Ultra Initial Impressions
Please keep in mind that my system was already sounding excellent, as best it ever has with all Signature speaker cables, power cords ,and balanced IC. I replaced the Signature IC with a 1/2 meter Ultra. Given that the Ultra was not broken in, at first there seemed slightly less weight, fullness, and relaxation than with the Signature IC which had been in my system for months.
With the Ultra inserted I immediately noticed significantly enhanced micro-detail, air, and extension. Xylophone, high treble piano and treble guitar sounded more realistically bell like, meaning that there was more prominent and natural timber particularly mid-note with shifts in timber as the note progressed. The sound started with lightening quick attack, the timber developed more fully and then a nice long decay followed, sounding much more like the actual instrument played live. At the other end of the frequency range drums were more like drums again because the attack, mid note timbre and decay were so perfectly reproduced. There was more presence, aliveness, and realism. In highly complex passages there was clearer delineation among timbres and rhythms. Notes became more three dimensional particularly in the treble. Soft back voices and the softest of breath sounds were now even more distinguishable, yet in perfect balance to the more prominent sounds. Vertical separation was enhanced such as the singer's voice projecting at appropriate height above the guitar they were playing. Subtle shifts in phrasing and tempo were much more apparent adding greatly to the excitement of PRAT. No increase in any harshness was noted on good recordings, resulting in a much more thrilling listening experience with no hint of assaultiveness, rather a sense of being draw more deeply into the music, a significant step closer to live performance. All the above characteristics of involvement, excitement, and subtlety were preserved to a greater extent than I have ever heard as volume was lowered even to background listening levels.
Addendum - now two weeks in I am very very pleased - just listening to music and enjoying the increased quality and involvement. There has been some slight shifts at times in the treble and bass as part of break in. But if it seems a bit off, a few hours later it is back to awesome. I know it will take more time to settle in but enjoyable all the way with a steady increase in the good type of sweetness and relaxation as break in continues. I find myself wondering if Albert realizes just what awesome transducers the VR5 Anni MK2's are.
