Review: Michael Wolff Source and Gain Cords Power cord


Category: Cables

As you will become quickly aware, I was not an English major. And, I do not often try to articulate my what I hear. However, I have had such a good experience with Michael Wolff's Source and Gain cords that I wanted to share it.

Michael's use of Carbon fascinated me. So, I emailed him to try his Source cords. I should have realized that if a manufacturer offers his product for a trial without charge, the he must be very confident that most will buy it.
He shipped them the same day and set my expectations that they would take a couple of weeks to sound their best. After about 3 1/2 weeks, I was listening one evening and thought to myself that I had deliciously good power. Everything sounded great. The noise floor was low, the music was dynamic, strings and vocals were tonally beautiful. The soudstage had an ambiance all its own. The next evening I still had the great sound. I thought our utility had upgraded some equipment or fixed a problem. So, I packed the Wolff cords up and was ready to ship them back. The next evening I discovered the nothing had changed with my power. It was the Source Cords. I went through a bunch of power cords that I had on hand from a Shunyata Diamondback to a BMI Whale Statement Supreme and none of them gave me the same good sound. So, I bought the two Source Cords.

Michael offered to send me two Gain Cords for mt VAC 70/70. I really didn't want to spend another $1,400 but I thought I would check them out for future reference. I bought them too. Now I have a Gain Cord on my First Sound Preamp - another trial. Interestingly enough, this last cord has made a much larger inprovement than I thought it would. It only has about 30 hours on it. Last night I was listening to the 3rd track on Diana Krall's new CD, Temptation. The piano playing at at the left of the soundstage sounded strong and alive. It used to be rather faint. My soundstage usually recedes form the front of the speakers. Now is is just there - to the front, to the sides, and behind. I don't perceive the front plane anymore. It is really cool.

I would usually have thought that a couple of thousand dollars would best be spent on equipment. However, the Wolff cords that I have now made as much of an improvement in my system as did moving from my old Sony 5 disk DVD changer as a transport to my Accustic Arts Drive I. By the way, Michael is a very nice guy and easy to work with.

Associated gear
Click to view my Virtual System
brooksl
just got a source cord for my apogee minidac and it has brought a much needed improvement in transparency, soundstage openness and dynamics.
I have owned the Source cord now for about 2 months. I have the APL 3910, connected to Wavelength Cardinal X1's. My power cords are as follws:

Xindak Gold-list 1895
Virtual Dynamics- Nite 1295
Wolff Cord-Source 650

In my system, with my APL 3910(The best digital I have ever heard)and is very very revealing. I feel the Source cord gives me the best balance for

1)Dynamics
2)Soundstage-width, and depth
3)Extension
4)Imaging
5)Depth
6)musicality
7)Black Backgrounds
8)Accuracy

I started my journey with stock cords, and until I built my
simple, I could not really hear the difference in wire. Today is another story. Any change in wire, changes the sonic signiture of my system. The Xindak is my least favorite, as the backgrounds are not as quite as I like, the Bass is a bit loose, but, the midrange is wonderful. The high end is a bit loose, not as accurate as I like.

The Nite cord, with my APL is too laid back, takes away too much midrange, is a bit blacker in the background than the source cord, and gives me too dark of music. It seems to recess my soundstage to the point I feel I am missing something. The Nite cord is great with the Modwright DVP9000es I heard in my system, but, I did not have the source cord to compare at the time.

WINNER for me is Michaels Source cord. With his cord, I have MUSIC, extension, wonderful black background. Treble that floats, midrange that draws me into the music, and best of all for me, ROCK solid bass. No mush here. I am a bass fanatic.

Michael, keep up the GREAT work, and keep them prices reasonable, you will go far.

Smilin
I ordered a pair of GAIN cords for my monoblocks and was immediately impressed with the improvement in my system. The amps sounded more open and more dynamic, even when played at lower levels. It seemed as if their output power was increased. And they're straight out of the box. I had installed a SOURCE cord on my pramp earlier, and had forgotten the magnitude of change these cables deliver. These cables certainly earn the right to be called components. I think they're definitely worth their cost.
Hi5Harry, I think you will be very impressed with the Source Cords. I have them on my transport, DAC, and preamp. Last Monday, I replaced the original Source cord on my preamp with the upgraded one that Micael sent me. It sounds great. It is a larger improvement than I expected. I am very anxious to get the newest version of the Gain cords. Michael said he is working on them now.
My search for power cords for my tube mono amps has been a long one. I have owned Elrod 3's, then 3S's, Kimber Palladian's, Virtual Dynamic Nite's, and Silent Source Signatures, and now the my search is over. The Wolff Gain cord's are the best power cord I have tried by a WIDE margin. They combine great bass control and thrust with a sweet and pure top end, BUT, it's in the midrange that this cord betters the rest. Both male and female voices have a more natural sound to them. The soundstage seems very wide and depth is as good as I have heard in my system. Now to start saving for a Source cord.......
I just recieved the new source & gain cord.
I can't believe want a difference it made.The sound stage
is much wider & fuller.I'm done looking for pc's.
It is surly the best cords I've tried!(tried many)
Give it time to break in & you will not believe the improvement it will make.
Just give it a try!
Michael is a real assest to the audio industry.
Thanks alot Michael for a great cord
I now have Michael Wolff Source cords on CDP and preamp and Michael Wolff gain cords on my amplifiers. I have not done a formal A-B against 4 similar gain cords (my Atma-Spheres need 4 cords) but the combination of all source and gain cords has been a significant enough improvement on the overall dynamic range, mid-range warmth, musicality and soundstage of the sound, that I am now done and will not audition any more pcs. The sound is superb and betters that with various combinations of well-known pc makers. It is now at the point of "satisfying" this audio nut. Michael Wolff makes a great product.
System: Esoteric DV-50; Atma-Sphere MP-1; Atma-Sphere MA 2.2 (mod); Stealth Indra, PAD Dominus i/c; PAD Dominus s/c; Kharma 3.2.
I recently purchased a source cord from Michael and must agree it is without question the best sounding cord I have.It is being used on my full Richard Kern Modded sony scd 777es with fantastic results. Although I have many more expensive cords none can match it in detail,smoothness,depth, and musicality. I believe without a doubt it is the premier digital cord.I am looking forward to auditioning a Gain cord soon
I purchased a PC from another highly regarded company, and it arrived yesterday. I sold
it today. Not at all a bad cable. Pretty clear, actually. And in all fairness, it is a fraction of the price, so the comparisons are perhaps unfair. But I am not writing to compare your cable to others. Rather, I am evaluating it on its own merits, and in relation to the goals I have for my audio system.

