Great Midrange and good bass

none

I want to start this review by saying that interconnects are very system dependent. What sounds great in one system may only sound fair in another syste. I recently upgraded my second sytem in my home office and have been playing with the Kimber again. My sytems is an Antique Sound Labs dt1003, Soliloquy 5.0 monitors with the dedicated stands. The cd player is the Marantz 63. The speaker cables are the Audioquest Slate with spade terminations.

I was using the MIT 330 tube terminators in the system until I was noticing sibiliance and hard sound. The first impression was that the Marantz had to go or be upgraded. I first tried an MSB DAC Link 111 as an outboard dac and found similiar problems. I decided to try my reference Classe cd .5 and found it wan smooth and extremly musical.
I never enjoyed the sound of the dac.

I then wanted to ab the two players and see what the differences were in the sound of the cd players. I used the auxilliary input on the amp and used the Kimber PBJ on the Marantz.
Wow''''I noticed a more relaxed sound. The midrange and soundstage opened up and the sibiliance was gone. The system was more refined and happy with the Kimber. The Mit is used in my reference system and had replaced the Kimber two years ago. The MIt cable sounds unreal in the reference system but in the secondary sytem the Kimber shines with the Marantz.

It just goes to show that experimenting and actually listening for long periods of time is essential in the evaluation process. I sent the MSB Dac back and the Marantz sounds better than the stand alone dac. I see no reason to upgrade this player any longer. Yes the Classe is better but at 2k it just doe not make sense to use it in this system.

Kimber PBJ is value. It is an outstanding bargain cable tha will shine in the right system. I suggest you audition the cable in your system. You may end up loving it. I also will state tha comparing this to the MIT cable which is 300 meter in the system I am using the Kimber it sounds better. This is not to detract from the quality of the MIT as it is my reference cable in my 20k reference system and outperforms the Kimber in that system. I would not hesitate to audition this exciting kable and ratre it a solid FIVE STARS for valu and musicalty.

Similar Products Used:

MIT 330 Plus series 11

RELATIVELY CHEAP, GREAT DETAIL, VERY REVEALING

NOT FOR USE ON EVERY SYSTEM(WHICH IS TO BE EXPECTED, PRODUCED ELECTRONIC HUM ON FRIEND'S SYSTEM

WELL I HAVE TO PUT MY 2 CENTS IN EVERYWHERE SO HERE GOES,
THIS INTERCONNECT FITS RIGHT AT HOME IN MY SYSTEM. IT DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SHOULD DO...TRANSMIT SOUND. THAT IS ALL I ASK THEM TO DO...I DO NOT ASK THEM TO ADD BASS...I DO NOT ASK THEM TO TAPER OFF MY HIGHS. THEY ARE VERY DETAILED SOUNDING SO THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM FOR ME. IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE SOUND GET AN EQ. A LOT OF YOUR SOUND PROBLEMS COULD BE FIXED WITH A LITTLE SPEAKER PLACEMENT ADJUSTMENT.
MAYBE IT'S MY MID-FI EQUIPMENT...BUT ITS JUST A MID-FI CABLE TOO. DON'T ASK A 80 DOLLAR CABLE TO FIT INTO A 10,000 DOLLAR SYSTEM....GET A 300+ DOLLAR CABLE. AS FOR ME I THINK IT SOUNDS GREAT AND I WILL GIVE VERY RAVE REVIEWS FOR MAKING MY STEREO MORE ACCURATE.
MY SYSTEM :
JBL 4312B MKII(JAPAN MODEL..NOT AVAILABLE IN THE U.S.
ONKYO INTEGRA A-919..(JAPAN ONLY MODEL AS WELL (20-20,000 +0-.5 AT 8 OHMS NOMINAL 120+120))INTEGRATED AMP/PRE-AMP
LOWLY DENON DCM-370(WHICH I AM VERY PLEASED WITH)
KIMBER KABLE PBJ FROM CD PLAYER TO INTEGRATED AMP
AUDIOQUEST TYPE 6 PLUS SPEAKER WIRE
MONSTER CABLE Z-1 FROM AMP TO SUBWOOFER
KLIPSCH KSW-12

HEY MAYBE I CAN JUST BASK IN MY IGNORANCE, EH?

Similar Products Used:

MONSTER CABLE, MIT, AUDIOQUEST, CARDAS....MANY MODELS OF EACH OF THESE BRANDS

Compared to other cables I've used, soundstage is wider and deeper. Frequency response is well balanced (NOT "too bright") and the cables reveal buckets of musical detail I never knew were there. Just the most natural presentation I've yet encountered with my home system.

