Guys, I just was alerted to this thread. I have not heard the Gabriel Golds but one comment by Jmcgrogan2 caught my attention. He said there was agreement about how good gold ics were. I use both Jade Hybrids and Vermeils. Once when I was in Minn. JD humored me in a visit to compare the Jade Golds and the Vermeils. I much preferred the Vermeils. I apparently was not alone in this as JD decided to use gold and silver in the Hybrids. I have compared the Hybrids and the Vermeils on my dac to the linestage and much prefer the Hybrids. So I guess my pecking order is Hybrids, Vermeils, and Golds.
The Jade Golds were not my first experience with gold ics, as I once had the Stealth PGS. Actually, they sound quite like the Jade Golds, causing me to conclude that I must like gold ics.
I would also like to note that the Siltech G5s are outstanding silver with gold interconnects. I once had Compass Lake ics and Emperor speaker G4 wires. The only reason I don't have them any longer is the expense of moving to G5s. The Siltech are IMHO a massive step up from the Nordost Valhallas and the MITs. I am anti-copper wires but certain not anti-silvers.
Just my 2 cents. |
I was just looking at the Tesla thread, which I hear is a great cable. It seems some members are actually using the Tesla in their system with GG Revelations with cool results.
Anyway the Tesla thread according to the member who started it has over 18,000 views.
This thread now has over 25,000 views so it seems great cables have nice longing running threads.
I guess that backs orders up a bit.
I heard there's a wait list at the Cable Co. to audition the Tesla's.
Thanks audiogon and thanks to all the great members who share their knowledge,experience and humor
bob |
glory the thread is still here |
glory Bigger,richer with even better detail.e-mail me direct if you want to discuss more bobf |
Bobf,
Does the Rapture have a better mid-range magic to it than the Rev. |
Just to update audiophiles who don't want to read thru all these great post.The Gabriel Gold Revelations take about 300-400 hours to break-in and YES! they change drastically once broken in.They are still the best cable I've had with the exception of the GG Rapture.I've e-mailed Steve in the past about breakin time and for some reason he is not a big cable cooker fan maybe he'll eventually burn the cables in a bit first in the future but wouldn't that take some of our fun away?It would certainly gives us a more immediate take on these great cables.Just FYI
bobf |
The chesky train does not stop at go and does not collect $200.
I like the Gabriel Gold path where the music is lined with Gold. |
Or get on the true HD CD Chesky train....'linin' track' |
John,
There may not be a cure in cables but I have found that some cables "accentuate" these nasties. Actually "attenuate" may be more appropriate with "eliminate" being a poor word choice.
As far as vinyl is concerned it possesses a whole other set of unique problems and is by no means perfect.
Maybe someday someone will come up with "perfect sound forever"! Oh wait a minute, I guess they already did that.
Bottom line on the Gabriel Gold ICs though, they are very, very good and I enjoy using them. |
And the never ending quest to attenuate or eliminate that nasty digital edge that too many CDs possess.
Rja You won't find the cure for this in cables. The only 'REAL' cure is vinyl... Cheers, John |
Bobf & Budburma,
I think the Raptures are exceptional ICs. Hopefully I didn't imply that they were anything but. However, the differences they exhibited in my system just didn't seem to be as dramatic as you two experienced. In my system the differences were more subtle.
The Revelation ICs have been in my system for about a year while the Raptures (which I think were brand new) were in for 2 weeks. Could there be a break-in issue? Steve did say 250-300 hours so I was just on the edge of that.
I've never been a sound-staging fanatic. The accuracy of the voices and instruments has always interested me more. And the never ending quest to attenuate or eliminate that nasty digital edge that too many CDs possess.
|
Hey Rja-
Good for you and your wallet! For me the differences were not subtle...and mostly in the vein that Bobf mentions.... but that what makes a horse race.
