Testimonials and Reviews About VooDoo Cable Products
VooDoo Stradivarius Amati Edition Interconnects
Spellbinding
Neil Gader – The Absolute Sound – Issue #312
VooDoo Cable is an Oakland, California, cable and accessories manufacturer. VooDoo’s work is largely custom-made from raw materials in its factory to client specification for length and termination—in contrast with a number of wire companies that prepackage many of their cable offerings Underscoring that personal commitment, VooDoo points out that its finished products are “not made from bulk wire that has been extruded, spooled, and printed by a cable fabricator somewhere in Asia.” In recent years, I’ve reviewed an assortment of VooDoo’s power cords and accessories (like the highly effective IsoPods), and have always come away impressed with their build-quality, finish, and sonic refinement. However, this is the first time I’ve weighed in on VooDoo audio cables—more specifically, its interconnects. Why interconnects? Very simply, my own reference system took a distinct turn when I opted for ATC SCM50 active loudspeakers, essentially eliminating the need for wires to link the traditional amp to the speaker. With this set of cabling out of the picture, interconnects (from a preamp) have assumed an even more critical role.
When I received word of VooDoo’s latest Stradivarius series cables, and specifically its Amati Edition interconnects, I was intrigued by how they might perform in my setup— the aforementioned ATCs driven by a Pass Labs XP12 preamp with a dCS Bartók streaming DAC as the source component. Amati uses conductors made of continuous-cast, pure-silver Litz wire and of solid-core, single-crystal silver and copper. These conductors are encapsulated in oil-impregnated silk with an air-core Teflon dielectric that is balanced for inductance and capacitance. A concentric shield of silver-plated copper-braid blocks EMI and RFI. The balanced version is terminated with rhodium-over-silver- plated tellurium-copper XLR connectors. All cables are also treated to VooDoo’s computer-calibrated liquid nitrogen cryogenic process at –315 degrees Fahrenheit, which is said to “re-align and fuse the molecular structure of the conductive metals and alloys”—a process that minimizes break-in time. A tony hard-shell case is included, as is the certification of authenticity and serial number. Construction quality is top rate, as I’ve come to expect from VooDoo products.
To paraphrase an old television commercial, “with a name like Stradivarius Amati it has to be good.”
Putting it mildly, it is, indeed. From top to bottom, Amati delivers a full-bodied, ripe, and colorfully Amati delivers a full bodied, ripe, and colorfully detailed bounty of musicality. Tonally, it plays it straight down the middle with no obvious frequency hiccups. It had a forward-leaning character that lends soloists and vocals energy and presence. Nothing is recessive or laid back here. On a scale of warm-to cool, Amati tilts ever so slightly to the cooler range—a subtle trait perceivable during high-drive wind or brass passages or upper- octave violin solos.
In passages from Nickel Creek’s This Side, and Alison Krauss’ A Hundred Miles or More, the interconnects demonstrated a low-level resolution that brought forth a shower of details from acoustic string instruments—the snap of a five-string banjo, the ring of octave strings from a 12-string guitar, the buzzy drone of a dulcimer, the hummingbird-like resonances of bluegrass mandolin. Vocals were smooth, with a sibilance range that was clean and quick, filled with natural expressiveness rather than overly etched attacks. Vocal harmonies were resolved with stunning clarity, as in Ricki Lee Jones and Lyle Lovett’s gentle duet “North Dakota” from Joshua Judges Ruth. Her accompaniment is so quietly sung as to be almost subliminal, but these cables clung to her every breath and phrase. In its combination of broad micro and macrodynamics and timbral and tactile detail Amati was an absolute standout detail Amati was an absolute standout.
Of particular note was its midrange and lower midrange eloquence—a quality that brought to life the deep voices and trailing resonances of cello, bass viol, and bassoon, or the throaty bloom of tenor sax. Bass response was equally outstanding. I relished listening to Leonard Cohen’s dark tremulous vocals on
Old Ideas, or the bouncy acoustic bass intro to Harry Connick, Jr’s rendition of “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” from We Are in Love. Generally speaking, bass response not only seemed to extend a bit deeper than my previous reference, but pitch also remained rock-steady and focused, well into a sustained decay. And I had to pick my jaw up off the floor as I listened to the thunderous bass drum from the Wilson Audio recording of “Liberty Fanfare” from Winds of War and Peace. From the instant the mallet struck the drum skin to the final flare and flutter and resonance of decay, I sat immobilized by the power and grandeur of the sound.
During Mary Stallings’ “Sunday Kind Of Love” from her performance Live At The Village Vanguard, images were accorded a natural sense of spaciousness that conjured up the energy and immersive ambience of the cabaret, of artist and audience intimacy, of tables and chairs of clinking cocktail glasses and stemware and chairs, of clinking cocktail glasses and stemware, of individual images given ample room on the soundstage. Whether it was the space between musicians in a symphony hall or a lack of smearing of individual notes on a piano or violin, Amati vividly portrayed the aura of air between the notes and during pauses. The orchestral soundstage from Vaughn-Williams’ The Wasps Overture was expansively wide, and the well-lit soundstage revealed enough low-level reverberation to suggest the volume of the hall. String section layering was indicated although not fully defined in terms of row-byrow precision—a front-to-back foreshortening perhaps attributable to the hint of forward character in the Amati. Sonically, very little slips past Amati, but even in its excellence there’s always some room for modest improvement. To my ear it doesn’t always have the treble air and lift that flesh out instrumental images, disentangle instrumental layers, or fully unspool spatial landscapes.
