Top interconnect RCA cable Formosa ITR-1 of Neotech Cables company reached my location incidentally. I've bought 36 meters of balanced cable NEI-3002 OCC/SPUPOCC from same brand and representative loaded in parcel this cable as well. And even I know what he kept saying to repeat during packing of Formosa. "Collateral damage, collateral damage, collateral damage..." Treachery in everything, it can be modern slogan of all HiFi/HiEnd Equipment's sellers. They sell you something cheap and then show something a little bit more expensive. Familiar, neh? Dose of audio poison should be increased little by little. Because who needs dead Audiophiles?
Anyhow top cable always demonstrates familiar features of manufacturer, presenting unique sonic breed, which experienced audioman can stand out against a background of absolutely unknown equipment. Sure such Audiophile should be from the Highest Liga.
I hacked the cable between Pre-Amp (I used my AMR DP-777 in this role) and Headphone Amp and then waited 3 weeks in the name of experimental purity.
First surprise was very pleasant.
Miracle jumped out into reality as grotesque Alien's baby after adding Neotech power cable NEP-3001 MK3 3х5.25 OCC/SPUPOCC to Head Amp. Quantity of sonic events on background raised to Skies (disc 3). Resolution ability improved radically, many musical details were unstealthed from the hidden depth of musical canvas, I finally could recognize all words in songs of Stacey Kent (disc 7).
Bass obertones, overall richness in LF band were opened me by pair of HiFiMan HE-1000 from the fourth dimension.
What a pity, I couldn't test RCA Formosa together with Formosa Power Cable uniquely named
The Formosa-P. I am only satisfied myself once again that monobrand connection is better as a rule.
Conclusion:
Formosa RCA provides detailed, densed, fulfilled sound, finely transmits the musical bursts, refused to surrender by difficult and embarrassing moments in the musical recordings. Connection of Head Amp by Power Cable from the same manufacturer added a lot of subtle sonic nuances.
My kind recommendations.
Retail price - about 1 000 USD (per 1 meter).
Musical content:
2. Tutti! Orchestral Sampler – Reference Recordings (RR-906CD)
3. Le Trio Joubran 2017 AsFar
4. Bush 1994 Sixteen Stone (Trauma Records)
7. Stacey Kent 2002 Collection (Candid CCD 79999)
Home System
Speakers: Audio Physic, model Avanti, first generation.
Power Amp: NuPrime, model STA-9 (2 pcs in vertical bi-amping).
As Pre-Amp: AMR, model DP-777.
DAC: AMR, model DP-777.
CD Player: T+A, model CD 1220 R.
Rack (audio furniture): DYI from Ikea tables, model Hemnes with Monacor spikes.
Speakers Cable: Acoustic Revive SPC-Reference (2 pairs x 1.8 m).
Component Cables: 1) Acoustic Revive, model RCA-1.0PA; 2) XLO Reference 2 1A;
3) hybrid Neotech NEI-3002 OCC/SPUPOCC (2 pairs x 8.4 m).
Power Cables: 1) Sound-YP, light version (Ukraine); 2) DYI cables made from polished soviet military copper bus with German connectors;
3) Neotech NEP-3001 MK3 3x5.25 OCC/SPUPOCC - hybrid power cable with Neotech NC-P303 OCC EU power plug Gold (2 pcs x 1.5 m on Power Amps).
Headphones: HiFiMan HE-1000, Audeze LCD-X (recabled by silver wires cable), AudioQuest NightHawk.
Head Amp: hybrid version between “Hi-Dynamic” and “Hi-Power”, 5 Watts in class A on 16 Ohms, MOSFET-transistor output, Amp made by Peeves (Lugansk City, Ukraine).
USB Cables: 1) WireWorld USB Audio cable Starlight Platinum (1 m).
Accessories: DYI footers under units, speakers and acoustic cable.
TTAF Power Bar Schuko 8 Extreme Line.
PC Laptop: Acer Predator 15, model G9-591-7451 (RAM 32 Gb, CPU Intel ® Core (TM) i7-6700HQ 2.60 GHz, Windows 10 Home).
Remote software for Nimitra server: Kazoo (Android).
Remote control unit for Nimitra server: Tablet PC - Lenovo B8080-H (32 Gb) or smartphone Meizu Pro 5.
Anyhow top cable always demonstrates familiar features of manufacturer, presenting unique sonic breed, which experienced audioman can stand out against a background of absolutely unknown equipment. Sure such Audiophile should be from the Highest Liga.
I hacked the cable between Pre-Amp (I used my AMR DP-777 in this role) and Headphone Amp and then waited 3 weeks in the name of experimental purity.
First surprise was very pleasant.
