AE Showroom was packed with people yesterday since 2pm. Most of us were having the same objective of being one of the few who can ear witness the comparison between the Vertere HB interconnect and Taralab GME (Grand Master Evolution). The owner of the GME has taken a few LPs for audition. They were mainly rock and Jazz music which were meticulously selected to ensure they cover a wide spectrum of music together with the house LPs in AE.
Due to the length of the GME, we had used the position between the Wadax phono and Monica preamp for interchanging the cables while leaving the rest of all other components constant. I picked a seat which is nearly to the right channel of Carmen and stayed there throughout the entire audition session.
We first listened to the set of LPs on Vertere and change to the GME and listened to the same set of LPs. I don’t think there was a clear winner at the time I left and I leave it to those who stayed behind and new joiners to continue the commentary and sharing of the views.
Rather than captivating the forum by sharing the view from the one who left the showrrom the earliest, may I suggest the others, including the owner of GME to share their views first….
I had the chance to listen to the vertere HB VS the Taralabs GME
IMHO, the Taralabs was more pin point with more authority over each musical instrument, while Vertere is a bit more relaxed in presentation. No clear winner. Yet the soundstage of both differs a bit.
Another surpise is the Vertere HB USB VS the S brand crown USB.
Vertere's strength is clearly displayed. Its faster, brighter and fuller. The instruments size is more proportioned.
However, if you judge by the look only, the Vertere is really not a handsome cable in comparison with the golden barrel of the S brand.
i was there when the VS thing taken place.
Let me share some of my thought.
I joined the party when Marvel was leaving AE. So i listened a few songs on Tara GME before changed it back to Vertere HB.
When i sat down, the first impression is, "What is happening to AE system?" the sound was so unfamiliar to me. Could it be the new Monica Preamp? No wonder all members here said it is from another planet.
The sound is so expressive, or over expressive! Like a engine will full horse power, driving all "sound”to the max. Even a single swing of guitar strings becomes so intensive. Then vocal is so powerful; everything is going to the MAX. Amazing but something is going wrong. Everything is so frontal, or surreal.
As I told Chris, AE sound never really impressed me until 長空 appeared. I heard music. First time I understood how music can be handle so naturally. The second time is trinity amp at his place. But the music I heard today is not the music I know.
But 長空 were still sitting there, and it was the same setting like last time I visited. So it must be the Monica, I thought.
Then when he changed back to Vertere HB cable, then the familiar sound back. The controls, organic and real are all back. But then it felt like HB vertere lose to Tara GME at the first glance, cause all surreal effect were gone. But in fact, Vertere HB gives a right sound and stage. Clarity and proportion. And it definitely suits AE system better. How could we allow losing even a bit of transparency and realness with 長空 as poweramp?
I honestly expressed my opinion to the owner of Tara Lab GME, and he is very opened mind person, he totally agree with my opinion. But I sort of agreed on his view that he think LP side will working perfect with Vertere HB IC, but CD side need GME to help. To help on the missing both end. And I have to admit that GME is very 爆 with his rock song! I can imagine he is playing very loud with his GME on his cd player now.
By the way, I joined the ride.
It is damn good! Suggest to all simplicity user.
You will know how much you lose without it.
Since I cannot afford the super arm, this bring me very close to it...... Hopefully.
Here’s my turn to share my views on the 2 cables. Throughout the audition session, I was sitting near to the right channel of Carmen and it is frankly not the perfect location for listening to horn speaker but for the sake of comparison, I didn’t change the sitting position.
At this level, both cables have fulfilled the strictest qualifications on most of the hifi vocabularies that I can think of. To me, there is no clear winner between the 2. Whilst GME throws a wider soundstage than Vertere seemingly due to a higher energy preservation, Vertere excels more in contrasting between the lust of metal and naturalness of wood. Vertere depicts more accurate tonality when GME puts more emphasis on the distinctiveness of the objects. Rock and Jazz music is definitely the cup of tea for the GME owner while I enjoy more on the quaint classical pieces thru Vertere HB.
On all the music used in the audition session, GME brings more excitement and impactfulness. The same question came to my mind, ‘is it real, sounds a bit exaggerated’. When switched back to Vertere HB, I went back to my comfort zone of the type of musicality and tonality that I am familiar with. Again, there is no right and wrong because I attribute this to my acquired taste after so many years on my ‘ever-changing’ system and the system in AE.
I just acquired this Pulse HB USB Cable last Friday and have been using it intensively in the past 2 days. Let me tell you, this is the best USB I have so far. The first impression that strike me most about this cable is its holographic presentation, it is simply superb!
With Vertere, the soundstage is accurate and layered with details. I was listening to 王菲 - 南海姑娘 (SACD ripped DSD File) played through my respectful Auralic Aries, the background music is so real, though I do not know exactly the name of the music instrument.
After two days of intensive cable burning, the bass has also strengthened further. Listening to the 蔡琴 金片子 好春宵 (SACD ripped DSD File) track is very enjoyable, the slaming of the drum was reproduced with nice texture and speed.
