Puma Cat
Well-known member
Nope. It's based on physics of the propogation of EM waves; there is a patent application on the TAP device.
Shunyata v2 speaker cables and IC’s
- Thread starter Mike
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Nope. It's based on physics of the propogation of EM waves; there is a patent application on the TAP device.
interesting, so where / how is the audio signal influenced ? is this part of the IC or PC ? what is the audible benefit ?
Puma Cat
Well-known member
TAP is used on Alpha and Sigma ICs and the Omega Ethernet cable. TAP reduces sonic glare caused by parallel (longitudinal) electromagnetic waves interfering with the signal.
mep
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When was the patent applied for? Never mind. It was i June of 2018.
Caelin,
Congrats on new products. Just a couple questions if you don't mind. From a non engineer and end user
Outside of the Zitron , is there a technology on these cables that is measurable?
Ala like your DTCD on the power cables?
What is meant by a linear cable? Do, these technologies contribute to a more Linear cable as you move up your line?
Thanks
again, interesting, I'd love to hear if it is 'audible'........
Puma Cat
Well-known member
It is most definitely audible in comparison listening testing I've done between the Sigma and Omega Ethernet cables.
Puma Cat
Well-known member
Re: Shunyata v2 speaker cables and IC’s
My advice is, if you're interested in the differences between these various cables, is to rent them in and listen for yourself.
Despite what Hirsch-Houck Labs or ASR might say, not everything that is measurable matters, and not everything that matters is measureable.
If you talk to any of the best audio product designers in the world, they will all tell you that measurements are a key component, foundation, and tool for audio product development, but you still have to listen to the audio product to know if you're going in the right direction with respect to it's audio qualities with respect to reproducing music. (I don't want to get into a lengthy discussion of brain function and neurology here, but the perception of music is a construct by the brain, all our audio components are doing is creating pressure waves in air. A subset of a specific structure of pressure waves, musical tones, are what we perceive as music. Our brains are what tells us what is music; i.e., the sound of a Mozart piano concerto being played by Yeol Sum Eon on a Boesendorfer Grand, vs what is noise; the sound of a chain saw cutting down trees. Reference here:Music And The Brain - Scientific American)
A simple-minded example is that two 6922 vacuum tubes, an Amperex Bugle Boy and GE/JAN will measure exactly the same and provide the exactly the same transformation with respect to their functional response (voltage gain in an audio circuit) but will sound nothing like one another. Which one will sound more like music will be the result of the interaction between that specific tube type and...the circuit topology it is used in. And, that's something for another discussion entirely.
Caelin,
Congrats on new products. Just a couple questions if you don't mind. From a non engineer and end user
Outside of the Zitron , is there a technology on these cables that is measurable?
Ala like your DTCD on the power cables?
What is meant by a linear cable? Do, these technologies contribute to a more Linear cable as you move up your line?
Thanks
My advice is, if you're interested in the differences between these various cables, is to rent them in and listen for yourself.
Despite what Hirsch-Houck Labs or ASR might say, not everything that is measurable matters, and not everything that matters is measureable.
If you talk to any of the best audio product designers in the world, they will all tell you that measurements are a key component, foundation, and tool for audio product development, but you still have to listen to the audio product to know if you're going in the right direction with respect to it's audio qualities with respect to reproducing music. (I don't want to get into a lengthy discussion of brain function and neurology here, but the perception of music is a construct by the brain, all our audio components are doing is creating pressure waves in air. A subset of a specific structure of pressure waves, musical tones, are what we perceive as music. Our brains are what tells us what is music; i.e., the sound of a Mozart piano concerto being played by Yeol Sum Eon on a Boesendorfer Grand, vs what is noise; the sound of a chain saw cutting down trees. Reference here:Music And The Brain - Scientific American)
A simple-minded example is that two 6922 vacuum tubes, an Amperex Bugle Boy and GE/JAN will measure exactly the same and provide the exactly the same transformation with respect to their functional response (voltage gain in an audio circuit) but will sound nothing like one another. Which one will sound more like music will be the result of the interaction between that specific tube type and...the circuit topology it is used in. And, that's something for another discussion entirely.
Previously I specifically scanned threads for people evaluating non-TAP cables vs TAP cables in the range and the non-TAP cables were good, but as soon as people heard the TAP cables they were more unanimous about how good it sounded and how much details and soundstage passed though, nauturalness, sound full of life.
