Thanks. We had them here and the difference was as you describe. This is not to knock them. They are very fast and articulate, clean and clear, virtually as free of glare and tonal coloration as F1. They just fall a little short in terms of body, bass, dynamics and overall realness- exactly what you said. But a fast articulate sound almost always impresses listeners short term- and some actually like that. It is not a huge difference and it could also be these were all very brief auditions (only a few songs per component) and it may be they fill out and warm up when used longer. In any case they do cost less and so are certainly worth considering for anyone not able to afford F1.
Opinions vary, and sometimes enough by a large margin, just like the differences I heard between the F1 and my own cables (Lenehan Audio FoilFlex, which MC didn’t think much of) compared to the Fideliums. From my perspective and I will readily admit the speakers I listen to have a very different sound and temprament than the Moabs, the Fideliums were quite markedly more capable of taming noise that I perceived in the large floor standers, not virtually the same, but by no small margin.
Based upon the lively sound that Chuck evidently loves (and yes it’s entertaining, and fun, enjoyable) it’s pulled back, so to speak with Silversmith cables, tamed is possibly the easiest adjective.
Does that make either of us right? Or wrong, for that matter? Preference, like food, in the world of Audio is always a matter of taste.
Before I can write any sort of detailed review, I’m going to need time with the Fideliums, to have a clearer understanding of what’s entirely going on. However, straight out of the box, with absolutely no time on them, they appeared to reveal more information and lowered the noise floor, by no small amount. Most guys here have had a lot more time with them in their systems, and it’s akin to the difference I heard that changed my system.
I am going to use another product that I and others have grown to enjoy in our systems, and like the Fideliums are to be had for not much money for the investment. What the Puritan PSM-156 did to my digital front end by lowering the noise floor considerably took a little time to settle in, and get used to. There is a certain sense of density in sound when it’s accompanied with distortion, which I often perceive as loudness.
I need more time with the Fideliums, to really hear what’s going on with them, and to clear away my own acknowledged bias to that which I am accustomed as the reference.
So I am going to acknowledge my own perceived short comings as an audiophile, when it comes to critical listening, going forward (unless it’s a triple jump leap) for me isn’t generally as easy to discern as stepping back in sound quality. And I accept that I am fussy and biased and very human. I’m Australian, yeah, I’m opinionated.
The Fideliums did not lose bass, they did seem to remove distortion throughout the entire audible spectrum and certainly in the broad upper region where violin is heard. The violin, tubed instruments, bells and such - just wow.
LIke the Puritan PSM-156, I need more time to ensure that I understand the difference between distortion making the sound fatter (a technique used with reverb on voice, guitars and other instruments) and the lean sharp authentic sound heard in nature, or it’s possibly not that which I’m assuming. I hope to get back to live performance listening again soon, perspective is a real thing.
I do like them very much, I am not returning them to Mr Jeff Smith.
Assuming his interconnects are as good as the development cables he brought to share with us, I’m going to be all over ’em like a randy puppy on a squeaky toy! I need time on them too
