how much the SRP? Worth the diff? How do you compare the antipode gold and jade hybrid? Thx |
Glory & Jmcgrogan2...
What was the final verdict in your cable swapping comparison between the Jade Hybrid & the GG Rapture?
Jmcgrogan - what amp & preamp are you using with your Verity PO's
Also, where you balanced or single ended? |
Pdreher, I am using a ARC Ref 3 and a BAT VK-75SE modified by Bob Backert of RHB Sound Dezign running fully balanced with my Verity PE's, not PO's.
As for my opinion, both cables are terrific, and bargains at their price point. The Rapture had better attack of the note, which gave it a stunning clarity quality, especially noticeable on percussion. The Hybrid had a more natural decay of the note, which created a deeper, more 3-D stage, which better allowed me to hear the size of the recording venue.
Tonally, they were both on the slightly warm side of neutral, with the Hybrid being a bit warmer, and the Rapture a bit closer to neutral. The slightly warmer Hybrid gave brass a wonderful burnish hue sound which sounded more accurate to me, but again, the clarity/speed of the Rapture made percussion sound more real.
Just for comparisons sake, I would say the Hybrid sounded closer to the PAD Dominus camp, while the Rapture sounded closer to a Stealth Indra. Two very different sounding cables that will both sound great with the right gear, and may even sound best when combined together someway.
As a note: I never listened to the Rapture throughout, since I run fully balanced and Gary (Glory) does not. I compared these two cables between my Walker Signature phono stage and my ARC Ref 3 preamp. I was still running through a 2 meter balanced Hybrid from preamp to amp with both cables.
Bottom line, both cables had stunning qualities. The Rapture is certainly much better than the previous GG cables I have heard (Extreme and Revelation). I could live happily with either cable, and not look back. I found myself amazed at how two cables could sound so different and yet sound so damn good. It left me scrathing my head I must admit. That's my $0.02, take it for what it's worth.
Cheers,
John |
Wow, what a great response from John on the two cables. My Hybrid vs. Indra observations were parallel to John's Hybrid vs. Rapture. If the Hybrid had just a tiny bit more energy in the highest of the highs, I would consider it flawless....well of course until the Hybrid Mk II came out! 8-) And as John points out, it is very easy to bail out of the cable changing game once one of these lands in your system. |
John - Thanks for your input. I just placed an order with JD for two of his Hybrid IC's with RCA's. Should be a huge upgrade over my Nordost Blue Heaven and another no name cable. I anxiously await their arrival! |
Congrats Paul!! You'll have to let us know what you think after the Hybrids have burned in.
Cheers,
John |
Okay... the Jade Hybrids have been burning-in since last night, and already the difference in my system is very noticeable. Big improvement in dynamics, clarity, decay. I know it sounds like a cliche, but I'm hearing things I've never heard before. The haze is gone and the sound is more natural and life-like. I was a bit skeptical that spending thousands of dollars for an interconnect was worthwhile, but I can say these babies are outstanding performers.
Does anyone know how long it will take before they are fully burned-in? It's kind of hard to believe they can get much better. |
Congrats, I'm glad that you enjoy them. IME, the Hybrid did not change as much on burn in as the Vermeil did. The Vermeil changed dramatically after about 100 hours, possibly due to the plating, I'm not sure.
As I recall, the Hybrid did not change nearly as much. I would say that you get 90-95% performance right away, with a slight improvement after 100-150 hours, mostly in just subtle nuances and hues.
Cheers,
John |
i own one pair of pure gold interconnects and have auditioned another pair of gold interconnects as well as a pure gold speaker cable.
each cable had a d a different presentation, which suggests that there is no unique sound to gold.
i doubt one could detect the difference between pure gold and pure copper, assuming connectors and all other materials were the same. |
i doubt one could detect the difference between pure gold and pure copper, assuming connectors and all other materials were the same. This is exactly the case with Jade Audio cables. JD uses the same manufacturing process in all his models for insulating the lines, wrapping them in the jacket and terminating to the connectors. Provided the listener compares all Jade models with the premium connector as standard on the Hybrid, the only difference between the Gold, Vermeil and Hybrid models is the wire material itself. And the sonic differences between these 3 models is significant in frequency extreme levels AND portrayal of space. Mr Tennis, before you doubt any more what many of us have experienced with this product line, contact JD to hear these differences for yourself. |
Mr Tennis - To add to JaFox's comments... I would not recommend JD's more expensive cables (the Hybrids) to someone with a modest system, however, better cables do make a helluva difference in highly resolving systems with higher end components. Better systems deserve better cables to bring out their full potential.
I'm sold on Jade Hybrids... the difference in sound quality coming out of my system was a dramatic leap forward. The Hybrids sound much better than my Purist Venustas, and the Venustas is a good cable.
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I've been reading through this and other threads that have discussed the virtues of mainly the more popular gold based cables. Even among these, there are significant price differences. And it would seem, as some others have previously pointed out that quite often prices have little to do with the kinds of performance attributes that listeners find the most desirable or appealing. I've keenly realized this myself in the past several months by auditioning a number of cables. For example, I'll say only that I had a very pleasant experience with Audio Metallurgy's relatively inexpensive GA-0 interconnect, fitted with Nextgen Midline connectors. I'm waiting to receive a pair with the Topline connectors. I also listened to the Jade Hybrid ic, which cost nearly ten times the amount of the GA-0. IMHO the Jade had a number of extremely fine qualities. However, I did not find it anywhere near ten times better than the GA-0. In fact, I'll just say that by comparison, the GA-0 acquitted itself most commendably. I've also been hearing John Prator's Silkworm+, which I had fitted with Eichmann copper bullet plugs. Pricewise, it falls in between the GA-0 and the Jade Hybrid, but is closer to the former. I would like to take the opportunity here, as some others have, to add my two cents about this product. First, I will say that so far I have had it run in for about 350 hours. What makes it stand out for me is its ability to render various tonal shades, shifts in timing and manner of expressiveness of instruments and instrumentalists with the sort of beauty and musicality that causes me smile and shake my head. I also find its presentation avoids a tendency toward the analytical, and simply allows the music to flow with ease, openness and even elegance if it's in the mix. Especially noteworthy is the very significant minimization of unpleasant artifacts(mainly brightness)at macrodynamic levels, so that what I hear is reminiscent of being at a live orchestral concert. Throughout the entire sound spectrum hi fi-ishness or atificiality is foreign to the Silkworm+. The degree of naturalness is ear opening. I detected nothing untoward as well with separation and location of instruments, stage width, depth or height, which are all quite important to me as a listener of orchestral music. Further, I consider top and bottom end performance to be quite exemplary. I feel delighted too with the rendering of realistic warmth in the lower strings, and the reproduction of the orchestra's power instruments....All in all, I have every reason to feel the charms of the Silkworm+ will continue to unfold as things move on. If you haven't done so already, I recommend you invite this marvelous cable into your home. Not only do I consider it a superb instrument, but also feel its creator, John Prator, is an absolute pleasure to deal with. He impresses as a very likeable fellow, with a most engaging sense of humor. I'm confident he'll be very pleased to communicate with you, and I daresay there's a very good chance you'll be quite pleased with what he will offer you for your musical enjoyment. |
Opus88,
Just caught this one too, thank you for your kind words. I'm curious; have you received the GA-0 interconnects w/Topline connectors back yet? That is a great little cable, I think you'll enjoy it.
Best,
John |
Hi John...Yes. I'm in the process of burning it in. |
