Just wondering if anyone has upgraded to the new Audience Au24sx from the former reference Au24se interconnects and speaker cables. Any opinions on significant sonic differences? My understanding is that the upgrade is not retrofittable and requires new purchase. My SE's are only 8 months old and I'm trying to decide whether to invest in the upgrade. Thanks to all.
I am using the Au24SX speaker cables with my 6-month old Magico A3's, and the AU24SX XLR IC's running from my VTL 7.5 iii preamp to Krell FPB 300cx power amp. It took a while for everything to burn in and settle down (especially the speakers) but I looked up the other day and said, O my, but this system sounds extra fine, much better than it ever did! I have and have had most of the big name cables but the Audience cables do nothing wrong and most things right, without drawing attention to themselves. Easy to live with. Neal
I hope some of you are still following this thread. I currently own the Audience Au24e speaker cables...and have a few options that I'd like to ask your opinion on....I can upgrade to the Au24SE for about $350 US (I'm in Canada...so add on another 35% YIKES!)....or I can trade in my existing cables and pay approximately another $2000 US for the Au24SX. It is worth the upgrade having not heard the XS? Another option would be to try the Tellurium Ultra Black II speaker cable that would be approximately $1600 US. I would then get the funds from selling my current Au24e's. Any advice would be helpful....I'm getting PMC Fact8 speakers....Aesthetix Altas amp with Calypso preamp if that helps.....
I just recently switched from the SE RCA interconnect to the SX RCA interconnect. I had tried several interconnects a few years back and in my system the SE was my favorite.
I had been hesitant to demo the SX RCA interconnect as I was really enjoying the SE but as most audiophiles do, had to try the SX interconnect.
I was kind of hoping there would be no difference but the SX RCA was clearly better than the SE RCA interconnect. As others have stated, the midrange was the most apparent change. Previously with the SE some female recordings would have a little extra sibilance and compared to the SX a little more energy was apparent in the upper mids, lower treble which sometimes could cause a little listener fatigue. This was very minor and I still really liked the SE and still consider it an excellent interconnect.
The SX complete eliminates this slight excess energy and I notice myself listening for much longer periods of time with the same material. The bass is slightly better and the highs even more refined. Soundstaging and dynamics which were huge strengths of the SE are very similar with the SX. The overall sound with the SX is smoother and a little more relaxed but at the same time slightly more transparent than the SE which almost seems not possible.
I still consider the SE one of the best interconnects in the $1000 range but the SX is clearly better but of course costs more. I compared the SX RCA to the Wywires platinum and High Fidelity CT 1 interconnects which are at a similar price point. All three were excellent and I could live with all of them but the SX's were my favorites.
I am using Green Mountain Audio Callistos as speakers.
Audience is a great company and their customer service is top notch! I have Audience cables at least for 12 years, including a full loom and the adept Response series (started with an AR12, upgraded gradually to the current TSSOX). Thank you Roger Sheker!
One of their USP (unique selling point) is (was?) their upgrade pricing. Nobody else has this favorable one officially. (Well if you know the smaller shops like PAD / Jim Aud, you would get a "special" trade up price). Correct me if I am wrong: Audience changed their upgrade pricing, until the SE series, it used to be $300 / speaker cables or interconnects (no change though for the power cords). Now you get 60% current retail credit which is still a good upgrade policy but much less generous than before. E.g. for a pair of 2.5m AU24SE speaker cables, the difference is $1,016 (=$3,290*0.4 - $300). I always "automatically" upgraded from AU24 to the AU24e and AU24SE in the past, it was a no-brainer to do so. Guess I will be keeping my AU24SE stuff. Having said that, I am aware that the SX means new cable and new connectors whereas the E and SE were factual connector upgrades but the company could refurbish the older version and sell these into a market segment with a price that otherwise would not have considered Audience.
John McDonald ( President of Audience) is a true gentleman and very honest businessman. He produces a great product at an excellent price point. It looks like my local dealer will be taking on the line so I am looking forward to trying out other Audience products.
Thank you, John, for your input. We appreciate Audience's excellent product line, excellent service, your availability and honesty, and your lifetime warranty. I am very happy with my SX interconnects and speaker cable, and SE power cords, and look forward to enjoying them for many years.
