330L + 550L = 770L? Siltech Classic Anniversary 550L Speaker Jumper Cables.

The Siltech Classic 25th Anniversary 550L jumper cable vs the PMC supplied silver coated bus bar.

I never really understood why the Brits like to supply their speakers with bi-wiring speaker cable binding post. Other than to facilitated by amping which, in my experience can bring about some sonic improvements at a cost. I've never really bothered with bi-wiring either. My audio guru and DIY er Papa Nelson Pass seems to agree too.(Hey! isn't it the other way round?)

So when I bought the pair of PMC Fact 8 speakers that came with the bi-wiring facility, I knew that I needed to spend some $$$ on this issue, despite the fact that the PMC supplied binding post links seemed pretty well made from silver coated bus bar. Believe me, they are much better made than those supplied by PMC in their i range and all those supplied by other British speaker brands that I've seen.

To see if I could get any sonic rewards for replacing the PMC supplied bus bars, I wanted to use a set of Siltech 330L Classic Anniversary jumper cables to match my main pair of speaker cables of the same model. However, CMY had not stocked the 330L jumper set just yet, and proposed that I try the next higher model of 550L jumper set instead, which they have a set to go. I looked at the build quality of the CA 550L jumper set and found that it's just as well built to Siltech's usual high standards. I especially loved the custom machined and well engineered spade ends.
This is how it works!

I removed the bus bars and proceeded to hook up the Siltech CA 550L jumpers as seen on the picture above and went ahead to play some music and allowed the new cables to settle down. I had in mind that the new jumpers will make little if much difference. When I started some serious listening session, boy was I in for an immediate but pleasant surprise!

The most notice able first impression was that how much more musical details and low level resolution is enhanced. The next impressive trait I noticed was the sound stage and imaging. The stage width and depth of field perception improved tremendously. The stage depth layering is also more clearly defined.

However, with the Siltech CA 550L jumper cables in, I did find that the bass is slightly leaner but better articulated. Since my PMC Fact 8 allows slight tonal adjust ability via it's rear mounted toggle switches, I decided to bring the bass up by another 3db. That leaves my high frequency setting at 0db and bass frequency setting at -3db(where it was previously set at -6db). That slight adjustment brought back the bass volume in to the tonal balance of the system. However, that extra bass articulation remains, and I could hear more bass related details, which is good. The highs and mids maintains the high refinement standards set by the Siltech Classic Anniversary series cables.
The standard Siltech poly-styrene box packaging.

Wait a minute! Doesn't 330L + 550L = 880L? If you have to ask, the answer is simple, Siltech does not have 880L in their range and the Classic Anniversary is topped by 770L. What I am trying to summarize is that the Siltech CA 330L speaker cable when used with the 550L jumper set will edge the sonic performance closer to the direction set by the Siltech CA 770L. This is perhaps due to the fact that the combo will yeild the musicality of the 330L and the technical superiority of the 550L all in one, just like the sonic characteristics of the CA 770L speaker cable.

If you need a refresher, please re-visit my "Tale Of The Three Heavenly Fairy Sisters. Siltech G7 Classic 25th Anniversary 330L, 550L & 770L" article, dated 14 August 2009.

The Siltech Classic Anniversary 550L jumper set retails for RM$3980.00 per set. Yeah!, Yeah! I know it's bad maths, the price is insane, but the sound is just....... heavenly(for the lack of a better word). I am such a nut to keep this Siltech jumper set.

Siltech cables is sold by CMY Audio & Visual, tel: 03-21439406.