[el-cee]

Received a pair of Chris' new Pulsar ICs this week and have let them cook on the MOBIE cable burner for about 50 hours. Many of you know Chris from his DIY recipes for CAT5 speaker cable and silver ICs and his insightful, instructive posts on AA. Not ready to do a formal review of the Pulsars, but just wanted to give a heads up on this new player. In a word, the Pulsars are a winnerr, IMHO. Havn't compared them to the high-priced spread, but in direct comparison to my reference TG Audio HSR silver, they are getting the nod in my system between CDP and preamp.  I'm hearing greater articulation without any added sibilance.  There's an increase in clarity and focus, yet instruments and vocals sound natural and unforced. The Pulsar's are so promising, I've ordered  another pair between preamp and amp. They're reasonably priced for the time being, but I would imagine once the word gets out, they will increase in value. Here's a link:
 
http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?cablintr&1085577166

SACD 1000 -> Blue Circle BC21.1 w/Shallco -> one main out to Blue Circle BC22 amp -> Green Mountain Europa -> other main out to Marchand XM44 xover -> QSC PLX 2402 amp -> VMPS smaller subs

[Psychicanimal]

Chris sent me a 1.5m digital IC for my evaluation and review.  Sean is cooking it for 30 days on a modded Mobie plus another cooker which mimics a digital signal.  The cooking is on one week alternating cycles.  I should have it back by the time Dan Wright sends back my Parasound belt drive transport from modding.  Should be very interesting.  I don't expect the Pulsar to defeat something like the Ridge Street Audio digital IC, but at three times the price it doesn't matter...

[nature boy]

I swapped out my Audience Conductor IC's for Chris VanHaus (VH Audio) Pulsars about two weeks ago.  A 1M pair between my Pioneer PD-65 and Eastern Electric MiniMax tube preamp and a 4M pair between my MiniMax and modified DNA solid state amp.

I was impressed enough with the initial results that I put my Audience cables up for sale on Audiogon immediately.

Since then, I have replace my 2M Audience Conductor bi-wire speaker cable with a run of Chris's star quad cable.  This cable has 4 conductors of 12 AWG multi-stranded bare copper, twisted in a star quad geometry.  This arrangement provides a total equivalent of a 9 AWG (pretty thick but you can bend it slightly).  Chris has the cable cyrogenically treated by American Cryogenics.

I thought the "grunge" in my system was gone before inserting the Pulsars.  Well the Pulsar IC's and VH Audio star quad wire has brought a whole new level of clarity to my system.  I don't have a cable cooker, so I am planning to put at least 100 hours on the cables before posting any formal reviews.

I will be doing some A-B comparisons with IC offerings from Gregg Straley (DIY) and Aural Thrills, after the Pulsars bested the Audience Conductors by a significant margin.

NB

[TheeeChosenOne]

All I can speak about VH are the power cables.  GREAT stuff.  They really brought out the bottom end of my amps to a higher level.

Chris makes some great stuff and I have no doubt the inew interconnects fall into that same league.

[Carlman]

I swapped out my Audience Conductor IC's for Chris VanHaus (VH Audio) Pulsars about two weeks ago.  A 1M pair between my Pioneer PD-65 and Eastern Electric MiniMax tube preamp and a 4M pair between my MiniMax and modified DNA solid state amp.

...............after the Pulsars bested the Audience Conductors by a significant margin.

Really?  Bested how?  I'm really curious.  I know you'll have a review later but.. I have the Conductor's and I like them.  I have them all over.  I need some more, actually for a phono pre and a sub.  So, I could feasibly try these VH things.  I'm assuming they come assembled at that price on the Agon ad.

The only experience I have comparing the Audience recently is 2 cables I've that were reported to sound 'better' than many things costing many times their price... However, they sounded more like a cable and less musical to me.  They disected and separated sounds at the cost of coherence and the true sound of the instruments.  Highs got more spatial than reality and mid's got less believable.

I guess what I'm asking is, do these cables make it sound more like the original instruments and voices or do they do more?

Are they honest or are they a little synthetic?

