Acoustic Zen, Pure Silver Sound, and Ana

Given the description of sound you describe from your components the pure silver sound Quartet (140 for 1m) SE RCA IC will cost you many times the price to beat this excellent sounding unshielded silver IC with silver plated locking RCA connectors. The PSS IC is a better MATCH for your components. The Zen is NOT A better MATCH for your components.

I own the Acoustic Zen Silver Reference interconnet and Satori (copper) speaker cable. Keep in mind that just about
all silver sounds different! I've owned mellow sounding
cables that are silver (Audiomagic Sorcerer). With this in
mind, you should'nt consider materials or construction or
even size....1" does'nt always sound better than 1/2".
I've owned Kimber PBJ, and it's a very good entry level
interconnect; but compared to much more expensive cable, it
will sound grainy and bright. The Silver Reference is the
most "neutral" interconnect I have used; it defies description of sound. It is better described with things like fast, zero noise floor, absolute focus and control of
the soundstage, natural sibilance ......on and on...,but it
cannot be described as bright, dark, heavy on the bass etc.
Read the review at www.stereotimes.com ,and look in the archive section. I agree 100% with the review. I never have
had a chance to try Analysis Plus or the above mentioned Bear Labs interconnects (I try everything I can get my paws
on though), but I chose it over the above mentioned Audiomagic, Staight Wire Creshendo, Kimber Select 1020/1030,
Purist Audio Colosus and Nordost Quatrrofil. I have taken it
to two different dealers and have tried it with a variety of
equipment, tube and solid state. It always worked best, but
keep in mind that because this is not a tone control and it
has such high resolution; mediocre recordings will have their warts amplified ; good recordings can be bliss! Also,
it is unforgiving of cheap electronics; but you apear to own
decent components so no need to worry.
The Satori speaker cable is almost as good as the interconnect; awesome resolution and lack of grain,but with
a few speakers it can sound slightly lean and therefore it
can be system dependent (which the interconnect is not). On
the bright side, I've read about a couple of reviewers in
The Absolute Sound and Stereophile that use expensive Nordost with Maggies; and the Satori has a similar balance,
with even better resotution for less than a 1/4 of the $.
On a side note, Michel Fremer of stereophile ,recently reviewed some Analysis Plus cable (which he liked); but in
the same review he prefered some cables from Harmonic Technologies. Robert Lee was the senior designer for H.T.
before he started Acoustic Zen. I have spoken with him personally (great guy),and he left H.T. because he felt he was getting shafted.....but he kept some of his own tricks up his sleeve! In the Stereotimes review (I beilive theres
two different ones), they compare some of H.T.'s cables
(among others)to the latest Acoustic Zen's; and guess who
came out on top!
Best of luck! ed

Roger, you should try some of these cables in your system. One will be what you want or need. You are looking for synergy. Having said that I myself was going from the Nordost red dawn to try the analysis plus oval 9's. But a friend advised me that the acousitc zen satori are good enough to be a last change in my system and he was right. As my setup is also SS, Krell, Simaudio, norpariel with newforms, you "may" experience the same musical jump I experienced. But you have to try first. The zen can "liven up a system in a very compelling manner. Imaging, pacing, depth enhancement, bass power and timbre accurracy were all on a higher level. In short, they were what I wanted and what the system liked. Try the analysis oval 9's first as they are almost as good as the zens, in the right system. But do take your time with cables. Not good to rush this and trust your own ears....and have fun, good luck and good listening, Bluenose, Oh, by the way, I have heard the silver analysis IC in my system and it has a lovely rounding of notes that is very becoming, but I prefer the zen matrix, go figure....

I don't mean to throw a curve ball at you however you should also consider Bear Labs "Silver Lighting" interconnects. They have blown away those that I thought were extremely good.