My listening bias leans toward greater warmth and bloom, and wider contrasts of tonal color—qualities that my reference interconnect, Analysis Plus Golden Micro, provides in abundance. But the Analysis Plus wires are also much pricier. No component in a high-end system exists in isolation. System synergy is what we seek—like links isolation. System synergy is what we seek like links in a chain, each individual component fuses with the next to form a whole that is greater than the sum of the parts. When it comes to purchases, there is also proportionality—understanding where to allocate resources to derive the most musical bang for the buck. In my mind cables play a unique part, not as leading players but as supporting ones. They don’t define the character or voice of a high-performance system; rather, they refine and underscore its presentation.
I think it’s fair to say that VooDoo’s latest cast a spell on me. I won’t opine on how much you should spend on cables (that’s your call), but I will suggest that at $2200 a meter the VooDoo Stradivarius Amati buys you an awful lot in today’s interconnect market. It hit high marks in nearly every criteria with no glaring weaknesses, knocking on the door of some of the best cabling out there.
Infinity Power, Infinity Digital, Air Spectra Powercords
Neil Gader – The Absolute Sound – Issue #284
“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in” (Michael Corleone: Godfather Part III).
Yes, of course I’m talking about AC power cords. Truth be told, except for my current long-term references I have turned a mostly blind eye to them. But when I began listening to active loudspeakers like the Golden Ear Award-winning ATC SCM19A (each requiring its own power cord), I felt that old familiar tug of curiosity. Fact is, it’s tough to get any two enthusiasts to agree on why power cords do what they do. And then there are the doubters that dismiss the whole segment as nothing more than voodoo.
And then, poof, as if by magic, I was assigned to review some power cords made by, you guessed it, VooDoo Cable. The California-based wire and accessories company supplied a threesome of its latest creations, the Infinity Power, Infinity Digital, and the Air Spectra power cords.
The Infinity Power is a high-current design for amp and power conditioners. It sports eight-gauge AWG high-purity silver-plated copper conductors, individually insulated in a Teflon dielectric. Infinity Digital is the low-noise version for digital sources and preamps. It uses finer ten-gauge AWG high-purity silver-plated copper conductors. Connectors are PowerPhase gold-plated tellurium copper.
The upscale Air Spectra is designed for use with digital sources. It employs eight-gauge AWG high-purity Cryo-Alloy conductors (stranded and solid-core copper, solid-core silver, silver-plated copper, and a propriety alloy) Connectors are PowerPhase rhodium over silver-plated tellurium copper.
For EMI/RFI protection, all of the power cords are shielded with heavy-gauge tinned copper braiding and double layers of abrasion-resistant nylon and polyethylene mesh. VooDoo uses its own cryogenic process to treat each cable at -315o Fahrenheit to structurally align and fuse the molecular structure of the conductors. My general impression of these flexible, handsome cables is one of durability and quality.
To begin, I removed my current reference Audience Au24SX power cords, and refamiliarized myself with the original equipment cords. Besides the ATC actives, the components involved were the dCS Puccini CD player and Pass Labs XP-12 preamp (review forthcoming). Four AC cords in all. Vague was the word that came to mind after I switched to the stock cords. Music had retreated behind a thin opaque veil—a little like looking through a lens coated with very thin layer of Vaseline. Images were less rooted, ambient space a bit scrambled. More telling were artifacts that suggested a chafe of fine grain around the edges of vocals or the punchy brass solo during “Autumn Leaves” from the Manhattan Jazz Quintet. Plus, there was a hint of peakiness when voices or solo instruments increased in volume.
Swapping the standard power cords and going full VooDoo was a little like squeegeeing the windows and grabbing a dustbuster. The impression of images sounding pinched or constricted was largely reduced. The interplay between musicians, orchestral sections, and the ambient space between sections grew just a little more open and layered. With Air Spectra, even more so.
Compared with the reference, the Voodoo power cords had a very slight forwardness that tended to close the distance between the stage and the listener. They also had a cooler overall tonal character, not laid-back or overly dry but leaning toward a more clinical and precise interpretation of the music. Transients were quick and dynamics very good. Bass response overall was well extended, controlled, and exact in timbre. Instruments with deep resonant signatures, like pianos and bass viols, were full bodied but not bloated.
As I listened to Peter, Paul & Mary’s classic In The Wind (an exceptional SACD remastering from Steve Hoffman), I was reminded of how much low-level complexity resides in this minimalist analog recording. As if breathing as one, their talent to control, blend, and balance precision harmonies is still a thing to admire, fifty years later. With the Voodoo cords in the system I was able to contemplate each singer’s work and appreciate their artistry individually, as well as a cohesive trio. During “All My Trails” for example, Mary Travers doesn’t approach a note or “glide” into it, rather she hits it straight on and in perfect pitch. It’s also easy to hear how the threesome soften their distinctive vibratos so that sustained harmonies remain tonally clean and in synch. “Blowin’ In The Wind” was another prime example of how they modulated their volume to suit the lyric’s emotional content.
My key takeaway from using the VooDoo AC cords was the return to concise and believable spatial orientation. It was not just a matter of being able to pick out instruments in the orchestra either—they also needed to be joined together and stably imaged within acoustic space. When I played selections from Tchaikovsky, Saint-Saëns, Bruch with cellist Pieter Wispelwey, the stock AC cords delivered a somewhat phase-shifted performance where placement and dimensionality were indistinct. Voodoo seemed to settle and relax the presentation, restoring stable imaging and the hall sound. It resolved layers and depth that had been flattened by the stock power cords. One other note: If you’re going to change AC cords incrementally, I found replacing the amp cords provides better initial bang for the buck.
