Le commentaire qui suit est l’exacte traduction de mon commentaire originel en Français.
The following commentary is the exact translation of my original commentary in French.
I carried out comparative tests for two years of the six AC connectors below, which allowed me to finely characterize their strengths and weaknesses.
All these connectors were mounted on the RAMM Amadeus 5 MK2 cable in length of 3 meters (Item no.: 12202); which establishes a common basis of comparison.
(Cable configuration: DOUBLERAMM, cable construction which I describe in detail in the Amadeus 5 MKII cable overview page)
The RAMM Amadeus 5 MK2 OCC Copper cable is completely transparent, a truly natural sound, it acts as a revealer of the personality of the SCHUKO-IEC connectors.
Thus, the dynamics, the definition, the sound scene will be defined by the connected connectors; this cable will always allow the qualities and defects of the connectors to pass.
Astonishing, no? These are the rarely seen abilities of the Amadeus 5.
Real advantage for a comparison. In absolute terms, the Amadeus 5 MK2 cable is a real buy-in whose audio performance is far from the price. For half a century of audiophilia (I'm 60 years old and yes I started young, the music academy educates your ear and not just your ear), you imagine that systems and cables sold at price of Gold, there are full crates, but sometimes, rarely, there is one that emerges and stands out from all the others.
The Amadeus 5 is one of those select few who work for music more than their profit margins ...
That this cable is not better known is a little mystery for me, a strangeness, a paradox ...
The general manufacturing quality of the six connectors presented below is excellent, which is the minimum given the prices charged… With a superlative addition for the FURUTECH E48 and their mirror-polished stainless steel cases connected to the earth, the top "cosmetico-technical"of the six connectors below.
On the other hand, the quality of the screws of the three electrical contacts seems to me unworthy of connectors of this price category; and this for the six connectors evaluated. M3 screws whose indentations break as soon as you tighten a little ... hard, or M4 stainless steel, always one screw per contact, that's sad (even scandalous) .... Suggestion to all manufacturers who sell connectors for several hundred $ each: for your contacts, you put two M5 copper screws (DIN 916, or grub screws) per contact, or even M6, and it will be just normal , thank you in advance….
01: YARBO RHODIUM (Ref. Article: 11020): Mounted on DOUBLERAMM cable 3 meters.
With YARBO / Rhodium connectors, we have a beauty of the timbre difficult to surpass, but a loss in dynamics. A very neutral, very fine and very defined extreme high; more than the OYAIDE M1e.
Formidable in the extreme high, very good in the rest of the spectrum, however, it has difficulties in the areas of dynamics, the separation of instruments ...
A soft and fine connector at the same time, certainly very good for classical music in small groups; not recommended for Rock N’roll….
An excellent choice in the price category 120 € incl. Tax per Schuko-IEC pair.
02: NEOTECH Gold (Ref. Article: 8939): Connectors mounted on DOUBLERAMM cable, length 3 meters.
Overall good connectors, nothing more. Listens better in the bass than in the treble.
Outstanding quality: very dynamic in the bass, its faults are less audible in these registers ...
Notable flaws: lack of definition, its rather rough in the medium, as confused. These connectors have a bit of the sound signature of a Pangea AC14 se MKII.
Poor spatialization, poor instrument separation.
Recommended use: sub-bass or bass; high limit: 300Hz.
The worst of the six audiophile connectors reviewed here ...
Price category: 150 € TTC per Schuko-IEC pair.
03: NEOTECH RHODIUM (Item no.: 10518): Connectors mounted on DOUBLERAMM cable length 3 meters.
Very good connectors, smooth listening from bass to treble.
Very good dynamics, good definition, good spatialization, a little behind the separation of the instruments. Stamps barely worse than those of YARBO Rhodium.
A listening profile that reminds me of Furutech Ag a little worse.
Recommended use: Full range, treble way.
An excellent choice in the price category 170 € incl. Tax per Schuko-IEC pair.
04: FURUTECH E48 Ag (SILVER) (Item no.: 13895): Connectors mounted on DOUBLERAMM cable length 3 meters.
Very, very good connectors, smooth listening from bass to treble.
Very good dynamics, very good definition, good spatialization, good separation of instruments, good timbres. Connectors a little better than the NEOTECH RHODIUM.
Recommended use: Full range, or any way.
An excellent choice in the price category 460 € incl. Tax per Schuko-IEC pair.
05: FURUTECH E48 Rh (RHODIUM) (Item no.: 13896): Connectors mounted on a "doubleramm" cable (section 8.5mm2), ie two RAMM5 cables, 3 meters long.
Exceptional connectors, homogeneous from bass to treble, a master buy in full range use.
