What are you looking to accomplish or change? What are your sonic preferences? I have Kharma speakers and used to have Valhallas. Although I liked them, I found that Silversmith Palladiums and Kharmas own Enigma ICs gave me more robust sound with a richer harmonic texture and without getting muddy or overly dark sounding. It was like I was getting more "audio" pixels on my sonic screen. Now this suggestion also has to be taken in the context of the rest of my system which may be more synergistic with the cables I mention than yours might be. |
I tend to echo Fmpnd's sentiments about what you're looking to change and system synergy. I can tell you, FWIW, that in my system, which has a Jadis preamp (which uses EF86 tubes and is not as dark as my previous Jadis preamp) and Lamm tubed amplification, which may be a little on the dark side compared to your amplification (no Kharmas), there was a noticeable difference in the tonal balance of the system between the Nordost Valhalla and the Kubala Sosna Emotion interconnects. The Nordost was highly detailed but ultimately lightweight in character, with a lean, taut bass reproduction and plenty of "air" in the highs but a harmonic thinness tonally in the midrange that I felt was a little unnatural sounding (but for all I know, it accurately conveyed what it was fed). In my system the Kubala Sosna is more balanced tonally, and is particularly "right" in the midrange, instruments sounding more like real instruments, with the richer harmonic texture that Fmpnd is referring to. Dynamics are about the same with each in my experience. But while I have heard both the ARC and Boulder at my dealer's, I don't have experience with them in my system, so I can't tell you how different the Kubala Sosna might sound in your system. I would note that the electronics you have are about as clean, detailed, and revealing as anything out there; if you truly like that sound you may wind up preferring the Nordost. |
The two previous posters make a good point: It's very difficult to make a suggestion without knowing your sonic priorities. That said, I've had the best luck with Jena Labs' Dreamdancer interconnects and speaker cables. FWIW, I own Von Schweikert VR-9s, and the Jenas are the best match I've found for my system. I've auditioned the Silversmith Palladiums and Indras, and while they are fantastic cables in their own right, I found the Jenas to be more of a synergistic match with my gear. |
Too many options. You will have to try a few cables and decide. |
Emigene,
Rprince and eddkale both make good points. As Rpince pointed out, your gear is very neutral and detailed so if that is your sonic preference - maybe the Valhalla is best. (then again, I realize we love to try new stuff to see if we can improve things). I forgot to mention that I have tried the Kubala Sosna Emotions and echo Rprince's opnion of them vis a vis the Valhallas.
Eddkale probably makes the best point - with all the options, the only way to really know is to trust your ears and audition them if you can.
If you want to e-mail me off line, we can get more into it since we are both Kharma owners and I assume you like the Kharma sound. I tried a LOT of cables and some were better than my current cables when I had my solid state EMM preamp in the system. Conversely, when I put my tube preamp in the system, the Palladiums and Kharma Enigma trounced the other cables (and yes, I DO mean trounced!). My point being that cables and ICs are very system dependent and changing just one component may change your preferences on cables. So, since I have different associated gear, my choices may not work for you. |
I have been using Valhalla interconnects and speaker cable for years in my system, and I have loved them. I then had a chance to try Kubala-Sosna Emotion interconnects. I now have all KS Emotion interconnects and half my system uses KS power cords. I recently tried all KS Emotion cables for an afternoon and now am waiting for my order to be filled. Yes, Im selling all my other cables and going 100% KS Emotion. As Rcprince described, these cables are wonderful, and each time another KS cable is added it produces more naturalness more of everything. When I added the last cord to make 100% KS cables it was as great a WOW as the first cable. I have been considering writing a review, but frankly I have not figured out the words to describe the experience of using all KS Emotion cables.
The strength of the Valhalla are speed, tight definition, dynamics and open airy top end. The weakness is they can be overly revealing and edgy in a bad system. They are also too thin on top; this has held true on every system I have heard them in. The thinness was mistaken by me for dynamics and openness.
In comparison the KS, well it is not comparable
100% Emotion cables is
emotional! The emotion of the recording comes through in full dynamics. These cables are every bit as extended as the Valhalla, but they are not thin. They are every bit as detailed, but never etched or edgy. They have all the tightness and slam in the bass, but with color and hue.
