The Audiomica Sound
Contents
We received from ECRT the Silver Signature single ended interlink and speaker cable from Audiomica. We used the interlink between the Grimm MU2 and the Pass Labs preamplifier and the speaker cable between the Pass labs X150.8 and the TAD Evolution Two speakers.
Fast and smooth
What iimmediately stands out when connecting the Silver Signature interlink is the imaging. It plays very large. In width as well as depth and height. Now the difference should also be quite audible, since we are replacing the Grimm TPM interlink. This one costs about 600 Euros. So you can buy more than twenty pairs of TPM for one Silver Signature.
Still: the Audiomica is overwhelmingly a better interlink. More air and scale, more insight into the music and clearly more structure audible. Think in the attack of a piano note, or the deep bass. Still, extraordinary what one cable can do.
Looking at the CNT, we can’t make a direct comparison: the CNT we have is a balanced cable. The Audiomica is single ended. We know that the Pass plays better with a balanced connection. In our estimation, the CNT plays a bit “blacker” and with more calmness than the Audiomica. The Audiomica will instinctively bring more air. And perhaps play a bit more energetically. Qualitatively, it is very close.
Speaker cable
When it comes to speaker cable, the Audiomica replaces the Van den Hul Nova. Connecting is easy, although we must say: we do not find the plugs top notch. It is a screw system that “pushes” the plug open, causing it to clamp. We’d rather not demolish 15,000 Euro cables, so we proceeded with caution. However, it is not quite clear how hard we can clamp now.
Now the VdH Nova is already an impressively good cable…. let’s face it. So here we hear slightly different things change. The difference is not as black and white as with the Grimm versus the Audiomica.
The VdH Nova has more high extension and clearly more midrange focus than the Audiomica Silver Signature. And if we listen very critically, the Nova is actually more neutral across the audio range. But the Audiomica is overwhelmingly calmner in the midrange. And slightly less harsh in the highs.
With Hania Rani, the calmer midrange means we hear less “ringing” on the notes than with the Van den Hul. That makes longer listening a little easier. So this is a good cable for those seeking resolution without it ever becoming intrusive. The Nova, however, leaves the balance a little more intact…. it’s subtleties, but it’s audible. And measurable. In the end, it’s taste.
The focus of the Van den Hul is also different. Slightly less wide, but it does seem to give a bit more of a sense of depth than the Audiomica, although this may also be due to projection. The Audiomica projects more in width and depth.
Overall picture
If we have to paint an overall picture of these cables, the first thing we hear is a lot of air in the reproduction. And that with particularly well shielded cables! That is without a doubt impressive.
A second point is the flow that these cables bring. The Silver Signature lets the music flow wonderfully. That sounds logical, but there are cables that do play a bit more “stacato”. Why causes that, we don’t know exactly. Anyway: not everything is still measurable, of course.
A third point is insight into musical structures. This series does that very nicely. The CNT can also do that incredibly well. Hearing the structure of a note through the speakers is very easy with CNT. These Audiomics also manage to do that beautifully. Unfortunately, the Grimm is not as good at that. Anyway: all value for money…. Right?