NY1PR2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Acoustic Zen Technol

Summary:
This review is for the Matrix Reference ll. I have tried so many "High End" Interconnects from Monster M series,Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval,Audience Au24,Cardas Neutral Reference,Harmonic Technology ProSilway Mk3,Kimber Select 1030 KS,NBS Omega4,Straight Wire Crescendo ll,XLO 1.1a Signature and a few more I just can't remember. Some of these cables have cost more than the Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference ll. Each cable I have purchased have gone thru more than 100 hours of break-in period in order to bring out the best in them. I have sold and bought cables left and right thru the years after given then the benefit of a doubt and listening to them very carefully. I will not say that they all were bad. Each pair of cables that I Auditioned had the tendecy of holding their own characteristic in sound. I never thought that I will find "The Right Cables" that will hold all the qualities Us Audiophiles look for on a Good pair of Interconnects. Well the search has Stopped here with the Audition of Mr. Robert Lee's own Acoustic Zen Cables. I have found that the Matrix Reference ll are the kind of Interconnects that offer the "perfect" Tonality,Soundstage,Detail and Transparency that you can "probably" get from cables costing 4 or 5 times more than the Matrix Reference ll.These cables will bring out a Bundance of Upper Bass and a Lower Midrange Lushness and Softened Transients that will be hard to find in any other interconnects and "trust me" I have tried a lot of them.These Interconnects are well Balanced and Neutral in Every way. If you want to hear the clarity of Cymbals,Piano,Guitars or any other instrument please give these cables a try. If you want to hear Vocals from many performers as if they were there before you or on a live concert Give these cables a try. You will not be Disappointed. Acoustic Zen line of cables is so good that my complete Audio /Video System uses Acoustic Zen cables. Do yourself a favor and just give this cables a try. Most likely you will be listening to music and hear things so clear and transparent that you have never heard before. Thank you reading my review about these wonderful Interconnects.

Strengths:
Extremely Transparent, Clear, Neutral,Well Balanced and Detail with an Excellent Soundstage.

Weaknesses:
None At All

Similar Products Used:
Monster M series Analysis Plus Solo Crystal Oval Tara Labs Air Series 2 Straight Wire Crescendo ll Kimber Select 1030 KS Harmonic Technology Pro Silway III Cardas Neutral Reference Nordost SPM Reference and many others.........

muzz777

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $700.00 from direct

Summary:
Hands down the best value in the cable game. Go listen! They are fantastic! Better than anything I have heard short of the Nordost Valhalla and the Silver eference. I dare you to compare this to anyone else's top of the line.

Strengths:
tonal cohesion from top to bottom, liquid, smooth, macrodynamics and microdynamics, details , perfect imaging

Weaknesses:
NONE

Similar Products Used:
Siltech classics, Nordost Valhalla, Audioquest cheetah and panther DBS, Transparent music link,harmonic tech magic ,ultralink ultima

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Sounds of Music UK

Summary:
What can I add to the reviews above, I heartily agree. I decided on trying the Zen cables after seeking advise over the internet, this manufacturer came up again and again. For many people in the UK, High End cables= Nordost. I had been using Red Dawn after a convincing show demonstration and I have no wish to knock them. We all know Nordost are fast, detailed and accurate, but I had come to find them unexiting. The simple way to describe the Matrix cable is musical, other reviewers have commented on this, but that is what really struck me, it makes all musical genres more envolving. They are'nt quite as fast as Nordost, but who cares. They may well be more musical because they are a little coloured, who cares, heresy I know. But I want to be emotionally envolved, emersed in the music and the Matrix cable does that for me. To be more analytical, the base is a great plus, deep accurate and lacking bloom or poor definition. The cable is on the warm side of neutral in my system, but I like that. I am awaiting the arrival of some 2nd hand Silver Ref from over the pond. It was suggested to me that combining Marix and Silver was a good way to go, the latter being more accurate but with a leaner base. I will report back my experience on this. I can'nt finish without mentioning Hologram Speaker cables, there is'nt a review site for these, but I think they are really special and had more impact on my system than the Matrix cable. I recently upgraded from Living Voice Auditorium to Avatar speakers and the Holograms gave my system a greater uplift in performance, than changing speakers. System: LP12/Origon Live taper arm/ Dynavector D17 Shanling CDT100 Creek T43 tuner Graaf WFB pre Pass labs Aleph 3 Living Voice Avatar speakers

Strengths:
Musical, musical musical, good clean base,fast, detailed. PRICE, for "High End Cable" it's a steal

Weaknesses:
Warm but attractive colouration

Similar Products Used:
Nordost Red Dawn, Blue Heaven, Van Der Hul, Tara Labs, Monster

Summary:
These are abolutely amazing sounding cables. If I had to chose on pair to use forever, I don't think I'd have a problem chosing these to use only! Bass is world class, balance is perfect, detail is very very high, and top end is fantastic! Although, at first listen, first couple of day's break in, I thought the top was too much energy. But after a few day's, It balanced out very nicely.
The sound is very layered, contrasting, and involving...more so than anything else I've tried. I've tried a bunch of the top end copper cables in my system(s), like Cardas and AQ Python, and MIT Ref, but none had the detail and lack of coloration to the sound like the Matrix. With the Pure silver offerings, like AQ Amazon, SPM Nordost, and even AZ's own Silver Ref, there's a leaner bass line that you may or may not like. I need a fuller bass line in my system, and liked the balance the Matrix offeres.
I don't think there's any possible way you could go wrong with these cables in a well balanced system, eith tube or solid state....unless you got bright speakers or something (then the non-recessed topend could hurt you like any other high rez cable).
5+ stars for sure....a must try, and great value at $500/pr!

Strengths:
Rresolution, soundstage, balance, bass, detail, dyamics, clarity, vividness, etc

Weaknesses:
can't really find any!...I love these cables!!

Similar Products Used:
AQ Python/Amazon, AZ Silver Ref, MIT Ref 550(?), Cardas Golden Cross

Price Paid:  $300.00 from Used

Summary:
These are some very seductive cables. I'm not sure if they are totally acurate or are generating some very lovely colorations, but I can say that I haven't enjoyed listening to my audio system this much in a long time. These cables sound more like MUSIC than anything else I have tried. Much better than any of the Harmonic Tech. cables. I had been using the Analysis Plus Copper Oval but these are quite a bit better. The lack of harshness and grain is wonderful coupled with cleanest most focused and holographic upper mids and highs that I have ever heard. I have given up on silver cables as they tend to be to bright in my system. To me they are all about razer sharp edges and fast transients. I'm sorry, music does not sound like that. They give me a headache. Not so with the Acoustic Zen cables. I can listen for hours and get swept away in the music. Isn't that what it's all about?

Strengths:
Incredibly musical. Organic, holographic. Rich harmonic envelope.Lack of grain and harshness. Pristine highs. If you like analog and tube sound you will love these.

Weaknesses:
To me sounds a little fuzzy and laid back with woodwinds. Outer braid is very easiy damaged.

Similar Products Used:
Kimber; MIT; Tara; Harmonic Tech.; Analysis Plus