As a matter of fact, I preferred a mixture of the Extreme and the Revelation to all Revelations. In a nutshell, I love the delicacy and detail of the Rev's, but missed the soul of the Extremes. It was like the difference between listening with your heart versus your mind. I also think the sounstage is bigger with the Extremes and that's something I really enjoy. The Raptures brought it all home in spades (like the familiarity of the musty smell of your granddad's sweater in the fall...comfy and rich with closed-eyed memory and emotion...but I digress) along with the sonic improvements I mention above.
Same family, as Bobf says, but a different animal...and evolutionary leap...a genetic shift instead of the normal drift...don't get me started on intelligent design; after all, i am inertia man!....but i digress (again!).
Bobf-
I have the Raptures in my main chain and a pair of Edens to my headphone amp and a pair of Extremes to my Squezebox. I would love to have all Raptures, but just can't swing it right now. I do prefer the Edens a bit over the Extremes as they offer the same soulful and natural presentation without the bloom....All the attributes are still there; detail, extension, control, pace, clarity and spatial presentation, but with enough less bloom that it seems to be a quieter background. Definitely a killer bargain and great cable. If you like a bit of midrange bloom or your system veers to the clinical, the Extreme may be your best choice.
No telling really, as rja's experience reveals. Listen and learn and let your your ears be your guide. (might just save you some money!) some ears, like spock's, really point the way (might just save you some time!) and other's just keep hungering....especially as they fall into the aging category....wearing slippers and a bathrobe....and an old sweater....
BMW 3 series? Zippy! Maybe the 5 series?....no m's in the 7 series, although i saw an m6 on the highway that had me drooling on my tie. Audio is definitely a less expensive hobby; at least that's what I keep telling my wife!
Gotta run, enjoy the tunes! |
rja care to elaborate on the differences that you heard between the two cables in your set-up.I found the Raptures to have a bit more more detail with greater depth and staging.I also thought that the music took on much greater realism.I didn't think this possible after owning the Revelation,but it is so.They are definately in the same family which is great so they didn't lose any of the characteristics I love.I would compare the two in car terms as the Revelations being a BMW 328 and the Raptures being a BMW M3.You got a lot more under the hood and the suspension to do something with it.
I like you also use the Revelation speaker too so I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
bob |
Well Budburma, I don't think the Raptures and Revelations exhibited the differences in my system that they did in yours. To me they were different but not dramatically so. This is probably due to differences in our systems. Frankly, I could live with either one with no problem. |
I just participated in my first Audiogon auction and won!!!! a pair of Eden.I do not have the vast experience as some of the members on this thread as I have been using Harmonic Technology Magic and ProSilway for years.Before the Harmonic Tech stuff I was using midline Audioquest for nearly a decade just buying the latest stuff my Audioquest dealer was suggesting.When the Edens arrived they were enclosed in a nice Black case with a bed of foam on the top and bottom protecting them.This was a very good first impression and far from the plastic wrapping my other cables have come in.The looks of the Eden were also very nice and made my HT's look bland.I placed the Eden
interconnects between my Plinius SA 100mk 3 and my Joule preamp.I should not be too quick to judge but I immediately felt that the recordings sounded more organic and a lot less electronic sounding if that makes sense.Piano,horns and acoustic guitars seemed lifelike and easy to listen to and I still had all the detail.I have the system on repeat eating up my tube time on the Joule and if the sound improves I'll even be more pleased .I m very happy with my first Audiogon purchase |
Budburma *** I take it you have a mix of Rapture and Eden interconnects.I saw in previous threads that you were a big fan of the Extremes.
Did you replace your Extreme with the Eden?
I have not heard much on this thread about the Eden.
I'm guessing if the designer replaced the Extreme with the Eden that it's got to be better or at least pretty different.