I have to confess on public now: I always blamed the stock cable of my HiFiMan HE-1000 (my review is here) on some kind of reticence, sonic irregularity sometimes even could drive me frantic. I could feel it on musical peaks like some kind of non-control from Head Amp's side. But the problem hided in ... my interconnect cables. I have on hands 2 various RCA cables - top RCA-1.0PA of Japanese brand Acoustic Revive and
RCA cable
Reference 2 1A
of US brand XLO. First one is much more expensive then second one (in 3 times about), so I usually used Acoustic Revive for connecting Pre-Amp with Head Amp.
Regarding "non-control" of HE-1000 by Head Amp: I used CD Tutti! from US label Reference Recordings (disc 2) for ventilation of this point. Output stage of my Head Amp are made in Class A, thus results of such test were easily audible, using Formosa I've got opportunity to jump on my coach a several times. No signal limits, breathable space on all tracks, dense sound without sonic disembowelment.
I used other methodogy of audition this time. I just dropped favorite musical rounds into the tray of CDP and searched for the something new (differences). God bless, I have good musical memory.
First 3 tracks with Vivaldi's concert RV578 (disc 1) probably are the best record of similar music in my collection. It always pass faultlessly. But starting from track 4 with choir I usually had to interrupt listening, sound became nasty and brain demagical. But record was resuscitated - resolution of vocals was improved to comfort level and eternal Ragnarök between orchester and choir was finally cancelled using Formosa RCA. Enjoyable tonnes of sonic syrup could reach my exhausted hearing apparatus.
Also significant clearing of classical grunge sound (disc 4) permitted to neutralize the sticking of aggressive guitars into one insane tangle of timbres. Majority of Setups surrender from this album, transfacing into the torture machines.
Widening of stereo stage and total resolution gianted (disc 6), discovering the hidden treasure of newly eplored layers of music. This record continues its opening for me despite on year of release (1998!). I have SAR edition, guessing I need US.
Miracle jumped out into reality as grotesque Alien's baby after adding Neotech power cable NEP-3001 MK3 3х5.25 OCC/SPUPOCC to Head Amp. Quantity of sonic events on background raised to Skies (disc 3). Resolution ability improved radically, many musical details were unstealthed from the hidden depth of musical canvas, I finally could recognize all words in songs of Stacey Kent (disc 7).
Bass obertones, overall richness in LF band were opened me by pair of HiFiMan HE-1000 from the fourth dimension.
What a pity, I couldn't test RCA Formosa together with Formosa Power Cable uniquely named
The Formosa-P. I am only satisfied myself once again that monobrand connection is better as a rule.
Conclusion:
Formosa RCA provides detailed, densed, fulfilled sound, finely transmits the musical bursts, refused to surrender by difficult and embarrassing moments in the musical recordings. Connection of Head Amp by Power Cable from the same manufacturer added a lot of subtle sonic nuances.
My kind recommendations.
Retail price - about 1 000 USD (per 1 meter).
Musical content:
2. Tutti! Orchestral Sampler – Reference Recordings (RR-906CD)
3. Le Trio Joubran 2017 AsFar
4. Bush 1994 Sixteen Stone (Trauma Records)
7. Stacey Kent 2002 Collection (Candid CCD 79999)
Home System
Speakers: Audio Physic, model Avanti, first generation.
Power Amp: NuPrime, model STA-9 (2 pcs in vertical bi-amping).
As Pre-Amp: AMR, model DP-777.
DAC: AMR, model DP-777.
CD Player: T+A, model CD 1220 R.
Rack (audio furniture): DYI from Ikea tables, model Hemnes with Monacor spikes.
Speakers Cable: Acoustic Revive SPC-Reference (2 pairs x 1.8 m).
Component Cables: 1) Acoustic Revive, model RCA-1.0PA; 2) XLO Reference 2 1A;
3) hybrid Neotech NEI-3002 OCC/SPUPOCC (2 pairs x 8.4 m).
Power Cables: 1) Sound-YP, light version (Ukraine); 2) DYI cables made from polished soviet military copper bus with German connectors;
3) Neotech NEP-3001 MK3 3x5.25 OCC/SPUPOCC - hybrid power cable with Neotech NC-P303 OCC EU power plug Gold (2 pcs x 1.5 m on Power Amps).
Headphones: HiFiMan HE-1000, Audeze LCD-X (recabled by silver wires cable), AudioQuest NightHawk.
Head Amp: hybrid version between “Hi-Dynamic” and “Hi-Power”, 5 Watts in class A on 16 Ohms, MOSFET-transistor output, Amp made by Peeves (Lugansk City, Ukraine).
USB Cables: 1) WireWorld USB Audio cable Starlight Platinum (1 m).
Accessories: DYI footers under units, speakers and acoustic cable.
TTAF Power Bar Schuko 8 Extreme Line.
PC Laptop: Acer Predator 15, model G9-591-7451 (RAM 32 Gb, CPU Intel ® Core (TM) i7-6700HQ 2.60 GHz, Windows 10 Home).
Remote software for Nimitra server: Kazoo (Android).
Remote control unit for Nimitra server: Tablet PC - Lenovo B8080-H (32 Gb) or smartphone Meizu Pro 5.
