connected 30

CONNECTEDTO MUSIC & MOVIES

Issue No. 30 Spring 2015

NewRecord Cleaning MachinePage 8

More offers

inside!

to our range Loricraft Audio

NEW KimberJumper Cables

PAGE 7

PAGE 16

Digital InterconnectsBECOME AN EXPERT

Set up yourscreenWhy you shouldhave your screencalibrated PAGE 12

SPRING PROMOTION!SAVE 15% ON MAINS FILTERSPAGE 18

PowerKord™Survey ResultsFind out what ourcustomers thinkPAGE 10

Russ Andrews is the sole UK retailer of Kimber Kable

Mail Order Direct • 60 Day Cable Home Trial • Cable Upgrade Scheme • Free Delivery (orders over £100 within UK Mainland)

Buy online at www.russandrews.comCall UK Orderline 01539 797300International Tel +44 (0)1539 797300

Exclusive UK distributor

Stop listening to your Hi-Fi

and start listening to the performance

We design our products to allow you tolisten to your music, not your system.

EDITORIAL

Regulars

Editorial 3First Words 4News 6Dalton‘s Deliberations 15Letters 20

Competition 27

Features

PowerKord™ Survey Results 10

Inside the Industry:Calibrate Your TV 12

Classic Hi-Fi 14

Product Feature: Mains Filters 18

ProductsNew Products 7

Become an expert: Digital Interconnects 16

Recent Reviews 24

PromotionsMains Filters 19

Meridian/TIDAL 22

UltraSockets 28

3Issue 30 Spring 2015 CONNECTED MAGAZINE

© Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2015. E & OE.Any views expressed are those of the writer and donot necessarily reflect the views of the company.

Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal LA9 6NS, UK.

Welcome

Welcome to the 30th edition ofConnected to Music and Movies. Herein Kendal we’ve had a very busycouple of months catching up withall the orders you placed in ourWinter Sale. If you recall, we don’tplan on having our twice-yearly‘money off almost everything’ salesin the future; instead we’ll be havingshorter-duration targeted offers on asmaller selection of our productsthroughout the year. We’re gettingthe ball rolling this time with somegreat deals on our mainsconditioners – there’s moreinformation on this month’spromotions throughout themagazine.

I was fortunate enough, at the endof January, to travel to MeridianAudio and have a listen first hand torecordings encoded by MQA –Master Quality Authenticated –Meridian’s newly developed audiotechnology. Wementioned MQA inthe previous issue ofConnected, but verybriefly MQA is a digital-audioencoding anddecoding systemthat promises todeliver sound quality better thanconventional high resolution audio:24bit 192kHz. That in itself is quitesomething and I can confirm thatthe sound was startlingly lifelike andmusical. The other thing that reallymakes MQA stand out is that MQAfiles are no bigger than standard CD-resolution files, meaning that for thefirst time it will be practical tostream high resolution audio. Themusic streaming service TIDAL is

already streaming music at CDquality, and they have confirmedthat these very high-resolution MQA files will soon be availablefrom them.

I like the fact that MQA results inimproved sound of recordings thatare, in some cases, decades old (oneof the tracks we listened to was amono Bob Dylan recording). Theprocess goes back to the originalmaster tapes which are sampledusing the MQA encapsulationprocess. Once the resulting files arestreamed or downloaded, they mustbe played back by an MQA-readyDAC or processor if you want to hearthe MQA files and the very bestsound. (Meridian’s Explorer2 at £199offers one of the easiest ways toenjoy MQA files, see p22). And thegood news is that even if you don’thave an MQA processor, you will stillbe able to play your files – albeit atthe reduced resolution of CD quality

or slightly better.

So where can you getMQA files? At the time ofwriting (mid-February)there are no MQA filesavailable just yet, but myunderstanding is thatMQA is already receiving

broad support from the musicindustry, artists, recording andmastering engineers and recordlabels, and files will start to beavailable very soon. Having heardjust how good MQA is, Ican’t help but feel thatthis will be the way ofgetting fabulous-sounding music withineveryone’s reach.

John Armer, [email protected]

In this issue...

■

4 CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 30 Spring 2015

OPINION

I was reminded the other dayof the online furore thatensued when reviewerMalcolm Steward had testedsome computer SATA cablesin his computer audio set-up.

Malcolm found that somemakes of the cables thatconnected the hard drive in hisNetwork Attached Storagedevice had sounded betterthan others and he describedwhat he had heard. I say“furore” because his reviewwas picked up by one of the ITsites, and the comments onthat ran into the hundreds –many of them extreme to saythe least. Most of thecomments were slatingMalcolm for suggesting that heheard a difference in a cablethat was only transmitting “justones and noughts”.

It reminded me of the reactionwe had to our publishedmeasurements of RFI reductionin our woven mains cables.Several respondents said (Iparaphrase) “what they claimcannot be true therefore themeasurements must befraudulent”.

It’s rather shocking in this“educated” and “scientific” age to find so many peopleconfusing belief with facts.They also confuse informationwith knowledge. They accept

at face value statements madeby others who lack enoughunderstanding of the subject,and pass them off as their ownopinions. An opinion worthlistening to is one based onreal understanding of thesubject: knowledge isinformation (data) plusunderstanding. Withoutunderstanding, data ismeaningless. In my experience,the people most willing to passjudgement on a subject arealso the ones who know least about it.

Before anyone passesjudgement on what is real orfake, genuine or fraudulent,fact or voodoo, they shouldobtain and read thoroughly animportant essay written in the1950s and updated manytimes by Sir Arthur C Clarke:

Profiles of the Future: An enquiryinto the limits of the possible. Init, he formulates his “‘Threelaws of Prediction”. They are:

1. When a distinguished elderlyscientist states that somethingis possible, he is almostcertainly right. When he statesthat something is impossible,he is very probably wrong.(Clarke qualified ‘elderly’ inphysics, mathematics andastronautics as over 30!)

Clarke describes this as afailure of nerve on the part ofthe apparently competentexpert. It is, he says, verycommon: it occurs even whengiven all the relevant facts. Thewould-be prophet cannot seethat they point to aninescapable conclusion. Clarkedescribes many examples ofeminent experts insistingsometimes with “quiteunnecessary vehemence”something couldn’t be done.One such example concernselectric light. In 1878 the UKparliament set up a committeeto look into Edison’s proposedincandescent light bulb. Thecommittee concluded that itwas “unworthy of the attentionof practical or scientific men”.Sir William Preece, Engineer-in-Chief of the Post Office roundlydeclared that “the subdivisionof the electric light is an

An opinionworth listeningto is one based

on realunderstanding of the subject:knowledge isinformation plusunderstanding.

Don’t limit the possible


absolute ignis fatuus” (fatuousidea). “One feels that thefatuousness was not in theignis” says Clarke.

2. The only way of discoveringthe limits of the possible is toventure a little way past theminto the impossible.

Clarke further describes thefailure of imagination. This iswhere all the available facts areappreciated and marshalledcorrectly, but the really vitalfacts are still undiscovered andtheir existence is notacknowledged as possible. He gives the example ofphilosopher August Comtewho wrote in 1835 of heavenlybodies: “we see how we maydetermine their forms, theirdisturbances, their bulk, theirmotions, but we can neverknow anything of theirchemical or mineralogicalstructure”. Within half acentury of his death, almostthe whole of astronomy wasastrophysics. Comte haddecided that such a science of“astrophysics” was a prioriimpossible. Our friends whosay that cables cannot makeany difference to digital audioare clearly failing in both nerveand imagination.

