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Virtual Dynamics David-Series Cables

Virtual Dynamics David-Series Cables

Spending more on cabling than one might spend on good electronics, a high-quality analog rig, or even reference loudspeakers hasn’t ever made sense to me. Given that there is so much “other” wire in every component in the stereo chain, I haven’t been able to justify spending huge sums on exotic speaker cables, interconnects, and power cords once a certain level of performance has been reached. But where is that point of diminishing returns?

For me, that point has risen to include the use of the new Virtual Dynamics David Series cables throughout my audio system. Admittedly, I was skeptical at first that these very stiff, cryogenically treated cables from Canada would make a big difference. After all, I thought I already had some good, serviceable cables. I tried the David Series cables one piece at a time and noticed some positive differences, like a bit more detail and less noise. I could, for example, hear some transformer hum when I put my ear next to the Edge G4 power amplifier coupled with its stock power cord, but when I substituted the David Series power cable, the hum vanished completely.

However, the greatest change came when I substituted David Series speaker cables, interconnects, and power cords throughout my system. I was stunned at the difference! Yes, there was more fine detail, but what really amazed me was that the noise floor of the entire system dropped dramatically. This was not a small change. Instruments and voices emerged from a much blacker background, much like the change you get when you move from a good turntable to a great one.

These cables really locked in with the Edge G4 amplifier and the Hyperion HPS-938 speakers and vaulted the overall system performance up a level, making it sonically competitive with systems costing far more. Music was reproduced with such ease that I thought I had a more powerful amplifier, with dynamics that were more explosive, particularly in the mid-bass, and with considerably reduced distortion. Fortunately, the David cables were quite neutral, with good extension in both the bass and the highs, and an open, clear midrange.

A few words of advice: In my system, the bi-wire cables offered increased resolution, dynamics, and smoothness over the standard ones. They’re well worth the extra expense if your speakers can accommodate them, but you might want to enlist another set of hands when installing them. I felt like I was fighting four Python snakes when I tried to hook them up. These cables come with very high-quality spade lugs, so don’t even think of trying to use needle-nose pliers to adjust their widths; instead, just make sure you order the right size to fit your amplifiers and speakers in the first place. Although all the David Series cables are really stiff, you can gently bend them, but don’t overdo it or you could destroy the integrity of the wires. Finally, be aware that the speaker cables have strong magnets in them so if you get them close to one another, they’ll snap together and it will take some effort to pull them apart.

It’s important to try these cables to see if they lock into your own system as well as they did to mine. Frankly, I never thought I’d call $550 power cords, $600 interconnects, and $1300 bi-wired speaker cables bargains, but given the sonic difference these cables made, I must admit that they are quite the deal.

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