The sonic divide between original equipment AC power cords, medium-priced upgrades, and state-of-the-art has, um… tightened. It’s easy to overstate what power cords can achieve. They’re highly system dependent, plus the quality of the AC outlets, home-wiring, and even the neighborhood power utility can impact the final result. However, power cords remain yet another piece of the puzzle in a hobby where everything is consequential, where minutiae is revered and even the smallest piece can add up to something ultimately magical. Which, as I discovered, is precisely what adding a little VooDoo can do.
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”VooDoo Iso-Pod Isolation System – Neil Gader – The Absolute Sound, Issue #264″]
That Voodoo That You Do So Well
Hiding beneath almost every high-end component is one of its most unsung heroes: footers. Their importance to audio performance is well recognized, yet with the exception of a few manufacturers (typically high up in the food chain), most have pretty much yielded this segment to aftermarket specialty “tuners.” Thus we find isolation footers arriving in all shapes and sizes, materials and technological compositions. There are discs, cones, pads, points, pucks, and pods, but whatever configuration, the mission is by and large the same. By using principles of decoupling and mass-loading, acoustic (airborne) and internal mechanical resonances are reduced—with the excess energy removed through heat dissipation. Few of us are complete strangers to these devices but I needed to crank up the old Way-Back machine to recall my first encounter with isolation appliances. And I mean all the way back to The Mod Squad’s Tiptoes, the Steve McCormack-designed, pointy aluminum cones that transformed the sound of a pair of small, loose, and lively AudioPro subwoofers I was using in the 1980s. Bass performance firmed up immediately; pitch became more tuneful and extension tighter and more dynamic. Most footers today owe a debt of gratitude to isolation pioneers such as McCormack and his Tiptoes. (Today, see SMc Audio and McCormack Audio for more information.)
Which brings us to the Iso-Pod Isolation system from VooDoo Cable (a company whose fine power cords I’ve reviewed in the past.) Based in Oakland, California, VooDoo uses a slightly different formula to achieve isolation goals. Outwardly the Iso-Pods look like innocent, circular discs. Their flat, felt covered surface makes them very stable beneath a component. But inside, things get more interesting. Each Iso-Pod is actually a pair of CNC-machined aerospace alloy discs that are suspended from within by three small zirconium ball bearings that rest in tiny individual dimples. Like a ball-bearing sandwich, the assembly is held together by powerful opposing magnets centered in each disc. Iso-Pods ship in combinations of three or four discs. For this evaluation I placed three Iso-Pods beneath the superb MBL C51 integrated amp (Issue 243) and the Parasound JC 3+ phono stage (Issue 245). These components don’t lack for quality factory isolation footers, but the addition of the Iso-Pods was still transformational in multiple ways. For example, during Vaughan Williams’ The Wasps Overture [RCA], the busy wind and string sections represent the swirling activity of the hive. Immediately notable was greater buoyancy around each note—no less intense than I’d heard previously, but with an additional airiness and lift to the sound that was both sweeter and less astringent. The articulation of the concert harp displayed improved inner detail—easily buried in this performance, it also emerged in its own atmospheric pocket with each string pluck clearly articulated and stable in space. Turning to Mobile Fidelity’s recently released and outstanding 45RPM vinyl set of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue [Columbia], the Iso-Pods removed the fine dusting and smear from images, and sharpened focus. I noted a firmer, more intelligible bass line, and finer volume gradations from Bill Evans’ piano playing alongside Coltrane’s tenor sax. The ’Pods created a more lively sense of light and rhythm from the drum kit. Reversing course and removing the Iso-Pods left the same tracks a bit drained of atmosphere and air. The presentation was less cohesive, micro-dynamics were flatter and less involving.
VooDoo Iso-Pods are among the easiest and most effective products that I’ve come across to increase resolution and extract detail. They are reasonably priced, nicely finished, and for this reviewer are staying right where they are. A worthy accessory for the “tuner” in all of us.
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Electra and Black Diamond Powercord – Neil Gader – The Absolute Sound – Issue #245″]
The Voodoo Cable Electra and Black Diamond occupy the midpoint in an extensive line of power cords. Black Diamond is recommended for solid-state and tube power amps, whereas Electra is suggested for source components and preamps. Voodoo reports that the primary difference between the two is tonal balance and harmonic resolution. It states that “while the Black Diamond offers a clean ‘dead neutral’ tonal balance, the Electra offers higher harmonic resolution that reveals subtle musical detail and micro-dynamics.
The winding of Black Diamond is an #8 AWG concentric lay of twelve discrete conductors made of solid-core silver, solid-core copper, and stranded silver-plated copper, all hand-threaded and wound in Teflon dielectric. Electra’s winding is similar to the Black Diamond, but with the addition of hand-wound copper and silver Litz conductors in a heavier-gauge Teflon dielectric for lower noise and increased harmonic resolution. Both power cords are shielded with heavy-gauge copper braid and terminated with rhodium-plated tellurium-copper IEC and AC connectors. All the conductive materials and components have been treated in Voodoo’s Cold Fusion cryogenic system—both vapor and deep-immersion cryogenic processes, depending on the part or alloy to be treated. The process is said to structurally align and fuse the molecular bonds of the conductive alloys for significantly less resistance, leading to improved performance.
