AudiogoN Reviews: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect

I first heard and wrote a review about the Ridge Street Audio Midnight Silver Edition (MSE) Interconnects and Speaker Cables in May of 2003. This was followed up by a review of the MSE Gen. II Interconnects in August 2003, the MSE Gen. II Speaker Cables in October 2003, the MSE Gen. II Digital Link in December 2003 and the Ridge Street Audio Poiema Speaker Cable in February 2004. Since that time, Robert C. Schult, proprietor/designer, has developed what he considers his most revealing interconnect and speaker cable named Poiema. I have had two pair of the Poiema interconnects in my system for more than two weeks and have been extremely impressed!

I thought the MSE Gen. II interconnects sounded fantastic, I tried to imagine how Robert could improve the sound. Technically speaking, I have no idea what Robert did. However, I can definitely hear what I would call a 10% - 15% improvement in my tube and SS systems when using the Poiema interconnects.

The improvement I heard while using the Poiema interconnects was in the following areas:

1) After carefully listening to my dozen or so audition CDs and a few LPs, I was amazed at the improvement within my system. I noted more bass definition (which was crisper with more focus), additional 3-D imaging left to right as well as front to back, and additional extension and detail as if I was at a live performance.

2) Quieter background, which allows one to hear deeper into the recording. This allows greater details to become more obvious. I noticed richer-sounding and more articulate treble, mids, and astounding bass that I never heard that clearly before.

3) The music sounds even more lifelike, as if I was sitting in the same room with a live presentation. Just as the MSE Gen. II interconnects and speaker cables are extremely smooth, fast, neutral, transparent, and allow one to hear deep within the music and convey the force, speed and robustness of a live performance, the Poiema speaker cables and interconnects do so to a greater extent.

The Poiema interconnects are very well engineered and constructed. They are attractive to look at and are very flexible and lightweight. In addition, they have very easy-to-read, yet non-intrusive, directional arrows and are clearly marked Poiema.

I have owned the interconnects listed below under "Similar products" over the past years and enjoyed them all. Each purchase was made as an upgrade in improved sound to my ears. Obviously, I prefer the sound of the Poiema. The Poiema interconnect are a significant improvement in every area. However, for practical purposes, here are some specific examples:

The Poiema provide a more natural presentation of the higher octaves and timbre as well as clearer details than the Audience Au24, more articulate mids and larger sound stage than the Pure Note Epsilon Reference (I have not heard the most recent Pure Notes interconnect), and better-defined bass and imaging ability than the Cardas Golden Reference. In all case scenarios the entire musical presentation is more "lifelike."

In my opinion, the Poiema will sound great in a good system, but they are not designed to be a coloring device to change the sound of an inferior-sounding system.

In conclusion, I realize that audiophile componentry is system dependent, and what sounds good in one system doesn't always work well in another. In this case, the Poiema interconnects sounded excellent in my tube and solid-state systems, and I highly recommend you give it a try if you're in the market for a new interconnect. I don't think one could lose with a 30-day money-back return policy.

Associated gear
Click to view my Virtual System

Similar products
Cardas Golden Reference IC s and SC.
Maple Shade Clearview IC s
Silver Audio Appassionata IC's and Silver Symphony 48 SC.
Bear Lab Silver Lighting IC and SC.
Granite Audio # 470 IC
Audience Au24 IC and SC
HMS Topline IC and SC (not the brand new ones they came out with recently).
Pure Note Epsilon Reference IC s and S/C.
Midnight Silver Edition Gen. I Interconnects and S/C
Midnight Silver Edition Gen. II Interconnects and S/C

by Lak on 04-29-04

Follow ups

Click title to read one, or click date to read all below it.

05-20-04 Hi larry. thank you for the thoughtful commentar ... Ridgestreetaudio

05-20-04 Larry, how long have you two been sleeping together? Nrchy

05-20-04 Hi nurchy. i know your question was for larry bu ... Ridgestreetaudio

05-21-04 Nrchy, i have always called them the way it sounds, ... Lak

05-22-04 Larry i don't doubt that what you said about those cabl ... Nrchy

05-22-04 Nrchy, where have you been? there is quite a bit ... Ridgestreetaudio

05-22-04 I only use purist cables so i don't know anything about ... Nrchy

05-22-04 I think pure note and rsa are owned by the same proprie ... Viggen

07-05-04 i've been looking at silver ic's, and i can't help ... Killerpiglet

07-05-04 Kp, i've noticed similar patterns with other manufactur ... Vvrinc

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect

we do live in a cynical world and are cognizant of the manipulation that exists in some business enterprises

Well, you nailed it. After my post, I surprised myself at what I'd said, as I tend to steer clear of this sort of "consumer advocacy."

