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MSRP: $ 410.00Description: Using conventional round cable is like pouring fine wine through a lead pipe. What comes out is definitely not what went in. Continuous Cast Copper (solo crystal copper) braids with our patented hollow oval design put nothing in the way of the musical signal.
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5.00 of 5 
Reviewed by: Zkidd (AudioPhile)
Review Date January 30, 2010
Overall Rating 
5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 3 Months to 1 year
I am somewhat surprised that someone has not already written a review on these interconnects! But since I am the first, I will try to be informative as well as helpful.
First of all, I have to admit that I am not fond of cables. I do not mind spending my money on a piece of equipment, but cables, to me, have always been an afterthought, and expense that I would rather not entertain. I have, for years, tried many types and brands of cables, always trying to find that one “giant killer” that would spare me from having to spend what I perceived to be more money than was necessary for cables. Then I purchased an excellent preamp in a Conrad Johnson 17LS, and the preamp was so good with my cheap cables, I wondered what some really good cables would do. It just seemed to be a sin to hook up cheap cables to a preamp of such renown.
Now, I have tried some name brand cables that touted the single crystal philosophy, namely Harmonic Tech and Acoustic Zen. I used both interconnects and speaker cable from both companies. Truth be told, they left me underwhelmed. With both brands, I found the music to be muddy and muddled, and not at all involving. So, when I started to look for some cables to use with the CJ preamp and the rest of my system, I was leery of the Analysis Plus Solo Crystal stuff, fearing I would get the same that I did with the the HT and Acoustic Zen products. I read all I could on the Analysis Plus products, plus I heard some at the RMAF, and liked what I heard. So, with the acquired knowledge, and a 30 day money back guarantee, I took the plunge, and bought a 1meter length section of AP Solo Crystal interconnects.
The day the AP IC’s arrived, I tore open the box, took them out and gazed at them for a spell. These were very well built interconnects, with locking RCA’s. I installed them from my Naim CD player to the preamp. I hit “play” on the CD player, and gave everything time to warm up. About an hour later I sat my tush into the listening chair, and got ready to be disappointed. Ah, not so! About five minutes into the CD my jaw was hanging way off of my face, and I was grinning like the proverbial Cheshire Cat! Where was that awful, muddy sound I had come to expect from the solo crystal cable of yore? Not here! And not with the Analysis Plus stuff. Man, I had dulcet tones, that “rumbling in your stomach” bass, clear and pleasant highs, well extended, but no hard, etched sound with it. Music was natural, flowing, as if I were in the recording studio, or sitting in the middle of the orchestra. So enchanted am I with these cables that nightly my wife has to remind me that I should get to bed before dawn as I must go to work sometime…
Am I impressed? You bet? I have bought more AP items since the first pair of interconnects, and I admit I was stupid where cables are concerned. I realized that my gear needed to feed or be fed with cables that are commensurate with their build quality and performance capabilities. All the time I spent with buying this cheap cable, or that one there, just left me wanting. I am not wanting anymore.
All in all, I believe there is something to this “hollow oval” design. My system performs like never before, and truth be told, the Analysis Plus cable is not all that pricey. I now treat cables as I would another piece of equipment ( I know, I know, people much smarter than me have said that for years). I have to confess as well that the AP cables have worked perfectly fine with both my solid state amp (Odyssey Stratos Stereo Extreme) as well as my Raymond Lumley tubed monoblocks. I have recently bought the Silver Oval for the monoblocks, and I have not heard my amps sound so good ever. I just need to work more now so I can get another set for the other amp!
My thanks for your patience with me and my “review”. There is one caveat however, and it is this: the Solo Crystals won’t mask anything, or add anything. They will not tame a harsh sounding system, nor are they tone controls. They will reproduce, and reproduce very well, whatever the front end feeds them. Great recordings sound, well, great! Poopy recordings will sound just like they are; poop.
Go forth and buy! I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. Give them about 100 hours of break-in time though, and after that, enjoy the music!
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