The Voodoo combo conveys a more midrangy character, with good extension at the frequency extremes, a drier top but with an emphasis on the wider acoustic environment of the venue rather than specific and isolated images. To my ear this is often the way real music sounds. Certainly image definition and focus is very good, just not overly individuated—a trait I noted during the Ricki Lee Jones’ track “I’ll Be Seeing You” where the clarinet, classical guitar, and acoustic bass seemed bathed in a warmer, more diffuse ambient atmosphere. In the case of orchestral music, the musicians assume positions on stage but don’t so much stand apart from the orchestra as become fully integrated within it and the ambient space that surrounds the performers.
Low-level detailing and transient textures were very persuasive. So much so that during the “Nublado” track the Voodoo tandem captured the low-level cymbal cues without smearing the finely grained metallic timbre of the instrument. Plus the delicate bell cues that ring forth at the four-minute mark were startlingly clean and sustained. During Holly Cole’s cover of “I Can See Clearly” the Voodoo pair reproduced the punch and rhythmic pace of the opening bass vamp with assurance, and Cole’s torchy delivery had all the texture and come-hither nuance I’ve come to expect from this track.
In soundstaging, these cords reproduced the lush ambient space and immersive qualities of the Rutter Requiem although, again, they didn’t quite illuminate individual choristers quite as clearly as the reference. As an aside, and in light of its strong performance driving the Parasound JC 3+ phonostage (review this issue), I found the Electra the more musically open and revealing power cord of the two that Voodoo supplied.
Conclusion: Balanced and immersive big-buck performance for half the price of the Big Boys.
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Ultra Wave and Vector Powercords – Neil Gader – The Absolute Sound, Issue #245″]
Voodoo specifies the Ultra Wave for analog power and the Vector Dragon for digital front ends. Since both were within the survey’s price cap and would likely be offered to customers in this configuration we tried both. The Voodoos were high-output cords with a forward sound and hint of a darker tonality that placed Peter Wispelwhey’s cello nearer the edge of the stage than in a mid-stage central pocket. In that vein orchestral layering and soundstage cues were well defined, but I found the soundstage a hint narrower and not quite as immersive or as dimensional as the survey reference. Occasionally on a track like Jennifer Warnes’ “If It Be Your Will,” bass could sound slightly overripe and the vocal less rooted, but overall this was a very well integrated performer with music always sounding like one-of-a-piece. More impressive was its reproduction of tracks from Clark Terry’s One On One and the soundtrack to Good Night and Good Luck where transient energy and speed are key elements that really pace the percussion and rhythm sections and impart a realism and liveliness to this pure acoustic music. The track “Misty” produced a gorgeous piano sound that was both warm and naturalistic—dynamic rather than hard or icy. The VooDoos captured the player’s touch—a feat that made it a near match for the survey reference in micro-dynamics. Add to that a sumptuous low end and the net result was a visceral performance filled with many satisfying qualities.
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Black Diamond Dragon Powercord – Sam Ho, Editor – Hi-Fi Review”] “I’m using the Black Diamond Dragon powercord to connect Hegel H4A MKII power amp to drive the Kef Reference 207/2s, the Platinum Dragon powercord to connect Einstein The Source tube CD Player. All I can say is this is the best sound that I’ve ever heard at home in the past 30+ years. ” Thank you, Bruce!
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Ultralinear Interconnect and Speaker Cable – Tim Shea – SoundStage!”] “I am often asked for recommendations on interconnects and speaker cables, but such recommendations are hard to give because a cable can sound so different in various systems. Other than for an absolute detail fanatic, I would have to put the Ultralinear interconnects near or at the top of my recommendation pile at their price and performance points. Their ability to communicate music with a level of refinement that will likely not allow it to offend anyone makes it a very safe and confident bet for a wide range of tastes and systems. The Ultralinear cables are such a hands-off affair that a recommendation would need to carry the asterisk stating that you better be willing to hear every last thing your system is doing, and some people will end up not wanting that even if they currently think they do.
The VooDoo Cable Ultralinear interconnects and speaker cables offer something truly different and special, given their cryogenic treatment, overall workmanship, attention to detail, and excellent all-around performance. They are products that deliver the sonic goods along with a good helping of pride of ownership, both at a very reasonable price, relatively speaking. Once you’ve got your listening room squared away, I recommend finding out if VooDoo Ultralinear cables can create some magic in your system.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Evolution Speaker Cables – Ed Morawski, Positive Feedback”]
I was very, very impressed with the Evolution Speaker Cables. They are attractive, well made, and a cut above any other cables in their price range. Most of all, they sound fantastic! I never knew my system could sound this good. – Ed Morawski, Positive Feedback
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Black Dragon II Powercord – Blindjim – Audiogon member”]
Supple, flexible, reasonable in price, musical in context, Voodoo Cable LLC has a versatile overachiever in moderately costing power cord with the Black Dragon II. Try one, or two. I recommend it highly. Once you get one, it’s hard to let go of it. Maybe it’s the voodoo in the VooDoo, I don’t know for sure, but there is sure something going on with these power cables mr. Richardson is making.
