Analysis-Plus Solo Crystal Oval cables.

1. They sound neutral with full top to bottom extension. They let the music flow as unscathed as any cable I have owned or auditioned in my system.

2. Very favorably. They outperformed many I tried that were more expensive such as Nordost, Harmonic Technology, MIT, Discovery, Kimber, Purist Audio, and Siltech.

3. I like them better than the Silver Ovals. To me copper sounds more neutral than silver cables, specifically, less emphasis in the highs and better overall balance from top to bottom.

I agree with Timo completely, and that's why these exact cables found their way into my system. I compared them with many of the cables Timo mentions...while I liked the AP Solo Crystals about as much as I liked the Kimber Select 1030, the KS were vastly more expensive, making the decision easy. I also preferred the Solo Crystal to the AP Silver Ovals, the latter being just a touch bright in my system. Putting in Solo Crystals a couple months back tamed that brightness and gave me what I like to refer to as "affordable neutrality."

I would say that AP Solo Crystals are overall superior to Silver Ovals despite lower price, I sold my silver ovals long ago. The Solos also have very balanced full sound, would like to hear what they sound like with Eichmann Silver Bullet RCAs.

Are they the best $400 IC......I would never say any cable is the best since no one has access to the hundreds of ICs out there, but they are certainly very good. I currently use the slightly cheaper Bogdan Silver Spirit ICs in my reference system, but will not be selling Solos anytime soon (they are too good)