3. Any sufficiently advancedtechnology is indistinguishablefrom magic.

The sobering thought here isthat we all just accepttechnology without actuallyunderstanding it. This one isthe most pertinent and hasseveral corollaries:

Any technologydistinguishable from magicisn’t sufficiently advanced.

Any sufficiently analysedmagic is indistinguishable from science.

Any technology, howeverprimitive, is magic to thosewho don’t understand it.

Any sufficiently ignorantperson is indistinguishablefrom stupid.

And last and not least:

For every expert there is anequal and opposite expert.

I think the sceptics have a dutyto their own integrity tobecome an expert themselveson their chosen interest (Hi-Fi)by testing every propositionthat is either the acceptednorm or any new propositionthat seems to conflict with it(and, importantly, with agenuinely open mind).

For example, we hold anopinion about where speakersshould be placed that differsfrom the normalrecommendation. That wasarrived at by testing a varietyof speaker positions andfinding that getting them as farapart as the room allows andtoeing them in was, by a longway, the best arrangement. A sceptic shouldn’t hold theopinion that this is wrongunless they have tested it forthemselves. They might thenexpend some effort in workingout why we might be right…but first they should readProfiles of the Future!

The soberingthought here isthat we all just

accept technologywithout actuallyunderstanding it.

OPINION

Sir Arthur C Clarkewas a Britishscience writer andfuturist. His mostfamous work was2001: A SpaceOdyssey.

■


NEWS

NewsIf you don’t already follow us on facebook, twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, it’s worth having alook and signing up to our accounts. We’ve lots of content of interest and it’s updated regularly.Here’s a taste of what you can find, and the link to the relevant articles:

Facebook, twitter and social media round up.

Connect with us on Instagramhttp://instagram.com/russandrewsaccessories

See us on Pinteresthttps://www.pinterest.com/russandrewshifi

Become a fan on facebookwww.facebook.com/russandrews.accessories

Follow us on twitterwww.twitter.com/russandrewshifi

Jan 3 10 popular free films on@BFI Player in 2014.From a nail-bitingfootball match to a tripto Saturn in 1911. http://ow.ly/GHlrV #film

Feb 12 We’d love to knowwhat kind of music youlisten to: Classical?Rock? Jazz? ThrashMetal? Whatever it is,please let us know#musicalchoice

Jan 27 Music venues canbecome powerfulsymbolshttp://buff.ly/1yqHYEF

Jan 8 An insight into what’s tocome. Meridian MQAreviewed at CES.http://ow.ly/GYVQ6

Russ Andrews Accessories10 January

Gibson Les Paul: the guitar of choicefor Chuck Berry, Spinal Tap and theSex Pistolshttp://ow.ly/H3PpP


Cartoon cameos: the Simpsons bestmusician guest appearances


Pharrell Williams is the latest musician toappear on The Simpsons. Here are somemore:

http://bit.ly/1zVGrun

A very interesting piece by Roger Skoff onthe unattainable reproduction of live musicin the home. Do you agree?

Audio’s Un-Winnable War: Roger Skofftakes a look at what’s really possiblehttp://audiophilereview.com/audiophile/the-un-winnable-war-tag.html


That is one crazy piano! http://buff.ly/1xR7677

Tweets@russandrewshifi

Feb 12 An enlightening interviewwith a true music legendhttp://buff.ly/1zKwgtV#BobDylan

facebook.com/russandrews.accessories


NEW PRODUCTS

New Products

KIMBER SELECT JUMPER CABLESSet of four, for a pair of speakers

KS-9063 Code 3463 £935.00

KS-9065 Code 3465 £1620.00

KS-9068 Code 3468 £2640.00

New from

Kimber have also introduced a new subwoofer cable designed specificallyfor REL subwoofers that use a Speakonconnector at the subwoofer end. While we have offered the Kimber 8TC speaker cable formatted this way for many years (and will continue to do so), the new cable offers different cable geometry (it’s a ‘hex’ braid, more suited to the three-wire requirement of the sub cable) and is smaller. It’s also covered in a flexiblecovering. There are two versions, a copper cable and an all-silver design.

Kimber Kable has introducednew cables to their range. Thefirst are new Kimber Selectjumper cables to complementtheir most recent Kimber Selectspeaker cables – they are theKS-9063, the KS-9065 and theKS-9068. The jumpers are madewith pure copper wire; bothpure copper and pure silverwire; and pure silver wirerespectively. The cables should

be used if you have bi-wirableloudspeakers and you are usinga single run of cable. Werecommend using the KS-9063 jumpers if you haveMonocle, KS-3033 or KS-6063speaker cable, KS-9065 jumpersif you have KS-3035 or KS-6065speaker cable and KS-9068jumpers if you have KS-3038 or KS-6068 speaker cable.

KS-9063

KS-9065

KS-9068

REL-Cu Code 3600

2.0m £180.003.0m £232.004.5m £310.006.0m £388.00Prices are for bare end to Speakon - for spades or bananas add £17.00

Kimber REL-Cu subwoofer cable terminated with spades

REL-Ag Code 3601

2.0m £1784.003.0m £2638.004.5m £3919.006.0m £5200.00Prices are for bare end to Speakon - for spades or bananas add £17.00, for WBT-0610Ag bananas or spadesadd £233

Find out lots more atwww.russandrews.com/jumpers

60 Day Home Trial

Find out lots more at www.russandrews.com/subwoofercable

60 Day Home Trial

CONNECTED MAGAZINE Issue 30 Spring 20158

NEW PRODUCTS

Professional Record CleaningmachinesRuss has long been a big fan ofthe Garrard 301 turntables andrecently returned from a visit toTerry O’Sullivan, present-daycustodian of the Garrard brand.As well as producing a 21stcentury Garrard turntable, theGarrard 501, Terry’s company,Loricraft Audio, produces itsown record cleaning machines.Russ was so impressed with themachine’s simplicity,effectiveness and build qualitythat he insisted we includethem in our range.

Loricraft Audio’s ProfessionalRecord Cleaners offer a semi-automatic way of cleaningrecords – whether they are charityshop bargains or new discs. An LP or single is placed on theturntable and the motor isswitched on to start the discrevolving. You then clean yourdisc with your record cleaningfluid and brush of choice – the

turntable can run both clockwiseand anti-clockwise to ensure thefluid gets into the grooves andcleans as thoroughly is possible.The fluid and dirt held insuspension from the cleaningprocess is then removed from thegrooves with the suction arm. Thenozzle of the arm is supportedjust above the surface of therecord by a nylon thread whichcreates a vortex for maximumsuction; a motor moves thesuction arm slowly across the discand a powerful vacuum pumpsucks the fluid and suspendedsolids into the receptacle on theside of the machine. Because thespent fluid jar is mounted outsidethe body of the machine, it’sreally easy to see when it needsemptying. And that’s it… recordcleaning takes about one minuteper side.

Two machines are available; thePRC4 and the PRC6. The PRC4 isthe standard machine offeringpowerful suction for cleaningeven very dirty records effectively.The PRC6 is a slightly largermachine with the strongest pumpand whisper-quiet operation.