Your view on this is appreciated and sure to be engaging |
rja-
i have the exact same sensitivities and system issues and run screaming from silveras anathema in my system, and, i think your analysis is apt for the rapture with the exception that, for me (of course), the differences between the rapture and the revelation are pretty out there in the open in my system particularly regarding soundstage, air and, mostly, that ineffable thing of involvement...and, you're right, it's hard to describe, so i am going to sit and listen and think and nap and do it all over again until it becomes clear and i'll get back to you with my thoughts......i can say that i intellectually appreciated the revelation, but my heart never sang out with or for them while my heart is an open chakra for musical experience with the rapture..... |
I don't feel equipped to describe sound (mostly from lack of experience) but short of clapping two stones together and just declaring "me like!!!", I'll try. The impression I get listening to the Raptures is "solidity with finesse" meaning there is very solid and impactful bass foundation married to delicate defined treble information. Because I am very sensitive to a bright, harsh, edgy, irritating high end I will reject any cable or component that exhibits it. A system that possesses this quality, as mine does to a slight degree, demands an IC that does not accentuate it. However, this quality seems to be more software dependent in my system and while many excellent CDs are problem free in this regard, many more are IMO problematic. It would be great if a cable would attenuate this quality but then I suspect it would not be accurate in the treble.
I'm always hesitant to declare anything the "best" but I do believe the Rapture is the "best" IC I have had in my system. I don't feel that the Rapture is a "huge" improvement over the Revelation but I believe it possesses significant sonic benefits. Whether the benefits are worth the price difference between the Revelation and Rapture will vary with each system and owners priorities but for me, I believe the Raptures are priced fairly for the high level of performance they are capable of delivering, especially considering the prices of cables that would compete at this level. I would encourage anyone who is considering ICs in this price range or even significantly higher, to audition the GG Rapture. You may be very pleasantly surprised!
My most recent ICs were the Gabriel Gold, the GG Revelation and the Virtual Dynamics Revelation v.1, all balanced. Before those listed I used several highly regarded balanced silver cables which led me to the conclusion that I do not care for the sonic "signature" of silver.
Because I alternate between two CDPs that connect direct to my amp (EAR ACUTE and Wadia 270SE & 27i) I use only one set of ICs. The Wadias are connected with a VD Revelation Signature balanced digital cable and Aural Symphonics Optimism v.2 AT&T.
My speaker cables are bi-wire GG Revelations which replaced VD Revelation v.1 b-w which is a fine cable but extremely stiff and heavy. I was initially concerned about the gauge of the GG Revelation speaker cables being adequate but that concern has proven to be meaningless. All my PCs are VD Master v.3. |
You know, I also have a pair of the new Edens and they are a hard to beat bargain at their price. They share the emotional involvement of listening to music through the Extremes, but have less midrange bloom. They don't carry the detail of the Raptures (what cable does?!), but they are delicate and tonally accurate. Their sound is very close to neutral if a tiny bit warm....which i like... with great extension and bass control, no glare in the highs and a toe-tapping evolved and involving midrange. And, they offer a nice sized soundstage with excellent instrument imaging/placement and good air.
They have that gabriel thang of perfect pacing, great dynamics and are a very impressive entry level cable for steve's line. if i had never heard the raptures, i would have replaced my extremes with these in a skinny new york minute...actually, i did just that! they go from pre to headphone amp and will to the phono amp as well....unless i can get up the scratch for some more raptures....reachin' for my wallet already... |
ok, so that was a little over the top. i was trying to think of what, if anything, might make me wish my family was not home for a few hours and that's where my mind went. off the cuff and right out of hand. made me laugh though. on the other hand, there made be an entrepeneurial opportunity for audio accessories.....naaaaah, that's getting too sordid.
hey john, you think you might want to exchange ic's and compare hybrids to raptures? i may be heading down your way in a couple of weeks....shoot me an email if that sounds good.
best,
art |
Sexy and alluring??!! Art......your system is a sultry shedevil minx???!!!
Hmmmmmm......maybe I am missing something.....I mean I love the way my system sounds now, but it doesn't get me sexually aroused, so maybe I am missing out on something here.
Cheers,
John 8-) |
I have to agree with Hiernote and John Mcgrogan in that gold is great, especially in an amalagam. Too bad the price of it is soaring! I think that the Raptures' addition of platinum (not too cheap either) to the gold/silver/copper amalgam adds some dimensionality to the stage and separation to the instruments that is very striking. And , the effortless detail is flabbergasting. I found the same to be true with the platinum containing BMI power cables.
