Vadym steamrolled the works, his occasionally asymmetrical smile is telling me, "I got this, I got this!". I guess Grieg works doesn't pose much difficulties to him. Artistically and technically, his calibre shouldn't be disputed though some may criticize his interpretation. I steered away because I am not musically trained, his performance is very good to my ears.
I would like to focus on the wonderful tone of the world renowned Steinway and Son piano. Was it a Model D concert grand? Each key strike produces pristine tone with a radiance of light shimmering bell like overtones with amazing cleanliness or tidiness. The flying hammers, ferociously hammering, the notes mixed up, setting f f f f crescendo at the closing. The crowd applaud broke the silence, bravo, bravo, bravo. Smiles of relief on the faces eased the lines of stress. The conductor and the maestro were courteously receiving the warm audience applaud. What a night! Grieg work sent me aftershock waves, my mind still lingering on the damn signatures of Steinway.
I am a big advocate of tone and rhythm. Bad acoustics smear tone, that's how it was, how's it is now and how it will be in future. Is DSP the new magic bullet? Let time decides. Going forward, I have developed precautions on things in the room. Some are detrimental to acoustics, needless to say. Hard to deny, passive tweaking can't change everything. Audio hardware, room acoustics and AC power remained the holy trinity of audio.
Quick overview; SAEC SL-4000 is serving as primary interconnects, TD Cable as secondary. My latest room treatment has led to further reduction of suck out, reduced haziness and with a bliss of acoustic energies. Playing louder is more at will.
Tone
Top end is now audibly less extended and rounded, so does digital inborn sibilance. In a way, less edgy highs too. Personally, it is a blessing in disguise because it grinds off digital spikes, soothing digital music. Let's face it, no all music is well recorded. Tone thickened up giving texture a boost. The bottom end receives fortification bringing forth fertile sound. All these attributes assimilate a firmer, substantial and more anchored sound.
Voices gained chestiness albeit softer outlines. As expected, cymbals and hit hat shimmer lesser, the strings, woodwind and percussion across the board bump up in presence department. Zu Varials clearly shows their class in image vividness, image localization, airiness and transparency, their highs are a class act for the money, take on threefold in price competitors, easily. In a way, SL-4000s introduce humane quality in which my system desperately needed some. Ahhhhh..... my system communicates to me better. Things take a turn from mids and downwards, SL-4000s warmth becomes apparent.
On voices, SL-4000s give a fuller sound, a more realistic rendition of voices. Piano is my ultimate reference, one of the benchmark that decide which stay which depart. Hard to describe in word, I could almost instantly recognise Steinway tones. Fresh from Grieg concerto, expansive shimmering overtones are still vivid in my memory. My rendition of Steinway concluded that SL-4000s are better in depicting colour temperature and grandeur of concert grand on the left keyboards of piano and less on glitz and shimmering. I got to get that from somewhere else.
I pulled out Kenny G Live, a CD seldom played. "Going Home" pinned my head. Seconds in to the piece, I never knew the kick drum could be this pronouncing. My jaw dropped for the new encounter. Overjoyed. The brassy sax blowing opened a new time and space, ushering a bizarre virtual reality. I pictured a beam of spotlight unveiling millions of particles on stage. I went on to listen the entire album.
Dynamic
The dynamic of SL-4000s didn't disappoint. The rise gives goosebumps. Micro dynamic is equally impressive, a core ingredient of music to stir emotions. Chants are not applicable here. Dynamic supercharges rhythm, rises jump factor to give vitality to music. Rhythm lagging systems are uninspiring, it kills listening interest. There is no such thing as over-dynamic, in my view. I gave Varials a slight edge.
Musicality
End of the day, I want music to speak to me. As opposed to hifi thingy, forward, cold, over emphasised details, I found comfort in warm, organic and natural sound that does not scream for attention. SL-4000s manage just that. Both interconnects are not off the chart into hifi thingy, just differ in sound profile.
Conclusion
I may have spent quite a bit here and there. My sonic goal is crystal clear. Every hard earned dollar spent is put under rigorous considerations, greatest bang for the money. It may seems Varials came up on top but my preference stays with SL-4000s. They offered a more intimate musical depth to me. A word of caution, SL-4000s are not an instant drop in success. No such thing. It took me a day to get tweaking up for their quintessential quality. Preference in audio is a prerogative even though the sound is obviously weird, I hope you agree with me on this. Nobody want no one opinions.
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