So why are we offering theLoricraft Audio record cleaningmachines? Quite simply, webelieve that they are the best-built machines anywhere.Loricraft’s skill in refurbishing theoriginal Garrard turntables islegendary and it’s clear that thisengineering expertise has carriedover into the development oftheir record cleaners too. They areall manufactured at Loricraft’sworkshops and the machines arerobust, advanced, beautifullyengineered and incredibly goodat their job.

Loricraft Audio

PRC6

Did you know?The original machine of this type wasdesigned by Percy Wilson, TechnicalEditor of Gramophone magazine, andshown to the Audio EngineeringSociety in 1965!

NEW PRODUCTS


Record cleaning fluid is appliedby hand with a brush to allowmaximum control over thecleaning process

Powerful vacuum removes the fluidand dirt held in suspension anddries the record

Laboratory standardpump is quiet andefficient

Forward andbackward rotationof the turntableensures effectivecleaning

Motorised suction armmoves gently across therecord to remove fluid

Nylon thread supports the suction armjust above the surface of the record tocreate a vortex and maximum suctionensuring a completely dry record

PRC4 Code: 4322 £1699Strong pump, your choice of cherryor walnut veneered cabinet

Dimensions: 55cm x 30cm x 41cmWHD, including fluid collection jar

PRC6 Code: 4323 £1999Largest pump, whisper quietoperation, your choice of cherry orwalnut veneered cabinet

Dimensions: 55cm x 33cm x 41cmWHD, including fluid collection jar

See them online atwww.russandrews.com/loricraft

PRC4

AccessoriesRecord cleaning fluidWe recommend our ReVive recordcleaning fluid for effective cleaning.Supplied in 1 litre bottlesCode: 5067 £16

Precision Brushes for applying fluidCode: 4320For 7” records £18For 10” records £21For 12” records £26

Acrylic lid Available to protect your machine when not in use.Code: 4324 £165

Suction pumpswitch

Externally-mountedspent fluid jar

Suction armmotor switch

Platter on/offswitch


SURVEY RESULTS

The most important question of the whole survey was

“Did you notice an improvement in sound quality broughtby you PowerKord?” and the results here were very impressive

indeed: 93% of those who responded said“yes” they did notice an improvement! We’re not surprised of

course, because we talk to customers who tell us this all the time,

but it’s nice to have it quantified in such a definitive way.

“I found that the PowerKord gave a clearer and moredetailed presentation to the music. It cleaned up the soundand enabled me to hear deeper into the layers of theinstruments.” Mr Russell, Littlehampton.

"Your cables and accessories have transformed my system"Mr Tarry, Hinckley

"Genuinely worth every penny" Graeme Bowler, Dunfermline

"Thank you for transforming my musical & visual experience"Mr Steele, Bexleyheath

One clear way you can tell how pleased acustomer is with their purchase is by askingthem whether they would be happy torecommend it to others, and that’sexactly what we did. Following the by nowwell established trend, 177 out of the 185

said “Yes” – that’s a whopping96%!"Anyone who does not look to improvethe quality of the mains supply to their

hi fi system is only experiencing a fraction of the systempotential. The difference is night and day!!" Mr Parkin, Thame

"Investing in these PowerKords justifies the rest of the system"Mr Jefferson, Aldershot

We wanted to know exactly what our customers thought about the performanceof their cables and how they rated the service they had received from us. So, inAugust 2014, we sent out an email survey to customers who had bought at leastone PowerKord from us. The results shown below are taken from the 188customers who responded to the survey as of 14th November 2014, along withsome of the respondents‘ comments. If you were one of those who replied to oursurvey, thank you for taking the time to respond.

93% YES


SURVEY RESULTS

Next, we asked how they would rate the overall build qualityof their PowerKords. Not surprisingly, given the results of thefirst question, out of the 185 respondents a huge majority of163 said the quality was “very good” and even 24

of the remaining 25 judged them as “good”.

"I certainly don't understand how a couple of feet of mainscable can affect the sound so much, given the nationalgrid, the internal home wiring, and the internal processingof the pre-amp and power-amps, but these cables certainlydo! ... Build quality is superlative"Oliver, Weybridge

"Excellent products, excellent service"Mr Stephens, Shrewsbury

"I always regard your "accessories" as components"Mr Parsons, Slough

The PowerKords are great - but whatabout customer service? Once again, the

news is good: 167 rated us as"excellent" with 95% of the remainderregarding the service they received as "good".

"I have used yourselves for over 15 yearsnow and have never been less than 100%satisfied. You provide an excellent servicefrom start to finish, with very helpful, andvery friendly staff"Andy Reay, Doncaster

"I have been dealing with you since 1988 outstanding service and help" Mr Rosario, Epsom

"The verbal help by your staff has been much appreciated, as I have no technical skills and always need help"Mr Norton, Fakenham

We have been making dedicated Audio Grade mains power cables for over 30 years. To our knowledge, we were the first in the UK to manufacture consumer

audio grade mains cables and since their launch we have sold over

55,000!See all our PowerKords™ online at www.russandrews.com/powerkord

85%VERY GOOD

13%GOOD

and 22 rated usas ‘Good’


FROM INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

If you've purchased high-quality cables for yourhome theatre system,then you're probably anenthusiast whoappreciates pristineimage and sound quality.In terms of picture, oneof the wisestinvestments you canmake to extract the bestfrom your TV or

projector is a process calledcalibration.

Unbeknown to most viewers, thereexists an industry standard to whichbroadcast and film content areproduced and mastered, specifying thecorrect white point, colours, gammaand related parameters. Whencolourists perform colour correctionand grading on the original footage inpost-production, theywould have beendoing so onbroadcastmonitors thatadhere to thisstandard.Calibratingyour TV orprojectorallows you torecreate the

director's intent, akin to lookingthrough his or her eyes.

Uncalibrated displays seldom comeclose to this industry standard,because manufacturers deliberatelytweak their TVs and projectors toproduce a bright, inaccurate andoversaturated image that wouldappeal to unaware buyers in shops.Certain brands do provide moreaccurate picture presets on theirmodels, but due to the unavoidableunit-to-unit variance in a mass-produced consumer product whosecomponents are sourced fromdifferent suppliers, a bespokecalibration is still necessary to squeezethe best out of your TV or projector.

Another benefit of calibration ismaximising the contrast performanceof your display, by making sure theblacks are the deepest possible

without crushing shadowdetail, and the whites are

sufficiently brightwithout blowing out

highlight details orcausing eye strain.A completecalibrationprocedure alsoinvolves optimising

the sharpness, noisereduction and motion

Consider Calibration After Cabling

Vincent setting up hiscalibration meter

Klein K10-A colorimeter

In the last Editorial of Connected John talked about having his TVprofessionally calibrated. Quite a few of you were interested in knowingmore, so we asked Vincent Teoh to tell us about why calibration is the nextupgrade to help you get the best picture quality from your TV or projector.

Issue 30 Spring 2015 CONNECTED MAGAZINE 13

FROM INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

controls on your TV or projector toavoid superfluous video processingfrom spoiling the picture on screen.

Some of these basic steps can becarried out by using a test disc suchas Digital Video Essentials or Spears& Munsil, but a full calibration goesone step further through the use ofspecialised equipment andsoftware. In general, threeingredients are required:a meter to take readingsfrom the screen; testpatterns (either servedfrom a signal generatoror a disc); andcomputer softwareto make sense ofthemeasurements sothat the necessaryadjustments can bemade to align yourdisplay as accurately aspossible to the industrystandard.