I am very much looking forward to hearing from rja about his experience with balanced Raptures. I am using two Rapture pc's (pre and amp) and two Rapture ic's (cdp-->pre-->amp) and am still blown away everyday with every recording i have listened to since i've had them. such extreme detail without any glare at all and the natural timbre and accurate, but soulful presentation is as exciting and heart stopping as it is sexy and alluring.
my system is a sultry shedevil minx! maybe a little strong on the athropomorphising, but as much as i love my wife and 5 year old el boyo fantastico, i find myself hoping they're not home so i get some quiet listening time in. so, now it's almost sinful how much pleasure i get from my stereo AND my family. how good can life get!
over and out (for now).
lest i repeat ad infinitum: enjoy the tunes! |
Well they've been playing for a couple of days now. So far they are sounding quite fine. I was afraid this would happen, now I've got to figure a way to scrape together the scratch so I don't have to send these back! |
Hi rja you can still see okay! the Raptures are a Navy blue with Black internal markings.Sort of like blue/black snake skin in appearance.
They sound great fresh,but wait till they get some hours on them and you'll really be groovin'
bobf |
This may sound a bit weird but I had eye surgery last Thursday. I think they are very, very dark blue or black. They look better than the Revelations to me. |
Audioforever,
Just received an e-mail from Steve. He says break-in time on the Raptures is 250-300 hours. |
rja how do they look ? the picture looks cool!! |
Audioforever,
Received Raptures today and they are in my system. I don't know if they are brand new or not so will let them burn-in a while. I'll try to post my impressions in a day or two. Real nice of Steve to let me check them out.
BTW: I've owned the original Gabriel Gold and currently using the GG Revelation XLR ICs. Also using bi-wire GG Revelation speaker cables. |
solid points made by jmcgrogan.
I should have mentioned in my thread that although the Gabriels are my preference both sonically and asthetically,all the cables mentioned by jmcgrogan outperformed the multi-dollar Siltech,Nordost,Transparent,etc at more realistic pricing designed by people with passion and knowledge.
BTW-I recently sold a pair of Gabriel Revelations that I bought used and am putting my pennies together towards a pair of Raptures.
Will report back at appropriate time. |
I think all of us are on this thread because we have found that we like the 'sound' of gold and gold alloys better than copper or silver cables. I cannot say that I have tried them all, I've never even heard of the KCI or Antipodes, there are just too many choices out there to hear them all. I have heard Jade Audio, Gabriel Gold and Audio Metallurgy cables, and IMS, IMHO I prefer the Jade. At this level though I'm sure system synergy and personal tastes have much to do with it.
I do agree with Hiernote that the Jade's are not as transparent as the Gabriel Gold's, but IMS they more than make up for that with increased dimensionality. The larger soundstage is layed out better front to back. I also will say that what Hiernote may call 'colorations', another, such as myself may refer to as timbral shadings. Yes, brass does sound more like brass to me with the Jade's. So while I would agree that the Gabriel Gold's sound is clearer and more transparent, I prefer the richer timbral 'colorations' combined with the larger and better defined soundstage of the Jade.
Again, they are all good cables, and will fit better or worse in certain systems depending on tastes and equipment. I could easily see how some who own warmer equipment or have tastes that lean towards transparency over warmth could prefer the Gabriel Gold's. And no, I have not heard the Rapture either, only the Revelation and Extreme.
But my point is, whether Gabriel Gold, Jade Audio, Audio Metallurgy, KCI, Antipodes, or whatever, everyone here seems to agree that we do like the 'flavor' that gold, gold plating, and/or gold alloys bring to the table more than silver, copper, etc. So we have more in common than it may appear to some. There is no one right answer for all systems and/or all listeners, only what is best for each of us.
As my friend Art (Budburma) would say....enjoy the tunes!
Cheers,
John |
Jazzmeup and plutos please communicate directly with each other or contact audiogon and start a dispute process where all members can view and comment on your transaction.