My thoughts led me to this:

I find that the community in general (and myself in the specific) is becoming more and more cynical. How many times have we read "the changes were not subtle," "I'd never heard music before?"

And not over gear, but over "accessories" like cables, tweaks, etc.

You'd think by now sound would be transcendental. But no, Version 2.01 is always just around the corner. More clearly transparent, more excitingly dynamic, more revealing of the truth, more excellent. When you have exhausted superlatives, the taken superlatives and multiplied them by other superlatives, where do you go? How much can the language take?

I must admit I have bit of a pet peeve over manufacturers chiming in willy-nilly or coming down on subjective criticisms.

And yet, yes, enthusiasm is so much of this hobby. I often do not join in certain topics, as I'm afraid that saying the something (regardless of any qualifiers) more than occasionally would water down what I say. Now that I think about, most of my discussions regarding audio and the vast majority of my discussions with others regarding music take place over email not on the forums.

“gee, thanks for telling me I have a nice ass and I thoroughly agree with your conclusion—this thong’s for you”

Admit it: visions of Viggen's pebble encrusted strip tease are lingering in your retina.

KP
Killerpiglet 07-05-04

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
KP, the audio marketplace is taking its cues from the political and business worlds. Give it enough spin and you can elect anyone or sell anything. (Sometimes both?)

You've been a bad, bad, very bad little piggy for sharing your Viggenoscopic apparition. I'll be suing for emotional and physical damages as I am now in need of extended psycotherapy and large doses of Retin-A to fix the furrows on my face from laughing my rocks off.

Keep up the good work.
Vvrinc 07-06-04

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
I just saw this post and had to respond. Since some folks believe that LAK and I are shills for Pure Note and RSA, the bottom line is these companies are offering fine cables for the money. Try both and decide. In the end the audiophile wins!
Sonic_genius 07-14-04

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
Having dealt with Larry aka LAK on a personal basis several times, i would find it hard to believe that he was shilling for this company. My guess is that he's simply sharing his enthusiasm for a product that he thinks works well within the confines of his system. I know others that have listened to the Ridge Streets, both in his system and in another system and they share similar points of view. That is, they really liked the cables and thought that they held up very well in head to head comparisons.

While only God knows what is in Larry's heart, as far as i know, i don't think that he has any vested interest in Ridge Street products. Sean
>
Sean 07-14-04

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
Hi Sean and others,
Thanks for your kind words. As I’ve stated before, when ever I’ve written a review or made a suggestion in a thread on any product or for that matter recommend any brand it’s ONLY because I’ve tried it and/or own it and it works/sounds very well in my tube and SS system. I have NO other motive other than to pass on information to other audiophiles. You must then decide if there is a desire to demo the product. If one were to search my complete posts on Audiogon (over the past 5 years) you would see that I enthusiastically have written about various interconnects, speaker cables, AC outlets and cryo treatment, until I discover a product that I think is an improvement.
Best regards…
Lak 07-15-04

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
Poiema is amazing xlr Interconnects am 22 years in the hi-end and this is the first real hi-end cable New Testament Greek word translated as "workmanshipthanks bravo Poiema
Dimitriou 01-09-07

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
I find it interesting that when you look at the reviews that Lak has posted, they are overwhelmingly for Ridge Street Audio and they are 100% positive. He's either too enthusiastic about the cables (discounts objectivity of article) or has a vested interest in the company (discounts objectivity of article).

It's good to check sources first.

-Dusty
Heyitsmedusty 07-03-07

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
Dusty,
I’ve said it before and I’ll sat it again. I have no vested interest in Ridge Street Audio, or any other manufacture. Ridge Street, are nice guys that make good products, as many other manufactures do! At the time (look at the dates) I wrote the reviews I felt they were the best bang for the buck that I had found and wanted to share.
I decided to stop writing reviews (in general) because there are many cynical people out there, that don’t seem to understand an Audiophiles enthusiasm for sharing a product that works in their system.
If you looked carefully at my posts going back to the year 2000, you will notice a variety of other interconnects speaker cables and power cords that I used, liked, and recommended.
God forbid if I write a glowing review, because then I must have a vested interest in Plinius, Audio Research, Silversmith, Harmonix, PAD, Jade Audio, etc.!
Have you ever heard any of the equipment that I’ve written a review about in your system?
Lak 07-07-07

Review: Ridge Street Audio Poiema Interconnect
Lak,

Those of us that appreciate your time spent on reviews don't always take the time to say "Thank You" - as you deserve.

I too have tried many a cable and what is the best for ones system today isn't necessarily the case next year.

Anyhow, thanks for taking the time and sharing your impressions and time.

It is a shame that others can't take ANY review - here, online, magazine, etc. with a grain of salt.

Talk about hidden agenda's.
Audiofankj 07-07-07