You can either calibrate your TV/projector yourself, or hire aprofessional calibrator. Going theDIY route will set you back around£250 for the cheapest meter, testpattern disc and software package,and that's not counting the numberof hours you have to spend learningthe ropes. Unless you own multipledisplays or upgrade your TV/projector very frequently, it makesmore economic sense to engage theservice of a professional calibratorwho’s equipped with pro-gradehardware and software capable ofdelivering accurate and consistentresults across different display

technologies such asCRT, LCD, plasma, OLED,DLP and laser.

Professional calibratorsare usually trained andcertified by establishedorganisations, thelongest-standing of which being the

Imaging Science Foundation(ISF). Much more important is

the experience andfamiliarity of the calibratorwith your particulartelevision/

projectormodel - if indoubt, ask fortestimonials.

Good calibratorstypically chargebetween £250 and

£350 per display,depending on thenumber of sources,whether 3D

calibration is needed,and their travel distance.

Many videophiles and audiophilesallocate a percentage of the cost oftheir systems for cabling, andalthough I'm biased, I believe youshould do the same for calibration.Not only will you be rewarded withrealistic skin tones and a rich,natural-looking picture brimmingwith depth anddetail, you'll also bepaying the highestrespect to thedirector's creativeintent.

CalMANS Ultimatecalibration softwareshows which adjustmentsneed to be made

Russ and John look on as theTV is put through the tests

DVE DVD set-updisc - £21.00

Spears & MunsilBlu-ray set-updisc - £29.99

Vincent Teoh is anindependent professional ISF-certified calibrator. He can becontacted via his websitehdtvtest.co.uk or by email [email protected]

■


CLASSIC HI-FI

Classic Hi-Fi

We get questions fromtime-to-time fromcustomers who have seen the firstincarnation of ourPowerBlocks poppingup for sale.

The Distribution PowerBlock, togive it its full title, wasintroduced by Russ in the early1990s to complement thePowerKords that had beenintroduced about seven yearsearlier. Available in six (£250)and eight socket outlets (£300),the Distribution PowerBlockused sockets mounted in a metalbox from Olson and came wiredwith a Russ Andrews HighCurrent PowerKord (which laterbecame the ReferencePowerKord, and now thePowerKord-300™). SuperClampsurge protection was fitted asstandard. The block wasoriginally available in twoversions – the standard versionused off-the-shelf wiring to linkthe sockets; an upgraded versioncould be specified (an additional£24.95 for the 6-way and £29.95for the 8-way) which usedKimber TCX cable and thesockets came pre-treated withDeoxIT contact enhancer.

The Distribution PowerBlock wasreplaced in 2000 with our iconictriangular PowerBlock. The newPowerBlock offered a significantstep-up in sound quality withbetter sockets, a better internalwiring layout and bettercasework. The two wereavailable alongside each otherfor a few months before theolder block was phased out bythe end of the year.

The block was very popular andit’s likely that many of them arestill in use, continuing to dosterling service to this day. If youdo have one, it would be worthreplacing the internalSuperClamp surge protectionwhich will be at least 15 yearsold by now, or even betterupgrade it to MegaClamp surge

protection. We can do this foryou, and the work includes a fullservice of the block, re-treatingthe sockets with DeoxIT and re-tightening the internal wiring.

Service A

New SuperClamp

Full DeoxIT treatment

£55.00Service B

MegaClamp Upgrade

Full DeoxIT treatment

£195.00We can arrange collection ofyour block; the price is £12.

(UK mainland only)

Earth Terminal

Wall mountingbracket

Internally wired withKimber cable

High CurrentPowerKord™

Spike and surgeprotection

Treated with DeoxIT

Service upgrades

The original Russ AndrewsDistribution PowerBlock


Write to Simon at - [email protected]

Dalton’s Deliberations

OPINION

There’s a plethora of statisticsbeing bandied about at themoment. First up, reported in Hi-FiChoice magazine, are the latestfigures from the BritishPhonographic Industry (BPI) tellingus that “Album sales have droppedby 7.8%” (2013-14) and albums in aphysical format have now fallenbelow half of those sold, at 48.8%.The real growth area in music sales,according to the figures, isstreaming, which doubled in theyear 2013-14 to 12.6% “of all musicconsumed in the UK”. “Give it acouple of years” says David Price,“and the trend will render CD alegacy format”.

It’s interesting that the onlinemagazine The Huffington Postreports the same statistics from atotally different viewpoint. Theysuggest that, although streaming isgrowing, it “still only accounts for12.6% of all the music consumed inthe UK”. They report the reaction ofthe BPI to the number of CD albumsales, who note “relatively resilientdemand for a format that somecommentators had written off, butwhich many consumers stillappreciate”.

A second survey by technologydeveloper CSR examines audiotrends amongst consumers whotypically listen to music at home atleast once a week. The survey foundthat the most importantconsideration when making a

purchase was sound quality. Thismay go some way to explaining theresilience of the CD and vinylmarket, but with the introduction ofhigher resolution formats –especially Meridian’s MQA – thepotential for very high quality musicconveniently streamed over theinternet will become a reality, givingthe best of both worlds:convenience and quality.

So what of the future of CD andvinyl then? To quote Price again,“Will the idea of owning a physicalformat in the first place [become]pretty much redundant”? I don’tthink so, for two reasons.

First, regardless of the quality ofdigital music, many consumers stillfind digital audio set up veryconvoluted and confusing (this isillustrated on the CSR survey whichpoints out that after sound qualitythe next most importantconsideration is ease of set-up). I can speak from personalexperience; setting up my ownstreaming system at home was areal challenge – even with the helpof our streaming guru Pete Bevir!

And what’s easier than simplyplacing a disc in a tray or on aplatter?

The second point relates to thelistening experience, which Isuspect for many of us is more thanjust an audio affair. Having finallyinstalled my streamer I’ve nowfound that I’ve started to listen tovinyl more, simply because it’s atotally different experience; fromremoving the album from its sleeveto placing the stylus in the grooveand – most importantly – sittingback and enjoying listening to atleast one side, and usually thewhole album. The formatencourages you to do this. It’s justnot convenient to sit down, listen toone track then get back up again tochange the record. So you tend toend up listening to completealbums without the temptation toskip from one favourite track toanother. But this is the totally theopposite when it comes tostreaming, which encourages you toprioritise tracks over albums – andI’m simply not disciplined enoughto stop doing this.

There’s no doubt that streaming willgrow to become the dominantformat over the next few years butthe imminent demise of otherformats is perhaps overexaggerated as I suspect many of uswill still desire the unique pleasuresof a physical format.

Islands in the Stream

Regardless of thequality of digital music,many consumers stillfind digital audio setup very convolutedand confusing


Kimber Digital Interconnects

PRODUCT FOCUS BECOME AN EXPERT

In the last issue we looked at the Select range ofanalogue interconnects. Continuing on a similartheme, this time Simon Dalton takes a look atthe more complex area of digital audio cablesused to connect your CD transport to your DAC,or a set-top-box to your home cinema receiver.

There are basically two types of digital audiointerconnect we offer from Kimber Kable: DigitalOptical and Digital Electrical (Coaxial). Whereas theoptical is a straightforward choice as there is only onein the range, the Digital Coax is more complex in its design and therefore has a number of options.Let’s start with the optical.

Digital optical cableThe principle is pretty straightforward: use thehighest quality fibre optic then insulate and terminateto ensure that the integrity of the fibre is maintainedand no light is lost. That’s exactly what Kimber havedone with the OPT-1.