But they provide so much more than just that. These cables are full bodied but never fat or bloated. They create enormously colorful hues as long as the equipment they are hooked up to can produce it. These cables are not colorful or warm on their own; they would only produce these features if the equipment was initiating it. I believe the Kubala-Sosna Emotion cables are completely neutral, and that is in fact why Im having a hard time expressing what they are. The top end is extended as far as my system allows, but they are not thin, or bright, or edgy, or fatiguing, or
what ever the words we audiophiles so commonly think of as high frequencies. By nature, our systems have forced us to accept these traits if we wanted clear, bright top end. The KS is clear and bright, but not in the traditional sense. The clear brightness of a bell or triangle is pure and not at all artificial yet filled with harmonics and tonal hue. The piano which is notorious for creating edgy painful sound that can cause our ears to ring and force us to turn down the volume or risk fatigue is perfectly natural with the KS cables. It does nothing more or less than a piano would do in my room. It is pure and wonderful, tuneful, clear, extended and punchy. Yes, the leading edge of a hammer striking a piano string is sudden and precise, but not etched. The decay of the note is longer and more natural than before while the only change being cables. My experience is I need to use tubes to receive the decay I get from the KS.
Violin is another instrument that is notoriously edgy and bright. If you have ever sat in a small auditorium and listened to an accomplished violinist, you would know the instrument is resonant and full, be it the high frequencies, but you would certainly know it to have body and tonal hues. Most of us need to compromise when it comes to reproducing this instrument. Either we have tight slamming bass with near death top ends or colorful warmer top ends with bloated fat bass. No more bleeding ears at the cost of bass. No more fat slow ill defined bass at the expense of listenable top end. I now have both. The violin is tonally colorful, vibrant and filled with body, yet the bass is tight with all the definition and slam I expect; no demand.
The midrange, the area of vocals and most every instrument we listen to is
perfect. Every aspect we strive for is produced in a clean and natural presentation. The background is darker than I have ever heard, this allows for huge separation between notes. I mean you can define every note as an individual, yet it is natural, never etched of over processed. Every note has weight and body but not at all tubey or glowing or lush, just natural. This incredible definition creates a three dimensionality the Valhalla was only hinting at. Again decay is amazing. Disks I have listened to a million times; were filled with new inner detail and micro-dynamic information. I hear the breath as something real, not a simple sound, but a rich human experience. The corners of the recording studio became evident as the sound decayed into the space. Its an amazing experience, so detailed, so airy and not at all thin, not at all etched. Quite the contrary, the edge of a note is not a sharp two dimensional line against a background, it is instead a full three dimensional object that has a rounded edge, just as sharp, but three dimensional rather than the Valhallas two dimensional presentation.
AMAZING!! That is all I can say. Because this cable breaks all the audiophile pre-conceptions, open airy but not thin, full body, but not thick. Complete color palate yet tight fully defined bass. Nothing makes sense, and my initial impression was I lost dynamics. As I continued to hear these cables I discovered the dynamics are actually better, the leading edge of notes is more sudden, the impact is actually tighter, but its so quite and so natural my mind thinks that its not dynamic. Turns out I did not understand dynamics. Dynamics isnt noise, and the exciting of the air next to the note. Before KS, dynamics were a jitter next to the note, in the haze I didnt know I had. Now the background is pitched black, and there is no haze to excite. Now like live music, the note is dynamic within space, not excited haze.
I have now heard these cables on five different systems ranging from all solid state to all tube and in every case, the sonic characteristics improve! In my opinion Kubala-Sosna Emotion cables ARE THE STATE OF THE ART TODAY.
Add to that, they are far more affordable than all the competitors. For that reason the retail price is a real price, and therefore the cables should hold their value where others are worth half the minute we buy them.
