Anticables Reference Level Cables Review

Anticables Level 5 Speaker Wire

Doubling speaker cables on single post speakers

Not all roads lead to the same end, but sometimes two different roads converge. Paul and I have taken separate paths to a similar conclusion in regard to speaker cables, that being the lower the AWG the better. Paul assesses free electron activity, while I have simply conducted many listening comparisons between single and doubled speaker cables. While Paul does “size” the wires for the application, we are in agreement that an effective doubling of the conductor material is beneficial. I found that out through pairing separate speaker cables as though they were built with lower AWG, and Paul did the same by making cables with lower AWG. I have found that doubling to be effective and beneficial universally; it has benefitted every system.

One of the secrets to superior performance of an audio system I have found is to double speaker cables (lower AWG), and the Anticables lend themselves to this well. I specifically requested one set of cables with the solid copper spades and the other with the BFA style gold plated beryllium copper (banana) Z-Plugs. The importance of this variety of connections is not only to accommodate various amplifiers, but also to enable me to double up speaker wiring for single wired speakers.

Across dozens of brands of cables AWG seems to be the decisive variable that dictates the overall performance level of a cable. The only other variable in a cable with the power to change the sound holistically is the conductor material. Paul has chosen to work with two types of conductors, RDD (Reduced Dislocation Density) Oxygen Free Copper, and the ACElectrum Silver/Gold alloy conductors found in the Level 5 Signature Speaker Wires.  Anticables needed to order some more of the ACElectrum conductor wire at the commencing of this review, so I began with representatives of the 2.1 and 3.1 lines. The conductors used in both are identical, so a comparison of sound is simple, as the only variable was total gauge of the speaker cable.

An easily discernible difference exists between the 2.1’s 12 gauge conductors, and the 3.1’s paired 12 gauge conductors that combine for 9 AWG to each channel. The 3.1 is decidedly more refined, richer, and also more forgiving with poorly recorded music. Anyone who has handled speaker cables for some time would expect that. The 2.1 is to my ears a good ‘starter’ speaker wire. It was the weak link in the system when all the Anticables were employed. I heard some of the thinness and lack of color saturation that plagues such cables. The simplest solution is to beef up the AWG. Thankfully, that can be done, and the company has taken the cure part way.

The partial cure for the 12 AWG speaker cables was for Anticables to double them up. The 3.1 Speaker Wires were cleaner, less fatiguing to hear, with acceptable but not standard setting low-end presence. Do not think that this was a speaker/cable interface problem, for the same results were obtained on all the speakers I use. It did not matter whether dynamic, electrostatic or horn speakers, the AWG ruled the result.

Being the explorer that I am, I took a pair of 3.1 speaker cables and a pair of 2.1 speaker cables and used them in tandem, in other words running them parallel on a single wired speaker! This creates an effective 7 AWG. I have used speaker cables with that kind of massive conductors and my suspicion was again upheld – typically the winner is the cable with the most massive AWG.

Here is what happens when the 3.1 and 2.1 speaker cables are doubled together: the panoramic vista of Checkfield’s ‘Distant Thunder’ opens up nicely, with the thunder rolling and the flute more immediate with the nuances of the playing and breath moving through the instrument. The ringing phone and voice of ELO’s ‘Telephone Line’ is enhanced from pathetic 70’s synth and tin can vocal to more robust representation of the same. The backing orchestra almost becomes believable, versus mashed up. Holly Cole transforms from a pop diva vocal of ‘World Seems to Come and Go’ to a true Jazz vocalist with complete control of her voice.

The contrivance of such an application must be put into context to be understood. When I recommend doubling speaker cables it is in pursuit of sound quality in comparison to cost-no-object cabling. It is not such a stupid idea to take affordable speaker cables and double them up to attain an improved result. The appearance is hard to take; it looks like a mad scientist wiring up the rig. But the sound quality is simply superior to a single set, and it comes at not an extravagant price.

I was not terribly surprised, then, to see the following prognostication included in the interview results:

‘We have been occasionally building what will eventually be called Level 6 Speaker Wires, for customers who ask me for the very best. Just like our Level 3.1 Speaker Wire is a “doubled-up” build of our copper Level 2.1 Speaker Wires, the Level 6 Speaker Wire is a “doubled-up” build of our ACElectrum™ Silver/Gold alloy Level 5 Speaker Wires. In both cases, doubling the amount of conductor material used, provides twice as many free electrons available to move the music signal from the amp to the speakers, which sonically provides additional bass weight, musical body, and dynamic impact.’