With some CDs, overall presentation is a little dim and laid-back or thin/light in bass, which could be due to the cables' not being fully broken-in yet--or could be due to their being revealing to a fault? Hard to say

This review represents a change of mind--I bought the Micro Purls not long ago and was so enthusiastic that I sent the company a fan letter that they're now quoting in their ads. I soon found, however, that I couldn't listen to music for very long--the copper version remains a "best buy," but the more expensive silver Micro Purls sounded two-dimensional and thin after awhile, with too much treble & upper midrange and not enough bass. So with some trepidation, following the VERY mixed reviews the PBJs have gotten on this site, I decided to give 'em a try.

Count me among the PBJ enthusiasts: I noticed the improvement over the Micro Purls (and anything else I've used) as soon as I plugged in the Kimbers. The harshness or brightness other people have noted in the sound of their equipment with the PBJs connected is simply NOT THERE in mine. (As a frame of reference, I have a very simple setup geared toward headphone listening: an NAD C540 player connected to a Creek OBH-11 headphone amp driving a set of Grado SR225s.) Vocals in particular sound natural, depending on how well they were recorded. And I hear instrumental and vocal lines I've never known were there even on familiar CDs, from the Beatles "1" to Mahler symphonies.

If I have one criticism, it's that leanness and lightness which crops up on occasion. (Of course, that may be partly the fault of the NAD, which has generally terrific sonics to balance out its occasional reliability problems, but which can sometimes sound too "polite") The fullest-sounding cables I've ever used were the AudioQuest Quartzes, but they were finally as colored and blurry as other reviewers on this site have made them out to be. So until I have the scratch to get a higher-end source and the cables to go with it, I'll live with this shortcoming, which is way overmatched by the PBJs' positive qualities.

A word of caution: Break them in 24/7 for several days before reaching any conclusions. It makes a big difference.

Similar Products Used:

various grades of Monster from cheapos up to M1000i, AudioQuest Quartz & Ruby, XLO Signature, Alpha-Core Micro Purl--silver & copper versions

Clarity, much more transparent than other cables used.

None

This cable is very crisp, clean and smooth. Contary to other reviews the cable is not bright at all in my system. The Monster 550i's sound soggy / muddy and lack the detail delivered by the PBJ.

My system consists of an Aiwa DVD player, B&K Reference 30 preamp, Musical Fidelity A3CR amp and Infinity Overture 3 floor standing speakers. The DVD player is connected via digital coax cable to the preamp, preamp to amp is via Kimber PBJ and amp to speakers is via Kimber 4TC.

I used to think my Infinity speakers were bright and over the past 4 years considered replacing them several times. Time, patience, trial and error however revealed the bright tendencies were caused up stream in the audio chain. The B&K preamp and Musical Fidelity amp are a good match but sound much better since installing the Kimbers. The cables are simply delivering the source signal with less distortion and alteration.

Based on my experience I would have to think those who find the PBJ bright are for the first time simply hearing exactly what what their audio equipment is delivering? At one time I used a Harmon Kardon receiver with my Infinity speakers and the sound was ear splitting (fatiuge) at moderate or higher volume levels. New preamp and amp made a big difference but clean, transparent cables are a must to really achieve great sound.

I use a 2 meter pair of PBJ's and was concerned about them not being sheilded. The cable however is absolutely silent in my system. All my components are connected to a Monster power conditioner which I find helps my system. I also have had to lift the subwoofer ground to eliminate a low level hum which became more noticable as I upgraded cables. Be aware that if you hear bad things from these cables in you system, It's most likely not the cable.

Some have reviewers have indicated they don't think the PBJ's have the same bass slam as others. My Infinity speakers have powered subs with a volume control to adjust volume below 300 Hz. I found I was able to increase the sub volume and not encounter the boomy effect present when using the Monster interconnects. I think the PBJ's simply deliver cleaner more defined bass where the Monster tended to smear the lower frequencies and sound boomy. The PBJ's allow me to clearly hear individual bass notes which previously were smeared together and indistinct.

These interconnects have increased the pleasure level I get when listening to two channel music. This being the case, I have to rate them a 5 star value.

Similar Products Used:

Generic interconnects, Monster 550i.

build, clarity of sound, detail

??

