Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.

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Pez

Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« on: 22 Mar 2022, 04:01 pm »
Hey AC crowd. I have been very busy working behind the scenes as usual. I have some designs incoming very soon that some of you folks have been kind enough to assist in beta testing. One of these designs I am FINALLY ready to release.  :dance:

I am very excited to announce a rather incredible new product. One that really changes the landscape for what Hapa Audio’s ‘entry level’ product looks like.

If you are interested in any of the Ember products, or ALL of them, this is the tour to be on! FORM


To start with, I'll tell you all a bit of a story. Ember RCA was a project I worked on last year. I really wanted to try to best my current designs in RCA cables. The goal was to create something that was priced similarly to Breathe C while outperforming Quiescence C. For those of you who have heard either of these cables you likely realize, that is a tall order. Breathe C offers an incredible performance for the price and Quiescence C takes the performance to the next level. You may already be familiar with Ember USB. And while Ember RCA and Ember USB share the same name, there’s way more in common than that. They are the exact same geometry and wiring configuration, it is an incredibly versatile design. The only difference with the USB and RCA styles is how I terminate them.


What is Ember?

You would be forgiven to take a look at Ember and mistake it for Breathe C. With a quick look they are almost identical. However, Ember employs a substantially different geometry and more than triple the overall copper content. While the braid is similar to Breathe, the amount of copper in the exterior braid is doubled up in copper content and unlike Breathe C, the braid itself is only the shield. This allows for better noise rejection for both EMI and RFI.

The interior of Ember is where things really diverge from what we have done in the past. Ember uses a braided teflon copper packet. This braid helps to further reject RFI and EMI completely eliminating the need for heavier shielding material. Improving the sonic quality, reducing the amount of expensive materials needed and reducing labor involved.

All of this translates to a highly detailed, warmer, more inviting sound quality that is on par with Quiescence C. All for the same price as Breathe C.  :o

I’ll post more info and photos very soon. I have a couple of folks here who are current owners of Breathe C/QC have bravely volunteered to try Ember out and they will be posting their impressions very soon.

And of course, tour incoming!
« Last Edit: 29 Mar 2022, 06:21 pm by Pez »

nlitworld

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA
« Reply #1 on: 23 Mar 2022, 03:08 am »
I first would like to thank Jason (Pez) for the opportunity to have some fun testing cables this last month or so. If someone asked me a year or two ago how much of a difference cables made, I'd have laughed. My thought had always been get something above basic zip cord and call it good. BOY WAS I FREAKING WRONG! I won't go into debating cable fact vs fiction stuff, but I will add my rambling $0.02 on how a few sets of cables affected my system this last month.

First off, my system is not big money hifi, and most people here would shake their head at a few of the things going on. Things are slowly improving where finances allow. I've made some big gains in sound recently, but it's still not a fully complete, really nice system yet. I'll leave the diatribe of specs to my system page if you care to look.

Now as for Hapa cables, I do have experience with them in my system. First impression with any Hapa cable, you come to appreciate the top notch build quality and these cables are no different. The cables are light and nimble, super compliant for awkward routing if necessary, and the KLE Absolute connectors are just icing on the cake. I did notice that the braiding was slightly different than my Breathe C cables so I knew I would have fun trying to hear the differences. My normal cables setup are from my turntable to my phono stage is a Quiescence C w/ Absolute connectors, then a Breathe C w/ Absolute connectors to my receiver and from my dac to receiver is another Breathe C with the standard KLE connectors. These cables have been superb on detail and texture and I love that! Hearing all of the things hidden in the back corners of the recording is something I really geek out on.

The new Ember RCA and Breathe/Quiescence C cables have a very recognizable family sound signature to them of being smooth and detailed without harsh edginess or grit. The new Ember cables are absolutely unbelievable for even more detail retrieval and texture than the Breathe C or Quiescence C. The best way I can describe the change in detail is that the current Breathe C cables are like a small club performance where it is very intimate and you can see everything laid out right in front of you on the stage. The new Ember cables would be similar to a Live at Carnegie Hall concert where everything is extremely well mic'd up and phenomenal acoustics to bring every detail out into the light. Hearing every tap of the drums, ting of the cymbals, and pluck of the strings with superb separation has been amazing. The separation and soundstsging of instruments are spooky good which makes everything so much more lifelike to the recording. I can say without hesitation or doubt that these Ember cables exceed what the Quiescence and Breathe cables can do, and I haven't even talked about the best part and where they offer the most difference in sound. These new Ember cables have so much more oompf, drive and livelyness behind them it makes for a much more rich and robust sound to them. That's not to say they sound weighty, slow or bloated by any means. Far from it! They just have SO much more meat on the bone to the sound, but without losing any of that finesse and poise you've come to love and expect from a Hapa cable design. It is amazing the difference between the cables in this respect. They are like a boxer that is also classically trained ballet dancer. The funny part is no matter where I place them in the system, it improves the sound in such a rich and lifelike manner. ANYWHERE. Just for fun I even placed them as subwoofer cables where I normally have a set of Blue Jeans, and it just made me giggle how they made a noticeable difference even as just a subwoofer cable.

