Review: Argent Audio Pursang S and( BOB) Speaker cable


Category: Cables

Before I start this review I must go back over 20 years.The elder of you may recall and shake your head in agreement.Those younger may , in amazement.
Sometime in the early 80's a friend brought, to my home his newly purchased MIT shot gun speaker cable.Wanting to know if I could hear any difference between it and the original Monster Cable I was using on my Quad esl 63 speakers.I recall telling him as I hooked the cables to my speakers,that he wasted his money.(after all everyone knows that Stereo Review and Hi Fidelity magazine say that all amplifiers sound the same.Therefore how could even this expensive (at the time)cable make a difference.)
We sat back to listen and listen some more and then I said wow these Quads do have bass.
At that point I realized I have been depending and wasting big bucks on what the print media said about a product.
(this is pre Audiogon and A.A.)
I knew The MIT was better then the Monster cable,I heard the difference and I didn't need the reinforcement of reviewers or dealers to tell me so.
Over the years many cables have graced my system .I've purchased 3 versions of Cardas ;2 of Audioquest,Synergistic research, Nordost and Nirvana
And although the latter brought me closer to this impossible sound we call absolute I still felt at times that the magic was missing.
Flashback>A while back I was speaking via phone to a
manufacturer of excellent SET's, he stated he was listening to Rosinante speakers as we spoke.Never hearing this name before I inquired as to which company made them
His reply, Ric Cummins but he didnt know if Ric was still making speakers ,he was working on cables he thought.
Overtime I stumbled on to his website through Audiogon and called him.We discussed my equipment, music preference,listening room and chatted about experiences with audio.He modestly told me that he was also the guy behind The Room Lens plus more then time allows me right now. After about 45 minutes of chat (you just will love speaking to him)we decided on his new Pursang S speaker cable and BOB a new product that is supposedly corrects treble error.
I then went back to my sweet spot and thought as I did so many years ago, no speaker cable will better the sound I am hearing.
Two days later the Pursang S arrived with BOB,a product I didn't have much hope for, as I have had Walker High Definition Links in my system and although they were better then nothing ,they only made a subtle difference and were soon sold.
Now before I begin I must say I have learned to look at all things audio with a jaundiced eye.I do not buy into all the hype and just plain "bull" in this industry.
That said I'll begin with, The Pusang S is simply the very best speaker cable I have ever heard in my system in every parameter important to me.Depth ,width, dynamic ease and a
holographic image to reach out and touch.Background instruments came into focus and the speed and clarity on vocals is the best I have ever heard and yes, i've heard the Valhalla,s
Being so taken by the Pursang's I listened for days before I decided to install BOB on my speakers treble binding
post.Now, the stage not only got wider and deeper but the music rose from the blackest of backgrounds and filled this jaded listener with musical emotion that I havn't felt since hearing (seeing) Julie London perform at the Royal Box in New York some 40 years ago.These speaker cables and BOB have brought me closer to the real thing than anything before it.I now know there is a "sound absolute" and it's getting much closer with the help of Ric Cummins ,his Pursang S cables and BOB
goldeneraguy
Dbld, My sentiments exactly.Thank you for appreciating the review.It's the first time that I commented publicly on any piece of equipment.I just felt that this combo has allowed me to sit back ,listen and enjoy.
Goldeneraguy - nice review. I have been trying to get around to doing one myself, but you have beaten me to it.

I have a set of BOBs, and they certainly won't be leaving my system anytime soon. As far as what it does - I can't tell you, but I can say that for me, the musical presentation simply became more realistic with the BOBs installed. I liked them so much I had Ric integrate them into a set of jumpers for me to make the installation cleaner.

I also found the same results as you with the Pursang S speaker cables. I tried several different cables that are highly thought of here in AgoN and other forums in my system. But in the end the Pursang S [without the BOBs] had much deeper and more solid bottom end as well as a more 3D presentation...again, just more "real" to me.

I am finally not at all motivated to try any other speaker cables. The Pursang S [especially with the BOBs] has given me piece of mind for change. This alone is no small feat and worth the price. I now listen to my music instead of my components.
Ejlif- I wouldn't think BOB should be system dependent.Plus you are using Walker HDL's with sucess and they only made a very subtle difference in my system. I have no idea why this is .Anyway you have very interesting systems.I've been working on mine for 35 years,it seems there is no end.
Happy listening
Goldeneraguy- I've tried BOB at length on both systems, and I had the same reaction to it on both, in fact even more so on my Von Schweikert VR4Jrs. Overall I just get a sense of the allure of the music being taken away some. I tried really hard to like it since so many guys thought it was so great, but the more I tried the more I found how much I didn't like it.
La45 thank you ,
This is the only review I have ever written.I did so because I think this combo is very important for all music lovers.Ric can be reached at 785 331 4123
Hi Ejlif,I haven't found any high frequency roll off on my speakers (Artemis EOS) Could it be that your horns have a
higher extended range and therefore you perceive a rolloff that I wouldn't ??
I tried BOB on two different systems and didn't get along so well with him. I thought it rolled off the top, and robbed some degree of excitment from the music while adding smoothness and enhancing the imaging a bit, on the plus side. Overall I prefer BOB not to be hanging off the back of my speakers, though it does seem that I am in the minority with my opinion on it.

I'm pretty sure the Pursang S speakers cables go for right around 2500.00 for an 8ft pair.
La45, the BOB costs $480 per pair. I've never tried Ric's Pursang S cables--I'm pretty happy with my cables right now--though I must say I'm somewhat interested. I purchased the BOB after a long talk with Ric about its design and performance goals, and my experience with them mirrors Goldeneraguy's experience. In my setup, vocals (and the whole presentation) became significantly clearer and gained in texture and presence. Vocals, especially, seemed to move even further beyond the speakers than they already were. An eerie effect, but an addicting one. After having these things in my system for a few days, I'd be hard-pressed to return them now. They're pretty sweet!


Goldeneraguy,

Nice review. How much are the Pursang cables? And as to "Bob", you seem impressed. How much did that cost?