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Flow Master Reference

Merry Xmas

My first ever post on this forum but I read it almost every day. The Hi Fi world in Macao surely is not as exciting as Hong Kong. I work around the clock. I got no time for music. I don't remember any model name of my system. I barely rememer the brand name. All I know is my systen is the Zanden brand, got no clue they are tube or non-tube the other day when some of my business partners listened to the system. I basically cannot participate in this forum although I have the machines at the mansion.

This very beautiful look power cable name FMR got my attention. I play guitar when young. When Jlam put this cable into one of the system machines, I never thought before the same piece of music can bring back the memory of my childhood. The guitar sound so real. I don't know how to describe. The sense of speed, as Jlam said, is very controlled. He is probably right. The notes go deeper than usual. The bass sustains are very clear. How can power cord make such big differences?

Jlam suggested change back the original power cord with some wooden blocks on it by the same company. My servant swapped the new with the old. We play the same track again. The guitar size is bigger slightly. The image is also clear. Bass sustain is shorter. The high frequency, hope I use the right word, is rounder. The energy of each notes is larger. The speed or the flow of the notes does not sound right We played a few more music with more instruments, more complex passages, this wooden block power cable sounds excellent. I did not know my system uses this cable until Jlam came.

But I want to put back the FMR into the machine called the DAC, no clue what is it. The guitar music is alive. I could feel this is a person playing the guitar. The wooden block cable is very good but I could not feel the guitarist is there. Maybe, I am not a fan of other music. I only know guitar. I am also quite impressed with some piano recordings that Jlam brought along.

Jlam say each cable has their strength and weakness. The FMR is good at the flow of the music and the wooden block cable, he says takes care of the big picture more. It is too complicated to understand, doing business are easier for me.

I told him to change all power cables to FMR but he tells me to wait. I never need to wait more than a minute in my life for a product. Jlam also don't recommend me to do that. He explained a bunch of theories but I didn't know wha he is talking about. Sorry.

This is my only experience I can share with the experts in this forum. Don't ask me the model name or speaker type, I have no clue. I only know this power cable FMR is something that surprises me the most in 2006.

Mr.Ho

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Comments

  • Mr.Ho,

    Are you telling us you don't know what you are buying? That is very funny. I presume that wooden block cable must be the SMR EE. What is so interesting about your post is the absence of hi fi jargon! That is good because you are telling us your feelings. Audiophiles like us are mostly arrogant asses. I have a few SMR EE power cables. They are amongst the best that poor voy has ever own. This FMR stuff must be something unique. I like the Flow label. A good name to start with, just like the Serenity series. The designer is thoughtful and passionate about what he does.

    Where is our resident cable expert, Marvel bro? Voy likes to know your opinion on FMR. We wire the system with the wooden snakes all-thru.

    VR
  • Over here in Taiwan, this cable is long waiting by my group here. J.Lam always treat HK brothers better than Taiwanese. Marvel could be secretly using this power cable for awhile. If not, he will always be the first few who got the exotic stuff. I get used to it.

    Our resident cable expert, please share more with your insights when you get this masterpiece designed top to bottom by Ulrik Madsen.

    Jeff

  • Hi Mr. Ho,

    Let me call you L that you asked me to do so. I have ordered the "Tube Monster power amp" for you. I know I know! I know you don't want to wait, I try my best . Olivia has called me many many times. Please ask her to calm down.

    Hey! a funny thing!! there is a guy his name Marvel asked me about the stock price of 新濠博亞last week. What do you think ? hahahahahahahaha..............I will tell him to BIG BUY it becasue the Chairman has really good taste about Hi End Audio and Music hahahahahhahaha...........Happy New Year!!!!.....and turn down the volume when BB is sleeping!!!!!

    I will have lunch in the garbage sampan restaurant next week with Henry and Mr Lam. Please join if you have time.

    JLam Music Nation
  • If Marvel bro has some 1st hand experience, hope you don't mind share with us.

    Ju
  • FMR: I only got mine yesterday and it is still being burning in for its first few hours.

    My initial impression based on my more than 6 months experience of using SMR EE power cables all the way through. If SMR EE is designed to provide the ultimate serenity between the musical notes, I would say FMR provides the 'glue' to link them up into a contiguous picture. Another anology which may be a bit easier to understand. SMR EE is like a solid state ultimate DAC providing big picture, evenly distributed energy distribution across the frequency spectrum, fast, dynamics, transparent with maximum resolution....it is the Orpheus Heritage DAC in my system. FMR on the other hand is like a tube DAC very much resembling the Zanden 5000Sig with the superclock, everything is presented accurately with the flying tonal colors, ample but not excessive, shiny but not over polished, smooth and natural as it should be.

    Yesterday when FMR was hand delivered to me by PT as a Christmas gift (according to PT, the fact that it is delivered to me earlier than everybody else - except Mr. Ho, is already a gift!), I found the finishing of this cable is already very eye catching...natural cotton sleeve in silvery malt colour providing a natural shielding against external interference, home grown connectors at both ends and even the wooden box has been designed differently....

