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Review: Argent Room Lens - Ric Cummins Cables Speaker cable

Category: Cables

I've used many well known and moderately priced speaker cables before, but none that matched the the performance of Ric Cummins' silver speaker cables from Argent Audio (www.roomlens.com). My hat's off to Ric for designing speaker cables that are musical, pure, neutral, and very revealing. All the attributes that I look for and expect in high quality cables.

The wonderful thing is these cables are moderately priced and it doesn't cost an "arm and a leg." The myth that silver cables are harsh is just that, a myth after hearing Ric's cables. These cables are very smooth and balanced. Many cables cannot handle dynamics properly, especially with voice. Well, with Ric's cables, voices are so natural and instruments are tonally correct.

I wanted to share my excitement and discovery with others. Ric's cables have been in my system for two weeks and replaced the Coincident TRS speaker cables. I did get the chance to try Ric's cables in another system (a good of mines) who is using the same Coincident TRS speaker cables as I. Ric's cables were more resolving and neutral and once again, prevailed over the Coincident TRS cables. My friend is using the BAT 75SE amp, 51SE pre-amp, and SAP speakers.

For the record, my musical taste is Jazz and these cd recordings were used for testing ......Jennifer Warnes (The Well), Jennifer Warnes (The Hunter), Benny Green (Testifying), Eva Cassidy (Live at Blues Alley), Count Basie (Jazz Party), Count Basie (Basie Big band), Janis Ian (Breaking Silence), Thad Jones, Jazz at the Pawnshop, Martin Deny (Primitiva and Forbidden Island), Paul Desmond, and Bill Evans.

Listed below are speaker cables that I have used in the past (Similar Products).

Associated gear
Electrocompaniet EMC-1 CDP with MAC Delta 1 Power Cord
David Berning ZH-270 Amplifier (volume control) with David Elrod EPS-2s Power Cord
Rosinante Dulcinea Speakers
Power Purifier Bybee Conditioner
Sound Applications Wall Outlet

Similar products
Acoustic Zen Satori Speaker Cables
Coincident TRS Speaker Cables
Siltech Speaker Cables
Totem Art Speaker cables
hawaiikid
travelstead's avatar
travelstead
53 posts
 
What is the price of these cables?
hawaiikid OP
107 posts
 
Correction: I am using the MAC Delta 1 power cord with my David Berning ZH-270 amp and the David Elrod EPS-2s with my EMC-1 CDP.
oahuan
39 posts
 
I was there for the audition(s) of these cables made by Ric Cummins and concur completely with the comments of the reviewer, Hawaiikid (my friend, obviously). Actually, I also tried a pair of the interconnects in my system between my CD player and preamp and was very captivated by the sound these interconnects enabled.

To emphasize one point, Ric's cables will dispel any notion you may have that silver cables are by nature "bright" or "hissy" (overly sibilant), or tonally "light weight". Silver cables done "right" - as these cables are, are, in my opinion, smoother and tonally better balanced than many highly priced and highly touted copper cables.

As for the price, you may have to contact Ric Cummins himself to be sure, but my understanding is that the speaker cables (pairs) will retail for something like $80/foot and the interconnects will retail for about $250 for the basic 2.5 foot cables plus $30/foot more for longer lengths. I'm also told that the design of these cables, both speaker and interconnect, is such that they cannot be cut and reterminated. I don't know whether or not that caveat is in fact true or is being given just as a deterrent to "cost cutters." I can say that given the superb performance of these cables, the prices I've quoted (if correct) would make these cables an excellent buy - almost a steal - so one shouldn't need to buy long and cut short.

I've tried more cables than Hawaiikid - some cheap, some expensive, a few (but only a very few) crazy expensive - and both the speaker cables and interconnects are among a select few of the best I have ever heard.
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