They use the highest quality medical grade fibre opticin the OPT-1, the ends of which are hand polished tominimise refraction and terminated to exactingstandards to ensure effective connection to yourequipment.

Digital electrical cablesUnlike digital optical cable, there are many moreelements to the construction of a digital electricalcable, meaning that there are significant ways youcan improve its performance as you move up the range.

Digital electrical cables are based on the establishedstandard of coaxial design shown in DV-21 below(that’s why they are often referred to as ‘digital coax’).The things that really set Kimber cables apart are thequality of the conductors; the insulation and theshielding... and the performance of these cablesimproves as you move up the range due to the use ofhigher quality materials. Each step up in quality isdesigned to enhance the ability of the cable toaccurately transfer the digital audio signal.

Coaxial design of Kimber DV-21

0.6mm Solid copperPE FoamAluminium mylarfoil shield

Tin plated copper shieldPVC outer dielectric

D-60 - Solid-core pure silver conductor, Expanded PTFEdielectric, helically wound silver shield, conductive PTFElayer, PTFE dielectric, second helically wound silver shield,PTFE outer dielectric.

DV-21 - Solid copper centre conductor 0.6mm, PE foam,aluminium mylar foil shield, tin-plated copper shield,low-loss PVC outer dielectric.

DV-30 - Solid copper conductor 1.0mm diameter, foamedFEP dielectric, aluminium mylar foil shield, tin-platedcopper braided shield, low loss outer dielectric.

OPT-1 Code 2650 0.5m £53.00

DV-21 Code 2510 0.5m £51.00

DV-30 Code 2515 0.5m £67.00

D-60 Code 2525 0.5m £201.00


PRODUCT FOCUS

There are just two cables in the Select range: the single-ended KS-2020 and its sibling thebalanced KS-2120. Both offer a majorimprovement on the standard coax design andare built from the ground up to optimise theaccuracy of timing in the digital domain.

The ultimate performance of the Select cablesderives from a unique process of development.The design of Select digital cables is the result ofan understanding that, unlike analogue signals,any concern with the waveform of the digitalsignal is a distraction because a DAC only readsthe central slice of information in the middle ofthe signal, ignoring the top and bottom of thesquare wave (see Fig1). What is important –vitally important – is the timing of the signal.

You’ll often hear critics of digital performanceenhancement claim that improvements are notpossible because it’s “all just one’s and noughts”.In fact, it would be more accurate to say that it’sactually all about ‘on and off’. This is preciselywhat Ray Kimber recognised; it’s the accuracy inthe timing of this ‘on/off’ switching which is atthe very heart of digital music playback and theextent to which a system is able to accuratelyportray music in a truly musical manner (as Russhas always said: “Musicality is all about rhythmand timing”).

By focusing on this timing aspect rather than onthe waveform, Kimber have developed cables inthe Select range that have superb timingqualities which minimise errors and maximisethe potential of your system to accuratelyrecreate what’s on the music source.

DAC reads thisslice of waveform

In digital playback the square wave-form is notimportant. What is significant is the distance/timebetween switch on and switch off points.

Fig.1

Select the very best

KS-2020

KIMBER SELECT DIGITALINTERCONNECTSKS-2020 Code 29400.75m £817.00

KS-2120 Code 29410.75m £1041.00

KS-2120

switching points


Some of you ask “what’s the differencebetween all the mains filters we have inthe range?” Should I go for an AbZorber or an UltraPurifier? What’s the differencebetween the Clarity Mains and the Mains Zapperator?

The key thing to understand is that each of theplug-in mains conditioners we offer do a specificjob. You can – and should – use all of them in yoursystem to get the very best sound quality. Weappreciate that not everyone can go out and buyall of them at once, so here’s our suggestion forwhich conditioners to fit in which order so youupgrade your sound in the most cost-effective andbest way.

Mains filtering firstThe core mains conditioners in our range are theSilencer, the Mini Purifier and the Ultra Purifier.These are all wide-band mains filters, designed toreduce mains noise and harmonics on the mainssupply and deliver a cleaner, clearer sound.

These are the filters you should fit first: they aredesigned to plug into an empty socket close toyour Hi-Fi or Home Cinema and if you only fit onetype of mains conditioner, fit one of these.

For big systems with several components – such asthose with pre and power amplifiers (or powerfulintegrated amps or Home Cinema systems) youshould use the Ultra Purifier. Smaller systems canuse the Ultra Purifier or the Mini Purifier. You can, ifyou wish or your budget dictates, just use aSilencer as you would use a Mini or Ultra Purifier,but the Silencer is also designed to be used aroundthe home to quieten mains noise at source. Lots ofcustomers use the Silencer in the kitchen close tofridges, freezers and microwaves that are pluggedin and switched on all the time.

Zap those high frequencies Our experience has shown that the very high

frequencies that computers and their peripheralsoperate at have a detrimental effect on musicality.

Our Mains Zapperator is designed specifically totarget these frequencies, so once you’ve fitted ourmains filters, augment their effect with MainsZapperators. Mains Zapperators are designed to be fitted close to things such as your computer,your modem/router, wireless printers and so on.You can also use Mains Zapperators close to yoursystem to shield it from the negative effects of Wi-Fi networks.

Bringing more clarityClarity Mains, and the more powerful Clarity-4 andClarity-8 units are worth fitting next. The Claritymodules that feature in all the Clarity units aredeveloped for us by a US company and employwhat they refer to as Coherence Technology thataims to reduce noise in the ground plane of acircuit. We find that the Clarity units, once you’vefitted mains filters and mains Zapperators, are veryeffective at delivering increased resolution, detailand clarity. The Clarity units are very effectivewhen used close to your system, and like the MiniPurifiers and Ultra Purifiers should be plugged intoa spare socket in the extension feeding your Hi-Fior Home Cinema.

Protecting your system fromspikes and surgesOur mains filters – the Silencer, Mini Purifier andUltra Purifier – all incorporate our unique ‘clamps’to protect your system from sound-degradingmains spikes. But you can get furtherimprovements by incorporating The AbZorber,which is the final conditioner you should fit, onceyou’ve installed those above. Designed by BenDuncan, the AbZorber works alongside ourSuperClamps and MegaClamps. The clamps workby reducing surges over about 340V; AbZorberworks by reducing the residue of these spikes atlower voltages and will deliver additionalimprovements.

Filter your mainsPROMOTION

■


CLARITY MAINS

PURIFIERSSILENCER

ABZORBERZAPPERATORS

Did you know?Our mains conditioners are all parallel devices. Thismeans that while they are connected to the mains supply,current is not drawn through them. Our tests have shownthat some inline mains filters have an adverse effect byincreasing the mains impedance which results in a flat,boring and lifeless sound. Because our mains conditioners are all parallel devices, none of them exhibit these drawbacks.

Mains Conditioner checklist3First fit our mains filters – Silencer, Mini Purifier and Ultra Purifier3Next plug in Mains Zapperators around your house3Then use ClarityMains units with your system3Finally fit The AbZorber for enhanced filtering

PROMOTION

SAVE 15% on all our mainsfilters until 22nd

April 2015


April 2015


April 2015

SAVE 15% on all our mains filters until 22nd April 2015

Mains Zapperator was £109.00 Code:1443 Now £92.65

The Abzorber was £532.00 Code:1442 Now £452.20

Clarity Mains™ was £114.00Code: 4584 Now £96.90

Clarity-4™ was £499.00Code: 4644 Now £424.15

Clarity-8™ was £799.00Code: 4645 Now £679.15

Ultra Purifier was £390.00 Code:1425 Now £331.50

Mini Purifier was £151.00Code:1440 Now £128.35

Silencer was £52.00 Code:1403 Now £44.20

Spring Promotion

with 1mPowerMax Plus

Offer ends 22nd April 2015. Offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.


