Kimber Kable 4PR & 8PR Listening Tests

I am not one who attempts to discern the subtle sonic differences cables convey on an audio system. I am a firm believer that only poorly designed cables can under the right conditions be sonically distinguishable. That being said, my listening tests focused on pure enjoyment of the sound quality of my reference system. At no point did I feel the Kimber cables were adding a level of realism I’ve never heard before with my standard 10AWG Blue Jeans zip cord. Never did I feel the midrange got more chocolatey or a magic veil was lifted. My wife never claimed she could hear the difference all the way from the kitchen while she was cooking up some chicken Marsala.

I used the Kimber 8PR for all of my listening comparisons between the Axiom A1400-8 and my Denon POA-A1HDCI reference amplifier. The Denon AVP-A1HDCI served preamp duties, while the Denon DVD-5910CI and Yamaha MCX-2000 were the sources. All of my electronics were plugged into my APC S20 power conditioners each individually connected to a dedicated 20A line. I utilized my RBH Signature T30-LSE reference series speaker system and threw in my Status Acoustics Decimo bookshelf speakers for comparative purposes. Critical listening tests were conducted mostly for two-channel sources such as CD’s and SACD’s. Multi-channel listening tests were conducted for extended periods of time at reference levels to ensure the amplifier was capable of unfaltering sustained output in my theater room.

CD: Fourplay – The Best Of Fourplay

I always like a little Fourplay before really getting into the thick of things. Track #5 “The Chant” is a song I often use to separate the men from the boys in loudspeakers. The bass energy of the kick drums will either reward you with an adrenaline surge or have you covering your ears from the horrible sound of woofer bottoming right before it plays for the very last time. Of course this isn’t a problem for my reference speakers but I wanted to see just how far the A1400-8 could push them and get their four 10” high excursion subwoofer drivers moving. The A1400-8 delivered thunderous bass response with aplomb. The transient response was lightening quick extracting all of the decay of the kick drums making it feel more like a live performance right in my own theater room than listening to an actual recording. The wood percussion instruments were delicately reproduced with all of the subtle nuances preserved. In comparison to my Denon POA-A1HDCI, I felt the Axiom amp was a bit more lively and crisp but the soundstage on the Denon seemed a bit wider and more open.

Regardless of how loudly I played either amplifier, my system sounded effortless and unstrained revealing excellent sustain and decay of the kick drums and percussion instruments. The Kimber cables were proving to deliver all of the juice my high current amplifiers were capable of dishing out to my speakers.

Dianne Reeves Never Too Far

When I want a quick reference for gauging accuracy in bass response of loudspeakers and even amplifiers, I turn to this CD. The bass in track in Track #2 “Never Too Far” will sound muddy or weak on an improperly set up or inadequate system. I have this song pinned into my head as to how the bass should sound so I wanted to directly compare it on the two amplifiers. A back and forth comparison between these amplifiers on my reference speakers revealed that the Axiom amp was a bit leaner in the bass department but much tighter and more lively. The decay of the bass drum sounded stereophonic to me when listening on the A1400-8. I couldn’t help but to really punch up the volume and give my speakers the workout they’ve been waiting for. Track #3 “Come In” again revealed the Axiom’s very well mannered bass response with less apparent overhang that I was hearing on my reference amplifier. However, I did feel that the Denon was offering up a slightly smoother more spacious top end. Ironically when I switched over to my bookshelf speakers to make the comparison, I conversely preferred the bass I was hearing from the Denon amp which seemed fuller to me. Perhaps on smaller less bass capable speakers, I preferred the warmer sound the Denon amp was offering. It’s also possible that the Axiom amp preferred the lower impedance (dips to 2 ohms) of my tower speakers over my 8 ohm bookshelf speakers. Needless to say the sonic differences between the two amps thus far were subtle but noteworthy. The A1400-8 reminded me how far Class D amps have come and really shattered my misconception of them for full range high fidelity audio applications. Until I heard this amplifier, I was unconvinced that Class D would ever be a serious contender against good old fashion linear designs. The Kimber cables once again proved to be transparent enough for me to discern the subtle sonic differences I was hearing between these two fine amplifiers I had under review.

CD: Special EFX - Collection

This is an old favorite of mine not only because of the excellent musical content, but of the pristine fidelity that really helps gauge a systems frequency range. On track #2 “Jamaica, Jamaica”, the Triangles seemed to spread out beyond the plane of the speakers on both amps but with perhaps a bit more 3 dimensional depth on the Denon amp. While I thought I heard slightly better separation of the instruments on my Denon amp, the Axiom sounded more vivacious. On the A1400-8, the plucks of Chieli Minucci’s guitar seemed more vibrant while the bass was also snappier, especially at higher listening levels. In contrast, switching over to my Decimo speakers had me preferring the dare I say more sluggish bass response of the Denon amp which made those little bookshelf speakers sound more grandiose.

Track #5 “Udu Voodoo” seems surreal as I got lost in the textures of the percussive instruments and the ping pong effect between the front speakers that the A1400-8 conveyed. Self restraint with the volume control became quite difficult for me as the sound was just effortless at all power levels. My T30-LSE’s simply craved the unadulterated power that the Axiom amplifier was providing. The A1400-8 was proving it was right at home with the rich and complex textures of jazz music which dominates much of my listening preferences. The Kimber cables were also gingerly handling all of the subtleties and nuances that my gear was able to reproduce for total music enjoyment and envelopment.