Kubala sosna new Elation cables

Will do, assuming words don't fail me!

I have a full set of Emotions in my system, from sources to speakers. I'm trying a set of the interconnects tomorrow night in my system, which Joe Kubala says will give me a good idea of the difference. If I can describe any differences, I'll report. My fear is that I'll wind up like Azjake, but I'll have to do it over time, as even with the trade-up policy it is expensive.

I would not say that the Emotion is yesterday's news, it's still a superb cable. However, after listening to just one set of the Elation interconnects (from my EMM Labs DAC to my preamp) in my otherwise all-Emotion system, I would have to say that the Elation is to the Emotion what the Emotion is to the Expression, etc., in my view. As all of the K-S cables seem to do as you go up the line, reproduction of the frequency extremes gets better; that's also the case here. I'd say the Elation is a little more extended in the high frequencies, with better definition, and especially in the bass, where not only is the bass just a little deeper (I tested it on my system with the Philadelphia Orchestra's disc of their concert with Olivier Latry premiering their new organ at the Kimmel Center, that disc has more sub 20Hz energy than almost anything I've ever heard on a recording), but more noticeably it is better defined--bass drums and plucked basses have a bit more definition and focus. The Elation also is more transparent and resolving than the Emotion, with much better focus of images in the soundstage and better retrieval of ambient information, in all of the frequency ranges, not just the high frequencies. Individual performers and instruments seem a little more focused, distinct, real. Dynamics are better, both large-scale, where the music holds together better on large orchestral climaxes and the cable reproduces the leading edge of a transient a little better, and particularly small-scale, where the plucking of string instruments is much more distinct and startlingly realistic sounding. All of this while maintaining as neutral a tonal balance in my system as the Emotions, though they are clearly not quite as warm-sounding as the Emotions. Right out of the box you could get an idea of the differences (though there was a little harshness as well at first), but running signal through it all night and listening to it this afternoon made the differences more apparent. Right now it is not quite as smooth as the Emotions, but the initial harshness has vanished and it is getting there, it seems to "relax" over time, just like the Emotions did. I think Azjake did a good description, in my system it is just better, the music sounds just a little more real and involving. Very impressive.

I imagine that I could have listened to a whole set, except that Joe tells me he's so busy filling orders for the cables, he doesn't have a full set to take with him (plus, in my system, there is an exceedingly long run from my preamp to the crossovers for my speakers-I'd need to borrow a 35 foot pair just for that run). My dealer doesn't have a full set either. The pair I listened to was basically made up at the factory for me to listen to--I told Joe and my dealer that if I liked it, I had just enough saved up in my audio slush fund to buy it, and they both felt confident enough in the product that they figured they had a sale. Given the high price for the cable, it will be years before I can replace the whole system--fortunately the Emotions are good enough to make the wait easy.

By the way, one thing worth mentioning--although the cables are about the same diameter as the Emotions, they are substantially heavier, and are also far less flexible. Certainly not as inflexible as my old NBS Omegas, but definitely not as easy to work with as the Emotions.

Been too long (5 years) to give a meaningful comparison. I had the top of the line Omegas (some call it Omega Zero), and I do recall that it was a close call between it and the K-S Emotion. I ultimately felt the midrange and the overall tonal balance of the Emotion was a little more to my taste, more natural sounding, than the Omega. All IMHO, of course; some of my friends who heard the system liked the Omega better. And there was no question that the K-S was a lot easier to deal with, physically, than the NBS. I think the new Elation tends toward the Omega's transparency, but still retains the midrange and tonal balance of the Emotion.