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Tesla 2 and Gold Dragon Powercords – Anthony K. – Oklahoma City”]
“I’d always been skeptical of a power cord being able to make a substantive, audible difference commensurate with the monetary investment. I’m now a believer after hearing the Telsa 2 and Gold Dragon. I’m tempted to cut them open to discern what makes them tick. True to your word, these PCs are ‘jaw-dropping.’ Immediately I heard an unmistakable audible improvement in clarity, crispness and tightening of instruments, especially those producing bass and high frequencies. Most noticeable, though, is the vastly more expansive soundstage and the holographic imaging. I’ve heard sounds and instruments I didn’t hear before. The definition is breathtaking. Listener fatigue has been rendered negligible. And there’s quiet and air. Since plugging in the Tesla 2 and Gold Dragon, it seems that I don’t have to turn the volume up as much as I used to in order to achieve my desired listening level. Also, the Rotel 1090 seems to be running much cooler. Previously, the internal protection circuitry would shut the amp down when it got too hot. It so far hasn’t done that with the Tesla 2 plugged into it. I don’t understand precisely what it is you’ve done, but it clearly works. These things wring every last sonic authenticity they can out my amp and CD transport. My hat’s off to you for a remarkable technological accomplishment.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Gold Dragon Powercord – Martin Dewulf, Publisher – Bound for Sound #147″] “Most noticeable was the expanse of the sound stage, replacing the Top Gun SLVR power cord with the VooDoo Gold Dragon resulted in an immediate increase in height, width, and depth. The sense of looking into the music was also heightened. These positives were especially noticeable when the VooDoo was used in conjunction with the PS Audio Ultimate Outlet. Nice job VooDoo.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Ultralinear Interconnect – Chris V. – Coral Gables FL”]
“I listened to the Ultralinear balanced interconnect until late that evening. The next morning I plugged in the Siltech Compass Lake interconnects which as you probably know retail for around $9K a pair. I listened to the Siltechs for a couple of hours and then switched back to the Ultralinears. Well, rock my world!!! The Ultralinears were just as smooth and detailed, just as musical and dynamic as the Siltechs. I really couldn’t tell any difference between your cables and the Siltechs.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Gold Dragon Powercord – Tiffany N. – Long Beach CA”]
“I’ve been meaning to write to you sooner to let you know that your cables are AWESOME!
I have your Gold Dragon powering my Musical Fidelity A308 CD and your Silver Reference interconnect between my Cary SLP 98L & the Rocket 88R. With everything else remains the same, this combination gives me the biggest & deepest sound stage with great transparency and mesmerizing mid-range. These cables are definitely here to stay. Your Gold Dragon is comparable to the Shunyata Python (orig.) and the Silver Reference is comparable to the Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II. One definitely gets big bang for your bucks with VooDoo cables.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Black Dragon Powercord – Big Jim – Tampa FL”]
“The power cords have only been in my system for a few hours, but the Black Dragons in my (BAT) VK-500 did the trick. There’s more detail and better highs than with the Shunyata Anacondas. The Silver Dragon in the (Sony XA-) 777ES sounds as good if not better than the Shunyata Python VX. And both at a third of the price! I am truly shocked but in a nice way.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Ultralinear Interconnect – Andrew P. – Evanston IL”]
“Listening to the Patricia Barber ‘Companion’ SACD the differences between the AZ (Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II) and Ultralinear [interconnect] were not so subtle. The first improvement I noticed [with the Ultralinear] was the highs were incredibly smooth and transparent. I’ve probably heard this disc a thousand times but it honestly never sounded
so good. Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll be back for more VooDoo.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Ultralinear Speaker Cable and Tesla Powercord – Sadjat K. – Stamford CT”]
“I’m very impressed with the Ultralinear speaker cables and Telsa power cords. I had come to accept the warmth of the Cardas Golden Reference as neutral with my Eggleston Andreas. The Cardas helped to mask some of the harshness of older CDs, but I suspected I was not hearing all that was possible on SACD and DVD-A. When I hooked up the Ultralinear cables it was like someone opened all the windows and let in the light. Very transparent, very dynamic and refreshing. They’re still breaking in, but I assume they will sound even better in the coming weeks. The Tesla power cords are also an upgrade from the Shunyata cords I was using with my McIntosh 500 mono blocks. The Teslas are very detailed and spacious sounding and much more flexible than I thought they would be.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Reference RGB Interconnect – Andrew T. – New York NY”]
“I received the [VooDoo Reference RGB Component Video] cable last evening and BOY it does make a huge difference on my plasma- even in the most subtle ways. I am amazed at the improvement in the color and detail. The blacks are totally black and whites are really white- the difference from the old RGB cable in flesh tones and the nuances of facial expressions are like night and day.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Black Dragon Powercord – Len B. – St Catherines, Ontario”]
“Well, after much testing your Black Dragon has become victorious. A Shunyata Copperhead 20A became available at the same time I purchased your PC. So it has been a head to head test with both PC’s into the Hydra 4. I will be keeping the VooDoo Black Dragon as well as the adapter, and I just posted the Copperhead 20A for sale on Audiogon minutes ago.
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Silver Reference Interconnect – Frankie K. – Hong Kong”]
“The most salient feature of the VooDoo Silver Reference Interconnect Cable is its transparency. When I first installed the Silver Reference on my system, between the CD player and the pre-amp, I was surprised by the lack of ‘metallic sound’ that is often associated with silver cables. These cables provide ample fullness and slam to bass notes, throatiness and fullness to the midrange, and clarity to high notes.
“The VooDoo Reference Digital Cable is very well constructed using the best parts. The sound is very well balanced from top to bottom without any digital glare or bass loss. Very smooth especially compared to my ‘Kimber Select’ which at times can sound harsh. The VooDoo Reference Digital has been the best digital cable that I have tried to date. I am enjoying this cable very much and highly recommended it.