ReVeeling the soundWould you show Russ theattached pic and tell him I havejust finished the bottle today onsome CDs! Is this a record?(Geddit?!).

I’ve found that CDs cleaned withCD cleaner (albeit ‘antique’!) rip toa computer faster (less re-tries)and as we know less ripping time= more listening time! Perhapsyou could use this equation inyour sales literature?

P Weatman, Kendal

Thanks for the picture, Phil. The CDcleaner you’ve just finished is anearly incarnation of our ReVeel CDcleaner. ReVeel was originallysupplied in a bottle with a separatepad used for applying it to the disc.We moved over to the wipes thatwe now use in the late 1990s. As forwhether it’s a record or not... if anyreaders of Connected are still usingReVeel in a bottle, contact us [email protected]. JA.

Transport and DAC?If purchasing a CD-based system,which set up wouldprovide the mostaccurate / losslessdata transfer?

Option 1 consistingof a CD transport, adigital interconnect and anintegrated amplifier with a DAC.

Option 2 consisting of atraditional CD player, an analogueinterconnect and an integratedamplifier.

If the standalone CD transport inthe first option is identical to thetransport present in thetraditional CD player and the DACchip present in the integratedamplifier is also identical to theDAC present in the traditional CDplayer, this would leave the onlydifferent factor being theconnecting cable choice / datatransfer method - digital oranalogue. And let’s say Kimbertop of the range Select analogueand digital cables are used. As aresult, which “data transfer”method would provide the leastamount of information lost?

M. Farrow, by e-mail

It’s not just a question of ‘leastinformation lost’ but, ultimately,‘which sounds the best?’ If you’vefollowed our features on Russ’ssystem in past issues of Connected,you’ll know that he prefers thesound when the DAC is in the playerand not separate. His advice is –buy the best one-box CD player youcan afford and connect it to youramplifier with the very best Kimberanalogue interconnects you can. JA

Which SuperFuse first?

I’m intrigued by your new superfuses. I already use yourestablished fuses but the newones are very expensive (anychance of a multibuy offer??) andwould have to be prioritised.

It would help if you could suggestthe order in which each of thefollowing would benefit fromthem:

• Power amp (Quad 405.2, with a16-strand Kimber power cable).The Quad has its own internalanti-surge fuse– I imagine thiscompromises the benefit?

• SilencerBlock, with an 8-strandKimber power cable.

• Sky+ HD box (our main source,including for radio– we listen toradio (3) a lot).

• TV (Panasonic with a captivepower lead).

• A modest Blu-ray player (Sony)with an old YellO Power lead.(Used only occasionally.)

Want to share your experienceswith our readers? Or simply wantadvice? Write to us! We’ll publishthe best, funniest and mostinteresting in each issue ofConnected. The writer of this issue’s Star Letterreceives a Silencer, worth £52.00

Get in touch at:[email protected] or write to us at: Connected, RussAndrews Accessories, 2b MorelandCourt, Westmorland Business Park,Kendal, Cumbria, LA9 6NS, UK.

Win a Silencermains filter,worth £52.00

STARLETTERYour letters

Our original CD Cleaner

LETTERS

STARLETTER


• An elderly CD player (ArcamDelta 70, again used onlyoccasionally).

Also off the Silencer block is aPowerLink extension with itscaptive lead. This feeds a smallarray of plug top transformers fora DAC (MF X-DAC), Creek passivepre-amp, Apple TV; these don’thave [internal] fuses.

Your thoughts would beappreciated.

D. Montague, Somerset

In your case, this is the order inwhich I’d advise you to upgrade:- Sky+ HD box - TV - Power amp - SilencerBlock- PowerLink- Blu-ray player - CD player

On your power amp, the internalfuse shouldn’t compromise theperformance any more than theinternal fuses in the otherequipment. The fuses in the mainsleads are there purely to preventthe cable overheating in the caseof a fault so components havetheir own internal fuses for systemprotection. This is worth bearing inmind when choosing the right fuseratings for the cables. All ourcables are rated 13A but theothers, especially the captive leads,will needchecking.

The firstSuperFuses Iinstalled wereinto my SkyHDbox and ageing

Samsung LCD TV. I have to say I wasn’t expecting the level ofimprovement they made. It’s thefirst time the TV picture has trulylooked Hi-Def and the colours areso much more natural. Impressive.SD

A new product idea?Your website encourages us tosuggest new product ideas. Well, I’m always surprised at thedifference achieved by cleaningconnections. But I have no wayto clean my balancedinterconnect sockets (the femaleend). How about a tool like theone you have for phono sockets?

S Caufield, by e-mail.

Thanks for the email and idea.When I first found the cleaningtool, I did wonder if they did anXLR version and sadly they don’t.I’ll keep searching for a solution, sowatch this space! PB

Shining a little light on the matter

I believe that you haveinvestigated the effect ofreplacement LED light fittings onhi-fi systems and have concludedthat there should be little ornegligible effect, except perhapsfor radio receivers. However, myexperience is that some lightscan have an effect on someequipment. When I replaced myhalogen lights with LEDs in mylounge, where I mostly listen tomusic, I couldn’t discern anydegradation in sound from mymain amp. However, I also run

remote speakers in the kitchenusing an old but perfectlyserviceable Arcam Alpha r. WhenI went into the kitchen to checkthe sound I was astounded bythe distortion. Switching thelights off returned to the sweetsound I’ve been used to.

Speaking to a lighting expert inBristol it became apparent that,as with mains cables and the like,not all LED light bulbs are thesame. In fact, Matt at Ablectricstold me they sometimes haveproblems with LED lights ondifferent circuits ‘talking’ to oneanother causing problems withswitching and cabling. He soldme some very expensivereplacements which he thoughtwould help not just with the hi-fiproblem but also to give the bestcolour rendition propertiesbecause I have artwork on thewalls. Thankfully these lightscured my problems with theAlpha 7 so I’m quite relieved. It’staught me that, just as I chooseRuss Andrews products for myhi-fi, I also need to buy betterquality light fittings than you canfind at your average DIY store orsupermarket.

Rob Mellors, by e-mail.

Thanks for your feedback. Thequality can really vary betweendifferent LED lights. We use themin our dem room and we’vecertainly found some to be noisierthan others. Trouble is, it’s pot luckfinding good ones! PB

LETTERS

SuperFuses£25 each


LETTERS PROMOTION

IncreasedClarityI just had to buy a fourthClarityMains DIY modulebefore the sale finished as theaddition of the first three, one at a time to gauge performance, was nothing short of outstanding!

I fitted the first module in the mainsconditioner that feeds the digital side onmy PowerBlock. After a couple of weeksof being impressed, I did the same withmy other mains conditioner, feeding theanalogue side. Again the improvementswere obvious. I then attempted to fit thethird module inside the Pulse 2 [powersupply] that feeds the [Acoustic Precision]Eikos transport - but it looked too difficultand I chickened-out, not wishing to upsetTom Evans at some future date!

