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Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Signiture Interconnect

Category: Cables

It's taken some time for my re-enterence back to High End equipment but in doing so I finally stirred up the courage to explore replacing my long standing RC Audio ICs. I wanted an excellent quality Silver IC without a platinum price plus, it had to surpass my current holding. I've had AQ Quartz & Lapis prior to the RC Reference so you'd have to be a big dog to wrestle these out.
I had contacted many manufactures with my simple taste of soft rock, blues and jazz. The replacement had to present a big if not huge stage, great bass extention, smooth detailed upper ranges and not be ear fatuiging for listening secessions. Reading reviews posted here put me in contact with Robert at RSA. Origionally I had wanted a cable to help "tune" my system a bit but after talking with Robert it came to light that I was missing the forest for the trees and thru our discussion I agreed to have a set of cables engineered to fit my system, plus I got a money back guarantee, hey I can't lose!
From the very second the Poiema Signitures went in there was a difference, noticibly for me was presentation, it was smoother and more relaxed as I was listening to Enya A Day Without Rain. Musician placement was now even more precise than before, bass extention was fabulous and voice timbre more natural. Treble and upper register presentation smooth and so sharp that you could use as a knife edge but it was unharsh and nonedgey.
I've now logged approx 15 more listening hours and the presentation just continues to improve from Dire Straight's On Every Street thru the rough voice of John Lee Hooker, there is air in and surrounding his voice on The Healer but no quite background echoing the roughness in Hooker's voice, It is silky but not edgey. Moving to Dave Grusin the striking of the hammer of the paino is just that, you can feel the swing of the hammer moving to strike the string. Brush strokes across the cymbil is the convayence of the brass material itself and the clack of the drum stick on the tom tom conveys the texture of the wood itself.
So now what's the weakness? I'll probably never find find any and to receive a special engineered high quality IC at a fraction of the cost of what I was exploring? Well that's a no brainer, plus I get a chance to actually talk with the designer himself and share my ideas, It just doesen't get any better.
For all who read this, this is a subjective opinion but you're not going to werestle my Poiema Signiture from me becuse I can listen forever and not suffer listening fatiuge in doing so. Pardon me now it's time for a slice of Meatloaf's I Couldn't Have Said It and Thanks to Robert and Ridge Street Audio I can.

Associated gear
Classe CAP 151
Audio Research CD2
Apogee Slant 6
RC Audio Refrence Speaker cables
Room Tunes
Corner Tunes

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RC Audio Reference IC
rsjm80
7 responses Add your response
hassel
248 posts
 
Well Robert,
I do not want to downgrade your cables. They are fine cables, and indeed we had a lengthy e-mail-exchange about a whole set of cables. The set being expensive, and me willing to take a try first, I took the chance of buying one used Poiema! first. The result was as I indicated above. Had it been different, you would have heard from me again, with an order for a whole set of cables. I have by now rewired my whole system with LATs new series (SS-1000 Mk II speaker cable, IC-300 Signature IC, and DI-30 digital cable), and the difference, e.g. improvement, is not subtle. They are, however, much cheaper than RSA cables. I appreciated very much dealing with you, as you seem to be a real gentleman in all dealing with clients, both present and potential, and wish you all the best for your business. I may well come back in the future - this is a very competitive business, this time I found the competition to be superior for less money, at least in my system.
ridgestreetaudio
221 posts
 
Hello Hassel.

Unfortunate indeed. You and I had some email discussion about getting a pair of I/Cs from us but then you just kind of disappeared. I don't have a black and white explanation for why you were dissatisfied and I'm sorry they didn't work out for you. Very disappointing to me on the occasion when our offerings don't work out. I can think of a few possibilities as to why they didn't work out as you had hoped but it's neither here nor there now.

What I can say, and maybe this will be of some benefit to you Rsj, is that we have one client I'm aware of who's been around the block a few times with quite a few cable offerings and had settled on the LAT cables for some time because they just didn't impose much on his system. If I remember correctly, I did get to here these in his system (One of the most musical audio systems I've heard) along with some other offerings he had decided to investigate. The LAT cables really are nice cables for the money.

He wound up re-cabling his entire system with Poiema!. This was before Poiema!! or Poiema!! Signature. The difference was not subtle. To our credit and if I can take the liberty to say so, he is presently in the process of re-cabling his entire system again, I/Cs, S/Cs and P/Cs with the "P" Sigs. Anyway, maybe this is a bit helpful. Contact me if I can assist more.