“Finally, I put the two Gold Dragon Powercords on my Jeff-Rowland mono-block power amps. Music has a smoother, more natural sense of flow, and the sound of the music took on more body, more color, and more physical realism with VooDoo powercord. Highly recommended, and there you go! Thanks Bruce.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=” Gold Dragon Powercord – Jerry aka Vader007 – Audiogon member”]
“Bruce is the deal! VooDoo power cords are great! I have the Black Dragon and the Gold Dragon. Great build quality and great sound. They reside in my system with Elrod signatures and Shunyata power cords. They are that good. I was very surprised!”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Silver Reference Interconnect – Mark Y. – Hanover MD”]
“I recently purchased a pair of your SIlver Reference XLR IC’s and just luv-em. In a head 2 head comparison with Kimber KCAG, Nordost Red Dawn and a host of other online vendors your cables really stood out for their transparency, speed, top to bottom control and separation. Thank you.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Silver Reference Interconnect – Chris N. – San Francisco CA”]
“Right out of the box, the Silver Reference I/C made its impact felt. They were ultra quiet and let the music flow easily. Note after note poured forth with absolute clarity. Every detail was heard in proper perspective although at the cost of being slightly analytical. Nice height and depth with intense focus and imaging though perhaps not pinpoint accuracy. There’s no roll-off of treble here! I simply dislike a rolled-off treble. During performing arts seasons, I attend many concerts. I did not hear rolled-off treble there so why should I put up with less? The interconnects did not take long to “initially” burn-in. At the 40-hours mark, they became more even and stayed on this plateau for a 40-hours period. Then suddenly, their sonic characters thinned out a bit (almost lifeless) for another 40 hours or less. This took me by surprise. Luckily, they turn a corner at approximately the 120-hours mark and remained in this “true” state since. Once thoroughly burned-in, their slightly analytical character went away to reveal an alluring and involving character. Depth increased (almost doubled) along with width that went beyond the speakers and walls.
I have an Opus 3 Test Disc 4.1 that contains many wonderful tracks. With all other cables, the banjo sound in one particular jazz track collapsed completely to the left speaker.
Quite annoying! With the Silver Reference in place, the banjo was freed from hostage and allowed to leap slightly forward and outside the left speaker. I guess this is why this disc is called a test disc for imaging and timbre! A similar effect happened on another track, this time with the voice nudged more towards the center stage instead of being recessed (and undefined) to the right speaker as before. The Silver Reference pulled you into their sound world and invited you to listen to the music instead. Forget about planning long chores inside the house. You will lose some of this intended time to plopping yourself in your sofa “day-dreaming” or whatever it is you usually do when listening to music. Finally, they offer amazing bass although never artificially pronounced. Gustav Mahler’s Das Lied Von Der Erde and the soundtracks to Mission and Gods and Monsters are three good examples. Many times, I was awed at the bass I heard. Recording after recording reveals ambient information I haven’t heard before. I believe it is the availability of the bass information and presentation that allows the ambience (e.g. recording venue) to come through and become easily recognizable. You are simply transported. No let me correct. The recording venue is actually transported to your room.
The Silver Reference Interconnects are transparent, revealing yet balmy on the ear, fast (agile), dynamic (micro and especially macro). Complex orchestral scores pose no threat to these interconnects. In this area they outshone other cables I have experienced. Dynamic swells overwhelm you with their quickness and presence. Massed instruments still retain their individual timbres. They possess a very-slight emphasis in the upper midrange due
to the presence of the silver wire lead in the design. I see this as an attraction and not a distraction. Hence my choice of the Silver Reference over the Reference. Because of their clarity, they may be too much of a good thing in an already bright system. Cables are very system dependent. However, they work perfectly in my system that started out being slightly laid back. Another interesting point to make, they infuse life back into my music because they allow my Meadowlark Heron-i’s to fully blossom and even swing. It’s as if there is an extra dose of adrenaline (or caffeine) injected into the music without making the listener tense. Do they have coloration? I would like to believe so. What doesn’t? They are slightly on the bright side of neutral. This does not mean they sound cold. I take bright over dull any day. Also remember the expression I used earlier as “balmy to the ear”? This is due to a sound that is round, full and never edgy unless the recording material is sub-standard. Did I also mention that they look beautiful? The quality of the workmanship inspires respect.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=” Reference Interconnect – Mark – Audiogon Member”]
“I recently purchased your Voodoo Reference Interconnect Cable used from someone at Audiogon. I must say, I’m quite impressed with the sound, and I compare it very favorably with my Virtual Dynamics Reference cable. At $250 retail vs. $600 retail for the Virtual Dynamics cable, that says a lot to me about the value of your cables. I am using your cables in one of the best test beds possible if I do say so myself. I am a headphone nut and I have the best dynamic headphones in existence, the limited edition $4K Sony MDR-R10s, the most revealing headphone ever made, it’s a sonic microscope. Cable swaps are VERY audible in this system. I have it hooked up to the brand new Ray Samuels Audio Emmeline HR-2 headphone amp, a contender for best solid state dedicated headphone amp, it too gives upstream equipment nowhere to hide. My source is a the (don’t laugh) Kenwood Sovereign DV-5700 $1200 DVD-A player with Faroudja chip set. Anyway, in this set up, I’m finding that I just can’t believe how much top-end extension the Voodoo Referebce cable has. I’ve never heard anything like it before it’s almost scary, which, frankly makes me slightly suspicious.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Reference Speaker Cable – Mike V. – Fairfax VA”]
I was amazed at how my system became more powerful yet at the same time it became easier, more controlled. The soundstage expanded and at the same time became more detailed. The imaging of their voices presented themselves right in front of me as if I was sitting 10 rows back from center stage. The bass came across with authority and tightness. There is no doubt that the VooDoo Reference speaker cables elevated the musical presentation.
The improved transparency gave way to incredible separation between all of the instruments; it was like being enveloped in a 3-dimensional spatial ambience. The clarity throughout the song, from the top end to the bottom end, can be described as accurate and detailed. The piano might as well have been in my room from the way it sounded. Each note was clearly pronounced and I almost couldn’t believe how distinctly I was hearing it!
