RCA IC instead of Coax?

When is an RCA IC better than a coax? 

In my quest for better sound, I experimented with the coax out on my Technics SL-G700 to it’s matching SU-G700M2 and was genuinely surprised at how better it was over the Darwin Truth RCA ICs. More open, clearer and extended. 

With 3 different coax cables I got 3 different presentations but with every one, the bass weight was lacking a bit and that lightness extended up to the mids (and possibly higher) and had me wondering just how many cables will I have to go through before I arrive at what I like.

On a lark, I tried out a Truth RCA in place of a coax and everything fell into place. More bass and weight all around with more musical info, which surprised me. On one CD I've had for years there's a female lead singer and occasionally, a male member will do some back up vocals. Turns out on one track, there's actually two male singers occupying two distinct positions and one of them intentionally is off beat towards the end. Never heard that before.

Not content with what I’m hearing, I went and talked to Bill (at Darwin) about the Enlightenment RCAs and soon I was testing out a single leg as my coax connection. 

It’s like there was all this negative space that just gave way to the music, filling in all the crevices with beautiful, coherent sound. What at times could sound like segmented sound was complete sound. Nothing missing that would interrupt the flow. I didn't appreciate this until I heard it first hand.

When I say more weight, that applies to the lightest of touches when playing an instrument or when singing softly. Notes that are tonally pure and full don’t have to hit home hard in order to come across as robust and convincing when played softly. They just are.

That fullness does nothing to detract from the detail, air or ambiance in a recording. It just compliments it. Notes trail for considerably longer times. That robust fullness comes with a calmness and even handed presentation, making it very relaxing to listen to. What noise floor there was is now down somewhere in the fossil record. I still can’t get over the fact that all of this is at 44.1Hz on the readout for coax. High Rez wishes it sounded this good. 

Maybe in an industrial setting, a coax is called for but in my situation, the Enlightenment RCA embarrasses coax. If there’s RFI or anything untoward going on, I don’t hear it, so why bother with the extras a coax needs that may end up detracting from the sound? I can hear some say “hersey,”  but you owe it to yourself to try it out. You must have some RCAs laying around that you really like. Give them a try. And if you can afford it, give Bill a call at Darwin Cables. 

Many CDs now sound like I'm there listening in on the actual session. I never had the immediacy and presence that the Enlightenment RCA brings out in the recording. 

All the best,
Nonoise