Just thought that I would add my 2cents. Currently, I have a Rega Saturn as a source to my Rega Elicit feeding a pair of Zu Essence. I received some Mission interconnects along with Zu Libtec speaker cables when I bought the speakers. I also have some Monster M350i interconnects as well as some custom Zebra Cables interconnects and power cords, and some Zu Bok power cords, some Zu Mother power cords, and some Zu Gede interconnects.
As a baseline, the Monster M350i interconnects are an inexpensive cable that does a few things right but is not offensive. It mostly omits.
Zebra interconnects with Vampire 800 connectors offer more detail retrieval, a smoother presentation, better soundstaging. Zebras are a little rolled off on both ends of the frequency spectrum as compared to Monsters, Zu Gedes, and Zu Mission.
Zebra power cords do pretty well stacked up against the Zu Boks. Similar enhancements. More slam, better focus, better bass, better imaging and soundstage when either Boks or Zebra are in the system. Mother power cords are more of the same but better in every regard.
Now for the interesting part, Zebra bi-wire speaker cable connected to the Essence sound nearly as good as the Libtec by taming some of the treble but also lose a little bass slam. Can live with either, but on most recording slightly prefer the Zu Libtec cables. What is interesting is that I do not find the Mission interconnects to be superior to the Gedes in my system. Other may have a different opinion for reasons I will explain in the next paragraph.
When using the Mission or Gede ic's in my system with the Mother power cords and Libtec speaker cords, the sound "snaps" into perspective. The best way I can describe it is to compare the slightly fuzzy commercial digital projector programming at the movie theater to the brighter, better focused image of the movie when it comes on the screen. After significant back to back and days versus days of listening, the Gedes sound a little more real with my electronics and the speakers. There is slighter more intangible space around instruments and more emotion in female vocalists voices, a little more resolution. That said, there is definitely more tone and music portrayed through the Mission interconnects. It's kind of like a color
image that is a little too saturated-- like the cinematography in Moulin Rouge versus a normal movie with excellent cinematography. Also, the Gede is slightly less evenly balanced than the Mission.
Many persons I believe will like the Mission cables better. I love the density of tone on rock music and electronica. I just feel that the Gedes do better with classical, female vocalists, and jazz while doing the tone thing almost as well. Both Gede and Mission are superior to the other interconnects unless I want to listen to a really bright recording where the Zebra interconnects are the better choice in my system.
As always my opinion is for my ears, with my system, in my room. Your opinion may differ. I did not like the sound of the Mission interconnects during break-in. They were flatter and less involving than the Gede's or the Zebra's. Sounded more like the Monster ic's.
PMB