JD |
Coming back to this thread after adding more Emotion cables to my system (just a few power cords to go), and I feel I was probably understated in my admiration for these cables. JD's description is absolutely correct. Sources played through the Emotion just sound like real instruments, real voices, real music; it is the best cable I've had in my system, and the more of it in the system, the better it sounds. I think its core strength is that it does not emphasize any area of the frequency spectrum over the other, as I feel the Valhalla does (and a great many cables do) in the highs. Everything is there, and in a natural way. I highly recommend that you try it, if you haven't already. |
Hi Emigene - I would strongly recommend that you at least consider the new Cerious Technologies cables. I've owned Valhalla and agree with others regarding them being lean. I've also owned and used Jena Symphony and the Indra (beta version). I am ecstatic with the CTs, as they seem to me to be easily the most neutral of the bunch. I have not auditioned the Kubala Sosna cables, however, and I wholeheartedly agree with the others regarding system synergy, etc. Good luck |
Im with JD as well. I had the Valhallas and tied a single pair of Emotion ICs and that was it for me. It bettered the valhallas in nearly every area . The music comes alive with the Emotions.There is a relaxed presentation and a clarity thats startling . I like the Valhalla Ics better than the Valhalla SC s fwiw and I think they compete with the Emotions on a higher level than the speaker cables . I do however want to try the Indra Stealth as a final comparison before I sew this up. |
IMO, the Valhalla is a dated product. Nordost is working on a replacement. If you want to save many dollars and get better than Valhalla performance consider Pure Note |
No offense Eddy , but to my ears in my system , the Pure Note Paragon , while good , is far inferior to the Valhalla , much less the Kubala Emotions. I in fact sold my Paragons , all of them the afternoon I auditioned the Emotions. No contest , in my opinion . But I respect your opinion and to each his own. |
After a summer of personally getting to know Brainwater (I love the moniker) I must tell you he is as detail orientated, if not more so than me. He makes his decisions on cables and tweaks after long auditions where his attention to detail is beyond any I have seen. I feel confident in what his experiences are, and so I thank you for voicing your opinion on the Pure Note. For me I will not need to audition them!
Just needed to say that... |
Thanks for the kind comments JD . I am rather obsessive but you are yourself serious and dedicated . People who know you respect you as a person of experience , knowledge and attention to minute details that many seasoned audiophiles overlook as cumbersome. One look at your fabulous system is enough to see that. Again , thank you. On the Pure Note issue , I am not in any way dissapointed with their performance. I still have a pair left for a bedroom system . They are fast , detailed and a steal for the price they sell for when the half off sale is offered. To compare them to the above cables is not fair for a few reasons . Performance being foremost but they sell for a fraction of the cost and to be fair , its not fair to compare . They are simply not in the same league but their price performance ratio is outstanding. Break in is legnthy and critical with them also. Again , thank you for the unexpected nice comments on my compulsive obsessive disorder. hehehe |
Brainwater: Were your Paragons the newer "enhanced" version"? Pure Note went to a ribbon wire in this version for higher accuracy. I have owned the originals which were a bit lean and dry. Compared to the Valhalla, the Enhanced Paragon has much more body in the mids and a better focused high-end compared to my well worn Valhallas. Of coures this is JMO in my system.
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Eddykale , I purchased them a week before they introduced the " enhanced " version . I was a bit dissapointed there was no announcement to this effect on their site before I bought mine. The new version may indeed be a different animal. |
All I can say(as the third owner of Oritek X-2's) is that the X-2's are incredible. |
Jadem6 The strength of the Valhalla are speed, tight definition, dynamics and open airy top end. The weakness is they can be overly revealing and edgy in a bad system. They are also too thin on top; this has held true on every system I have heard them in. The thinness was mistaken by me for dynamics and openness. I will be the Devil's Advocate here because for me the Valhalla is "the" most neutral cable that I have ever heard--or should I say "never" heard. Jadem6--you hit it right on that the Valhalla will light up the deficiencies of a borderline system. All others to my ears are only adding a sonic signature or some form of coloration which is pleasing to your ears and hide the inadequacies of a system. I have used all of these cables heretofore mentioned and I keep coming back to Valhalla. The only other cable on my short list which I would consider is the Kubala Sosna Emotion. If you find there are inadequacies in your system when using Valhalla, IMO I would address these rather than covering them over with a cable that adds a sonic signature. The Valhalla is absolutely "neutral" and plays the music the way it was meant to be heard. |
