So, we come to you with another cable review. Sorry, I know many of you believe that cables cannot have a sound or character—that is either they work or don't and any audible impact on the sound would suggest that something is broken… like my ears or inability to be swayed by hype or whatever… but uh, yeah. Anyhow, what I have here are the latest and greatest from WyWires; their Diamond loudspeaker cables, which are the statement cables from Alex Sventitsky.
Okay, so the idea, for me at least, that cables have a character is paramount in finding the right one for you, or more importantly, for me. One that fits your music and system or mine. The idea that cables do not possess a character is something that I have not experienced in years of listening… even if they come across as being characterless in the sense that they do not add much if anything to the music, is still a character. Now, I do not mean that they are boring and, like a person you might know down the street, have no character in the sense of bring humorless or whatever—a blank slate of a person—but in the sense that they do not change much of anything in the sound. And I want to avoid the term neutral as I have no idea what that actually means. I know how people use the term in audio—that something is neutral in that it does not change (via addition or subtraction) the original, but then I have no idea what the original is… at least with my music… so yeah. So for sure things are bring added... hopefully good and not bad, which for me is okay.
So like I said, for me cables are not really neutral, and they have a character. In some cases, a lot of character, and in some cases, not so much. That is this character is a sound quality that does, or does not, do something to my music and system. Sometimes it does what I want and sometimes it does something, that well… uh, no, not so much. Too much… not enough.
The WyWires Diamonds are definitely in the former… they do so much to our music to make it that much more enjoyable… while at the same time, not doing much of anything. Let me clarify that… I have loudspeaker cables here that add a sense of heft and weight to the music, they open up or augment the bottom end. And they are clear and yet articulate, and I love them! But I love them for a different reason... sort of like wine or beer. So many to choose from, why not have an assortment? Anyhow, the WyWires Diamonds are not going to augment anything. They do not add anything to the music… at least compared to other reference cables I have had here. What they do is pretty much get out of the way with as little editorializing as one could ask for from a cable. They are clean and fast, open and articulate, sweet and musical. They are not going to color the sound—if you need a little more of this or that… or a little less of this or that—no, these are not the cables for you. No added color… no boosting or subtracting… though you will get all the color that your music possesses. They will get you all that whatever is connected at either end can muster too.
No grain. No grit. No glare… no emphasis I can ascertain. This is their character. Truthful, for lack of a better word, but then again, I am not a fan or acolyte of the absolute or truthful sound sort of camp. I have no idea what any of my music should sound like, I only know what I want it to sound like… how I want it to sound. So, is the Diamond being truthful to my music? I believe it is as it comes across with such an engaging sense of rightness… that for me, is the truth.
So back it up a bit… tell me something about the Diamond cables. Okay, (taken from the WyWires' site) "...they are of a Litz design that stresses air over dielectric, natural materials (cotton) over artificial, copper over some other metallurgy, passive shielding over physical (in the sense of geometry and such versus heavy shielding via whatever), multiples of small gauges over a massively solid… all chosen by ear and measurements."
Now I am not saying that using whatever to address noise and whatnot can't help, damn that is pretty much my mantra here… lower the noise floor, keep that out, keep that down… let the music come through. And for sure I have cables here with all sort of stuff going on and I love what they do. But different approaches to solve the problem. Alex's cables are dead quiet. With minimal ‘whatever' being added to the mix. Way nice.
I recall once removing an outer shield from a big heavy $$ after-market AC cord… less could be more. And it was, the AC cord sounded way better au naturale. Go figure. And yes, I owned these and no I did not tell the manufacturer. Bought for my own use… but there you go.
Here is the cool thing… if you have ever had the pleasure of talking to Alex, well he is a rather quiet and unassuming, calm and deliberate, though if engaged he will be open up and be as honest and succinct concerning anything that comes up in conversation. But along with this honesty and all, he is as polite and respectful as anyone you are likely to come across.
And that is what you get from his cables… honesty, openness… respect. Calm and coherent. Not the least bit cold or forward… nor lean and mean, no the Diamonds remind me of the best from Skogrand (of which I have heard both Knut and Alex each respect each other and approach cable design from a very similar perspective, so duh.). Articulate, delicate, power and speed, resolving… quiet. Which means that nothing gets in the way… you get space, presence, decay… clean. Finesse. Yeah, that is a great way to describe what they do... no heavy hand. Air and extension. Big.
I am going to use the term organic, though that is over used and in too many instances not in way that explains what the hell it refers to… but in this instance, for me the Diamonds are organic in the sense of not sounding artificial. Artificial? Another term that means what exactly? Okay, organic in the sense that real instruments sound real like I recall them sounding when heard live, and artificial in the sense of sounding… well, not real. Yeah, that helps like, not really. Okay, think more in the way sound has that textural quality that gives it a sense of being tactile… you can feel it. It has a life and presence. The sound quality is pleasing and engaging. Artificial… not so much. A real piano versus an electronic one… true free-range chicken versus caged. You can tell the difference. Flavor, but not added flavor. Texture. Realness… calm and engagingly sweet. Just natural, organic… that is the character of the Diamonds. Nothing hyped or fatiguing... one can listen for hours... and we do. These cables are one of the things that make our system so much fun to listen to... not audiophile-like in the sense that they draw attention to themselves. They just get out of the way.
I really, really like these cables and see them competing with those costing twice what WyWires is asking. In that sense, one should consider them a bargain. At $7999 for an eight-foot pair there will be those who will grab for their chest and have a heart-attack or claim scam… yeah, go ahead. There is nothing I can say or do to change that, but if you have heard any system with these you no doubt walked away thinking, "Damn that sounded way good." The WyWires Diamonds do sound way good here… highly recommended for those who are wanting to hear the most while imparting the least. A reviewers' cable that allows me to hear what is going on. I love what these cables do… err, or is that do not do?
BTW, the USB Diamond cables I have HERE are cut from the same cloth as the loudspeaker cables... transparent, detailed, resolving… and oh so musically fun. Perhaps warmer or lusher than the Diamond speaker cables… a tad more so. Clearly one of the best out there—that I have heard and I have heard most! One of my references… as are the Diamond loudspeaker cables.
WyWires
