Does anyone, anyone have experience with these esoteric, at first glance “over-the-top” hypertechnical assemblies of wires, braids, carbon and noble gas?
You can ask @aangen on this one. His whole system is top of the line Stealth cables. You probably can’t take full advantage of the capability of these premium cables unless you have matching speakers and components, which he does.
And one heck of a budget, which he does…
I only do as I’m told by a fella who has two Maseratis. So there is that.
Sadly, when I compare the Stealth Audio cables to any other cable the difference is audible. I am looking forward to the day when Waymanchen11 finally tries a Stealth cable. For a while he was pushing me into new frontiers with his discoveries. But then I just took the Red pill to see how deep the rabbit hole goes.
I have no regrets.
I also still say no to the whole audiophile fuse thing.
5 Likes
Don’t worry about the fuse thing, or the Farad thing. The difference is minuscule compare to the equipment you have. Not really worth your attention. Nice to hear about the Stealth cables, maybe someday I will try some.
1 Like
I really look forward to that day! I trust your ears and your judgment. When I listen to what you say and then test your comments against the gear itself your words are proven accurate. So I’d love for you to try a Stealth Cable or two. I could actually send you a top of the line Stealth USB cable but you don’t likely use USB do you?
1 Like
The Valhalla2 USB I’m using is about as good as it gets. I’m going to enjoy it a bit longer before I start to look for something new. I’ll keep the Stealth in mind though. I actually amost bought one before I saw a offer I couldn’t refuse on the Valhalla2. Thanks for your kind words.
1 Like
I’m just saying if you want to try it in your system so you can tell me what you think of it. It is so not for sale. I’m just not using it at the moment as it is too short. I’m going to trade it in for a longer one.
Limited time offer. 
So you are saying… They are the best you’ve heard, or simply in a distinctive class of their own?
I wouldn’t be surprised if Stealth is better than say, Siltech. Monocrystalline silver is one thing, but helium dielectric and the meticulous geometries of Stealth are something ELSE.
I totally nerd out about things like these, slowly beginning to understand the physics even (yeah might take a while to grasp Stealth’s EM assemblies…), sadly I think I’ll never get to experience anything like that with my ears. Well, then again… I might eventually get wealthy because when I’ve learned enough physics my God-given “autismal common sense” might lend me a hand in creating something equally crazy as Stealth cables, haha. Let’s see.
Inspiring all in all.
To add to the inspiration aspect… In a way it feels like I’m often more inspired by the technical aspects of hi-fi than what it would sound like. Not disregarding the relation that it has to sound good… But emphasizing piquant aspects of how it sounds good (so more sound than a musical whole) in relation to equally piquant technical aspects is what piques the interest.
Love how Herb Reichert always obsesses over high-nickel cores and their apparently brilliant radiance in sound. A component review that covers how symphony comes through but neglects wagering about some specific relations to design is boring. (Though to be fair Herb has studied physics)
1 Like
Now you’re just playing with us. Unless you’re serious!?!?! No ear wax filled fuses? Don’t you want the whole 'holographic sound stagee" thing? How can you expect your stuff to reach the nirvanalicious state?
4 Likes
Maybe adding Nirvana to Nirvana makes the Nirvana only qualitatively different, no matter how much you keep sprinkling more on top.
Nirvana is Nirvana, right?
From a technical viewpoint though I can’t not to agree with sufficient quality fuses being mandatory in any hifi system, seeing that fuses are literally mandatory bottlenecks, no way around that.
“Audiophile grade” fuses, though? What constitutes such a fuse? A fuse shouldn’t have to do with flavours of sound, a fuse should keep itself as invisible as possible.
…Maybe it could be worthwhile to very momentarily test sound quality with the fuses replaced by simply strips of gauge-matched wire.
1 Like
While we’re at it…
@rower30 Would you mind taking a glance at the design of the helium-filled Stealth Audio cables and give a brief hypothesis about them? Might be hard to evaluate such complex designs based on a few lines and a cross-sectional diagram but they, you have the theory.
Here’s the Dream V14: STEALTH audio cables
…I’m wondering where the ear stops picking up on improvements in dielectric, the infamous foam-like teflon is already a reasonable pinnacle, air then is already right near vacuum on paper, I wonder if helium’s minuscule improvement over that is worth even considering as audible. Oh well, at least it’s noble!
1 Like
Unfortunately my Esoteric is not in service and don’t know how long these folks in Japan will take to fix it, otherwise I might take you up on your offer. My DMP does not use an USB. But Thanks for the offer.
1 Like
The helium-filled Stealth Audio cables are amazing with high frequencies, but everything is raised up an octave.
4 Likes
No need for cable elevators, so you save there.
7 Likes
You mean like when you suck in some helium and talk and you get this higher pitched voice?
4 Likes
Precisely.
2 Likes
Here is your problem. Vp is not linear through audio. That we can hear stuff as well as we do is fortunate. At RF, the Vp is linear, well above 1 MHz. It drops to “zero” by definition at DC where the signal is steady state (no oscillations).
The dielectric will alter the shape of that curve, but it can’t remove it. Nothing can. How you SLOW the higher frequencies to line-up with the lower frequencies improves coherence (more the same properties through the frequency range). We can’t change the DC effect so we need to change the SLOPE towards RF but even that, by the physics, goes to the limiting velocity of the dielectric (1/SQRT(dielectric constant). This can’t be changed but slightly altered by Capacitance and Resistance factors. A faster dielectric isn’t better by itself.
The formulas for Vp vary with frequency like Impedance equations and the change in Vp is why cable impedances RISE with lower frequencies. Also, the above physics is present in ALL movement of audio in ALL our stuff, not just the cable, and so amazing that it is that we get it done such that it is nice to listen to.
I’ve gone over all this in the COPPER issue awhile back but it is indeed real stuff and it is able to be SLIGHTLY manipulated to better effect at lower frequencies. Most cable companies won’t tell you how BAD cable really is on paper. The good part is we can mostly get the point across even with this gross Vp non linearity but…if you pick hairs you do need to pick this one!
Best,
Galen
2 Likes
I am saying they are the best I have heard and I’ve heard a few. I haven’t heard Galens interconnects but I do own a pair of his Speaker cables. They bested everything else I have used. But now I am using two pairs of Stealth speaker cables and I will state they are not worse than the Iconoclast speaker cables I own. I am not certain however if they are better. They seem nice. 
2 Likes
… 