After a mere four days with your cable in my system, I'm amazed at the width and depth of the soundstage. We have absolutely the worst room for audio, and I've never heard this big of a soundstage from any system. My wife and I have been to many high end dealers, and I'm telling you, NOTHING comes close to the cavernous, lifelike sound that is coming from our system right now.

In order to really test the cable, we played some heavy rock (Tool) on our system, which is oriented more towards the jazz & classical genres. Other than the horns being too bright on the more layered sections, the sound
was perfectly clear, and simply massive. I should specify that we are running a 7W SET amp and Klipsch La Scala's!The bass response was extraordinary. It literally shook the house. What's startling to me is that you said to wait a full month before it really opens up, and we've been playing the cable for all of four days!

The sound is perfectly live, and as a professional
drummer for over a decade, I developed a preference for that type of sound. The tension and dynamics in the vocals, the pocket playing of the bassist, I want to feel it more than hear it. And thanks to your cable, that is happening.

I've never put a lot of stock into high end cables, and maybe it's because I'm rarely wowed by the sound, even when auditioning at the boutique audio dealers. And they are always using pricey cables. But I must say that this cable has done more to have me understand the potential for capturing the energy of the players than any other piece in my system. A superb product!

Howard
I have just tried the new source cord along with the older model. I honestly did not think there was any room for improvement.
The low level bass response is so accurate i could not believe my ears. I also use the gain on my amplifier. I can tell you no matter what equipment you have it will make them sound 100x better.
My budget system consists of the following.
1. Dynaco pas-4 preamplifier with ge 6dj8's
2. Dynaco cdv-1 cd player with ge 6dj8's
3. Golden tube se-100 octet e34L jj tesla along with 1970s siemens el34 driver tubes. and 1940s 6sl7
4. Symdex Sigma,Omega speaker
5. cables consist of zu cable Gede interconnects and Speaker cables.
For a poor mans audio system it will definately keep up with big boys. Thanks to the Michael Wolffe power cords......
I am in complete agreement. I recently auditioned one of Michael's Source cords to use on my Meitner DAC. I had assembled a group of some very highly regarded cords for a shootout. The Source Cord was the clear winner - dynamics, detail, and mid-range weight. Others sounded either closed in, or thin and bright by comparison. I would suggest that anyone looking at PC's take Michael up on his free audition.
Brooksl, I am using Source cords on my pre and CD, Gain cords on my mono amps. Four cords total. The only non carbon cord I use is on my Kinergetics subwoofer amp, an ATI 1502.
With the limited frequency I don't think the cost is justified for the sub amp. I tried every possible combination without a carbon cord trying to save a few bucks, but eventually had to have all carbon cords. The difference in this version Source cord versus the original in my system is tighter bass, more depth, more detailed high end without any grit or grain but still having bite when called for as in brass and percussion.
I also think the Pure Note Cerulean IC's and speaker cables contribute to the overall musicality of my system. They are a new addition for the past four months. I got the Wolff cords a few months later. One thing I haven't tried was a Gain cord on a source component, but I don't think that would be an advantage over the new Source cords.
RPW, I do not have the latest Source Cord. Michael said I should be gettin it soon. Is there something in particular that you thought improved with the latest version? Also, are you using a Gain or a Source cord on your preamp? Thanks.
My experience mirrors yours exactly. I tried to get by with just a Source cord on my CD but ended up with a full complement of Source and Gain cords. My system has never sounded so good. I have tried many brands of ICs and PCs trying to get a sound that was not harsh or fatiguing througe my WATT/PUPPY combo, but the Wolff cords have done the trick. I have gained depth, etchless detail and imaging,
and lost the desire to look further. They are still improving after a month of use, I hope you have the latest version of the Source cord. Michael knows what he is doing with the free trial periods, he just lets the cords weave their spell on you. Try them at your own risk.