The World's Finest Cables? JPS Aluminata Co-Axial Cable.

I spoke about the critical link between the Bryston BDP-1 media player and the BDA-1 DAC, which is the digital cable linking the two components. Just for kicks, I thought I'd set about looking for a reference grade cable to start, so that I can gauge the sonic compromises as I work my way downwards to the real world priced cables. With that in mind, I called Sky of Centre Circle Audio to check if he has any, and bingo! This JPS Aluminata co-axial cable, priced RM$5.8k, was available for my taking. Some of you may remember my fondness for the other Aluminata family members in the JPS Labs cable range.

The JPS Aluminata co-axial cable is exquisitely built with the finest materials, workmanship, and packaging. It's terminated both ends with patented WBT RCA locking plugs. The thickly insulated cable is very stiff and can be tricky to manage in tight space. Since the Bryston BDP-1 came with BNC outputs, I'd have to used an industry grade BNC-RCA converter on one end, available from the electronics shop. However the BDA-1 DAC accepts RCA inputs, so no problems there.

By the way, the AES-EBU version of this JPS Aluminata cable is available on special order basis too.
Both ends of the JPS Aluminata is terminated with this WBT locking RCA plug. It bites the female end of the RCA sockets so hard, and the super stiff JPS cable nearly ripped out the female socket from the Bryston's PCB board.

Let's dissect the sonic properties of the JPS Aluminata in detail. This is certainly one of the most transparent sounding high end audio cable that I've heard to date. Every little musical information, that is encoded inside the Bryston BDP-1 is all transmitted wholesale to the DAC. I am astounded by the last bit of moisture lingering within the instruments in the sound stage. Every vocal/instrumental performance technique is presented without any veiling, for one's scrutiny. The most astounding part is not the way the cable presents it self as tonally neutral. Here's an area which I feel I need to further clarify, because there's the tonally "neutral" where you, the listener is made fully conscious about it, as you listen and then there's the tonally "neutral" naturally unforced in every way. I can almost say that the JPS is so.... "neutral", it's hardly there in the audio chain, sonically. You just can't hear it!, until you compared it with other cables, then suddenly one is aware of the cable in the system.

Another area I wish to highlight about this cable is the back ground. Lesser cables will always have a layer of white haze noise present(sometimes mistaken as "air" in lower end hifi) within the musical back drop. Better cables tend to sound darker to various degrees, for that bit of extra convincing sound staging and imaging property. The JPS is in a class of it's own, as in, it presents "nothing", yes, nothing, zilch, not even a hint of darkness within the musical back drop! It's that impressive, more so only because it never sounded the least "dry" either! Just "nothing" within each musical note, and sound stage.

The cable also handled transient response and musical dynamic peaks with the speed and explosiveness closest to "live" music, amplified or otherwise.
The all aluminium casing and certificate of authenticity.


With time, I had even forgotten about evaluating the cable, I was just as lost in the music, just as the effects of the JPS Aluminata is lost in the hifi reproduction chain.

I feel that this cable is very worthy of it's tittle as one of "The World's Finest Cables", only because I subscribe to the belief that cables are a necessary evil, and the best cable is no cable. The JPS Aluminata for me came as close to my beliefs as far I as I've experienced from any other cable, up til today. None came as close as this. Now, is that a great start to my cable search or what?

JPS Labs cables is sold by Centre Circle Audio. Contact Sky, Nelson at 03-77282686.