I had read that multiple modules wereeven better, so I fitted the third modulewith the first module in the (Digital side)mains conditioner. The improvementswere even better, hence why I ordered afourth module to double-up in the otherMains Conditioner.

On that note, I find it strange that myeight SuperFuses, which were an obvioussuccess from day one, actually continuedto improve quite significantly with time.The reason I find that strange is that itdemonstrates to me that Super Burn-In isnot the end of the burn-in story.

Colin Gray, by e-mail

Super Burn-In is perhaps a slightlymisleading name, in that it’s not really aburn-in process like the one that happens toa new conductor material naturally. So yes, I’m not surprised you’re hearingchanges after the process has been applied.PB

Meridian Audio are offering a FREE 90 daysubscription to TIDAL (normally £19.95 permonth), the high fidelity music streaming service,*with any new purchase of a Meridian Audioproduct. Simply order before 31st May 2015 andregister your product to receive your TIDALactivation code.

TIDAL allows you to stream music losslessly,allowing you to enjoy your music the way theartists intended. TIDAL features expertly curatededitorial recommendations, album presentations,playlists, articles, features and interviews, and, inaddition to millions of songs has over 75000 highdefinition music videos to watch and listen to.

Clarity MainsDIY - £111

FREE 90 DAYSUBSCRIPTION TO TIDAL*

Terms and ConditionsThis offer is limited to purchase of Meridian Audio speakers,streaming audio and personal audio products, audio controllers,surround processors and projectors. It is not available with thepurchase of accessories and parts. Offer expires 31st May 2015.Voucher codes can be activated until 31st October 2015.

Explorer2

Offering true high-end quality fromheadphones and earphones, theExplorer2 is a USB-powered digital toanalogue converter featuring over 30 years of Meridian’s digitalexpertise. Explorer2 is MQA-ready.Code: 4653 £199

Media Core 200This compact system can store up to 2,000 CD albums at full losslessquality. With a future softwareupdate, TIDAL will seamlesslyintegrate with Media Core 200.Code: 4536 £2000

POPULAR PRODUCTS


Keep up to date with new reviews in our news section at www.russandrews.com/news

Reviews

SuperFuse™

SuperFuseVerdict: 7/10Price: £25 eachCode: 1016Website: theaudiophileman.comDate: December 2014

X6 Block™

Another excellent review of our SuperFuses™ appears on Paul Rigby’swebsite ‘The Audiophile Man’. It makes interesting reading becausemany of the comments he makes about the improvements to soundquality relate to the overall performance of the piece. Here’s anexample: With reference to The Who’s ‘My Wife’ he says “the bassguitar, which was previously shaped by the Keith Moon drum kit, nowbecame much more recognisable as a separate instrument”.

Again, “On the Dexter Gordon jazz track, the sax, played during theearly solo, was not only larger in terms of presence but also reedier interms of tonality while the bass, centre stage, could now be heardgoing through subtle manipulations.”

It’s these kinds of improvements that really get to the heart of a piece.Having a saxophone sound more like the individual saxophone beingplayed allows you to hear more of the subtlety and meaning that theplayer is bringing to the track. And it’s these aspects that make apiece of music unique.

All in all it’s difficult to think of another product which can bring suchsignificant improvements for as little as £25...

Review by Paul Rigby - theaudiophileman.com

Russ Andrews X6 BlockVerdict: 8/10 GROOVYPrice: £349 Code: 1166Website: theaudiophileman.comDate: December 2014

Review by Paul Rigby - theaudiophileman.com

The review compares the X6 Block first with a standard white plastic high street extension and then with a competitor’s offering.

When first compared to a high street extension, the review observes that "the soundstage sprang to life with a layered complexity that immediately forced a smile”. And the improvementscontinued, especially in the musicality of the performance. The doublebass, which had been “largely absent from the basic power block” nowprovided the “rhythmic foundation” for the track. In fact, he observes,“You could hear the nuance of the plucked strings for the first time”!

Moving onto a harder test for the X6 Block, Paul compares itsperformance with a competitor’s extension block and the results werestill impressive. “In comparison, the X6 provided a superior bottom end,a greater weight and heft to lower frequencies that enabled The Whotrack [‘My Wife’] to really rock”.

In conclusion, he writes that the X6 Block “is packed with enhancingtechnologies that all add to the enhanced sound quality”. The X6 gets a 'Groovy' Award.

REVIEWS


Looking for a neat and impressive sounding streamingsystem for a second room? Ed Selley thinks Cabasse mayjust have the answer with their Stream One.

There’s certainly an impressive list of source inputs andenough to keep most of us in music for as long as wewant. The newly developed app provides a simple andconvenient way to control it all too.

The device itself can be used in a choice of positions, including fixingsfor wall mounting, so it’s easy to find a home for.

“This is a speaker that manages to sound big and powerful despite thefairly compact size... Voices and tricky instruments like cellos andtrumpets have a scale to them which smaller systems can often strugglewith. There is also no shortage of real world headroom to theperformance either and the Stream One should go plenty loud enoughfor most requirements”.

This is already a competitive area of the audio market but the Cabasse isno slouch and certainly manages to make a compelling case for itself. Ingiving the Stream One a ‘Recommended’ award, Selley suggests that “ifyou need an all-in-one for audio at a competitive price, this is a veryconvincing solution to the problem”.

Cabasse Stream One

Verdict: RECOMMENDEDPrice: £499Code: 4680Website: AVForums.comDate: January 2015

BMU1000

REVIEWS

Review by Janine Elliot - hifipig.com

Janine Elliot recently reviewed our BMU1000 Balanced Mains Unit and wasmightily impressed, stating that “this was the quickest, and effectively thecheapest, upgrade to my home audio, and when connected to my TVgave me greater colour and sharper definition to boot”. Indeed,towards the end of the review she is clear about herappreciation of the very concept of balanced mainswhen she concludes that “for me the [BMU]... is thepurest way to upgrade your Hi-Fi to how it should sound”.

Playing a variety of musical genres via the BMU, Janinefound some quite dramatic changes in the performance thatbought out new layers to the music and more coherence to the overallpresentation. Talking of the track ‘Harpnosis’ from the album ‘MasterpieceGuitars’, she observes that “A myriad of plucked instruments from aroundthe globe knitted together with clarity and authority ... where in othersystems the track could be a traffic jam mishmash of unconnected noises”.

A worthwhile investment then? “You’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner”.

Russ Andrews BMU1000Verdict: 8.5/10 RECOMMENDEDCode: 1194Price: £1599Website: hifipig.comDate: January 2015

Cabasse Stream One

Review by Ed Selleyfor AVForums.com

To find out more and to buyCabasse Stream One go towww.russandrews.com/cabasse

REVIEWS

Kimber Select KS-6068 speaker cables andKS-1036 & KS-1136 analogue interconnects

Review by Neil Gader for The Absolute Sound

US Hi-Fi magazine The Absolute Sound (sistermagazine to our Hi-Fi+ magazine) features adetailed review of Kimber’s range topping cables.Not surprisingly, these don’t come cheap (from£20469 for the KS-6068 speaker cable) so for thelucky few who can afford them, are they worth theinvestment?

It goes without saying that thesecables deserve a true high-endsystem to allow them to showtheir true worth because at thislevel they are going to show upany imperfection. The flip side ofthis is that they also allow a topflight set-up to really show its(often hidden) depths: “It’s here,in the company of a finely tunedaudio system, that the KimberSelect settles into such a naturaland organic relationship with themusic that you forget about theeffort that went into designingand building these wires, forget that you’re evenlistening to a system, even forget the hole stillsmoking in your wallet”!