-C

[zybar]

I am also a big fan of Chris' (I have his Flavor 4 Gold option power cords on my Rowland 201's and I am using his Hot Box for my sub amp.

I am going to try a pair of balanced Pulsar's in my system.

Basically this is a double run of the regular Pulsar's with Furutech FP-601M and FP-602F xlr connectors.

I will be putting these bad boys against my reference ic (Argent Audio Pursang).

The Pursang costs more, but since Chris' power cords were better (to my ears and in my system) than many much higher priced cords, I figured why not.

I should have the balanced Pulsars by the middle of this week.  Figure I will have some initial thoughts by the weekend.

George

[Hantra]

However, they sounded more like a cable and less musical to me.

Carl:

This is exactly what I have always experienced when I have substituted Audience with anything else.  

I think George used to have Au24, am I right G?  How is the Argent different?

B

[zybar]

The Argent Audio Pursang is the most musical ic and cable I have tried.  

If you rip it apart and go down the audiophile checklist it is excellent in some areas and good in others (no major deficiencies) - what makes it the best I've heard is the natural and musical presentation.  It just gets out of the way!  The Audience also does this very well.  But, I feel that the Pursang was better at the extremes and had a slightly better midrange as well.  Instruments and voices just sounded more real and palpable with the Pursang.

George

[zybar]

Well, I put the balanced Pulsars into the system yesterday afternoon (between preamp and amps)  and they have been running continuously.

I am about to go down and give my first listen.

I can say that they are well built and the connectors are awesome.

When I take them out I take some pics and post.

Kudos to Chris to getting them out so quickly.

George

[Psychicanimal]

Got my Pulsar digital cable after Sean cooked it for 30 days on two separate cookers, with one week alternating cycles.  One cooker was mimicking an analog signal (modded MOBIE), the other a digital RF signal.   The Pulsar was used to connect my recently Dan Wright modded Parasound CBD-2000 belt driven transport using an XLO Reference 2 power cord and the Channel Islands DAC-1.  A CI passive pre & Modwright modded Marchand X-over plus Ridge Street Audio MSE interconnects follow on to a Forté 4a power amp driving my Modwright Swans M-1 mini monitors and a pair of Kenwood L-07MKII monoblocks for the subs.

VenHaus has a winner!

The noise floor is unbelievably low; bass is deep and tight--very fast and articulate (or is it my transport? )--with outstandingly good HF extension w/out edge or brightness.  This cable is neutral and transparent, I can attest, with no apparent colorations nor microphonics.  I have been using Olga Tañón's greatest hits CD ( the undisputed queen of merengue music ) and the system is responding extremely well to such fast paced and percussion/horns rich music.  I am very pleased with the results--they have surpassed my expectations.   The Pulsar definitely allows one to hear subtle changes in soundstage from recording to recording, this particular CD being a greatest hits collection recorded in at least two different studios.  I think a digital cable must be looked at from the perspective that it actually is a RF transmitting cable, as opposed to an analog signal interconnect.  We're in a whole different ball game here, and that's what Chris has developed: an affordable, long lasting, kick ass digital/video cable.

One thing that needs mentioning is the fact that I got better results after using the demagnetizing tracks of the Sheffield/XLO Test/burn-in disc.  Seems that after a full month of 24/7 cooking the digital cable needed some relief!

[zybar]

Below is the e-mail I sent Chris (VH Audio):

All my comments are in direct comparison to the Argent Audio Pursang (my reference ic's)

Here is the system:

VMPS RM 40’s w/ FST, TRT caps, and Analysis Plus wire
Jeff Rowland 201 Mono Blocks (Flavor 4 - gold option)
Electrocompaniet EC 4.7 Balanced preamp (Argent Audio Brujo power cord)
Electrocompaniet ECD-1 DAC (Sonoran Plateau)
Empirical Audio modified Sony S-7700 (transport only)
Argent Audio Pursang digital ic
BPT 3.5 Signature Power Conditioner
Argent Audio Pursang speaker cable on mid/treble
Sonoran Plateau speaker cable on woofers

I used the following music:

Rusted Root – When I Woke (bongos, drums, gourds, layered vocals, male vocals, soundstage (l/r and f/b)

Ben Harper –  Fight for Your Mind (male vocals, acoustic guitar, cymbals, percussion)

Tori Amos – Boys for Pele (female vocals, piano, harpsichord)

Harry Connick Jr. – She (male vocals, piano, percussion, stand up bass)


Here are some notes I took as I listened.  Reading back through them, I see consistency throughout the various cd’s.