This thread has been very positive for all parties that have posted here and has no bearing on your situation and should not be tainted with your battle.
I say please refrain from further comments here.
Just my opinion. |
I found quite the opposite.I had a chance to listen to the Jade Hybrid and the KCI and prefer the Gabriel Gold interconnects.Although the Jade and the KCI are great sounding cables they have their own distinct colorations.
Granted some systems need cables that color or tone things in one way or another.I myself believe a cable should maintain the sonic purity of the signal with minimal degradation.And we all know that the degradation of the signal is what creates the coloration.I have only tried the Revelation and Extreme and prefer the Revelation.If what they say about Rapture interconnects
is accurate it will make all comparisons a non-issue . |
Plutos, I bought it from original owner. This is a stock unit and has never been modified. Do you know what you were talking about? First you said it was a faulty unit, now you said it was modified. Again, I have never received any emails from you after the transaction. I even emailed you few weeks ago about your feedback and got no responses neither. Please email me direct. |
Jazzmeup, I emailed you many times immediately when I received it and offered several solutions. There were no answers from you. You also didn`t list that the unit was modified. So please do not lie. |
I found the Jade Hybrid and the Antipodes Gold better than the Gabriel Revelation in my very revealing system, more resolution and richer textures - best was the Antipodes, all the richness of gold but lightning fast. YMMV of course and they were teamed with Antipodes SC so it may not have been a fair comparison. I am still waiting to hear some of the KCI interconnects before I decide which to buy. Are there any other pure gold interconnects worth a listen? |
Rja,
I am truly looking forward to your feedback. I have just bought two Gabriel Gold Revelation unbalanced interconnect. If it is as good as u guys say, maybe i will think about saving now for the upgrade....provided Steve is kind to allow the existing upgrade in the future.
Most interested to know whether the improvement justifies the price difference
Regards
Lim |
Sorry, I know this is off the topic, but I have to clarify this: The Marantz SA1 Player was sold to Plutos Feb 2007 in perfect working condition. After the player was shipped, I have never received any emails from him. If there was anything wrong with the unit, he should have contacted me or filed a complaint with Agon right the way. Why he had to wait for more than half a year to respond and leave me a negative feedback? Obviously something must have happened to this player during his possession. My unblemished Agon record can prove that I always stand behind every sold item 100%. I filed a complaint with Agon immediately. After their investigations, Agon removed the abused feedback from my account and vindicated me. Thank you Brian. |
Steve sent out some balanced Raptures to try on Friday so I will soon know what you guys are talking about. If they are as good as you say, they might not be going back! |
Hey Bob
Way to blow that whistle and call that foul.
The Raptures do what Mr Budburma says and then some.
I know you Revelation owners might be thinking "How could this be"
It is so and it is an astounding accomplishment on the designers part. |
Back to the thread-
How about them new Rapture interconnects?
bobf |
Sherod and Jmcgrogan2 thanks about Your sympathy. But I think that You know about this fee-dbac-k sys-tem.
I used paypal but I live in another continent and in my country I can`t accept paypal refundment. The claiming process needs to prove and it is not so easy and cost-effective. I have made a lot of deals here and in E-bay but I have not seen a person like this. Sherod, I just want to warn others who is dealing with JAZZMEUP. |
It would appear that Plutos is jumping into any thread that Jazzmeup has replied to. Sorry for your loss Plutos, may I suggest that next time you use a credit card through Paypal. If I am buying a big ticket item, and can't pick it up in person, or know the seller well, I use a credit card. It has saved me twice on AudiogoN. Paypal and AudiogoN can't really help you, but your bank will.
Best wishes,
John |
Uh, Pluto. Sorry about your loss, but what does this have to do with this thread? |
Jazzmeup is fraud. DON'T buy items from him he is a cheater!!! He sold me a broken cd player. 2100$ is gone!!!!!! This man is a total f..k up. If you send a money he does not answer. I left a negative feedback but the system is useless. It just does not guarantee you any defense for fraud. I am not just anonymous poster I stand up for every word I say. If you have more questions please e-mail me. |
Hey John!