Unlike some cables, one of the key characteristicsof the Kimber is its ability to convey the audiosignal in a highly neutral manner, so there’snever any worry that it will radically alterthe overall character of your system.As Neil Gader, reviewing, says:“whether your audio rig isstrictly grain-freephotorealistic or gauzilyimpressionistic, that’swhat Kimber is goingto give you inreturn”, andcontinues byobserving that“sonically the KSachieves a level of

intimacy and low-level resolution that’s almostembarrassing in its nakedness”.

In the right level of system, this ability to allow thetrue performance of the components to showthrough has a startling effect that “would compeleven the most OCD listener to drop whatever he’sdoing or thinking of doing and just sit still and

listen”. Listening to various genres ofmusic, the effect is just the same; a farmore intimate relationship withwhat’s being conveyed by the artistand a depth of insight that’sbreathtaking.

So just how good are these cables inrelation to similar offerings? On thisquestion, Gader is clear: “By anybenchmark that I’m aware of theKimber Select series 6000 is assonically breathtaking as is its pricetag. For the life of me I can’t think ofanother top-tier cable that has evercompelled me to listen quite as deeply

as I was able to with these wires. On the one handit’ll expose every weakness in a system. But on theother, it will also permit an otherwise excellentsystem to realize a whole new level of resolutionand musicality... My highest recommendation”.

“For the life of me I can’t think ofanother top-tiercable that has evercompelled me tolisten quite asdeeply as I wasable to with these wires.”

Kimber Select 6068 speaker cablePrice: £20,469 for 2.5mCode: 3378Magazine: The Absolute SoundIssue: March 2015



ReVive®

ReVive record cleaning fluid

Price: £16Code: 5067Magazine: Hi-Fi WorldIssue: Jan 2015

REVIEWS

"I still use my acoustic gramophone, aswell as the hi-fis and radiogram, for my78s. The enjoyment of a pre-dinner glassof wine in the garden in Summer, withfriends and a few choice records on agramophone are one of the simplepleasures in life that should be indulged" Tony Bolton

We were sorry to hear of the death of long-time Hi-FiWorld contributor and reviewer Tony Bolton at the alltoo young age of 50. Tony was diagnosed with cancerjust a few weeks before Christmas and sadly passedaway on the 27th December 2014, a short time afterstarting treatment.

His contribution to the industry, especially his down toearth approach and extensive knowledge of analoguerecording and playback, will be greatly missed. Ourcondolences go out to his family and colleagues at Hi-Fi World.

Tony Bolton 1964 - 2014

In Hi-Fi World’s January edition (out for Christmas) theyasked some of their contributors to recommend items fortheir Christmas Wishes and Tony Bolton – described astheir ‘resident vinylista’ – chose our ReVive recordcleaning fluid.

“I have used this fluid in both the bath type of recordcleaner (Disco Antistat) and the vacuum type of cleaningmachine and have found that it gives excellent results inboth environments”. He notes that, because the formuladoesn’t contain alcohol, it’s flexible too, and can be usedon both vinyl and shellac albums. But what aboutperformance? “It is effective and affordable”. Well, youcouldn’t ask for more!

Review by Tony Bolton - Hi-Fi World


Terms and Conditions1. The closing day for entries is 27th April 2015 and the winners will be notified by 8th May 2015; 2. The rules of entry are given in the text of the competition; 3. No purchase necessary to enter; 4. There is one prize of a 0.75m Kimber HD-09e HDMI cable, picked at random from the correctentries; 5.The prize is not transferable, cannot be exchanged for cash nor will a cash alternative beoffered; 6. Our decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into; 7. We reserve the right tofeature photographs and the names and counties of all entrants in future publications andpublicity; 8. This promotion is not open to employees of Russ Andrews Accessories or their families,or anyone connected with the promotion; 9. The promoter is Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2bMoreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal, LA9 6NS, UK.

Congratulations to: Stephen Crowe, PeterRichardson, Victor Kerfoot and RogerBrooks who were picked at random fromthe correct entries from the last issue ofConnected‘s wordsearch competition. They all win a SuperFuse.

Congratulations!

Across3. The quality of a note or sound - also a Kimber interconnect! (6)4. The standard design for digital electric cables (7)9. The ‘U’ in USB (9)10. ‘With’ Jools Holland on BBC2 (5)12. Our unique support system (7)14. Effective noise reduction in interconnects and mains supply (8)16. Our top surge protection (9)21. John Coltrane’s 1965 masterpiece (1,4,7)22. The ‘king’ would have been 80 this year (5)23. Our Home Trial on standard cables is ..... days (5)24. Manufacturer of Portable DAC supporting MQA (8,5)

1 2

4

98

11

7

13

16

5 6

17

19

21

14

20

24

18

15

10

3

12

23

22

Down1. Quieten mains noise with this filter (8)2. Ray’s Kable (6)5. Shared by Beach Boy Brian and Kaiser’s ‘Voice’ Ricky (6)6. Berliner Philharmoniker’s Simon (6)7. For best TV pictures, do this (9)8. Flautist James (6)11. Eyepiece or speaker cable? (7)13. Our core range of woven mains cable (9)15. Dalton’s ... (13)17. 30 years ago her album ‘Hounds of Love’ topped the charts (4,4)18. Mains, 4, 8 and Pro (7)19. Of the ‘Machine’ and ‘Magic Roundabout’ fame (8)20. Kimber’s range topping cables (6)

a 0.75m KimberHD-09e worth £37

WIN

COMPETITION

Send your completed crosswords to reach us by 27th April 2015 and one lucky person,picked at random from the correct entries, will win a 0.75m HD09e HDMI cable. Post them to: Crossword Competition, Russ Andrews Accessories, 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal, LA9 6NS.Tip! All answers can be found in Connected, our catalogue and our Facebook page.

Crossword Time!

Mail Order Direct • 60 Day Home Trial • Cable Upgrade Scheme • Free Delivery (orders over £100 within UK Mainland)

Buy online at www.russandrews.comCall UK Orderline 01539 797300 Int Tel +44 (0)1539 797300

Exclusive UK distributor

Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd, 2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park, Shap Road, Kendal LA9 6NS, UK.

Return address: Russ Andrews Accessories Ltd,2b Moreland Court, Westmorland Business Park,Shap Road, Kendal LA9 6NS, UK.

Customer ReferenceNumber Code

Try one now in your own system from only £71.10 (was £79)

SAVE 10%until

22nd April 2015

Upgrade your wall socketsVery high pressurecontact terminals

Single and doublefaceplates are a straightswap for existing singleand double sockets

ULTRASOCKET™ Order Code: 1901 WAS NOWSINGLE FACEPLATE £79.00 £71.10 DOUBLE FACEPLATE £89.00 £80.10DOUBLE FACEPLATE WITH EARTH £99.00 £89.10

Hi-Fi Choice Aug ’12

RECOMMENDED

Sockets are BS1363certified and high impactand fire resistant for yourpeace of mind

Nickel platedearthconnection

DCT and DeoxIT treated“instruments sound distinctly more real...the music is clearly more engaging."HiFi Choice August 2012

“Cleaner, slightly drier, and altogethermore natural sound issued forth, withquite a significant enhancement to theprecision and size of the soundstage.”B Parsons, Slough

connected 30

Documents