I dont understand the low ratings of this cable on this site. If you do a search for PBJs on the net, the overwhelming majority of reviews, both professional and amateur, rate this cable very highly. I'd have to concur...The soldering is first rate, the connectors grab tightly, but not too tightly. And most imporantly, the sound is clear at all frequencies...Prior to these, which Im using between my Rotel rcd-971 cdp and my Sony ES receiver, I had been using a set of Ixos 1002 gammas. The thing I liked about the Ixos was the same thing I didnt like..Namely, it had the most pronounced bass field I've ever heard in a cable....The problem was the bass, while abundant, was 'unclear'...Youd get the strong feeling of weight on the bottom end, but sometimes, you couldnt tell if a double bass was making the sound, or a fender bass, if you know what I mean...With the PBJs, I hear almost as much weight, but its far clearer and defined. I say thats an improvement, except for those bass heads who want as much bass as possible At All Costs. I had tried out a set of Alpha-Core Micro purls, which were also very clear, like these...Only, they suffered at the bass end....With them, there was a definite lessening of weight such that it changed the character of what was on the cd....These provide as much clarity, but dont suffer the bass presence. I'd have to agree with most of the reviews which exist outside this website, that these are excellent cables at an excellent price....Oh, I just wanted to say that I was a bit concerned about the lack of shielding....Dont be...Its a non issue, at least in my 1.5 meter length, in my environment. I dont have them isolated or anything...As a matter of fact, quite the opposite....Theyre way closer to the other cables and components than I'd like...But to no ill effect...I had wanted to try some DH Labs BL1 silversonics, which are similarly priced, and also reviewed well. I still may try them, but I really have no need to...and, by the way, fatwyre.com is really great to do business with.

Similar Products Used:

ixos 1002, bettercables, alpha-core micro purl, monster

The PBJ's get out of the way. Good looks, uncumbersome design and relatively inexpensive price.

Lack of shielding may be a problem in some installations.

An interconnect CANNOT add brightness, or anything else for that matter, unless of course Eintstein and the lot were dead wrong. AN interconnect can, and often does, however, REDUCE or eliminate many things. Well, this is one interconnect that fails to do either. The PBJ is one revealing interconnect, one which gets out of the way and lets your components and software reveal themselves for what they are, warts and all.

Listen to the first 48 bars of "So What" on Miles Davis' Kind of Blue (Columbia Super Bit Mapping CD, CK 64935, 1997); compare this with your extant cable, and listen for the integrity of the pitches, especially the string bass and percussion. Then experience the dramatic crescendo as it was recorded. This track alone had me dropping my draw to the floor. I NEVER expected a cable to have a dramatic difference, at least not until now. I even switched out the cables several times on the same recording (I was quite skeptical, and could not fathom how a mere interconnect could make such a difference, which this one consistently does).

Try out Emmylou Harris' cover of Lucinda Williams' "Sweet Old World" (Wrecking Ball), and hear the sibilance that characterizes this soprano's wonderful voice. Listen to the percussion on the first track of Paul Simon’s "Songs From the Capeman" and take in the rich, complex texture that Simon and his producer worked so hard to obtain.

The "best test," and the one that absolutely sold me on this cable, is the complex organization of the fundamental and overtones present on Dominick Argento's "A Ring of Time" (Valentino Dances, Eiji Oue, Minnesota Orchestra, Reference Recordings, RR-91 CD). Listen for yourself - I'm not going to tell you what you'll hear, but with the right set-up, the presence of the correct harmonic structure, tone, and dynamic range will reduce stock interconnects to the veiled imposters of truth they really are.

I HAVE heard a 'brightness' on some recordings (try them on Dishwalla's "Until I Wake Up" (And You Think You Know..., A&M, 1998); but then, that's what they are - bright recordings! Meanwhile, the Kimber PBJ's reveal the dynamics, the timbre and the harmonic structure wherever they are present. Take Lucinda Williams' saultry "I Envy The Wind" (ESSENCE, Lost Highway) for example. She is in the room with you, while the band creates the aural suggestion of the elements she sings of. Incredible! Such a minor thing informing a heigthened musical expression finally realized as it must have been intended. Because of a damn cable? Yes.

If you are satisfied that your front end is capable of delivering the truth, and more importantly, that your amp/pre-amp and loudspeakers are designed to embrace and not mask it, give these a try (AAdvisor gives you 30 days to check them out, as I'm sure many other dealers will). If you have a mid-fi system, recognize that it was likely designed to work well with less expensive OTC interconnects, cables and power cords. And that's fine.

If you are building a revealing and honest system, then I cannot imagine the need to spend more for an interconnect, barring a "cost no object" approach. In that case, then, why not spend more on recordings? To me, $72 is a LOT to spend on a 1.2 meter piece of cable in the first place. Thankfully, the Kimber PBJ's are actually WORTH it!

