I believe that was me who recommended them. I've been using them for many years and feel no need to look elsewhere. What I have done is peruse their specials page and moved up the line some. Worth every penny.
All the best,
Nonoise
Anyone Else Tried Darwin Cables?
The rca jacks on the back of my Schiit Jotunheim II headphone amp are located so closely together that it’s difficult to find quality ICs that will fit in that restricted space without awkwardly jamming them together.
Another forum participant recommend Darwin cables, a brand I’d never heard of. It turns out, smaller diameter rca barrels are part of their design approach. As they offer home trials with a return/refund policy and furthermore, had some discounted cables left over from a recent audio show, I opted to audition them. The model I ordered is "The Natural 2" and normally lists at $895 for 1 meter.
At the risk of being accused of hyperbole, I was shocked by these cables. The level of transparency and detail they offer without (as far as I can discern ) any trace of forwardness exceeds any others I’ve heard in the 1- 2K price range. Layering, bass extension and overall rhythmic drive are also notable attributes I’m experiencing.
I found owner Bill Magerman very affable and quick to return emails. Naturally, YMMV, depending upon your gear and room but if you are seeking to improve transparency and like me, cannot tolerate overly bright sound, consider giving these a try.
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@stuartk You're very welcome. I've tried several brands before I took a flyer on these and the difference is painfully obvious. I used to go with the bigger the gauge crowd with robust connections and they all exhibited the same thing: smearing, loss of detail, bloat and truncation of the highs and lows. They were, however, romantic sounding and lush with an extra dose of warmth but once I heard the Darwins, it was a no brainer. The adjustment period that I usually went through was AWOL with the Darwins. Yes, they improved some over time but not at the glacial pace of the others. The Darwins have natural warmth. If it's in the recording, it's what you hear. The fact that they use silver is a non starter for the naysayers. They have deep, powerful, textured and detailed base. The highs soar but never offend with air aplenty. The mids are incredibly present and engaging with vocals that can border on mesmerizing. What else can I say that I haven't said already on previous posts going back years? Darwins cables are sometimes used by equipment makers to show off their gear at audio shows. When they test and analyze during R&D, they use four different stereo setups (it's on their website) to make sure they perform at their best on every one. That way, the customer can rest assured that it's not a cable designed to be a tone control for a limited style of equipment. I'm so tired of hearing that argument on these threads. I see it as an urban myth. All the best, |