With the VooDoo Reference speaker cables, there was a noticeable improvement in details and resolution. His voice and guitar seemed so real and alive in my room. Every note that was strummed on is guitar was crystal clear and smooth. His voice was crisp like the fall air.
The VooDoo Reference Bi-Wire speaker cables brought new life into my system. I’m very satisfied with the addition of the VooDoo Reference Bi-Wire speaker cable in my system! The VooDoo Reference speaker cables are very well built and demonstrate a high degree of pride, craftsmanship and commitment. I’m certain that I will own more VooDoo products throughout my audio journey!
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Reference Interconnect – Gymane M. – Birmingham AL”]
“I just want to thank you guys for the great [VooDoo Reference] cables. I put these between my Quad 99 CD-P and Music Reference RM9 MK2 amp, and it sounds like I upgraded components instead of cables. I knew cables made a difference but not this much of a difference. The transparency is phenomonal. My soundstage has never been so ‘see thru’ as it is now. The bass is tight and clean, and the body of string instruments is amazing! I will have these for life. Thanks again.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Silver Dragon Powercord and Reference Interconnect- Trevor L. – Tierra Leone FL”]
“After spending nearly a week trying to figure out the best combination it became apparent that the [Sony] AX777ES [SACD] liked the Voodoo Silver Dragon from the Ultimate Outlet to the player. Nothing else was quite as satisfying no matter how the wires and conditioners were juggled.”
Martin DeWulf, publisher, Bound For Sound #144 – August 2002
“Overall, the Voodoo Reference Interconnect (RCA) compared to Synergistic Research Kaleidoscope Phase II have very similar performance, which speaks well for the Voodoo, given its price ($250) compared to the Synergistic Research Kaleidoscope Phase II ($575). Compared to the Cardas Neutral Reference (XLR), the Voodoo Reference Balanced was the better performer in most aspects. On the Eva Cassidy album, the Cardas sounded laid-back, while the Voodoo had more presence. On the Requiem album, the Voodoo conveyed a bigger and more spacious soundstage. On the Diana Krall album, the plucks on the string bass sounded more distinct than the Cardas.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Gold Dragon Powercord – Brian W. – Holland MI”]
“The Gold Dragon is truly a testament of your work and progress in creating a quality audiophile cable that will withstand the test of time.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Talisman Interconnect – Bill Q. – Oakland CA”]
“Just wanted to let you know that your talisman interconnect is working out great on my modified XM receiver. Out of the box, the interconnect was kinda flat sounding in the midrange especially. However, after about 72 hrs its sound quality has improved dramatically. The midrange has really opened up, and there’s now alot of air and detail listening to vocals and instruments. For a compressed satellite signal, the XM sounds surprisingly good, probably 90 percent compared to my CD. I’m using your cable between a Musical Fidelity A324 DAC to my Rogue tube integrated amp. Your interconnect sounds so good, I’m tempted to upgrade to your Proscenium interconnect, because I do listen to quite a bit of classical music. Anyway, thanks for manufacturing such wonderful sounding and well built products; first your power cords (I’ve bought your mana, mojo, and tesla)…and now your interconnect.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Silver Dragon Powercord – Greg F. – Pasadena TX”]
“I ordered one of the Silver Dragon power cords and proceeded to hook it up immediately. I was very impressed with the build quality. I soon realized that this was a virtual upgrade; it was like I got a new amp. Everything sounded better; the treble, critical midrange, and I got more pronounced defined bass notes. Voodoo power cords impressed me so much that I decided to order a 1.5m pair of the Voodoo Reference Interconnects. The interconnects arrived in a timely manner at my house wrapped securely. I noticed the polished nickel barrels and the WBT silver soldered connections where all of the highest caliber. After they broke in for approximately for a week I noticed more detail, more warmth, and that they where just as good or superior to my Audioquest Anacondas ($1050) that I use as my reference cables. The VooDoo Reference interconnects continue to amaze me with their excellent sound signature. I have decided to order 3 more pair to complete the 5.1 installation between my pre/pro and amp. Bruce will take the time to explain his construction techniques, and even how the cryogenic properties help align the copper to help get a more pure copper. I have really enjoyed owning some of the Voodoo Family in my system, and would recommend to anyone building a system, where they want the best bang for their hard earned dollar.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Mana Powercord – Bill Q. – Oakland CA”]
“Just wanted to let you know how fantastic your power cords sound in my stereo system. I’ve been disappointed in the sound quality of my setup…lack of soundstage, clarity, everything sounded flat and mechanical. I’ve been looking at new integrated amps for the past month figuring that was the problem. Luckily, I found your advertisement on Audiogon, and through your recommendation I bought one six foot Mana power cord for the amp and one six foot Mojo for the preamp. What a difference in sound quality! It is not subtle, but “huge.” Instruments, cellos and violins now sound realistic. There’s air, depth, detail, and background sounds are now clearly discernable. Everything just sounds so much more involving and “musical.” All this without even having one of your power cords in my cd player, which doesn’t have a detachable plug. Anyway, congratulations on a fantastic product that actually lives up to the claims.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Silver Dragon and Gold Dragon Powercords – Art S. – Mayfield NY”]
“I immediately installed the new Dragon Power Cords on my subwoofer (REL Stentor III), DAC (Pass Labs D1), pre-amp (Audio Research LS-25 Mk II), and 1 for each channel on the power amp (Mesa Baron, with WIMA caps upgrade and Svetlana EL34 output tubes). The existing Dragon PC that had been on the sub was moved to the CD transport (C.E.C. TL-1X), since that cable is probably fully broken-in by now. Instantly, any of the leftover ‘hardness’ or ‘forward’ sound and/or ‘thinness’ in the system was gone. Soundstage and layering was improved, as was the overall sense of ease. The system seemed more powerful (louder), yet better controlled, and the whole range from the low bass up through the lower midrange was cleaner and better detailed. All of this was not unexpected. Low frequency extention has already improved, but I know from my experience with the lone Dragon on the sub that it will only get better as the cables goes along their break-in curve.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Gold Dragon Powercord – Kevin G. – Farmington Hills MI”]