Thinking back on the conversations I had with Paul, I may have mentioned initially a desire to have spade and banana terminations to allow a doubled speaker cable setup, but I was unaware that he was contemplating a doubled Level 5 with the ACElectrum conductors. Though Paul’s discussion is more technical than mine, we both obviously concur that Anticables benefit when doubled. It is no surprise then that Paul would be motivated to create a model of speaker cable that doubles the Level 5. Below I discuss the potential merits of doubling a Level 5 Speaker cable. That was written before the interview responses were sent to me, and I do not find a significant reason to change those impressions.

What Paul could not have presaged is what follows next, a method of utilizing interconnects named the Schroeder Method of Interconnect Placement – an authentic game changer not only for Anticables, but all interconnects.

Anticables Level 4.1 XLR

Interconnects, and a “game changer” method

I will be candid about this segment of the review; I went after Anticables for an additional self-serving reason, that being my intent to test out the Schroeder Method of Interconnect Placement with affordable interconnects of a straightforward design. It doesn’t get much more straightforward and affordable than the Anticables. These were my third brand of interconnects to prove profitable in use with the Schroeder Method. (The Schroeder Method of Interconnect Placement is at this time not approved for all systems and is a “do at your own risk” activity. Care should be taken to become aware of concerns such as not using class D amps, etc. Curious parties interested in trying the Schroeder Method are directed to discuss compatibility with the manufacturer of your equipment.)

In native use the Anticables Reference Level 6.2 RCA Interconnects and Reference Plus Level 4.1 XLR Interconnects provide a clean, crisp sound and respectable information retrieval. Xhadow Reference XLR Plugs and KLEI Absolute Harmony RCA Plugs were selected as the best that Paul has found. The unusual appearance of a spiral ground wire is a worthy comment by Paul: ‘Interconnects need proper shielding and low capacitance. But since shielding adds capacitance, the goal was to accomplish very low capacitance while providing adequate shielding (while also keeping dielectric effect distortion very low as well). Those were my three top priorities for the interconnect design.

‘Solving this puzzle took some creative thinking, and I was able to come up with a beautifully simple solution. The topology of the elongated spiral ground wire, with straight signal conductors passing down the middle, optimized all three of my highest priority variables.’

I found both of these interconnects to have a more holistically positive influence upon the system than the speaker cables. Especially when they are doubled (Schroeder Method) they confer a higher degree of positive change to the system than even the doubled speaker cables. Both the XLR and RCA interconnects were flexible and easy to place. The only thing to watch out for is not to get them twisted such that they form a loop and tighten, as this would put a kink in them. That may not influence the sonic performance, but it would be unsightly.

Henceforth referred to as RCA and XLR, both were surprisingly well balanced spectrally. Whereas Clarity Cables have a characteristic bump in the bass, and Silnote Audio’s Interconnects and speaker cables employ a rise in the upper end while lightening the bass, the Anticables interconnects seemed equal, or flat, in frequency intensity across the board.

There are many sonic attributes that cables carry, and while what might be called ‘cleanness’ or definition is one, another is the sense of brightness or degree of sibilance. Some cables sound duller, or flat, while others are sharper. When used singly these interconnects in comparison to the Clarity Cable Organic Interconnect carried a brittleness, a glassy sheen on the sound. While their tonality was spread evenly, as discussed previously, the soundstage was recessed more than with the Clarity Cable Organic Interconnect (MSRP $1,400/1m pair) or Silnote Audio’s Epirus Master Reference Series Interconnects (MSRP $5,195/1m pair). But note the gap in MSRP, especially of the Silnote interconnect as opposed to the Anticables interconnect. There are not only sizable differences in price but also in attributes exhibited by cables. The discretion of the customer determines the merit of the attributes in relation to the price.

All such glassy or brittle elements were greatly diminished when the cables were doubled in Schroeder Method configuration. The soundstage also came forward quite a bit relative to the use of a single Anticables interconnect. I often find that the brittleness is not an indicator of excessive high frequency information retrieval, but the opposite, that the overall information retrieval should be increased. The problem is not too much definition, but a tonal imbalance. It seems counter-intuitive that doubling the cables would lower the sense of glassy or brittle sound, but that is what typically happens. When either the 6.2 RCA or the 4.1 XLR Interconnects were doubled up the system took on a more highly textured, less contrived character. In a nutshell, for those whose systems are appropriate to doubling the interconnects, you will get respectable performance from the Anticables RCA and XLR interconnects as sold, but will see a terrific improvement if you employ the Schroeder Method of doubling them. I am fully aware of how half-witted stupid that sounds, but this particular, seemingly half-witted suggestion can result in spectacular improvement of an audio system.