The long and the short of it, I'm still not sure if I can give these cables back (sorry, not sorry). They are way too good. Holy crap, even as I'm typing this, I'm hearing new things on Metallica ...And Justice For All album, which I've listened to countless number of times. In the intro to Harvester Of Sorrow, there are the creepy ominous ghostly voices in the background that are so much more pronounced with these cables, yet that has been in the recording this entire time. I have listened to this album with my new speakers, but I never heard that part so clear and creepy. With everything that I have listened to, from pop to classical to metal, jazz, and Red Hot Chili Peppers these Ember cables have allowed me to hear all the details that have been there hiding the whole time. Not only did it shed light on all the detail in the back corners of the mix, but it brought it forth on a beautifully balanced soundstage. If I could upload an audio recording of my system, I'm sure you'd be able to hear my giggling in there as well.

I'll stop rambling now, but just know that right now, I am having WAY more fun listening to music than you are.  :thumb: Well done, Jason. Seriously.

-Lloyd
« Last Edit: 24 Mar 2022, 12:05 am by nlitworld »

MttBsh

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA
« Reply #2 on: 23 Mar 2022, 04:53 am »
Wow, Lloyd, you took the words right out of my mouth!

Actually, I did have a similar experience using the Ember RCAs in my system.

As background, for a few months now I've been using Hapa Quiescence Copper RCAs between my streamer/DAC and my Tortuga Passive, and Quiescence Silver RCAs from the passive to my STM King Cherry amp. Both sets have the Absolute Harmony upgrade.   

I found the Embers to be very well constructed, light, flexible, with a tight grip on the plug-in. The pair Jason sent me apparently had little if any break-in, so I was surprised how great they sounded right out of the box, if a touch less dynamic than the Hapa QC RCAs that they replaced for the test. After a day or two in my system they opened up and, in my opinion, produced a quality of sound that equaled the QCs.  After about 50 hours they delivered even more body, weight and depth to the soundstage as well as greater bass articulation. I appreciate Lloyd's reference to Carnegie Hall - there wasn't a bad seat in my listening room, there was that "you are there" 3D sound filling every corner of the space. The Ember RCAs definitely excel in the lower end of the sound spectrum. With the QS feeding the amp, it really was the best of both worlds: the weight and warmth of solid bass with the airiness and crystal clarity of the silver cables.

I played the Embers in my system for about 150 hours and had no desire to pull them out to put my QCs back in. When I finally did, it was more difficult than I thought it would be to hear much difference, but I did note a bit less bass slam in the QCs. Both cables sets are superb and have their strengths, it’s just so impressive that the Ember cable can match - and in some ways exceed - the sound quality of the QC.

Having listened to many cables over many years I would put Hapa's products in the top tier of what I've heard. Jason knows what he's doing and never seems to rest. I told him he reminds me of a mad scientist down in his lab mixing up all of these different ingredients and geometries, always trying coax his creations to an even higher level - and succeeding.   

I really appreciated the opportunity to be one of the first to hear the wonderful new Ember RCAs.

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA
« Reply #3 on: 23 Mar 2022, 10:52 pm »
Mttbsh and nlitworld,
I was a bit nervous sending Ember out to the two of you. I knew how much you were enjoying QC and Breathe C and I knew that Ember had bested them both, but I hadn't had a chance to hear what anyone who already owned Hapa cables would think. That said, I really appreciate your feedback on the sound quality and overall build quality. Your feedback is much appreciated.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Both of you heard exactly what I heard. Warmer, more robust midrange and overall a really nice improvement across the spectrum.

I have been striving hard to design a product that could perform at a level that could exceed where Breathe and QC were at, without increasing the cost. While the amount of materials price on Ember is far in excess of what Breathe is, the one area that Ember is champion is the process I have painstakingly designed to make Ember. Whereas a single set of Breathe C cables took me just short of 6-7 hours to complete, Ember is takes less than half of that time.  8) Better product, easier to make and pass the savings on.  8)

I'll update with a bit more info later this week, and then it's tour time!
« Last Edit: 24 Mar 2022, 05:18 pm by Pez »

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR, and TOUR
« Reply #4 on: 29 Mar 2022, 06:10 pm »
Alright folks,
Here it is!