“You were absolutely right, the Gold Dragon is on a completely different level than the Mana. When you told me that, I honestly thought it was just a sales pitch. I stand corrected! I could not believe the difference these cords made! My system was already very dynamic and highly resolving, but with the Dragon Power Cords on my source components, the system sounds like it’s on steroids but not at the expense of detail. I know you’ve heard it before, but the background is quieter and blacker, there is more detail and transparency, the dynamics are earth shattering, and everything I play sounds more analog and organic. There is no down side. Thanks so much for recommending them to me!”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Mana Powercord – Ramesh S.- Singapore”]
“Right out of the box, I could hear the difference the Mana’s brought to my system, my Theta Data Basic Mk II Transport & Monolithic HC-2B Power Supply! The first thing I noticed was that all of a sudden, my system was much quieter thus allowing me to play louder, at least a notch more! The next thing I noticed was the authority of the bass energy, meaning the midbass to the low bass! It had more punch, slam, body, deepness but always having good control, tightness and being tuneful! With this came a smooth and sweet upper mids & highs that are detailed and extended but never bright or harsh! Infact, the other thing I noticed was that the Mana took away alot of grunge that I never knew existed! Imagine I was listening to that all the time! The Mana’s also brought with them a warmness that does not scarifise on detail and also involvement in every cd I played, be it older or newer ones! Very nice indeed! I noticed that after the initial 100 hours of playing, the Mana’s then took a different path and their sound started to change a bit sounding a little not to my taste! I was surprised at this and thought what was going wrong and Bruce, after your advise, I gave it more time to play and at around 170 hours, the sound started to go back to normal and finally settled to a better sound than before as what I mentioned previously about it’s good sound somewhere around 250 hours but this time adding more to width, height & depth to the sound! Very minute details are coming out now. The Mana’s have made my system or rather components not too forward and not to laid back! They have made them just right, the way it should be! Apart from the source areas, I also tried them on my friends solid state & tube preamps and power amps and the Mana’s did very well. Infact, for their price and construction, they are a real value for money product and has competed well with some of the other power cords that I tried them against, some even costing more!
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Mana Powercord – Jeff S.- Omaha NE”]
“First let me state the associated equipment are a pair of Krell MDA 300 mono blocks, a Krell KSP-7B Preamp, and a Wadia 850 CD Player. I purchased two Mana power cords for my amps, and the difference is monumental. The soundstage and bass are unbelievable! I also compared them to the NBS Statement that I use on my Wadia. Are they better? No. But I would say the Manas are 70 percent as good at a fraction of the cost. I would say that dollar for dollar the Mana is the best value available in power cord upgrades.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Mana Powercord – Jeffrey S. – East Stroudsburg PA”]
“I now have a more open sound stage with greater width, depth, location and focus with the Mana PC. But I feel where your PC’s really excel is in the small details. I am not talking about wire termination here, I am talking about music sweet music. I just got done listening to one of my favorite Spyro Gyra CD’s and I heard a triangle in the background and cymbals that seem to echo forever. I have never heard either of these instruments before and I have played this CD many many times. I find my self playing the same song over and over again to find out what else I have been missing. As a former musician, I can not begin to tell you what great pleasure this brings me.”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Mojo Powercord – Russell L. – San Francisco CA”]
“The Mojo is Great! Before I installed the Mojo onto my Sony SCD-777ES Super Audio CD player a couple of days ago, I listened carefully to a couple of discs using the stock cord. I then replaced the stock cord with the Mojo and played the same cuts from the discs. I heard a difference IMMEDIATELY–most noticeably in the treble, which was significantly smoother and less edgy. I did, however, ask myself whether this was ‘correct’ or not, and played other familiar discs. Was this ‘smoothness’ just simply a rolloff in the treble, or a removal of grit and harshness? A few other discs I played seemed to have lost their ‘bite’, but then perhaps I had gotten used to the formerly edgy sound and they were now sounding just slightly dull to me. This afternoon, I listened again, and everything sounded nice and smooth. I then replaced the Mojo with the stock cord and played the same discs. The EDGE returned, along with some grit and harshness. I also noticed the soundstage collapsing a bit. I then connected the Mojo back, and all was smooth as silk again — much more pleasant! I’m now convinced that a good aftermarked powercord can indeed make a difference!”
[/sawcon] [sawcon title=”Mojo Powercord – Russell L. – San Francisco CA”]
Two weeks later… “Installed 3 Mojos in my system a few days ago, but didn’t have much of a chance to do any critical listening until this afternoon (taking off work a little early!). My first impressions of listening to my all-Mojo equipped system (SACD player/preamp/ power amp) was a greater sense of solidity, with a deeper and wider soundstage, and even more smoothness and transparency than before. I guess you can’t ask for much more than that! My system seems more holographic than ever (this was always one of its strong points), and with the right material, the speakers just disappear altogether. It’s hard to believe that a change in power cords can make such a difference, but I’m now a firm believer.
