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The Granite Audio - Silver #470 interconnect
My mid-class device assemble consisted of:
An integrated amplifier - Cairn 4807 / 2*60Watt - 8 Ohm;
CD player - Kenwood 7090;
Energy Connoisseur - C2 stand-loudspeakers and a prototype floorstanders - Protagonist with Audax aerogels and Scan-Speak tweeters.
Mission speaker stands filled with lead shots (app. 30 kg/piece);
AC Filtering OK Technik FP10-SF (Czech made);
Van den Hul - Clearwater loudspeakers cables 2*2m.
I have chosen the music as following:
Dave Grusin "The Gerschwin Connection", tracks number 2,4,5 and 8;
Victor Bailey "Low Blow" numbers, 4,6,7,8, and 9;
Ralph Towner - Gary Peacock "A Closer View" number 1;
Bob James "Playin' Hooky" number 4;
Mighty Sam McClain "Give Me Up To Love" number 1, 7 and 11;
Johnny Adams "One Step In The Blues" number 1 and 3;
Tuck Andress "Reckless Precision" all tracks;
Arild Andersen and Cikada String quartet "Hyperborean" number 1;
Spyro Gyra "Got the Magic"
Lary Coryel "I Will Be Over You" numbers 1,2,5,7 and 9;
Bach/Vivaldi/Marcello "Violin and Oboe Concertos";
Solo: Jan Adamus - oboe, Josef Suk - violin;
Suk Chambers Orchestra - conductor Josef Vlach.
The tweaks:
Diorit load slabs ( 9 kg ) on top of the CD player;
Diorit slabs (15 kg ) under the loudspeakers;
Cable and connector maintenance solutions ProGold and Deoxit of Caig Labs company.
My best tweak for suppression of involuntary room resonances under 500 Hz? Probably my
Golden retriever "SVEN".
To test the interconnect from Granite Audio, I connected it with the CD player and an integrated amplifier. This cable was tested by ours in our Czech AMP redaction before and my observations from those tests affirmed the righteous feeling about its quality. It is one of a few pure silver high-quality cables and I was satisfied to my utmost with its performance. This cable is to available on the world market for a friendly price of USD 570.- / pair per 0,5m lenght.
Measurements:
Left / Right channel
C (pF): 53/ 53
L (uH): 0,9/ 0,6
R (mOhm) 49/ 39
Lenght: 0,5 meter
Listening:
While using Granite Audio #470, I consider the sound of my device composition neutral and very natural. When listening to the Dave Grusin's album, soon I was pretty sure that this sounds the way I like it. The bass were stable, deep and under control. I was impressed and thought the sound I have got to hear is absolutely beautiful.
The space and details of recorded Scott Henderson compositions were just great, anyway, I would be fool to expect any better performance of my cheap device assemble in this case. Nevertheless, the flute of "Fascinating Rhythm" was truly reproduced. I like playing this song when doing the device testing and I must say in many attempts a good number of devices tested failed through totally.
The #470 has got a high fidelity sound. The piano got its volume and sound, as it should do.
The clarinet's reproduction in the "Prelude" was another proof of #470 high quality. The Dave Weckl's percussion instruments were to be compared to a cherry on the top of cream and I was happy concluding this exceptional Grusin's album was marvelously being reproduced. I perceived it all with full body and soul, especially near my stomach area.
I also much appreciated the record studio good quality of works. I think they have done a great job there. Even the tiniest cymbal sound was fascinating. I played the John Pattifuccie's "How Long Has This Been Going on" to test the double bass. Even the reproduction of those was superb. By the way, John Pattitucci and Brian Bromberg are my favorite double bass players. It is a shame that I have got only one Brian's solo-album………..
The fabulous vibrato and various string buzzing on fingerboard was as authentic as I got a feeling I did not stand farther to the bass than 3 meters. The vibraphone and percussion instruments switches outshine in the free "Maybe". To optimally judge the sound and surface of the deepest double bass sound, I played Bob James' "Playin' Hooky". Already the first composition was a good exercise for the loudspeakers.
The deep going bass in the "Playin' Hooky" was greatly charted but still faithfully controlled. The trumpets in the ninth composition sound lovely in the duet with the vibraphone, I thought.
Certainly, I got a feeling it was a right time to take a 15-min break to rest out my ears…
The Suk Chamber Orchestra performance opening with J.S. Bach's "Allegro", concert D-moll for violin, oboe, string orchestra and continuo - B W V 1060 emphasized the Granite Co. model surface to its strongest. I further concentrated on listening to the "Adagio", where the oboe has got a chat with the violin. The rest of the orchestra did fine on the background. The violin and strings in the Alessandro Marcello's "Adagio", concert C-moll for the oboe, I experienced the best.
I indeed ended up sitting back, relaxed, off the search for the subtle distinction in the sounds and I laid back to listen to the beautiful, thought a sad melody.
As last I tested the Tuck Andress' guitar. He is THE Guitar player. His fascinating technique is admirable. The super dynamic record from "Windham Hill Jazz" helped me to greatly distinguish the smallest differences between all the components, if there were any.
To conclude, how is Granite Audio able to cope with Tuck's guitar? It has got no problem!
Don, many thanks for this great product!!
Highly recommended.
October 2000, Milan Cernohorsky, Editor of AMP, CZECH REPUBLIC
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