It was found that the extrememly reasonably priced High Fidelity Revel cables compared to the Audience Au24 SX cables had slightly better dynamics, transparency and general lucidity to them. It makes me wonder how the new Audience Au24 SX2 would fare to Synergistic Research Level 3 & Level 4 Atmosphere cables and then the recent Level 3 Atmosphere X cables. Cable killers in the competitive price range but more or less competing against some of the expensive Nordost & Tara Labs top line cables.
Audience SX2/Front Row Cables...has anyone tried or heard much of this new reference line?
I have been extremely satisfied with Audience Interconnect and Speaker cable for some time, natural/organic/neutral presentation that works with every component I’ve used, solid state or tube. I own Au24 SX XLR Interconnects and Speaker cables. I have also been impressed with Audience cables price to performance ratio. I just received an email of another breakthrough reference line, the Au24 SX2, which will actually be called the Front Row line. Alas, pricing at $5100 per 2 meter Speaker cable is no longer readily affordable. I guess Audience is rapidly catching up in price to its competitors, now that they also enjoy name recognition and stellar reviews. However, they are wonderful cables! Has anyone heard these cables or know much about them relative to SX line? If they’re as much a revelation over the SX as the email from Audience claims, I might have to start saving. I’ll wait for the reviews I guess. Thank you to all!
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@tecknik In my case (and this is not typical), I found the cables to be too revealing. Too much of a good thing. I have been dealing with severe tinnitus and it has gotten worse. While I use to crave getting the last bit of detail and resolution from my gear, I am not having to compromise and consider a warmer presentation. For anyone else - the Front Row will be an awesome upgrade! |
I suffer with Tinnitus myself. The issue with a lot of High End Audio gear these days is that is too analytical or too precise. I prefer products that try to bring people closer to music, not resolution. Cable companies to name a few like Black Cat, Cerious Technology are trying to have our systems sound like music and not sound effects. So while I love my Audience AU24 SE which I feel are musical, it seems like the Front Row products have a different purpose. |
Jay Luong’s // Audio Bacon review of the full loom of Audience frontRow Cables: https://audiobacon.net/2019/07/27/audience-frontrow-audio-cables-review/ "vs. Au24 SX Loom There are stark differences between Audience’s Au24 SX line and their new flagship frontRow line. One is necessarily better than the other – just different. Generally speaking, the Au24 SX focuses more on clarity, resolution, soundstage, and excitement. The frontRow prides itself with more meat on the bones, more physical presence, and a more liquid sounding experience. You get it. Nuff said." |
I have a pair of Audience AU24SX RCA interconnects. Combined with lots of grief from my family on the purchase. Awesome improvement. Not in a hurry to change, as my sales speech was these were 'end-game' cables. Contacted the distributor regarding Front Row when I read about them. The price was YIKES! Although interested, I couldn’t in conscience agree to their demo offer knowing I wouldn’t be buying them. Sent my SX interconnects down to my cousin two months ago, bettering his dealer provided $800 balanced cables. Haven’t got them back yet (not sure I will).
Waiting to get a pair of SX speaker cables. |
@ljgm How did that comparison of the FrontRow and WyWire Platinum go? I am debating getting a second set of FrontRow or trying the WyWire lineup. |
I have tried Audience AU24SX power cable (high current to power power conditioner) and they were so good, I upgraded to front row power cable and I am keeping them. Will not change. Then I tried audience front row XLR (b/w pre-amp and amp), it was good, but was little forward for my taste. I went to Stage III typhon XLR and love Stage III concept XLRs. I tried frontRow digital RCA cable from Aurender N20 to esoteric K-01XD and like it. I have kept it for now. I will be checking on Ansuz C2 digital at some time and will see if frontRow can keep up with it. All in all, frontRow cables are neutral and bring the entire spectrum of sound in front. It does make you feel like you are in front row. SX is also good (actually very good) for the price. |
Old thread, but still relevant for many I guess. I am new to Audience, but have just tried out the Au24 SX and frontRow power cables and find them to be phenomenal. I have so far compared them with Ansuz Mainz A2 and C2 and Nordost Tyr2 and Valhalla 2. I prefer Au24 SX over all of them and the frontRow even more. I have been very happy with Ansuz C2 and thought they were very good in bass department, but the Audience even more. Now I find Ansuz to sound hard and flat in comparison. The Audience maybe does not have that big «wow» effect in the beginning, but that is because they are just more musical and dont emphasize certain areas, but are just very resolving and musical. I am in the process of replacing all my Ansuz and Nordost cables with Audience:) I am prepared to takte the loss, just wish I discovered Audience earlier. |
