[eclein]

If you didn't already know Alex and his fledgling company-WyWires-just came out with a Digital Interconnect and today a couple hours before an appt. I had a package arrived with one of these guys about 2 feet long-a total guess by the way.
 As always the cables arrive packaged for survival through any world war that may break out during transit. The cable is fairly flexible and looks very cool, I mean highly polished in presentation....I don't write audio speak reviewer type language very well and respect folks who have command of it because it is very efffective. Here is my version.

 The cable is between my Squeezebox Duet and Grant Fidelity Tube DAC-09 and this piece finalizes for me a complete system consisting of WyWires cabling and power cords (thank you Alex). I had a chance to listen to a few tracks before my car arrived and Steely Dan "Gaucho" the version in FLAC from HD Tracks was my first listen...on Babylon Sisters at about .20 seconds in or so there is an electric keyboard phrase and the last four or five notes have this weird distortion that I could tell was very subtle because I had never heard it before-I've listened to these tracks hundreds of times and Gaucho is one of my favorite Steely Dan albums, I quick sent Alex and email telling him about the new sound I heard at which time he qued up his version at home/lab and sent me a response..yep I heard it too, "Pretty subtle and most systems will never reveal that." he wrote.

 When I got back home I lined up the CD's(In digital form) I use to listen to anything new that comes in my door...here are some notes:

Babylon Sisters- "multi part harmony section ..Santa Anna winds blow..each part is balanced and can easily be distinguished, no longer one dimensional there is air there"

Minimum,Maximum-Kraftwerk LIVE-CD randomly picked from a stack-- 'kick drum has that hard to describe feeling of power, round, tight and jumps out the correct amount

Smoke N Mirrors-Lee Ritenour, "drum riff in top section is fuller than Ive heard before" hearing overtones I didn't know were there...

Like Keith mentioned I think on another thread although like he I had what I consider to be a solid performing digital cable made by a fellow AC member with a true 75 ohm signature and I was happy with the sound but kind of thought digital via SB could sound better but wasn't sure where to begin. well the substitution of this cable just brought a lot more clarity and depth to my digital music now. I love my Virtue Piano M1 CD Player and won't stop using it but this new cable has brought my digital file playback right up along side it in sound quality.

 I bugged Alex every chance I could get to make a digital cable, "there is a need", "it could be your niche product" and even though I know my badgering didn't make this happen most likely I'm sure glad it did, I knew he'd hit one out with this cable and I must say of all his products this one is my favorite and most impressive performer.
 Fun stuff, I love it--thanks Alex!!!!

[wywires]

Ed,

I'm thrilled that your MD visit went well today and that you are feeling way better. Actually Ed, you and a couple of other AC'ers did badger me and that is one major reason why I decided to try a digital interface. I'm glad I did! Took some time but I think we have something worth while, I hope.

Alex

[Gopher]

Nice write up, Ed.  I share similar sentiments about Alex’s newest addition to the the Wywire stable.

I had the opportunity to compare it with a Bolder Cable Co digital coax, a MAC digital Steve made specially for me which he stated was better than his standard digital an XLR to RCA Bill O’Connel was generous enough to send me (preferring the AES/EBU interface to the coax on my DAC) and a few miscellaneous my father had at his house.

In a nutshell, the Wywire digital cable took the best of what each had to offer and added to the total equation… it is quite impressive!  Those of you who have followed my cable experience with Wywires already know I’m crazy about almost everything Alex does, but my real enthusiasm was largely geared towards his earlier designs.  Specifically, I preferred his Hot Sauce to his V2 and the original Juice to the Juice 2—still liking the newer designs, but preferring the originals. 

I am quite happy to report that in my estimation the digital interconnect ties the Hot Sauce interconnect for the position of my favorite Wywire product.  In terms of value, it would have to surpass it, as it gives a huge taste of what Wywires is all about at a price most hobbyist can actually justify. 

In trying to decide on the right digital cable, one major difficulty I encountered was getting a cable that could pass along the fundamental body and harmonic richness of the source material.  I was able to get good performance in various aspect of sound, but this quality in particular proved the most elusive.

In evaluating the Wywire digital cable I did something very different from what I normally do.  I popped it right in for a couple of days to get used to it and then I worked my way backwards.  To briefly summarize my digital quality with the Wywire Digital cable in place, I experienced a very high resolution, rich and sophisticated sound which really let the music through in a pleasing way.  Warmth, holography, human, emotion—these qualities all came through in spades with reference WW in place.

