Review: Purist Audio Design Custom Aesthetix Umbilical Power cord


Category: Cables

This is more a preview than a review. The cable is still breaking in, it's not mine, but in a friends system. However, if you're a Aesthetix owner, you may find this very interesting...

I stopped by Albert Porter's house Tuesday for some listening. He has recently taken his stock umbilical connecting cables off is Aesthetix Io and Callisto and replaced it with a custom designed cable by Purist Audio Designs.

It's similar to the Dominus w/Ferox power cables I own. Apparently the two Jim's at PAD and Aesthetix had to communicate a little on exactly the requirements of the 20+ wires in each umbilical cord. Purist then selected, in their opinion, the proper wire for each function, separated them into 3 bundles, added the appropriate spacers, filled it with their ferrox compound and shipped it to my friend. He says the approx 8 ft umbilical ends end with 350 ft of wire if placed end to end. (Assuming my math skills are correct, he may have meant 350 ft for each two umbilicals per preamp. This new umbilical looks similar to a Dominus power cable from the outside, except for the special din connectors at each end. Of course, it has all Purist's build (umm super) quality as well.

The system is a Walker TT with Koetsu Jade Plat => Aesthetix Io and Callisto both with dual power supplies=>VTL 750s (2 pair)=>Dali Megalines with custom Tube x-over, All Purist Dominus or 20th Anniversary cabling.

I am very famliar with Albert's system. Being a regular visitor over the last 5-6 years. The only change (this time) was the 4 Aesthetix/Purist Umbilicals.

In a word. WOW. Caps on for a reason. The entire backgroud silence he enjoyed before just became blacker than black if you will. Allowing details, spacial cues, imaging and dynamics that is startling at the improvement! Bass deepened. Top end more extended but sweeter. Much much more real if will. We spent the next 3 hours spinning record after record. It's one of those systems that you just don't want to stop listening to. The umbilicals are dynomite.

Several others have heard this recently. Maybe they'll chime in at the improvements they heard.

I personally own Purist cabling, this doesn't suprise me. It's like going from stock cords on your pre-amps to Purist Dominus...ie, a HUGE improvement and something that you could never really want to go back to the stock cabling. Unfortunately for my pocketbook, I think this convinced me to order some more Purist for my system!

Happy Thanksgiving

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128x128jfrech
I also have an all Aesthetix system comprising of Rhea phono stage and Calypso pre amp.All power cords are purist Audio Dominus cables ,XLR ,RCA,AND Power cords.It is simply stunningly quiet and yet has tremendous soundstage.My speaker cables are also Dominus.Truly a reference quality sound if you can afford them.BUY THEM....
Thanks John Frech for the kind words about my system. I know the move to your new home and dealing with your kids and job has made life crazy and it was nice to just sit down with some red wine and unwind.

The only people to hear these new cables so far is Jim White at Aesthetix, Jim Aud at Purist and the local crazies in my audio group.

Logenn (member name here at Audiogon) has an almost identical system as mine and he remarked that the Purist umbilical cord upgrade raised performance in my system by 50% (his words). I know they are not broken in yet, no one knows how long that will be but I am keeping a record.

Our famous Audiogon member Raul, the king of analog :^) came by for a visit and seemed to be pleased with performance, and he is a tough customer.

I hope he will post a description of his travels and the systems he has visited while showing his stunning new solid state preamp. I had this in my system for a day and it is very good. I'll let Raul speak to this when he's ready.

Anyway, the new Purist cables are wonderful even before break in and the only downside (big surprise) is the labor and time to construct along with necessary profit margin to recoup R&D time. We began this project three years ago and my profound thanks to Jim White at Aesthetix for revealing design perimeters and wiring schematics so I could pass this along and entice Purist Audio to embark on this project. I had faith it would work (just as I had faith in implementing the original dual power supplies for Aesthetix, I was the first).

Time will tell if the Purist custom umbilicals gain acceptance among other Aesthetix users. For me, I could not give mine up, the improvement is more immediate and profound than when I added a second power supply to my Io and Callisto and more startling than replacing all four power cords on the Aesthetix power supplies. Of course all this is important and no doubt the cumulative effect is beyond estimation without more testing.

I am saving up money to purchase a second pair, hopefully to loan to others so they can understand the excitement that we are all experiencing.

Sorry to let this sit so long without a response, we had guests for Thanksgiving as well as Raul visiting for a short music session Thanksgiving eve and a good friend and important figure in high end audio is in the hospital and may not live. I have wrestled with this all day and at this point will not disclose who this is in hope that he makes a recovery.

Meanwhile, I hope you Audiogon guys and girls had a great Thanksgiving.
Wow, nice to hear this has been implemented. My only concern would be that the effort here would not be fully realized until all the wires inside the units were updated with the same implementation as the cables.
Aaaawww Man......... Don't tell me this stuff! OK, OK.... What's it gonna cost me?

Chris