    I tried briefly on the Zanden DAC and later switched to use it on the Heritage DAC. In terms of mix and match, it works on both DACs but I feel like using it on Heritage because if you look at my analogy above, pairing FMR with Heritage and likewise SMR EE with Zanden would give me the best of both. I won't replace all my SMR EE with FMR (may be only if there is a FMR EE in the future) but I think mixing one or two in my system, especially on solid state gears, would yield the optimal mix.

    Still need more time to understand this newly evolved breed and will report more later.

    Marvel




  • Marvel bro, how many FMR should I order? Are you saying FMR has no place serving my super-clocked Zanden system?
  • Voy,

    To my liking, I think SMR EE matches better with 5000Signature but I think you can use one on the 5000P. I will try it in 2000p next after I have got a better understanding using it on the Heritage DAC.

    Marvel
  • One of the technical reasons behind FMR working extremely well with dac is because the ground wire of the FMR is shielded with natural material. The ground wire also has the same level of conductor purity as the other two, probably same gauge, same cross section. The decision to shield the ground is due to the fact that there are many manufacturers using switching power supplies nowadays. While such design has its merits, it is often the case that high frequency noises will leak out to other equipment via the ground wire. Digital equipment, to a certain extend, also produces too much high frequency noises. No matter how well is the design behind the dac, the ground wire or the powercord in general always will be the leakage path. If Argento shield all the wires like other design, it loses life, dynamic, and all the tiny musical details. The choice is thus only shield the ground wire. But the material of shielding also determines the sound. There are lots of researches behind the Flow series. I think why it works well with the DAC is not by accident but with scientific reasons behind.

    The trouble now is not enough stocks from Jlam to let us use on the power amplifiers which are mostly mono blocks. I believe the FMR will work well with both sources and control components, not an easy task by any measures.

    I only tried the Flow Reference briefly on the Zanden DAC and the improvement is DRAMATIC. If one's understanding of transparency is restricted to quantifiable details in the spatial domain, the Flow may either be a breakthru for you or it could be a total alien to your system because what it cares is the flow of one musical note to another musical note. A better flow thus results better coherence, and ultimately more musicality. The Flow does it in a way without using the dirt trick of honey-mustarding the mid-range, massaging the upper high, or boosting the lower mid-bass. If one's interpretation of music is by parts instead of totality, then Flow is not for you. If your meaning of transparency can expand to embrace the importance of musical flow, this Flow is indeed a breakthru.

    PT
  • I want to share one more observation. The Flow can reveal the flow of musical notes in a 3-dimensional manner. It is not just a 2D depiction of a lyrical line in a continuous/coherence manner. The shading of the intonation is revealed in a very natural manner. The energy proportion arising from either the vocal or musical instrument is very well controlled. The leading edge is not being exaggerated, but the snap and the transients are all there. It happens with the z-axis clearly integrated with all the motions. The body size is just fine and the elogation of the decaying details is totally a function of the instrument character, not the cable. Some cable tend to either heighten the leading edge or length the decaying tails. Not the Flow.

    I have been listening to all kind of music for 3 consecutive hours all day long today. These are some of my observations.

    PT
  • Piano Tuner,

    Thanks for the explanation. It is very useful.

    Jeff
  • Marvel bro,

    PT is saying the FMR work well with DACs in common. What's your opinion?

    VR
  • The Flow by Argento is an instant success. Thank you for the loyalty and patronage of all Argento fans. We would also like to announce here that Venice Audio has become our exclusive dealer for all Argento cables from now on.

    Once again, thank you everyone. We wish you a happy new year. See you all in 2007.

    Jlam Music Nation
  • It is not easy to label a powercord as Master Reference unless it has passes all the listening tests by real musicians.
  • A whole new package.
  • I never believe expensive power cable. Most boutique power cables only do harm to my Ongaku and M7 line. With heavy skepticism in mind, Jlam bring me the less expensive Flow Reference power cable. Well, all the big brother here got the FMR, no more stock for cable DIYers, of course acceptable.

    I plug the expensive looking Flow cable into the Ongaku go direct to the wall. For the first time, in the first 2 minutes of Rachmaninov Piano Conercerto, no harm were done. Well, I said no bad but not subtantial better than my DIY cord. The more recordings I listen, there is a unspoken sense of calmness and maybe silence whatever is the word attached to the music. The tone is pure. I could not believe power cable do this difference. I swapped it back to my 3 year old DIY reference. Immediately, there are noises and hazes in between the notes, which annoys me now. I never notice they exist before. I plug the Flow back, and the calmness is spot on. On top of this, I notice more vivid imaging and micro-movement. I still don't want to give up my DIY reference. Swap it back. The noises are there. I don't like it. I tried many boutique power cable before, all of them black out everything, kills the dynamic and details. The Flow does it right.

    My DIY reference retires. Don't bring me the FMR. The FR does everything I want. From skepticism to reticence, I bought the most expensive cable in my life.

    Jlam, I am TKO.

    CK
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