Rusted Root

Drum Trip – This is an instrumental track that is mostly percussion with some background vocals

With the Pulsars the drums had more drive and slam than the Pursang.  When a snare drum is hit, you feel the whack and its aftershock.  The Pursang is more delicate and refined in its presentation.  I can hear more small or low level details with the Pursang (all though not by much).  The Pulsar does a very good job of separating out the various instruments and not getting confused or muddied, just not quite as good as the Pursang (again very close).  The only real negative with the Pulsar is that there is a sheen to the high end (especially on cymbals).  No matter what I tried, I couldn’t get rid of it.  In all fairness, the Pursang is still the most natural sounding ic I have ever heard.  Its highs are full of detail and spatial cues without being the least bit harsh.
 
Laugh as the Sun – lots of percussion (drums, bongos, gourds, tambourine, bass), layered vocals, guitar

The Pulsars again do a very good job.  Imaging is excellent from side to side and front to back.  Voices of the various singers are easy to place and have the correct tone.  I can easily hear the breathy qualities in the female voice and raw power in the male singer’s voice. The Pulsars did a very good job conveying the rhythm and pace of the music.  Detail was also very good. At the start of the song there is a strong bass line in the center with percussive instruments to the right and left.  Everything is very clear and easy to identify.  In fact, I feel like I can count the number of beans in the gourd!

I have seen this band half a dozen times live and I can say the Pulsar nails it.  I preferred the Pulsar over the Pursang b/c this song is all about pure emotion and raw power.  I had the system cranked up to 100+db peaks and the Pulsars continued to shine!

Ben Harper

Another Lonely Day – male vocals, acoustic guitar

Pulsars allowed in a great amount of detail (can easily hear Ben’s hand work on the guitar) and made it sound like Ben was in the room playing.  The guitar notes has texture and depth to them.  They seemed to hang in the air, but not in a way that each note overlapped the previous one.  Ben’s voice was a little deeper with the Pulsars and the notes maybe a tad richer.

Gold to Me – male vocals, cymbals, bass, triangle, tambourine, acoustic guitar

Pretty much the same results as with Rusted Root songs.  Excellent drive and dynamics.  A more forward and aggressive presentation than the Pursang (but not in a bad way).  Since this song has lots of treble energy, the Pursang really shined.

God Fearing Man – male vocals, slide guitar, bass, percussion

Opening slide guitar just pulled me in and grabbed my attention.  Pulsars again let you hear the finger work and the better bass gives a more solid foundation to the music.  This might have been my best experience with this song and I have listened to it probably 1000’s of times!!  Only area that holds it back from being the 100% champ is the top end again.

Tori Amos

Horses – female vocal, piano

The Pulsars presented piano very well and gave it the weight and heft it should have.  Notes were delicate/powerful when they should be.  Tori’s sings in a breathy, sultry style at times and the Pulsars did a good job portraying this.  You could easily hear her intake for breath and little shudders as she sang.  Very enjoyable.

Way Down – vocals, piano

Tori sings dead center and the piano plays off to the side.  The chorus is behind her.  With the Pulsars I can hear the individual members of the chorus and they aren’t just one big blob of sound.

In the Springtime of his Voodoo – vocals, drum track, piano, percussion, harpsichord

Very big sounding with the Pulsars.  Images are more lifelike in size when compared to the Pursang.  Midrange and bass are well balanced and articulate.  East to identify the various instruments and their placement on the soundstage.  Harpsichord has the appropriate bite and presence.  First attack on the notes is excellent.  

Harry Connick Jr.

