Not at this time, mainly due to my hectic travel schedule. Hopefully by next week, I will share some more thoughts. I am also expecting Sternklang speaker cables by next week.
Sternklang Cables
No, not another cable promo! This is probably one of the first thoughts that bubbles up in you when you see the above intro. Part of our fabulous hobby is discovering new products and sharing your experiences with the audiophile community. Fortunately, my dealer Colin @gestalt shares my passion and enthusiasm for new products. So when he mentioned, he is exploring another cable brand from Japan; I said bring it on!
Sternklang cable theory originates from following idea,
“It seems to me that a wire of audio cable is not a solid body but a living organism in which numerous cells breathe. Each cell has it’s own vibration damping function and they all cooperate with each other”
Currently, the Sternklang has two tiers or series offerings, Ephemera and Sarume. I chose to audition the Ephemera XLR due its unique construction, which uses a rolled copper in a coated nylon ‘Organdy’ jacket. Due to delicate nature of the jacket, certain handling precautions must be observed. I would keep them away from Vacuum Cleaners and your Cat :-)
Unlike most cables, the Ephemera series is a extremely low mass design. Koji Teramura, founder of Sternklang cables is a minimalist and the design of cables clearly reflects his philosophy.
So how do they sound? In one word, Fabulous! The Ephemera XLR imparts a lively, textured, organic presentation. To my ears, they are aptly designed to convey all the nuances in a recording. I am very comfortable in saying that Ephemera XLR’s don’t have any sound per se or coloration.
The Ephemera (flat ribbon) cables are available in Speaker, RCA, SPDIF and XLR configurations.
I auditioned the Ephemera XLR between my Marantz SA-11S2 SACD player and Accuphase E-650 Integrated. The rest of the system is wired with HIJIRI cable loom.
And No, Sternklang cables are not replacing my HIJIRI loom. IMHO, Ephemera is a very fine cable under $1.5K price range that deserves an audition in your system. For retail prices, please call Colin @ Gestalt Audio Design.
http://www.konus-audio.com/ephemera-interconnect-cable.html
http://www.konus-audio.com/ephemera-speaker-cable.html
78 responses Add your response
Recently Colin introduced me to the full Hijiri line of cables after testing against Tchernov. I now have the Hijiri RCA cable, Nagomi PC and I am testing two Takumi Power cords for my Inakustik Power Conditioner and Lampi Pacific. Next week I am going to be testing 4 SPDIF cables including the Sternklang and Hijiri SPDIF cables. It should be fun. . |
@lalitk @grannyring Did you guys ever listen to Silversmith Fidelium? Not trying to hijack the thread, but I found it to not quite compare to some other brands that I enjoyed, although it was pretty solid for what it was.
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Likewise, I enjoy exploring products. There are so many talented designers, each one highlights somewhat different aspects of musical performance through their unique products. I am really loving the Sternklang XLR in my system. This cable handsomely gelling with 聖Hijiri‘s slightly dark, relaxed and smoother presentation with its livelier characteristics. I ordered the Sternklang speaker cable to try in a very specific place. |
Thanks for posting the Wikipedia link. Inspiration can come from anywhere, as I recall reading about naming of Shindo Labs electronics few years back. Late Mr. Ken Shindo named each of his devices after French wineries and wine-growing regions. Interestingly, the ideas was to reflect taste characteristics of the French wines into tonal character of each devices. @lak ..You’re welcome! May be so but the feel and quality of this cable is very exquisite. |
The XLR cables have 3 ribbon conductors if you look at various pictures on the web. So all good! Here is one such picture. Simply click on the XLR version on the bottom left of the page. http://www.konus-audio.com/ephemera-interconnect-cable.html I learned something today and for others interested here is the meaning of “Sternklang”.
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Very interesting @lalitk ! Thanks for sharing. As usual, you always find some hidden gems |