This just says how subjective and system/room/listener dependent it all is. |
I personally compared audience au24sx speaker cables with the front row. The front row speaker cables is in another league. More resolution, much better highs and mids. More natural sounding also. Bass is the only area that can be bested by other brands like kubala sosna elation. System synergy is playing huge role. My system wired with all audience cables. Power studio one and ICs and SCs. are front row. After many years of having different cables brands - I decided to go with one brand loom. Even outlet and power conditioner are from audience now. This allows me to have more synergy and control over the sound and avoid mismatch between different cable brands. |
@denon1 - You mentioned the Kubala-Sosna Elation cables are better for bass. Did you notice any other advantages with the K-S cables versus Audience? |
Oczed, the elation a little more textured in the mids and bass, but highs are not that extended as with audience front row. Also audience a little faster. May be if I had the whole loom of Elation, I would see better overall performance from KS but I could not find a dealer who will give the same great discount on KS as I got with. Audience. |
It goes to show that one cannot just look at specs and determine whether a particular cable will sound best. Front Row uses "just" OCC copper and a PTFE dielectric: (cross linked). No silver, no graphene, no network box or other special sauce unlike one mentioned here. Probably why Kubala Sosna don't tell you any specs at all. I haven't heard the Front Row cables, but I don't doubt the reviews. |
I compared the SX with the FrontRow on my Yamaha NS5000 speaker, CODA #16, and Benchmark LA4 preamp. I also used a Benchmark AHB2 amp in the evaluation of the cables. I also had WyWire Diamond and Platinum speaker cables. With the CODA #16 amp, the Audience AU24 SX and FrontRow were excellent. The FrontRow being better for my tastes. More detail with the sense of no cable being used. When I changed to the Benchmark AHB2 I had some very minor fatigue with all the cables except the FrontRow. The irritation I heard was at different frequencies for each cable, but whatever gremlin was there I heard it via the AHB2. The FrontRow was perfect with the AHB2. I no longer have the amp since I wanted a more powerful amp.
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audiophile1,
Nice system with great room layout. Break-in with continuous load within a week you are pretty much there. They do open up with usage. As with previous lines with Audience, the mids jump out at you in a good way. With the Front Row the highs do just as much. The body of the mids and clarity of the highs has a realism I enjoy. As the name states "Front Row" and you can take that literally. You move up closer to the stage with these cables which I really like. I responded as we both share some common components. I use Pass Labs Class A amps and a Bricasti DAC. On my list, is to get two Front Row PC for the Pass monos. They are rated over double the current I need. |
Thanks duramax747 for the compliments and the info! The FrontRow replaced AU24SX. I was kind of disappointed at first. Sound was dull and lacked air. Mids were congested too. They are coming around though. No changes in the bass which is one area where there is a definite gain in texture and depth over the SX, but definitely cleared up the mids so far. Treble is improving as well. |
Yup. Unbelievably awesome!!!! By far the best my system ever sounded. They managed to improve on already excellent AU24SX with better resolution, more focus and texture, while retaining that natural tone Audience is known for. As a side note…I got these as a demo/open box. They didn’t have enough hours on them and it took over 100hrs to settle. I didn’t listen much just played the system round the clock at levels that wouldn’t disturb anyone in the house. So that’s pretty much it. |
Jafant… Tyr 2 XLR interconnects, Frey 2 power cords on amp and dac, Heimdall 2 power cord is on Aurender N200 streamer. Audience FrontRow speaker cables.
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audphile1 Thank You for the Audience/Nordost update. Regarding Integrated Amp(s), there has never been a better time to make that investment. As a long-time proponent of Separates, I can certainly vouch for an Integrated. Have fun test driving the various Amp(s) in the marketplace. Keep me posted on your auditions.
Happy Listening! |
@jafant I picked up Coda CSiB V1 and to say that I’m impressed would be an understatement! |
@audphile1 Nice. It would appear that the amplifier section is similar to my Coda Continuum No 8 V1. I'm very happy with it. Where did you purchase yours? I dealt direct with Coda because there are no dealers around. I had called them about a recap of my old Coda and ended up trading it in instead. |