Equipment used for review:

Marantz CD-67E Cd Player
Musical Fidelity A300 Intergratd Amplifier (150 wpc)
Spectrum 410 full range loudspeakers (89 db)
Monster Cable (speaker wire)

Similar Products Used:

Monster Cable, MIT, various others (on loan).

Detailed

Harsh, and maybe a little slow

This cable is detailed, but in my system it is far too harsh and the balance is just plain wrong. My system is fairly laid back, and I have seen many comments about this cable being bright, which is is not. In my system this cable seems harsh and lifeless, sucking emotion and dynamics out of the sound. The Chord Solid I am trying is a much brighter and I suspect much more coloured sounding cable, but the results are an exiting enjoyable sound, though some of the detail has got lost on the way.

My system comprises of Meridian 506, Musical Fidelity A1001, Celestion SL12si, with 8VS ls cable. The celestion speakers are pretty laid back and coloured, but I like them, it's just that the PBJ in this system destroys the sound.

Similar Products Used:

Chord Solid

very close to KCAG

Not close enough to KCAG

These cables come very close to the sound of KCAG. Attributes include good detail, transparency, soundstage, imaging, and punch. They swing towards the neutral side, although some reviewers seem to think they exagerate on some frequencies. Sound is a subjective thing. Try before you buy. At the price for bulk cable, trying is really cheap if you can solder your own with decent RCAs.

They come really close to KCAG, but for the REAL bang for the buck, go for bulk Silver Streak cable and self terminate. You get the best of both worlds, but with silver carrying the signal, it's KCAG as far as I'm concerned. The next time I need to extend my cable size to 1 or 2 metters, Silver Streak will be it (I run 2 foot KCAG i/c to everything, keeping it short because of price and because I use passive attenuators).

Back to PBJ, I used the single strand version TCSS to wire up a preamp and the sound came close to my passive attenuators wired up with AGSS (kimber silver). Close, but not close enough.

The PBJ is lacking in high-end sweetness and refinement and may color the mid-range ever so slightly when compared with KCAG, but hey, check out the price difference! Transparency is good but again, KCAG rules here.

PBJ is highly recommended. If your system is somewhat glaring at the high-end, they might not be for you since they tend to bring out all the details about your system. If you got a poor system, you'll hear poor sound. if you got a good system, you'll get good results. Again, try before you buy if you can.

equipment used:
audio alchemy transport/filter stuff > theta cobalt > passive attenuators > muse 100 amp > Kimber 8TC speaker cables > NHT superzero, supertwos or 2.5

Similar Products Used:

Kimber KCAG, and other various low-end bulk cables, self terminated.

none

too many to list

Actually, I purchased this cable to connect a sony portable minidisc to the amplifier. Previously I used a cheap 25$ profigold 3.5 mm jack to RCA interconnect and I decided to get the max from this small player. Using this cable was so dissapointing that I could not believe it. Even when the source was turned off, this cable produced electrical noise. Also, it is a shame to pay this amount of money ( even not too much for an expensive cable, but still about 3 times the price of a casual interconnect of this type), and getting nickel plated ends!!! I think that this cable is so poorly made that it sould be sold for less than 20$. The noise was even heard during playback and I chose to buy a 3.5mm jack to RCA solid adaptor and connect my van den Hul with which I got the feeling that I bought a deck instead of a portable recorder. The improvement was great. Anyway I think that Kimber overestimates its products and I hope that anyone wishing to get a good pair of interconnects, has a look first elsewhere before buying these cables.

Similar Products Used:

van den Hul D102 MKIII

Better than freebie cables, detailed, dynamic, warm, even cheaper if you make your own cables

a little slow and closed in compared to much more expensive cables

I've been using Kimber's cables for about 7 years now and the PBJ is one of the bangs for your buck. If you know how to solder I would recommend getting the bulk TCSS wire and make 4-wire braids rather than 3 like the PBJ. The signal and ground will be the same guage and because you now have 2 wires for signal you should experience a little more detail and more bass. It's not the perfect interconnect by any means but in the right system it's better than freebie cables. I use the 4-wire version on all of my A/V connections. (not including video cables, of course)

I would also like to correct the last guy who said PBJ comes with nickel plated connectors. They're actually solid copper RCA's with a proprietary plating by Kimber.

Similar Products Used:

Kimber KC1, Hero, Silver Streak, KCAG