Clearer Audio Silver-line Optimus Reference Speaker Cable – £2150.00 per 2m pair

                                                                                      By David Price, Hi-Fi World, December 2005

Clearer Audio isn't a well known name, but since reviewing the company's Silver-line Optimus interconnect over a year ago (a cable I still use

between my pre and power amps to this day), I've had real respect: think of them as the audio equivalent of Morgan (or suchlike) making low volume,

ultra high performance products without the marketing budgets of the 'big names'. At this frankly silly price, the Silver-line Optimus Reference is of

course the company's top loudspeaker cable, and comes as four mono runs. This is chosen for its resistance, capacitance and inductance qualities.

Using an individual run of speaker cable for each negative and positive lines also significantly reduces interaction effects, says designer Darren

Smith. The cable uses "the very best" six-nines (99.9999%) silver multi-strand-solid conductors, totalling 42 individual conductors per mono-run.

Each mono-run is comprised of 6 individual cores of multi-strand-solid conductors with 7 multi-strand-solid conductors per core. The conductors in

each core are arranged concentrically, as are the 6 cores. Each individual core of conductors is insulated in low-loss foamed polyethylene insulation,

and each mono-run is shielded with the company's triple braid 'Triangle Shielding Technique' which provides excellent EMI and RFI shielding. Its

shiny metallic finish gives the cable a superb 'technical' appearance and feel, but don't expect to bend it easily, or hide it under the carpet; 'her

indoors' would not approve... Each run is fitted with ferrite rings which suppress Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) and the cable is terminated with

either spades (WBT 0660 / 0680 Ag Spades) or banana plugs (Eichmann Silver Bayonets), although the supplied cables were unterminated at one

end to fit directly into my Yamaha NSM1000M's bare wire spring clip connectors. Sonically, I have to say these are the best loudspeaker cables I've

yet heard. Most striking – compared even to the dizzy heights of Chord's Signature speaker cable – is the clarity and speed. These cables are

dizzyingly fast, yet have no edge or grain whatsoever (which is what gives most fast cables the sensation of speed). The clarity is no less impressive,

the cable affording a dramatically open, translucent window into the recorded acoustic which leaves the listener bedazzled by detail. Bass is very

spry and dry, with no overhang, masses of drive and real dynamic articulation. Treble is disarmingly delicate, with wonderful filigree detailing and

breathtaking air and atmosphere. This cable flies with whatever type of music you throw at it; you'd think it excelled at complex orchestral works (with

all that control and detail), but put simple female vocals on and you're sat there marvelling at the 'electric' presence of the voice, its speed, timbre

and intonation. Quite sublime, Clearer Audio's top line is an object lesson in loudspeaker design, but so it should be at this price!

Reprinted with permission

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