I own a Bolder modified squeezebox touch, Bolder modded PSU and Bolder modded Eastern Electric DAC and I initially I had thought bringing the Bolder digital would be the final addition so I pounced on one when the opportunity came up.  Truthfully, I can’t fault its performance, but it is plainly not in the same  league as the Wywire it is being compared to.  The Bolder let the dynamics and resolution through—perhaps as well as the Wywire, however, it continued to nag at me that it was just a touch on the cooler side of neutral and while I liked the speed and agility it brought to the equation, my source material seemed to have shed a few pounds to perform in that state—there was also a comparable loss of what I interpret to be emotional content and I was just a little less moved and engaged listening with it in place.

Moving to the MAC digital cable I own on the other hand, it was able to deliver a warmer and seemingly more full sound, but gave my system a presentation that obscured a lot of detail.  Although my sound was richer, my texture was largely homogenized, coming off rather grungy.  My digital was less ‘digital’ sounding but it was also less ‘good’ sounding as well.  Coherence through the midband was on the weaker side and I had a notably loose/sloppy bass.  I was less engaged listening to this cable and I also lost a good bit in terms of my holographic sound stage. 

The XLR to RCA isn’t the fairest competitor, as it adds another process to the DAC operation, and also goes to a different input using a different receiver chip (I don’t speak electronic, but that’s my understanding from the discussion I’ve read).  It also held the spot as my preferred cable among the three cables, yet I don’t even know its name.  I got my warmth and richness and a reasonable amount of resolution.  I didn’t have quite the dynamic swing of my wywires or bolder for the matter, but it was a smooth, non-offensive cable whose sins were the cliché ‘omissions rather than commissions’.

Contrasted with the Wywire, it was full but not quite as full and the texture of Alex’s cable was indeed superior.  I also lacked the resolution of the Wywire and had a more laid back presentation causing the always smooth and enjoyable wywire to sound a little forward by comparison.  It was a good cable and I lived with it for a while, not hearing anything I preferred, but the Wywire plays at a higher level.  Its just a more sophisticated rendition of the source material. 

My entire system is now wired with Alex’s cables and I have a lot of faith in his ear and his methords.  This digital cable does not disappoint.  Its an outstanding performer and  relatively cheap in terms of what it is, what it brings to the table and what ‘performance upgrades’ in our hobby actually cost.

If your considering a new digital cable, I strongly urge you to give this a listen—even if its too inexpensive for what your budget allows.  Is it the bestest ever?  I don’t know and probably won’t ever have the opportunity to answer that, but its damn good with a reasonable price and satisfaction guarantee…  there truly is no downside—give it a whirl in your own system and see. 

[eclein]

Hey Alex--does thing have a name yet? Contest maybe?

[eclein]

For the past few months I have been using a 6 watt Musical Paradise MP-301 as my amp along with the Tube DAC-09 and my original post above was with that setup. I decided after being pretty much immobile for the past 3 months or so I had a back log of tweaks to try-I was Tweakipated!!! So today I took the amp out and put my Virtue Audio TWO.2 back in as my amp, hook up is identical it was a straight swap. With this setup using the new digital cable I am officially BLOWN away!!! The dynamics are just incredible and the sound as far as clarity goes is flippin brilliant...not high endy how do I get out of this room brilliant but super clear revealing brilliant. To steal a phrase from another AC members post on the West Coast tour--”Vivid”.

 The MP-301 will become the headphone amp I intended on using it for when I purchased it and the TWO.2 is back from hiatus, fresh and ready. In fact the word Fresh would be apt in describing this sound, its captivating, focused and dynamic.
Now my digital music just does it for me - everything I had hoped it could be it is with the
WyWires Digital Cable!!

 


I would call this cable "The Source" if it were up to me...LOL...

[Nick77]

  Actually Ed, you and a couple of other AC'ers did badger me and that is one major reason why I decided to try a digital interface. I'm glad I did! Took some time but I think we have something worth while, I hope.

I confess I am one of the badgers, and have no regrets, the digital cable is outstanding!

I have been able to compare to my Zu Firemine and also the Black Cat Veloce cable. In both cases the Wywire was simply in another league.

The first thing that jumps out at you is there is NO digital glare or grunge, it definitely takes digital to a whole new level, very smooth and analog sounding.

Secondly or maybe it was first, the resolution and micro details are simply outstanding. I felt as if the details were slapping me upside the head they were so much more pronounced. I was hearing things that previously just came on the scene and disappeared but now I am able to hear instruments fading instead of just disappearing. It adds dramatically to a three dimensional sound scape.

Next the Wywire has a body and weighty presence that far exceeded those compared too. It has a dressed up in a tuxedo presentation, very elegant sophisticated sound. The bass is very clear and detailed without bloom and the highs have a very realistic sparkle to them without fatigue.

I had no idea that my digital coax cable was holding my system back so much. You need to experience this cable for yourself to see where it takes your digital experience. 

