Cube Audio Nenuphar Single Driver Speaker (10 inch) TQWT Enclosure

I have the Fidelium as well. Clarity of this wire is in spades. I will also be trying some DIY cables out of pure copper (ofc/occ) after I have some understanding from Grzegorz (per David's suggestion). The good part is due to the low power requirement the Nenuphars don't need too much heavier gauge to sound good.

@debjit_g eager to hear what you think of the "music purifiers" and also very interested in your changing out the internal wire.  Want to hear more about optimum wire before making the leap.

To add to the wire discussion: I bought a pair of Silversmith Audio's Fidelium speaker cables on a 30 day home audition.  I only have about half the burn in hours they recommend (50), but I have to say they clearly leave my Shunyata Alpha V2 cables in the dust.  Clarity, detail, layering, depth, and maybe most surprisingly bass have all taken an engaging, totally musical leap forward.  They are 1/4 the price of the Shunyata Alphas--pretty shocking really.  Number of reviews out there.

@debjit_g  Debjit, I think he will be open and helpful. I would not be surprised if one (likely more) of their clients has provided feedback on wiring choices. You never know... something you happen upon might find application on their end.

They are probably at the High End Munich 2022 Show...in other words, it may take longer than usual for a response.

@david_ten David, no I have not reached out to Grzegorz. In a hindsight I should have but most of the time these types of mods are not encouraged by manufacturers as it indicates a weakness in their products. Now that you mention, I will write to him and report back if I get an answer. Thanks for the suggestion.

@debjit_g  Debjit, have you reached out to Grzegorz regarding their recommendation for type(s) of wiring (metal / mix)? If so, can you share their feedback? Thanks.

I am tempted now to upgrade to even better wire, maybe silver.

Debjit I used to have extra speaker cables it’s too long , my friend cut it and terminate it, and the extra wire I used it to replace the Norh internal wire. It’s a solid core siltech. Gold and silver mix.I don’t know where you can buy their wire.

@ricevs check your email.

http://tweakaudio.com/EVS-2/EVS_Music_Purifier.html

@jayctoy thanks for the feedback. Where do I buy the Siltech from ? Any link ?

@ricevs i wasn’t looking for a free pair. I would really like to try it out if they aren’t exorbitantly expensive (I don’t really know what they the cost). Anyway, I could have easily hardwired the wire straight to the voice coil but didn’t do it for two reasons

1. I want to first evaluate the best wire and experiment before soldering/desoldering things. I don’t really like hit iron touching the voice coil often.

2. I have been contemplating v2 driver upgrade.

btw, I am aware of the Mundrof’s new Angelique series. I went to Partscon couple of days back to get the 15.5awg Mundrof Silver/Gold for a power supply project where I saw those.

Debjit I did used solid core siltech wire to replace the internAl wire of  my Norh Speakers. The improvement is so huge.

If you really want to get a big boost then you need to solder the internal wire directly to the voice coil wire......and bypass the banana connection altogether......costs you nothing. Mundorf has some new wire called Angelique.....that I will be playing with.....it is an alloy of copper, silver and gold that they have been working on for a long time. Probably sounds great inside the Nenuphar and soldered directly to the voice coil wire.....of course, for those even more experimental....you will eliminate the WBT binding posts and clamp the wire from the voice coil wire directly to your speaker wire using Nylon hardware. I will have nylon hardware for sale real cheap on my site soon for this purpose.

The one time free pair of Muisc Purifiiers is gone.....the person who got them knows who they are.....sorry for you slow pokes....he he.

Anyone can "try" these Music Purifiers......I give you 30 day money back.....and in fact, if you do not like them and want to return them for full refund (including shipping)........I will also send you $10 to mail them back.....so you lose not one cent.

I recently changed the internal wires (which is like 20awg ?) of the Nenuphars with Vhaudio. I am using KLE banana plugs on the speaker end but after break-in the sound is just so much better and fuller. My rest of the system produces very detailed and lively sound (due to Lampizator DAC) and hence some recordings that has stridency or hard edges present has mellowed down without loosing anything. All in all, the upgrade proved every bit worthwhile. While the VHAudio upgraded wire with ofc copper conductor sounds as good as it does, I am tempted now to upgrade to even better wire, maybe silver. It looks like the internal wire might be the greatest weak point of this speaker depending on the rest of the system.

@ricevs I would love to try some of those purifiers….

Yes, everything is important and can contribute to better sound.  I can send one  Nenuphar owner (who is looking for better sound).....a free pair of my Music Purifiers....that mount on the speaker terminals (takes one minute to install).  They are an rf filter in the lineage of Enacom, Walker HDL and Stein Music.......done with my 45 years of tweaking ability and selling for very little ($125).  Pretty amazing....what they do.  One of my beta testers is using a full range 10 inch Lii driver to great success.  This is a one time offer.  You must contact me through my website address or email.  So, who will be the lucky guy?  First one gets it....free, no strings attached.....of course, if you like it I hope you tell everyone here about your experience.

