Review: JPS Labs Superconductor 3 Interconnect


Category: Cables

I have replaced my JPS Labs Superconductor 2 interconnects with the new Superconductor 3s. I have been listening to them for about a month. The SC2s were excellent and worthy of a reference status for the past 9 years. JPS Labs has designed a worthy replacement. In my opinion the SC3s are better in essentially all areas. The most noticable improvements are dynamics, resolution and smoothness. The SC3s are also even more quiet with a slightly more relaxed presenation. The highs are more extended without edge or any brightness whatsoever. The sound stage is deeper with more solid focused imaging of the instruments. Even the bass is more defined and tighter. The midrange is also more open and as full as the SC2s. The overall improvement offers more immediacy and realness to the music. The SC2s were exceptionally good and only by comparison are less competent. I would recommend the upgrade if finances permit and the rest of your system is already excellent. The discerning listener will notice a worthwhile improvement.

I listen to jazz, classical including opera and movie music sound tracts. The new ICs have significantly added to my musical enjoyment and a worthy replacement. The break-in is gentle with a little roughness between 20 and 40 hours, thereafter all smooth. I use the SC3s between CDP and preamp. Also used from preamp to amp. No weakness and lots of strengths. They are well worth the price.

Associated gear
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Similar products
JPS Labs Superconductor 2 and Superconductor Fx
sheffb
i have used jps labs kaptos and aluminata power cables for years,  i find they beat anything else i have tried, i have excepted how good they are and have not bothered to try and better them any more, i would love to own the signal cables maybe sc3 right threw or sc3 with aluminata speaker cables they are definitely manufacturing great cables the kaptos are 8 gauge in a matrix design, Aluminoy is creating the magic along with great design and build quality
FWIW, this is a second of the opinion about overall quality of the JPS Superconductor3. My upgrade was from the Superconductor FX (which itself had blown me away!). Resolution and transparency both increased noticeably while retaining the coherence so necessary to good music reproduction.

The one thing I'd like to add/caution/disagree is that my experience with burn-in was not nearly as (shall we say) smooth as that previously described. The cables had a very cohesive and pleasant sound right out of the box but "came apart" (for want of a better description) at approximately the 8-10 hour mark. Harshness is the primary characteristic I recall. Perhaps brittle would serve as well. Whatever, but I'd been warned in advance. The cables settled in at perhaps 50 hours or so and seemed to round into a final form for a little while thereafter. They are absolutely exemplary cables in my (somewhat limited) experience.
Three month listening followup. The JPS Labs Superconductor 3 interconnects continue to improve in resolution and clarity. I would estimate 90% of performance at 100 hours and now at 200-300 hours I have perhaps 10% more improvement. They were wonderful at 50 hours and just keep getting better!
Mike, I was able to trade my SC2s for the SC3s and was given 40% of the SC2s retail value new. The SC3s are usually discounted a little, so a two for one trade can be expected. I have had the SC3s now for about 10 wks. About 100 hours of playing time will give you most of what they can do, but break-in is almost painless. My overall impression is more clarity, even smoother with more extended highs, but nonfatiguing and very natural.
thanks for the update on your thoughts on the improvements of SC 2 to SC 3. I am using SC 2s and am looking at upgrading to SC 3s, If i could ask did you trade in your SC 2s.
Mike