It is a comfy zone. I think we are on the same slow and majestic train....pulling out of the same station to never return. WooooooooooooWhew.
Best,
Art |
Art,
I'm glad that you have found audio nirvana....it is a wonderful place to be. I knew right off the bat that those were your comments on Steve's latest Rapture ad, they must be some great i/c's. It would be fun to compare them head on with JD's Hybrid i/c's, but I would bet that they would sound very close. I do respect your opinions, especially because I know that you are using fabulous speaker cables. ;^)
I myself am very happy now with all of my cables and power cords........ahhh contentment....it's a wonderful place to be.
Cheers,
John |
Bobf- I'm kinda sorta thinkin' you sorta kinda just did!
And, while I'm at the thinkin' thing, I thought would reprint and edit my yammering a bit, so my thoughts on the Rapture I/C's would be more easily accessed right here on this thread. No need to use that channel changer, surf about...front row, ba-baby.
The soundstage is mesmerizing; it has released the grandeur of my bmi pc's whose stage is up to this point unbeatable in my experience. The black silence between well defined placement of 3d images is bible black and starless....with the deep stage set behind my speakers and extending well beyond my speakers side to side. Great fun.
Exciting, transporting, and relaxing, it actually feels like an environment is created rather than a room recreated. No grain, flawless pace and wide extension with shimmering highs and deep natural taut bass. The midrange is natural and inviting, liquid and rich without being syrupy. Singer's breaths are promises whispered in your ear.
The micro dynamics and revealing of inner detail is astonishing. And, with the detail revealed so astutely and naturally combined with the head bobbing and toe-tapping macrodynamics, they seem to make bare the composer's intent.
Since you mentioned jazz, I use Coltrane's Ballads as one of my test cd's....you can hear the spittle on the reed...and there is a tremolo at the very end of each note on the first cut i have never heard before. Breathtaking. The piano is across half the stage and the whisper and control of the brushes gets my goofy grin cemented in place.
The attack/decay and sustain is perfect on emphasis and without exaggeration. Really, I was perfectly satisfied with the Extremes and Revelations, but now they're a bit spoiled for me as the rapture is upon us! Make me a mormon and save my ancestors, they are without compare in my experience.
They are the BEST, period. I have no idea how to put a price on them....they're priceless.
Thththththat's All Folks!
Enjoy the tunes! |
How would you Rapture owners characterize the difference between them and the Revelations? If there is a sonic difference is it a significant difference and is it worth the additional cost? I know this is all subjective but I'd like to hear your opinions. I'm currently using the Revelation balanced ICs and bi-wire speaker cables. |
budburma-read your comments and couldn't agree with you more, only wish I could have said it.
bobf |
So, I thought I would post my impressions of the Rapture I/C's, but Steve beat me to it and posted them on his new ad. Pretty much all the comments on his ad are mine and they pretty much sum it up. They are the best cables I have heard. I have not heard the indra or high end transparent, but I have heard stealth metacarbon and GS50/50, high end gen3 siltech, analysis plus golden oval, etc. (a more extensive list of my cable exposure is posted earlier in this thread). And, the rapture is really, really good....heads and shoulders better than anything I have heard. Dead neutral. Super revealing yet silk on bare skin. Goosebump stuff. See my comments on the ad....
As a matter of course; I am not associated with marketing Gabriel Gold cables beyond being a bigbigbig fan....I have never even met Steve, but we have exchanged a lot of emails...I am not a shill for him, but do consider him a friend.
I also use the rapture pc's on my pre and amp. I'll try to post more thorough comments about them later. And, I am, for the first time in a decade, really feeling finished with cabling.....except, i am upgrading my sound app xe-12 to a reference level and will try the stealth m-5000, elrod eps3s, and dream state lucid on it....then finito, bandito.....again....
My system is posted and up to date here on audiogon if you care...
Enjoy the tunes!
Budburma |