To all of the above posts: I think the general stated views of the SX are correct. Whereas the SX speaker cables are a real improvement over the SE, the SX line up improvements, in my opinion, are in this order - RCA, XLR, Speaker. Having said this, even though the speaker cables comes in third place, in my opinion the SX still represents a major improvement over the SE, at least in my system and per numerous customer and dealer responses. I could live with the SE speaker cables for the rest of my life. However, when I switch to the SX I am very pleased and do not want to go back. In short, the SX speaker cables present a very noticably richer tonal palet with improved resolution top to bottom. They are also more relaxed, yet more dynamic at the same time. The RCA SX is flabbergastingly better ... one of those things you notice on the first note. They are extremely more resolute and relaxed. And the XLR SX represent an overall higher quality in everyway wtih noticably more bloom. John McDonald, president of Audience
Stingreen its all relative sir....I was happy with SE, now happier with SX. Wirh Audience, upgrading is a little easier as selling the SE was relatively easy and the upgrade difference was not overwhelming to me at this time. (also relative). I do appreciate that Audience, although expensive, is nowhere close to the price of some of its best competitors. I do believe this to be my final cable upgrade.....as you said, there is no end and we're all somewhat habituated to our hobby....thanks.
i don't use digital cables any longer so I can't comment on SX Digital. However I'm also really enjoying my SX balanced ICs vs SE. I believe it is indeed worth upgrading to the SX ICs, although my experience is limited to balanced, supposedly a completely new design by the late Roger Sheker. It is an easily audible enhancement (more body to the image) but still in the evolutionary rather than revolutionary camp. IMHO the SX speaker cable, although also offering improved images with more body, is a less convincing upgrade. That said, I have no regrets or buyers remorse, and am most satisfied with the improved sound of my system from the Audience upgrade. Good luck and listening to all! Thanks again to all respondents.
Hello all I've now had an opportunity to listen to the Au24SX Speaker Cable and SX XLR interconnects vs SE. The SX cables have more midrange body to their presentation and thus more natural. Bass extension is slightly better but bass authority more notable. Highs are more extended, "crisp" and natural. However, these improvements are not day and night over the Au24SE, still excellent cables which I have sold. Also IMHO the interconnect cables were more notable improvements relative to the speaker cables. This may relate to a 5 meter balanced run from my preamplifier to amplifier. I'm very happy with the upgrade but I don't think it's as revolutionary as Audience advertisements might suggest...but still quite worthwhile in your continued quest for natural music reproduction. I do love Audience cables, conditioners and their friendly service. Thanks to all respondents!
PS. I have recently learned of the passing of Audience chief engineer Roger Sheker. My sincere condolences to all at Audience and, of course, Roger's family. He was a very talented and pleasant gentleman and he will be missed.
Congratulations.audiobrian. I am a great fan of Audience products. .Perhaps you could write a review after your the cable settles . I am also a big fan of the KEF blade, which in my opinion is a bargain. You cant buy a better speaker for the money.
Jafant - currently, all my interconnects are Tellrium Q Black Diamond. Power cords are Tellurium Q Black. I don't have any intention on changing those in the near term.
Audiobrian - no doubt you will since you already have the previous model and are happy with them. These are excellent speaker cables. I tried them on my back up rig (PrimaLuna DiaLougue Premium with Audio Physic speakers) and the sound was awesome! It was not in the budget though to buy 2 news sets of speaker cables this month!
I just placed an order for my Au24 SX speaker cables. I'm sure I'll have better luck than greginnh as I currently use the Au24 SE speaker cables that sound excellent with my KEF Blades....hoping for an easily audible improvement as per the Audience website, but I believe it will be incremental....we'll see and I'll happily report when received.
I would strongly recommend that anyone looking for an interconnect cable priced between $1500 and $2000.00 consider the Wywire's platinum. ($1799 for 4 feet). It had been my intention to audition the audience Au24 SX and the high fidelity Ct-1 as well as the Wywire Platinum. I auditioned the CT-1 and the Platinums. i was so impressed with the platinums that I purchased the pair. The platinum is now my reference in this price range. I like everything about this cable.
Thanks Jafant. According to Audience, they are cooked at the factory and need 10 to 20 hours to settle down. I'll keep them connected for another week or so and make my final decision. Trust me, I really want to like these cables!!
About 20 hours of listening. With my rig, the similarities between Nordost Frey2 and the Audience Au24sx are striking. The midrange performance seems to be the sweet spot with the Au24sx. The Transparent Reference is the runaway favorite for me. Better base, softer trebles, absolutely quiet. They should be better at twice the price of the other two cables. Regrettably, the Au24sx does not play well with my B&W 803 D3s as the tweeters can be a bit challenging to tame.
Since I never heard the Se version, I can't express an opinion in terms of improvement with the new version. I will say that these cables appear to be an excellent value and I am disappointed they did not work out for me.
Please let us know your findings with the Au24sx speaker cables, greginnh. I'm soon to try the SX speaker cables with my current SE balanced interconnects and move on from there. Enjoy!
If I were you, I'd wait awhile, enjoying your present set of cables and wait until someone like thecableco.com offers a broken in pair of the newer ones so you can compare at your leisure.
A quick look at the ads here shows more than a few used sets for sale leaving me to believe there are others like you who wonder the same thing.
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