Extremely good in definition, dynamics, separation of instruments, spatialization, this connector stands out especially in the treble; or it seems unsurpassed and is without a doubt the best connector of this test in this register.
The high register delivered by this connector is delicately and subtly full of emotions; it makes the music rich, natural and alive, quite simply ...
A "sound flavor" so pleasant to listen to, that happiness ...
Recommended use: Full range, or any way.
A master purchase in the price category 480 € TTC per Schuko-IEC pair.
06: OYAIDE M1e Pt-Pd (Platine-Palladium) (Item no .: 10387): Connectors mounted on a 3-meter "DOUBLERAMM" cable.
With the OYAIDE M1e connectors, we have more dynamics, but the quality of the timbres is slightly lower (compared to YARBO/Rhodium).
OYAIDE connectors have exceptional transients ("fast" cable), and exceptional instrument separation, unique in its genre. The spatialization is extraordinary, each instrument is in its place and it stays there ... A real soundstage in three dimensions !!! However, they have a slightly "bright" high-pitched (beyond eight Kilo-hertz) and barely less definition than YARBO/Rhodium (beyond eight Kilo-hertz).
The low register has exceptional definition, dynamics and depth.
The medium, the vocals, are unmatched in dynamics, clarity, clarity and transparency. The soundstage is incredible and unparalleled, the separation of the instruments is very impressive, perfect, in fact.
The M1e is undoubtedly the best connector of those tested for sub-bass tracks; bass tracks; medium up to +/- 8 KHz. It is however less usable in full-range, because of its slight degradation in listening quality in the treble of 6-8 KHz to the high end of the sound spectrum.
In its register, it seems to me a reference hardly surpassing; the only regret is for its irrational price of 800 $ TTC the Schuko-IEC pair.
This connector is a demonstration of a manufacturer who "found" an excellent combination of plating metals and abuses that in the pricing of this product.
The message is here: if you want to access this quality, you will have to pay a maximum ...
The price of this connector is only justified by its listening performance; I can therefore only tell you (unfortunately and against my will): buy them, the result is spectacular ...
Recommended use: Sub-bass, bass & midrange amplifiers (6-8 KHz limit).
An absolute master buy in the price category of $ 800 including VAT per Schuko-IEC pair.
After numerous tests for over a year, here are my personal choices for the distribution of my AC connectors for my high-fidelity system:
For sources (DAC, crossover, preamplifier, streamer, Mac mini) as well as all-purpose "full range" (amplifier in mono-amplification): The FURUTECH E48 Rhodium. Alternative choice: the OYAIDE M1e-F1 with the treble limitations described in the evaluation, everyone to listen and build their own truth.
For amplifiers: sub-bass, bass, medium: OYAIDE M1e-F1 Platinum-Palladium.
Alternative choice to OYAIDE M1e-F1 (from the preferred choice to the less preferred choice): FURUTECH Rhodium or Silver, NEOTECH Rhodium, YARBO Rhodium (except for an treble where this is very good).
For the treble amplifier: FURUTECH Rhodium; alternative choice for the treble way: FURUTECH Silver, YARBO Rhodium.
Addendum: please note that after many tests in my own system, I found a surprising optimal combination: my DAC Audio-gd R7 (Full range, therefore…) powered by OYAIDE M1e and my treble amplifier by FURUTECH E48 Rhodium . Surprisingly and counter-intuitively, my treble has all the qualities of Furutech Rhodium, full and complete. While one might have feared that the Oyaide-powered DAC had imposed its own treble limitation; which is not the case, ... good surprise ...
The sound in my quad-amplification is therefore optimal at "all stages"; what happiness!
I also want to mention in this comment the effectiveness and relevance of the advice of our online seller Audiophonics. Always attentive to its customers, the sales team has an ability to advise you and offer you alternative solutions that I have not seen in any other. When the time comes to order and it is in stock, shipping is always immediate and the quality of the packaging is always "superlative"; kind the delivery man can swing your precious parcel by over the garden gate without causing any problem ...
On the other hand, if your purchase is not in stock, you will have to be patient ... May I suggest that management do everything possible to avoid stockouts, this will be a win-win plan. Thank you in advance ...
Can I invite you to read my review of the RAMM AUDIO Amadeus 5 MKII cable
(Item no .: 12202).
If you want to know more about the quad-amplification on which all the evaluations were carried out, go to the Ebay site and visit my announcements in the name of the pseudo luculluspatrick, and in particular: Crossover Filtre Actif Marchand XM44/4 "Audiophile edition".
Through these announcements, you can, if you wish, ask me any questions you deem useful ...
(GOOGLE translation…)