Any experience with Shunyata Theta cables?

[JCS123]

I recently tried a Theta Ethernet cable to connect my Bricasti M19 SACD transport to my Bricasti M21 DAC via their respective I2S ports. On hand from the same dealer for me to try as a comparison was a DH Labs Reunion Ethernet Cat 8 cable. Cost was not a consideration in my evaluation.

In terms of performance, I could not detect one wit of difference between these two cables; however, both of them performed significantly better than the Audioquest Cinnamon Ethernet cable I had been using. That said, unlike the Audioquest and DH Labs cables, the Theta cable was not easily inserted into the RJ45 jack and was extremely challenging to extract -- so much so that I contacted Richard at Shunyata about that problem. I imagine that by now the people at Shunyata (it was returned to the factory) have diagnosed and addressed that problem.

I want to mention that I use a Shunyata Sigma Ethernet cable between my network switch and the Bricasti DAC. The performance of that cable is astoundingly good. In fact, it negated the need for me to purchase an "audiophile-grade" network switch.

Thanks AV, much appreciated. I have also had good luck with DH Labs RCA's and speaker cables, which in my experience offered great performance and value.

My current Ethernet cable from switch to streamer is a Venom-X, which produced such profound improvements over the cable that it replaced that I find myself investing in more Shunyata products.

When everything is settled in, I will be back to report on how the power cables affect my system's performance.

 

[JCS123]

Early impressions with just the one Theta power cord to the LUMIN T2:

1) I am very impressed with how crisp and precise the instruments sound. Keyboards, guitar, cello, cymbals, vocals... - it's all there, so well defined that I find myself turning the music up much louder, yet experiencing less fatigue. This is always appreciated (and certainly doesn't always happen) when swapping a cable. I suppose this is because the noise suppression is doing its thing. For the first time, I began thinking about moving the system to the basement for the sake of my neighbors.

2) Although I find the sound to be much improved, there is one curious thing: the bass at this early stage sounds a bit boomy from the Maggie LRS's, which I hadn't noticed before this power cord swap. Could it be that noise is removed such that more bass is being heard? I know the small Maggies don't do low bass. But what I have perceived through three pairs over the years is a lack of bass as opposed to boomy bass. Am I maybe perceiving some kind of hump that I never played the system loud enough to detect before? I don't have testing equipment to measure any of this. Not sure if this will change after the cable settles in.

3) The very top is much smoother for sure. I am all-digital, streaming Qobuz. I can't say this cable is "analog-sounding", but what I can say is that I am highly impressed with how it makes music sound more accurate (real) to me, and therefore more enjoyable. The "sizzle", "brightness" or "harshness" that sometimes shows up through the Maggies is pretty much gone. (This is a $650 pair of speakers, 35% less than one Theta power cord. I don't expect TOTL perfection, but what I'm hearing now is very good for the money spent, in my opinion.)

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm wasting time waiting to add the two Thetas to the power amps. The immediately noticeable improvements with both the Theta power cord and Venom-X Ethernet cable to the streamer have me sold on Shunyata's products producing some seriously positive results. I am scratching my head and pondering - if these cables are in the "entry level" range of Shunyata's offerings, how insanely good are the the upper tier cables?

 

[hkaye]

I recently added a Theta NR powercord to replace a Voodoo cable Fire used with a Zesto Leto 1.5 preamp. I did so after comparing it with an RSX Prime and DH Labs Corona Cryo, both of which are more expensive than the Theta NR. The DH Labs Corona Cryo sounded warm and rich but lacked the clarity and detail of the Theta NR, which contributed to a more realistic soundstage in terms of width, depth, and height. I also added a Theta AES/EBU. Here too, while the new DH Labs Silver Reference was warm and pleasant, I preferred the the Theta for its clarity and detail.

 

[Puma Cat]

<SNIP>

I'm beginning to wonder if I'm wasting time waiting to add the two Thetas to the power amps. The immediately noticeable improvements with both the Theta power cord and Venom-X Ethernet cable to the streamer have me sold on Shunyata's products producing some seriously positive results. I am scratching my head and pondering - if these cables are in the "entry level" range of Shunyata's offerings, how insanely good are the the upper tier cables?

Really, really good. There are clear improvements for all the attributes audiophiles care about as you move up the product line(s).

 

[Spock]

Early impressions with just the one Theta power cord to the LUMIN T2:

1) I am very impressed with how crisp and precise the instruments sound. Keyboards, guitar, cello, cymbals, vocals... - it's all there, so well defined that I find myself turning the music up much louder, yet experiencing less fatigue.

That's it.
That's what a (good) power cord is supposed to do. Everything else you hear is not a fault in the cable. I think you give the right answers to your own questions.

 

[JCS123]

Geez, are my ears playing tricks on me? Since swapping one Theta NR power cord into the chain - from power conditioner to streamer, either I'm going crazy or the sound has indeed changed in the week or so since putting it in..

The "boominess" or whatever it was that I heard at first seems to have diminished. The bass sounds more real now. And the bass that the LRS's put out is pretty great to my ears. One of my favorite parts of the Maggie sound is and always has been the bass. Although they don't put out the lowest octaves, what they do put out is glorious - and good enough for probably 90-95% of what I listen to. I'm listening to Joni Mitchell's "The Asylum Albums (1976-1980)" on Qobuz through the LUMUN T2, and it has to be as good as I've ever heard Jaco sound. Just sublime. These are moments when I don't think about the need for new equipment or tweaks and just revel in the glory of the music.

While I went into this experiment hopeful, I wasn't expecting too drastic of a difference from my previous power cord (let alone going from boomy to just right in the matter of a week or so). Did the sound change? Did my ears adjust? Did my brain adjust? Do power cables "break in" or "settle"?

I find myself wondering exactly what is going on, but I do so with a bit of a snicker. Because what I don't question all is that this Theta NR power cord is doing exactly what the Venom-X ethernet cable did in my system - making listening to music more enjoyable.

Mike and Shunyata have a satisfied new customer on their hands.

 

[Spock]

Geez, are my ears playing tricks on me? Since swapping one Theta NR power cord into the chain - from power conditioner to streamer, either I'm going crazy or the sound has indeed changed in the week or so since putting it in.

I believe in (almost) everything in audio, but I haven't noticed yet the "burning" factor in the power cables (the ones that I make). I tried many others but they weren't brand new.

The "boominess" or whatever it was that I heard at first seems to have diminished. The bass sounds more real now.

That is an effect. Many don't believe in cables and point the finger at the room. For them is the room that prevents the system from showing its best. And they don't know what a good cable can do, since they don´t realize that the limitation is in the system itself.