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Amadi Maddie Sig. RCA Interconnect

I was in the market for an interconnect to fit between my EE Minimax dac and Decware CSP2+ preamp and spent several hours poring over alternatives. I was intrigued by the Amadi Maddie Signature cable with its construction of 8X24 awg solid silver wire. I love the sound of silver cables when they are done right and despise them at their worst. I searched the Internet for reviews or customer experience with Amadi cables and was frustrated as there were none to offer any guidance. After trading a few emails with Amadi, I felt comfortable placing an order - especially with the money-back guarantee.

The cables arrived quickly via Priority Mail. I found the build quality was first rate and the cables extremely flexible. I was warned they take a little time to settle in so I installed the cables and let them suffer a burn-in cd on repeat for a few hours. I couldn't wait any longer and gave them a listen. They were sounding good but I could tell they needed more time to "relax".

The next day I was prepared for a serious listening session. I warmed my system for 1/2 hour andd sat down to critique my new cables. What I heard was the smoothest midrange/upper midrange I have ever heard. Recordings that were difficult to listen to became smooth and lush - and that was an issue. I like a smooth warm sound but the bass I was getting was fat, bloated and flubby. It was bleeding into the midrange and robbing detail from my music. After a 3 hour listening session and contacted Amadi to let them know I was not happy with the sound of the cables. I was told not to worry - that the bass in these cables takes more time to burn-in due to their silver content. It was a busy week so I was able to rig the Maddies up to my "burn-in" system in the basement and ran them in for 75 straight hours. Saturday morning came and I sat down for another trial.

I have to say, these cables sound absolutely amazing in my system. I am sensitive to glare/grain/harshness in the lower treble / upper mids. There is none. These cables are possibly the smoothest I have ever heard. They do not achieve this smoothness by rolling off highs. Cymbals and snares sound correct. Electric guitars have bite and are crunchy. These cable are appropriately fast but at the same time relaxed. Mids are not at all bloated but crystal clear with a totally silent background. I am hearing voices like I have never heard them. My bass is perfect. It is not accentuated or rolled off. When the recording calls for it it is there in its glory. Listening through my LCD2 headphones I am amazed that I can feel the bass in my chest. I am hearing deeper bass than I have heard previously and the quality is superb. It has weight and texture and is never boomy.

I inserted new tubes into my rig and could readily hear the different sound signatures of those tubes. I feel the Amadi cables are not adding anything to my sound. The impression I get is they are effortlessly allowing the music to flow. Imaging is wide and deep. My LCD2's are not know as being tops in soundstage creation but my stage is extremely wide and fairly deep.

I cannot find a flaw with the Maddie cable and am saving money to purchase another.
chatnoir
5 responses Add your response
jirmak
3 posts
 
I am providing some correspondence as emailed to me from Mike who purchased from me 1 pair of the 5 pair of the Amadi Phil Ref ICs that I purchased from Philip.

Re: Response to your ad FOR SALE: Amadi Phil Ref RCA ICs 1 meter

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FROM:
Michael

TO:
Jim
Message starred Tuesday, February 5, 2013 5:25:54 PM
Jim . Just installed the cable and put on stereophile test cd 2 . And my jaw is on the floor. I think I might need a second pair very soon .
Michael

Response to your ad FOR SALE: Amadi Phil Ref RCA ICs 1 meter (1 Pair Sold)

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FROM:
Canuck Audio Mart

TO:
jirmak59@yahoo.ca
Message starred Tuesday, February 5, 2013 8:44:19 PM
Thanx Jim for feedback . Give me a day or two to do same . Just busy . Will get there .at this point I think if you hold another pair of new ones for the same price I will purchase . Need a few days to find a few dollars or I can send you a small deposit to hold . In any case need a another pair I am selling all the kimber pbj's and solid link so need to replace .
Michael
London

I thought this to be relevant to an up and coming Cable Guy, Philip of Amadi Cables.

Cheers Jim
jirmak
3 posts
 
For what it is worth here is my opinion on Amadi Phil Ref RCA ICs. I installed a pair between my tubed CD player and a low power tubed integrated, inserted a CD and listened. I was immediately involved in what was coming out of my system. The speed, clarity, detail, tonal characteristics, impressive base line, and the ability to provide low level ambient information was totally happening. As a result of the cables ability to transfer the information on my CD to my integrated unobstructed, uncoloured, and with no influences the sound stage was very impressive. Let us not forget this is fresh out of the zip lock bag.