So a couple of days ago I received my first double-TAP cable the Omega Ethernet. I've had the Alpha/Sigma in my system in my location and using it as an AES/EBU IC. There was NO question about it, it was just so much better in my application. So my advice is just, lend/rent a cable to try if it being within your budget, you will not be disappointed.
I have to say, amongst the cables i have put in my system. The Shunyata Sigmas has the most noticeable effect.
The ver 2 is also very obvious to my ears with the XC cable i just plugged being so positive and i can't wait for my XC umbilical cord (T3 and TR) to be shipped.
Now i am very keen to try out the Sigma 2 Speaker cables... but i am holding back just in case i can't resist the temptation and spend frivolously in this climate.
Any feedback of shunyata speaker cables?
The ver 2 is also very obvious to my ears with the XC cable i just plugged being so positive and i can't wait for my XC umbilical cord (T3 and TR) to be shipped.
Now i am very keen to try out the Sigma 2 Speaker cables... but i am holding back just in case i can't resist the temptation and spend frivolously in this climate.
Any feedback of shunyata speaker cables?
mep
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EM waves are transverse waves so there shouldn't be any longitudinal waves to "block."
Actually the new Alpha v2 XLR gets the new XLR connector. A very nice upgrade.
u-sound
Active member
would you rate the xlr version higher than the rca?
No. The difference between an RCA and an XLR interface is largely dependent upon the specific implementation of the specific equipment manufacturer. Some put a lot of money and design effort into the balanced interface and others don't focusing more on the single-ended interface. Generally speaking one is not inherently superior to the other. Each has advantages.
Now when you are talking just about the cables and not considering the component's specific implementation then yes there can be a substantial performance difference between RCA and XLR. Just like component manufacturers, cable manufacturers may focus on one or the other cable and do a better job with one or the other. Or, even worse a manufacturer may use the exact same cable design for both the RCA and XLR cables, changing only the connectors.
In my opinion, a balanced cable using XLR connectors has very different set of design factors than that of a single-ended RCA type cable. We treat each as a completely separate design. So although we have an Alpha v2 XLR and an Alpha v2 RCA cable they are in fact completely different cables in function and in design. The RCA cable is optimized for a single-ended type signal transmission and the XLR cable is optimized for a balanced type transmission method.
To further expand on the point; an RCA type cable achieves its best performance with a good coaxial type design with an integral braided shield. And conversely, a good design for a balanced cable is a twin-axial type geometry with a controlled twist rate and protected by a good braided shield. This is how we approach the two different cable types. And of course each cable has a different characteristic impedance even though they do not operate as transmission line conductors at audio frequencies.
We take a very similar approach to digital cable design. Each type of cable is individual to its function and task and characteristic impedance which is very important with digital cables.
mep
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We aren't talking about modulators/RF final amplifiers connected to antennas with waveguide. We are talking about audio cables carrying audio signals.
Puma Cat
Well-known member
All the theoretical considersations aside, for folks interested in Shunyata cables with TAP devices, my suggestion is a practical one: rent in some cables and listen for yourself, e.g the Alpha and Sigma V1 ICs, or the new Sigma and Omega Ethernet cables.
I've only heard up to the Delta V1 ICs and have not heard the Shunyata Alpha or Sigma ICs, so I can't comment on products I have not heard. But I have directly compared the Sigma and Omega Ethernet cables, and the impact of the TAP device can be clearly heard on the Omega: there is increased clarity, definition, and focus on the Omega Ethernet cable.
IIRC, Shunyata used to do a demo at audio shows with a TAP device that could be installed over a Shunyata Venom or Delta IC, so that listeners could hear the impact of it directly.
I've only heard up to the Delta V1 ICs and have not heard the Shunyata Alpha or Sigma ICs, so I can't comment on products I have not heard. But I have directly compared the Sigma and Omega Ethernet cables, and the impact of the TAP device can be clearly heard on the Omega: there is increased clarity, definition, and focus on the Omega Ethernet cable.
IIRC, Shunyata used to do a demo at audio shows with a TAP device that could be installed over a Shunyata Venom or Delta IC, so that listeners could hear the impact of it directly.