shift your system tonal balance before taking the plunge.

Oyaide P/C-046

The P/C-046 matches the SWO-XXX outlet and also utilises phosphor bronze connectors plated with Gold and Palladium.

Despite the similarity of tone, the P/C-046's slightly soft and more forgiving presentation compared to the laser focus of the P/C-004 proved to be a much better match with the Acrolink 7N-4020. I gladly gave up the focus for the more easy going sound of the P/C-046. I went back to this cable and plug connection after the traumatic experience of the Furutech FI-50. These plugs sounds so much more natural !

Oyaide M1 / F1

Stay tuned !

Wattgate 320i/5266i

The Wattgate is probably the baseline reference for audiophile AC plugs and IEC connectors. Easily available at a modest cost, you really should not consider anything less. Despite it's low cost, you get a solidly constructed plug with a polycarbonate rear shell, and cryogenic treatment.

Tonally, these plugs are middle of the road, without any undue emphasis on any part of the frequency range. Images are slightly larger and less focussed compared to the Oyaides. Soundstaging is also much closer. They lose a bit of resolution - the distinct differences in the shaker in Rebecca Pidgeon's Spanish Harlem were not obvious. They also lack deep bass extension and articulation. It's really not as bad as it sounds, and the Wattgate delivers solid performance for its modest price. However, those looking for the ultimate in performance and willing to pay for it should look elsewhere.

To be continued ...

A tale of 3 power cords

Do power cords make any difference ? Certainly. Do they improve the sound ? Questionable.

First, let's not get into the old and tired debate about why power cords make any difference. Miles of ordinary cable from the substation to our house and socket, and changing the last 5-6 feet of cable makes a difference ? Well, try for yourself and let your ears decide.

While on a powercord binge, I purchased some loose lengths of the following cables,

1. Acrolink 6N-P4030.
2. Oyaide Tunami GPX
3. Oyaide PA-23

Alll 3 cables could take on lead roles in a system depending on the effect you want to achieve. A short summary of their characteristics is listed below to give you an idea of how they sound. All cables were of course nicely burned in before any serious evaluation was done. I used plugs which I viewed as being commensurate to the cable's price range. Top end Oyaide plugs were used for the Acrolink and Tunami. The PA-23 was used with Wattgate plugs.

1. Acrolink 6N-P4030
This is a fairly thick cable and the most expensive of the lot, at S$ 160 per meter. It is not particular difficult to cut or terminate. Due to its thickness, it cannot be terminated reliably into a UK 3 pin plugs except for the ultra expensive Furutech UK 3 pin plug.

This cable sounds very refined and delicate. It has very good balance with its high frequencies being particularly expressive and detailed. It has a very special quality in the way reverb and decay are produced. The air around instruments is really fantastic and natural. For the price, I think it is a bargain.

Sonics : 9.5/10
Value : 9/10

2. Oyaide Tunami GPX

Another thick cable, and moderately priced at $100 per meter. It somehow seems to me slightly more difficult to work with compared to the Acrolink with its thickness being particularly problematic. Forget about UK 3 pin plugs and get the biggest and baddest plug you can find.

This is not a subtle cable. Deep thundering bass is its striking signature. Significantly darker than the Acrolink or the Oyaide PA-23, the Tunami GPX draws a bit too much attention to the bass. Nothing is particularly wrong with the rest of the frequencies, although its high frequencies definitely do not have that same magic touch as the Acrolink. Definitely what the doctor ordered for bass anemic systems, but others will need to match with care.

Sonics : 7/10
Value : 7/10

3. Oyaide PA-23
The skinny one of the lot, the PA 23 is flexible, easy to terminate and will fit into any UK 3 pin plug without complaint. At S$ 50 per meter, its cheap to boot too.

It has a lot more in common with the Acrolink than the Tunami GPX. It has a special delicate touch in the high frequencies with similar sense of air, and decay. What seperates this from the Acrolink is a relatively bass light response and the the lack of ultimate high frequency refinement which the Acrolink pulls off so convincingly. With the PA-23, you can sense the degree of extension in the highs (which is a touch hi-fi like). For the Acrolink, it just seems so natural, you forget about the cable.

For want of a better description, I think of this as a poor man's Acrolink.

Sonics : 8/10
Value : 10/10

Component matching is just like cooking. A bit of this and a bit of that, to balance all the flavours in the food. Throwing too many of any of the above cables into a system could be too much of a good thing. I use the Acrolink for my source, with the Tunami GPX for my amp. The PA-23is used for the source in my secondary systems.