She – stand up bass, percussion, male vocal, guitar

WOW!!  The stand up bass is sooooo good.  I can clearly hear the individual notes and there is such weight and body.  Drums are tight and clearly defined.  Bongos are very musical.  Harry’s voice is clear and powerful.  Cymbals are good but have that little bit of sheen.

That Party/Booker – male vocals, percussion, piano, guitar

Great dynamics with such a big image!  Underlying bass line is well defined and creates a solid foundation for the rest of the instruments.  Very good imaging.  Music just jumped out at me and said “Listen Up!!”  Piano is crisp and clear.

Conclusion

Chris, outside of the slight treble glare these are outstanding!!  In terms of macro dynamics, they are the best ic have heard in my system.  They produce a large image that is a little forward and aggressive (in comparison to the Pursang), but in a good way.  I found myself tapping my foot and really getting into the music when the Pulsars were in the system.  They have lots of detail without being too obvious about it.  They are well balanced and very clean.  

I know the Gallos very well and they have a very extended treble, do you notice any issues there in your system?  Since I haven’t heard your ic’s in other systems, I can’t be 100% certain it is the ic’s, but since I have heard the Pursang in multiple systems, I can say that the top end of the Pursang is the best I have heard.

As things stand right now, you have made an excellent ic that will compete (and beat) against much more costly competition.  If you can somehow refine the treble a bit (less glare and maybe get it slightly more extended) you will have a world beater IMHO.

I hope this helps give you an idea of what I think.

For me personally, I can't ignore price (the Pursang is double the price of the Pulsars).  The Pulsars are staying in the system.

George

[Psychicanimal]

Conclusion

Chris, outside of the slight treble glare these are outstanding!! In terms of macro dynamics, they are the best ic have heard in my system. They produce a large image that is a little forward and aggressive (in comparison to the Pursang), but in a good way. I found myself tapping my foot and really getting into the music when the Pulsars were in the system. They have lots of detail without being too obvious about it. They are well balanced and very clean.

Excellent comparison.  I really haven't had the chance to compare it with anything really good, like the Ridge Street Audio (where's Lak?).  My question is, what if your cable had the 30 day, two cooker burn-in Sean did on my Pulsar?  I know Sean's work and his 30 day burn-ins are pretty much permanent--so far.

[zybar]

I compared the Argent Audio Pursang and Jaden Signature to the RSE Midnight Gen II's and preferred the Argent Audio ic's in my system.

Here is the link to write up of the Argent Audio Jaden Sig:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=5596&highlight=jaden

As good as the Jaden Sigs were, the Pursang were a noticeable leap forward.

Between the Argent Audio ic's and the other ones I listened to, I feel that I have listened to some high quality ic's.

As always, YMMV and I encourage ALL ic/cable evaluations to be in your own system.

George

[Psychicanimal]

You *want* to give your Pulsar a serious 30 day burn-in treatment.  Thing is the Pulsar's dielectric is pretty beefy when compared to the conductor (this is purposedly done in the design to keep impedance constant).  That dielectric needs to be cured, though.  I bet what you're hearing in the high frequencies will greatly diminish if you'd have the Pulsar fully cooked.

[nature boy]

George,

Great review of the Pulsars.  I had a tough time choosing between these and Gregg Straley's cables, but the shielded design works better in my system.  The two qualities I like best about these cables - really clean sound and very dynamic.

Having had the interconnects in my system for almost two months now, I can attest the treble glare goes away.  I just received a final set in interconnects to complete my system and a digital cable as a B-day present for my brother's new HT system.  

Can't recommend Chris's products, service, and communications highly enough.  A great guy.  Looking foward to his speaker cable offerings later this year!

Regards,

NB

[djbnh]

I've been holding out on purchasing the Pulsars for a few months, then noticed Chris VH is now offering a deep cryoed version of this IC.

1) Anyone out there have any experience with the cryoed version of the Pulsars? What terminations did you use for the ICs?

2) For those who have used the cryoed Pulsar ICs, if any are Odyssey owners who replaced Groneberg ICs with the Pulsars, I'd like to hear about the level of differences between the two ICs.

In advance, thanks for any and all responses.