Squeezebox Touch modded ps
Audio-gd NFB-2 DAC
Pass Labs B1 Buffer
SDS254 ClassD Amp
WyWires

[Phil]

You guys have already said it well, so I'm just going to add my email to Alex:

Alex,

Your LITESPD SPDIF cable is awesome.  Not sure I can add anything to the description of earlier reviews:  extended in both frequency extremes with taut bass and extended highs without glare; overall a very natural sound and balance. 

I will add that in my system it has proven transformative, which really surprised me – bits are bits was the logic.   The cable eliminated a digital fingerprint that I had come to believe was a constant in even very good digital processing.  I’m loving it! 

So, in short, I’m keeping the cable and it is putting a smile on my face every day.

Regards,

Phil

[santacore]

I have had Alex's S/Pdif digital cable in my system for a few weeks now, and have been very impressed. It has beat my Nordost Silver Shadow, and my Mojo Audio cable. Very tight, fast, and always musical. It has now become my reference cable, and Alex will not be getting it back. Nice work!!!

[JohnR]

Please keep threads in the Critic's Circle focussed on the review.

[ServerAdmin]

Posts unrelated to the review have been removed.

[MttBsh]

I want to add my voice to the praise for Alex's digital cable. I received the SPDIF version a few days ago, along with one of his Juice II power cables. A couple of days earlier the Fed Ex man delivered an Oppo BDP-93, which I'm using as a transport. I put the Wywires digital between the Oppo and my Audiosector NOS DAC, replacing a Stereovox HDXV digital that I bought about 7 or 8 years ago when they were all the rage. The Juice II replaced a slightly more expensive Black Sand  Violet power cable plugged into my Eastern Electric Minimax tube preamp (I still have the Black Sands powering most of my other components)

After about 50 hrs on the new cables, there is a very clear improvement in the sound my system puts out. Weightier, more cohesive, more snap and attack, and what I love most, that holographic 3D imaging where instruments are floating effortlessly in space well beyond and behind the speakers, with a more natural decay. I've been too busy listening to music to try to figure out what the digital cable or Juice II can do without the other, but I get the clear sense that the Wywire digital cable is letting though a lot more detail than my old HDXV and that's what's most responsible for the major improvements I'm hearing. Thanks Alex, Your cables are superb and the price is right! I'll be back!

Matt

[ajayrav]

Alex's Interconnects are fantastic.  The Wywires XLRs completely transformed my Bel Canto rig, kicking the Cardas made Bel Canto XLRs to the curbside.  The RCAs did a similar number to my Audioquest King Cobra cables in my PrimaLuna rig.  What then of the Wywires digital cables?  Bits are bits and all that jazz...  Digital cables can't make that much of a difference, right?  WRONG! In every one of my rigs, the Litespd made a profound and significant difference.  In my headphone rig, it replaced a cheap Audioquest spdif cable.  In my Bel Canto rig, it replaced a Luminous audio Synchestra spdif cable.  In the PrimaLuna rig, it replaced an AudioQuest VDM5 BNC-BNC cable and in my Marantz rig it replaced a Blue Jeans BNC-RCA cable.  I used test material from Cesaria Evora, Patricia Barber Pink Floyd, Miles Davis and John Coltrane.  What struck me instantly was the smoothness and the air around the instruments.  Any trace of congestion in the midrange  was instantly removed.  The music flowed effortlessly and it appeared as if the frequency range had been stretched at both ends.  Instead of the music congealing around the midrange (yes, I do mean congeal), the frequency response was extended in both directions, along with vastly improved sound-staging.  Vocals and instruments seemed to float holographically in the center of the soundstage.  The difference in most cases bordered on stunning.  The difference between the AQ VDM5 with solid silver conductors was smaller, but still significant and definitely audible. Honestly, I was shocked at how much better the Litespd was than the other cables I was using.  Yes, the Litespds are significantly more expensive, but in my opinion, completely worth it. So what gives with these cables?  Were the other cables not true 75 ohm cables?  The lack of shielding of the WyWires should allow RFI and EMI to wreak havoc on the signal, right? Not so!  Maybe Alex can opine to why these cables sound so good.  Seriously guys, I put my money where my mouth is....and bought 3.  This, despite needing to be on a budget.  They really are that good! 

Ajay

[Phil]

Just had my LITESPD cable re-terminated with BNC for a new piece of gear, so I tried to coordinate the arrival of the new gear with the re-terminated cable.

I'll be brief:

1)  Alex provides the best customer service.  His service alone would entice me to continue to do business with him.

2)  The Furutech BNC is very cool and the LITESPD continues to be a game changer.

Thank you, Alex.   


Phil