My previous reference USB cable was Harmonic LightSpeed which can reproduce a very nice soundstage and a fairly clean image. But it is definitely lacking some fluidity and musicality, albeit more analytical which might please certain people. However, prolong listening may be tiresome. Proper matching with other equipement is needed for the LightSpeed.
I think I have said enough about this cable here, though there is really a lot more to talk about. All I want to say now is that, this is a USB cable worth owning if you are serious into CAS/FAS music playback, worth every cents/pennies of it.
Comments
I am using Wadax Ultimate.
Desmond
http://www.monoandstereo.com/2015/02/vertere-reference-tonearm-review.html
But sound really good !
Due to the length of the GME, we had used the position between the Wadax phono and Monica preamp for interchanging the cables while leaving the rest of all other components constant. I picked a seat which is nearly to the right channel of Carmen and stayed there throughout the entire audition session.
We first listened to the set of LPs on Vertere and change to the GME and listened to the same set of LPs. I don’t think there was a clear winner at the time I left and I leave it to those who stayed behind and new joiners to continue the commentary and sharing of the views.
Rather than captivating the forum by sharing the view from the one who left the showrrom the earliest, may I suggest the others, including the owner of GME to share their views first….
Marvel
IMHO, the Taralabs was more pin point with more authority over each musical instrument, while Vertere is a bit more relaxed in presentation. No clear winner. Yet the soundstage of both differs a bit.
Another surpise is the Vertere HB USB VS the S brand crown USB.
Vertere's strength is clearly displayed. Its faster, brighter and fuller. The instruments size is more proportioned.
However, if you judge by the look only, the Vertere is really not a handsome cable in comparison with the golden barrel of the S brand.
What do others think?
Let me share some of my thought.
I joined the party when Marvel was leaving AE. So i listened a few songs on Tara GME before changed it back to Vertere HB.
When i sat down, the first impression is, "What is happening to AE system?" the sound was so unfamiliar to me. Could it be the new Monica Preamp? No wonder all members here said it is from another planet.
The sound is so expressive, or over expressive! Like a engine will full horse power, driving all "sound”to the max. Even a single swing of guitar strings becomes so intensive. Then vocal is so powerful; everything is going to the MAX. Amazing but something is going wrong. Everything is so frontal, or surreal.
As I told Chris, AE sound never really impressed me until 長空 appeared. I heard music. First time I understood how music can be handle so naturally. The second time is trinity amp at his place. But the music I heard today is not the music I know.
But 長空 were still sitting there, and it was the same setting like last time I visited. So it must be the Monica, I thought.
Then when he changed back to Vertere HB cable, then the familiar sound back. The controls, organic and real are all back. But then it felt like HB vertere lose to Tara GME at the first glance, cause all surreal effect were gone. But in fact, Vertere HB gives a right sound and stage. Clarity and proportion. And it definitely suits AE system better. How could we allow losing even a bit of transparency and realness with 長空 as poweramp?
I honestly expressed my opinion to the owner of Tara Lab GME, and he is very opened mind person, he totally agree with my opinion. But I sort of agreed on his view that he think LP side will working perfect with Vertere HB IC, but CD side need GME to help. To help on the missing both end. And I have to admit that GME is very 爆 with his rock song! I can imagine he is playing very loud with his GME on his cd player now.
It is damn good! Suggest to all simplicity user.
You will know how much you lose without it.
Since I cannot afford the super arm, this bring me very close to it...... Hopefully.
At this level, both cables have fulfilled the strictest qualifications on most of the hifi vocabularies that I can think of. To me, there is no clear winner between the 2. Whilst GME throws a wider soundstage than Vertere seemingly due to a higher energy preservation, Vertere excels more in contrasting between the lust of metal and naturalness of wood. Vertere depicts more accurate tonality when GME puts more emphasis on the distinctiveness of the objects. Rock and Jazz music is definitely the cup of tea for the GME owner while I enjoy more on the quaint classical pieces thru Vertere HB.
On all the music used in the audition session, GME brings more excitement and impactfulness. The same question came to my mind, ‘is it real, sounds a bit exaggerated’. When switched back to Vertere HB, I went back to my comfort zone of the type of musicality and tonality that I am familiar with. Again, there is no right and wrong because I attribute this to my acquired taste after so many years on my ‘ever-changing’ system and the system in AE.
With Vertere, the soundstage is accurate and layered with details. I was listening to 王菲 - 南海姑娘 (SACD ripped DSD File) played through my respectful Auralic Aries, the background music is so real, though I do not know exactly the name of the music instrument.
After two days of intensive cable burning, the bass has also strengthened further. Listening to the 蔡琴 金片子 好春宵 (SACD ripped DSD File) track is very enjoyable, the slaming of the drum was reproduced with nice texture and speed.
My previous reference USB cable was Harmonic LightSpeed which can reproduce a very nice soundstage and a fairly clean image. But it is definitely lacking some fluidity and musicality, albeit more analytical which might please certain people. However, prolong listening may be tiresome. Proper matching with other equipement is needed for the LightSpeed.
I think I have said enough about this cable here, though there is really a lot more to talk about. All I want to say now is that, this is a USB cable worth owning if you are serious into CAS/FAS music playback, worth every cents/pennies of it.