Follow the FORM to register please fill it out. I will determine if we'll do an east coast / west coast setup like usual or if we'll fill tours and send out once we hit a certain number.

Oh, and one MINOR update on details for Ember.

As you have already seen, Ember is an incredibly versatile geometry. With Ember USB already out for several months now and now with the release of Ember RCA it's very exciting to announce Hapa Audio's first, Ember XLR!


Ember XLR utilizes AECO hollow pin Gold plated copper/beryllium XLR connectors or optional Rhodium plated connectors. Like all the other Ember products, Ember XLR is warm, detailed and dynamic, an ideal match for the Ember family.

If you are interested in any of the Ember products, or ALL of them, this is the tour to be on! FORM



All the Ember products posing for a family photo.

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #5 on: 30 Mar 2022, 08:01 pm »
Holy smokes! We managed to fill up one tour bus already!

 :dance: :bounce: :rock: :guitar: :drums: :violin: :hyper:

I’ll be starting the tour very soon, if you are interested in trying Ember out, fill out the FORM


Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #6 on: 31 Mar 2022, 06:04 pm »
Just a few more spots left for our second leg tour. Get in on the fun while there are still seats.  :popcorn:

For those of you on the tour, once I get the remaining seats filled, I’ll send out a mass email with instructions and so info. If you have questions please feel free to email me or send a PM here on AC.  :thumb:

tofuman

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #7 on: 31 Mar 2022, 09:21 pm »
I would be interested in the tour but only for 1pr 1.5m XLR Ember.

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #8 on: 1 Apr 2022, 12:05 am »
I would be interested in the tour but only for 1pr 1.5m XLR Ember.

I’ll be sending out the XLRs in 1.5 meters. Fill out the form and you’re in.

Only two spots left.  :thumb:

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #9 on: 1 Apr 2022, 12:44 am »
Alrighty, that's ten people! We are full on another. We'll split east coast / west coast.

For those of you who are still interested, let me know, if we get enough folks on board I might be able to do a smaller tour with a set of RCAs and USB. Either way, I'm really excited to get Ember into everyone's hands!  :thumb:

Annieclover2

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #10 on: 1 Apr 2022, 06:46 am »
very well-done :D

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #11 on: 1 Apr 2022, 08:32 pm »
very well-done :D

Thank you Annie! Welcome to Audiocircle.  :green:

nc42acc

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #12 on: 1 Apr 2022, 10:42 pm »
Pez do the members in the tour get a confirmation email when the form is filled out and submitted? Thanks

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #13 on: 2 Apr 2022, 12:42 am »
Pez do the members in the tour get a confirmation email when the form is filled out and submitted? Thanks

No automatic email, but don’t worry, you’re in! I’ll be sending out an email to everyone either this weekend or Monday. I’ve been building cables for the tour for the last few days.  :thumb:

nlitworld

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #14 on: 2 Apr 2022, 01:53 am »
I’ve been building cables for the tour for the last few days.  :thumb:

Something tells me you're going to be busy building cables after the tour as well...

nc42acc

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #15 on: 2 Apr 2022, 02:49 am »
Thanks. Can I request the XLR list please?

No automatic email, but don’t worry, you’re in! I’ll be sending out an email to everyone either this weekend or Monday. I’ve been building cables for the tour for the last few days.  :thumb:

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #16 on: 2 Apr 2022, 03:20 am »
Thanks. Can I request the XLR list please?

Both tours are going to include the Ember XLR 1.5 meter.  :thumb:

Annieclover2

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #17 on: 2 Apr 2022, 03:08 pm »
Thank you Annie! Welcome to Audiocircle.  :green:

Thanks pez:)

Pez

Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #18 on: 5 Apr 2022, 12:21 am »
We had one cancellation. First to sign up gets it.  :thumb:

https://forms.clickup.com/8415154/f/80txj-460/9XJL0E0NXL23Z7MPW0

If you do please post here so I can shut the form down. 

ThePriest

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Re: Introducing: Ember RCA, XLR and TOUR.
« Reply #19 on: 5 Apr 2022, 12:10 pm »
Would love to hear your new creation. Am very impressed with the Breathe C.
Touring the Embert to Denmark is probably a bit over the top (not to mention that I might be taxed a lot, just for receiving a loaner).

/The Priest