Blessings and Love.

@eric5kim  Thanks. Congratulations on the results!!!

Many of our posts have focused on amplification. Adding an anecdote that illustrates that everything is important and can contribute to overall performance and sonic results.

I updated and upgraded my Router and Satellite (Mesh Network) yesterday.

The Satellite serves as the beginning / entry point component in the audio system (other than power / power cables).

Wireless in, then wired ethernet to my server.

The update and upgrade was not made for sonic reasons. I am very impressed with the resulting sound quality enhancement.

Good to know the Raven works well. Ive got a Reflection MK2 laying around. Im sure its not as good as the Mono's but as long as its in the ballpark.

@david_ten I am using Raven Audio Silhouette MK2 monoblocks. 6550WC quads 120W each side. 

They did beautifully with not so easy to drive Raidho C3 and another half a dozen speakers. 

Also had a rotation of SS amps but the Ravens were so good I sold them all because I was not listening to them. 

@rwpollock  Robert, thanks for sharing. Great to hear you are 'drinking in' the results. 

The list of excellent amplifier - Nenuphar pairings is growing!!!

@eric5kim  They are, aren't they. : )

Which "large tube monoblocks" are you driving your Nenuphar speakers with? Thanks.

Continuing my explorations of tube amplifiers with the Nenuphars, I purchased a David Berning ZH-230 amp from Rick at Hi-Fi One in California. A splendid amp and a good match with the Cubes. A couple of years ago I had used an LTA L10 integrated which is also a ZOTL design. As my mother used to say, it didn't send me anywhere I couldn't get back from.

The Berning amp, however, is like drinking spring water. It has the detail of the Bakoon/Enleum amps but without any sharpness. Definitely recommended for an audition if you get the chance.

Interesting enough, Rick also sent along a passive preamp that he and Steve McCormack had put together some years ago. Surprisingly (to me) it is a very good combination -- that transparency thing.

- Robert

Nenuphars are very impressive indeed. Was concerned about how my large tube monoblocks would pair with them but they sound fantastic. 

@dlcockrum   Nice. Thanks for posting the above.

Just popped up on YT

@charles1dad Would be fun to combine the best of both worlds with four Cube subwoofers!

Hi @cal3713 

Your explanation and reasoning is exactly what prompted my curiosity.  Yes, no question that the Cube Audio bass system is more expensive and surely well thought out and implemented  . Yet one has to acknowledge the pure application of acoustic science that supports why the swarm distributed subwoofer array is so effective and less costly. 

Charles  

@charles1dad I suspect the Cube Audio solution is of higher quality (17,000 euros for the two Cube subs vs $3200 for the Swarm), but at the end of the day you've still only got two sources of bass and all the standing wave issues that that brings. 

Obviously many people can obtain sufficient bass performance in this manner by adjusting speaker and listening position, but four (or more) sources of bass spread around the room is really the only way besides room modifications to truly smooth out those inevitable peaks and valleys. 

Imagine a rectangular wave pool with actuators on only one end vs one with actuators on all four sides. If I worked with Duke/AudioKinesis, I would construct a small countertop model and allow people to see the different standing wave patterns created as you add actuators around the space.  You'll move from large standing waves to more of an even chop with smaller peaks and valleys as you do so.

In any case, like you said, it would make an interesting comparison.  And agreed, horses for courses.  

It would make such an interesting comparison,  Audio kinesisis swarm and Cube Audio's  own well thought out subwoofer product. For those who seek Nenuphar bass augmentation I strongly suspect that either would be excellent choices. Given my taste I'd still find the stand alone Nenuphar highly desirable. In light of yesterday's Kentucky derby,  horses for courses.

Charles 

@cal3713  +1   I'll add that Duke is wonderful to work with.

@david_ten No affiliation, but I would point basically everyone to audio kinesis’ swarm solution. It fixes issues in a scientifically proven method. I truly believe that multiple sources of sub80hz bass spread around the room fixes a problem that can only be solved by that approach or an absolutely perfect room.

@dspringham Charles ( @charles1dad ) and I were, by pure coincidence, discussing the very issue yesterday. : )

A number of Nenuphar owners use subs effectively (for their needs). Larry ( @larryi ) has posted his preference for the Nenuphars with the Basis subs.

+1 to @abd1 ’s post and his recommendation for Rythmik Audio subs. A friend of mine is very satisfied with the results achieved by pairing his subs with the Nenuphars.