It has now been roughly 120 hrs of play and the cables continue to impress with improvements in sound stage and everything else totally involving. I substituted a back up Tri Path into the system and although this amp lacks in polish and refinement, the cables came through in spades. All I can say is hearing is believing.



I expect minimal improvements, but will advise if more needs to be said. In a nutshell these cables are exceptional, with a MSRP of approx. $490. In my 40 years as an audio enthusiast I have had many audio pieces come and go and I truly believe these cables deserve our attention. Philip is a pleasure to deal with and auctions his cables here on Audiogon. I am not sure if he offers a money back trial period, but you could contact him.



Compare his construction to upscale cables of your choice and see how they stack up. All conductors are of high quality materials . 7 x 28awg solid core silver . Individually insulated in an extra large Teflon tubes in each cable. I don't shield my cables but, I do insulate them very well and braided. What people sometimes don't know is that shielding cables sometimes degrades the sound. Cardas RCAs with Cardas silver solder.



Just my opinion in my listening environment.



Cheers Jim
thriftyray
1 posts
 
I have to say that I am very much in agreement with what Chatnoir has said concerning the Maddie Signature cables. These cables have replaced the Audio Metallurgy and Synergistic cables in my sytem and really bring some fine qualities to my music. After burning them for 3 days, I first inserted them between my Dac and PreAmp and put on a Dire Straigts disc. When I hit the second trac, On Every Street, I couldnt beleive my ears. This disc always sounded good, but this was superlative. The bass underpinning this song was extended and controled in a way that gave the soundstage both more depth and width. Knopfler's guitar was so rich, and then his voice so present, I was hearing this song in a way I never had before. This held true with almost every disc I played. This is the kind of thing that makes you stay up most of the night just enjoying old favorites. Oscar Peterson Trio's We Get Requests was well served also. Oscars piano was more tangible than before. The lefthand on the keys had proper wieght now and in some cases before where the right hand seemed a bit strident, the notes came through with proper dynamics, but completely under controle. Ed Thigpen's drum kit and especially his brushed cymbals are wonderful and Ray Brown's bass is full and harmonically well developed. Notes decay in seemingly real space. Sometimes Eva Cassidy's voice would be just a bit over the top with respect to stridency on Live At Blues Alley. With these cables, the vocals are still very much alive, you feel you are there, but most of that stridency (which I don't tollerate well) is gone. These cables let emotion come through in spades. Diana Krall, Holly Cole, and Casssandra Wilson to name a few shine with these cables. This weekend I tried the Maddies between my Chinook Phono Stage and PreAmp and found the story to be the same. Instruments are reproduced in their own space, voices are fleshed out, brass has all the pressence it should, and strings are glorious. My system is tube pre and solid state power amplification. Speakers are Magnepan 3.7 .Compared to any other resonably priced cable I have tried, these are incredible! Highly recomended. Considering that they are satisfaction guaranteed, how can you loose?
chatnoir OP
23 posts
 
As a followup, I added a second pair of Maddies to my setup and couldn't be happier. These cables are are just 'real'. I don't know how else to describe them. They are incredibly smooth yet not rolled off on the top end. I don't know how this is possible but all of the information is there but it is not etched or overextended. It just sounds the way it should. There is no glare, grain or harshness. I am VERY sensitive to these artifacts and find none. Poor recordings are still poor recordings but I can listen to pretty much anything now. Midrange is drop dead gorgeous. The soundstage is deep and wide with air around instruments. Female vocals are just beautiful. Bass is extremely well integrated and doesn't draw attention to itself until it is called for and then you get that 'holy shiite' moment. Bass is tight, textured, controlled and deeeeeepppp.

If you are in the market for interconnects, you really should consider these. In my setup, they work extremely well and are a steal compared to other high-end cables.
ama7gr
12 posts
 
Thanks Chuck for taken your time to listen/review my MADDIE SIG. cable. Patient is all you need when you buy a new cable. let it run a while to burn inn before doing any listening. Everything you said/wrote about these wonderful cables is exactly correct. This is why I let people like you out there to hear it by themselves. Do not let someone tell you how a cable sound . Hear it yourself and judge . Also the price is a give away consider how much silver now cost. enjoy it and good listening.
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