Hassel, I hope and trust you've got your system to the place where there's much to enjoy with your music and you're pleased. At the end of the day, that's what it's all about and that's good...no?

Cheers!

Robert
Ridge Street Audio Designs
rsjm80 OP
207 posts
 
Hassel, That's very unfortunate, I had my Poiema's engenieered specifically for my system and they continue to be nothing but sensational. I am now considering replacing my speaker cables and LAT Int.is a forerunner to so, I'd be interested to hear you additional thoughts concerning theses if you're using them
hassel
248 posts
 
About a year ago, I asked around what might be an upgrade to my all-system LAT International cable line. A few people recommended to try Pure Note or Ridge Street Audio`s Poiema!. I bought one RSA-Poiema!-Interconnect here on audiogon. When I put the Poiema! between my Chord DAC-64 and my C200 preamp, and then between the preamp and the MC402 power amp, the Poiema! was none the better than my LAT IC-200, even after a lengthy burn-in period of two months. So I have sold the Poiema again.
ridgestreetaudio
221 posts
 
Hello (finally) Rsjm80.

We want to say thank you for all the kind words and, along with Thorman, say welcome aboard our "train" also.

The beauty of any art form is in the details including the art of reproduced music. Rsmj and I had a delightful conversation when he first enquired of the Sig's. Two of the things he was concerned about was detail that would "slmack" you in the face and thinned out bass registers being that the Sig's are silver based. I assured him that neither would be the case but that he would most likely experience music a bit differently than perhaps he was used to. Perspective was the issue we discussed...remember Rs?

Perspective as to how overtones and fundamentals relate to each other. Very few cables, regardless of price, get this right in our auditioning and comparisons. One of the things that I think sets the Poiema!! Sig's apart is they get this right. As a result, all the details are present but they don't slap you in the face. Decay relates to the attack. A cymbal's shimmering relates to the crash. A bass's resonance relates to the pluck. The actual working of playing the piano and resultant reverberation in the piano relate to the instrument. The finger snapping of the singer relates to the singer. Ambience relates to the space. All these attributes hang cohesively together instead of being it's own entity distinct from the event in one shape, form or another. Subtle but very relevant. As such, the music reproduction simply sounds more real rather than larger or shinier than life. Bass registers also sound like a part of the whole or as music instead of it's own entity or just impressive low frequencies. I think it's a credit to your discerning abilities Rs that you got this. Many folks don't and that seems to contribute to the constant buying merry-go-round some of us find ourselves in. Take heed fellows...Perspective!

Anyway, I could go on and on (I really do think we have a damn good product!) but I already have a tendency to sound like a commercial so I won't so, as you Ray encouraged me to Rock On, I'll encourage you to stay On the Rock! ;)

Thanks again Rs and I'm glad we've given you one more reason to enjoy your music again. Music or Bust!

BTW, should we be looking at Sig speaker cables in your future? :)

My very best to all,
Robert
rsjm80 OP
207 posts
 
This is a follow to my original post, I have been able to spend more quality time with my Poiema Signitures and have found my mouth open at the hidden details I never knew existed in my music before this! From Listening to Blondie Autoamerican I was almost knocked out of my listening chair when suddenly voices, instruments and supporting instruments emerged as hidden treasues that had never been revealed before the Poiema Sigs were in my system. But not just Blondie anything I listen to exposes more detail than I had never heard before this. The sound stage is expanding more, the plucking of strings is shining and the ring of the cymbals is just shimmering. Vocals are even more relaxed and natural and yes, if you have bad recording get out of the way becuse, these are not going to hide a thing it lays them naked to your ears.
I can't say enough praise about the product or the designer, becuse they are both very open and very willing to let you hear what they present as well as accept your contribution for changes. Rock on Robert! you put many other manufactures to shame simply becuse you won't settle for compromise and you listen. Thanks!
thorman
1,262 posts
 
Welcome aboard to Ridge Street Audio .I remember not more than a couple years ago knowone knew who or what Ridge Steet Audio was. But now its known real well. For me I started way back a with the first Interconnect and have followed up with quite a few upgrades along the way and have never been dissapointed. The best thing about dealing with this small companies is you talk with the man everytime you call and you can get a laugh or two and get a great product as a bonus! Enjoy
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