@dspringham 

I have Nenuphar minis with a pair of REL S/510’s. Last subs I’ll probably ever buy. I used to think I’d never want subs with my 2-channel system but I originally got a pair of REL T5i’s to use with some standmount speakers and couldn’t go back. Loved how the little RELs integrated and disappeared. When I moved into a bigger room they were a bit too small. I initially went with a JL F110. It was also pretty nice sounding but I couldn’t quite get the integration as good as the RELs. I was looking to add a second JL but then a great deal on a pair of S/510’s came up and I went for it. My room is about 14x18 and open on one end. I have more headroom than I need and the subs sound great. I’d also recommend Rythmik and almost went with a pair of F12’s but the RELs were too good a deal to pass up. Highly recommended

Still enjoying the Nenuphars but missing the rich, full bottom end of my previous Harbeth 40.1. Looking at subs here in Canada, the Cube Sub 10 lists for CAN$7400. Gulpl!!! They must perform extraordinarily for that sticker price.

I’m sure there are lower cost alternatives, however as an experiment I pulled out a pair of Anthony Gallo TR-1 subs. The experiment lasted around five minutes as they simply muddied the bottom end and became an unblended distraction. I realize these Gallos’ are not the last word in high performance but I assumed they would be fast as they are in sealed enclosures. It makes me wonder about the feasibility of trying to integrate "off brand" subs with the Nens.

Anyone have direct experience comparing the Cube subs to other brands. Do the Cube subs performance justify the entry fee?

Refined Audio Room / AXPONA 2022 write-up and photos via pta / Graig Neville

Refined Audio / Axpona / Part Time Audiophile

Btw, I’m using the older bakoon amp, AMP-51R with fleetwood devilles and they are a GORGEOUS pairing imo. Low DF, paired with stiff paper cone woofer, not flabby excursion drivers are when the magic starts to happen - it’s easily missed or mistaken. I think a SS amp with high DF with said woofers aren’t necessary and over control the woofers, potentially robbing natural rolloff. I’ve done this to the devilles - no go, imo.

Lots of info around the net, bakoons pair well with horns, SET sounding, drive ultra wide banners well, yada yada….but again, whatever your ears tell you is the real ticket.

@rwpollock   Thanks.  +1  Quality throughout the chain...rewards in spades

I have learned that the Nenuphars are sensitive to the quality of what's upstream

<<Robert, has your move to tubes (Shindo and Aric Audio, etc.) changed your perspective on what's 'musically' achievable with the Nenuphars in the system chain?>>

Surprisingly to me, no. I have learned that the Nenuphars are sensitive to the quality of what's upstream, but then it comes down to personal preferences. Perhaps not unlike Stephen with his stable of different horses, I can listen quite happily using either a 300b or SIT-2 amp. If I do use the SIT, then I will pair it with a tube preamp. That said, I ended up here because I heard the Nens at AXPONA with an all solid state amplification chain....

HiFi and LP Magazines (Germany) review of the Nenuphar Mini:

Nenuphar Mini Review by HiFi and LP Magazines

[The link is to the PDF translated English version]

Fairaudio (Germany) review of the Nenuphar Mini:

Nenuphar Mini Review by fairaudio-de

[The link is to page 3 / conclusions; in English via Google Translate]

@rwpollock  Robert, has your move to tubes (Shindo and Aric Audio, etc.) changed your perspective on what's 'musically' achievable with the Nenuphars in the system chain? Thanks.

And I much preferred the 2019 Refined Audio room to their room this year.

Different setup perhaps? They weren't using a SIT-3 this year.

@rsf507 Thanks for sharing your impressions of the Refined Audio room. As you know, show impressions run the gamut and what is "best" for one is not necessarily so for another. Your impressions are valid...if you have thoughts on how Jon may have improved his room, shoot him an email.

Some audio friends of mine were not at all impressed by the 2019 Axpona room and seriously questioned my choice in the Nenuphars way back then. : )

@dlcockrum  Dave, welcome to the thread. Thanks for sharing the video.

Advance congratulations on being a  Nenuphar V2 owner (soon)!!!

@toetapaudio NA is near to you and they have a 30 days hassle free in-home audition. I am using their Eno series streaming filter/cable, along with their Eno usb to great effect.

@debjit_g Network Acoustics is new to me, thanks for the heads up. 

@stephendunn I have the 2020 version unpowered into the Bakoon dac. I see Mark Coles has now introduced an even higher model called the Evo, not tried yet. His LAN cable was the best I tried as well.

Pass/Cube Audio room was deemed “Best of Show” by this guy. FF to 10 minutes in…

Just another perspective but the Cube at Axpona didn't get my foot tapping, it was ok but nothing special IMO but again this was show conditions. 

Indeed David this set is all about immersion into music....

Short write-up and photos courtesy of Jason Victor Serinus / Stereophile re. Refined Audio's Cube Audio / Pass / Lampizator room at Axpona.

Refined Audio Axpona