It is better to follow the signal flow as most of the cables' construction and design are directional.
Normally, the manufacturers print the arrow for the direction.

A pristine view
By SUJESH PAVITHRAN
Review

STEREOVOX FIREBIRD

What it is: Speaker cable.

Lust factor: Clean and well extended, with oodles of pristine detail throughout its bandwidth.

Reality check: Not much

Price: RM2,800 (2.5m pair)

Distributor: MUSIC BY DESIGN SDN BHD (Tel: 03-2164 8818)

CABLES, cables and cables … for the past year, I’ve been messing around with a variety of speaker cables and interconnects to get closer to my destination, in the hi-fi context.

It wasn't easy because my hi-fi system was being reconstructed ground up after I'd put aside the hobby for a few years but some months ago, I finally settled on a combination of components to tide me through the next few years. Since then, it's been smoother sailing with the wires, and the good news is I've at least got a couple of items on my shortlist, one of them being the Stereovox Firebird speaker cable.

A bit of history … back in 1992, Chris Sommovigo, who founded the precursor to Stereovox, turned out what was claimed to be the first “true 75-Ohm digital cable and RCA connector, the Illuminati Datastream Reference.

A decade ago, he set up Stereovox and has gradually garnered a niche following with a range of audio cables and interconnects that uses high-tech precision solutions found in the military and aerospace industries.

The Firebird speaker cable, from the “entry-level” Studio range, is made from hollow tubular copper conductors and silver-plated copper micro-filar conductors, configured as a twisted pair, and with a high-density PTFE dielectric.

You can specify your choice of single- or bi-wired pair, and the termination is the most imaginative I’ve seen. The cables are terminated using Xhadow Banana standard jacks, with a universal spade adaptor that you can push onto the plugs. I wonder why more manufacturers don’t provide such an option.

The connectors are pure copper, plated in silver, while the sleeve is braided – everything about the Firebird oozes class.

I tried a cheaper Stereovox cable, the Firefly, some months ago, and also the Colibri balanced interconnect. What impressed me was that they did not get in the way of the music, and presented little or no additives to the signal.

The Firebird takes things another step, revealing detail aplenty right through the bandwidth and allowing the inherent nature of the signal and equipment to pass through unhindered. In fact, the level of detail coming through was like an open window – the clarity in the treble and midrange was sparkling and extended down to the lower frequencies, which were tight and without bloom.

Layering was impeccable, as were the sound stage and reproduction of nuance in the mix. If there was one observation that could be seen to be contrary to the Firebird's sterling performance, it was the last bit of extension in the bass. My other cable, the Siltech New York, seemed to dig a little further down, even if it does lean towards some warmth.

The Firebird, on the other hand, lent little additive timbre to the signal, and always sounded clean, dynamic and very focussed.

Once run in, these are cables you hook up and forget about – you’ll need to worry more about the rest of your system or the quality of the recorded signal being found wanting.

The Stereovox Firebird is an excellent and well-made cable, the sort to appeal to those who want all the detail possible from the reproduced signal, and as little interference as possible.


http://sites.thestar.com.my/audio/story.as...ile/19stereovox

the mainstream media star write garbage in its news as well as most of it reviews..audiophile and cars alike...Proton also they rated as good as the VW la...these mainstream media either control by the bolehland government or badly influenced by the $$$ they received in advertisement!

At RM2,800 per pair of cable.....if it needed run in...for the price..it should be done my the manufacturers instead of troubling the customers.

yup the Tempur pillow dem shiok..

nearly bought the mattress (I think 6+k) also but the sales woman dowan to chop another 10% during sales so I belah..

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Added on July 8, 2009, 12:45 pmwow does it make my RM200 logitech PC speakers sound like RM2000 speakers?

This post has been edited by ar188: Jul 8 2009, 12:45 PM

Put a Porsche engine into a kancil, it's STILL a kancil albeit, a fast one
but use a RM2k cable to attach to a pair of RM200 speakers, it will probably sound like a pair of RM210 speakers lor

they may design and tell us that the cable is directional, but do the electrons know about it ?

cannot be!!

Must provide the electrons a signboard, a map and a compass...

This thread is indeed getting funnier....from coffee makers to pillows and now, electrons and compass...hahaha

about the pillows....dun fire eh..hehe

I bought the mattress now morning also lazy to get up

I was looking at the cool motorized frame (which will boost the price to 10k for a single size), now I know why they suggest to get with frame, to lift you up in case you too lazy to get out of bed..

wah this thread....LOL

cable don't burn in la i guess....but the connectors degrade over time due to oxidation or transfer or ions etc etc especially bare wires without plugs

but can we hear the difference?

i think the direction arrow on the PVC sheathing is not meant for the electron flow. In cable manufacturing, the arrow is to indicate the direction of the extrusion process.

everything will decrease in quality but as syuttersyok said, can we hear the difference.....with the technology of the cable/plug, i dun thing we will notice it...without an instrument to measure...rite?

The thing need run in is our pair of ear lah, they take time to adapt to new sound.

ear have the longest run in u know....it start since we are born...and still running

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