Stage III Concept=
s
Magnus Prime Analog Interconnects
Nicholas Bedworth=
Introduction
The
voicing of a reference-grade sound system derives from the personality of k=
ey
components. While it’s certainly natural to think of “big ticket” items, su=
ch
as amps, DACs, and speakers, dominating the equation, these days even
moderately-priced electronics and transducers can be extraordinarily neutral
and balanced. My personal preference and strategy has been to pay special
attention to ![3D"Description:](3D"StageIIIMagnusPrimeAnalogInterconnectsfinal_files/image002.png")
the
cabling connecting the source to the amps, and then to the speakers.
Why?
Well, it’s pretty easy to find electronics that will greatly outperform the
cabling found connecting them. Conversely, it’s hard to find cabling that l=
ets
all the inherent goodness in quality components reach your ears. It takes an
exceptional cable to extract the performance that’s latent in so many DACs =
and
amps—even relatively modestly-priced ones.
Stage
III, based in Pasadena, CA, takes a rather unusual approach in the design of
most of their cables, compared to the conventional wisdom. In the case of t=
he
Stage III’s Magnus Prime analog interconnect—one step below their Gryphon
reference level—lead designer Luis de la Fuente employs a novel
palladium-silver alloy to great advantage. To my ear, the overall sound has
many of silver’s detail and delicacy, without the “optimism” or gentle
elevation of timbre. While many factors are involved, of course, using pall=
adium-silver
conductors seems like a fundamentally-important distinction, compared to co=
pper
or all-silver.
Exotic
materials
![3D"Description:](3D"StageIIIMagnusPrimeAnalogInterconnectsfinal_files/image004.png")
Each
Magnus Prime comprises three pairs of custom-extruded, hand-polished and cr=
yo-bath-soaked
AeroStrand Ultra palladium-silver, uninsulated, twisted-ribbon flat conduct=
ors.
These in turn spiral around a silver-plated ground, in the case of XLR
configurations. Each conductor has its own hermetically-sealed Teflon air t=
ube,
resulting in a 6-tube core, which is then encapsulated in microphonic-reduc=
ing
granular ceramic damping material. Just give a gentle tap to air-tube cables
that don’t use enough damping, and you’ll quickly appreciate why controlling
microphonics (the conversion of mechanical energy into sonic artifacts) is
essential.
One
quality that quickly becomes apparent upon visual inspection is the high le=
vel
of build quality. The Magnus Prime sports finely-woven external sheathing t=
hat,
at each end,
disappears inside custom-made carbon-fiber Hyperion shells with ceramic-inf=
used
polymer central inserts. The fit-and-finish is superb, especially when comp=
ared
to that of other brands where heat-shrink is often employed. The XLR shells=
don’t
use press-to-release locking pins, but instead rely upon an alignment ridge=
and
small bump that seats itself inside the matching receptacle. Inserting and
removing the cables doesn’t require the audiophile-equivalent of a tug-of-w=
ar,
but on the other hand, the mating of the connectors is secure enough that t=
hey
won’t disconnect accidentally. And unlike many high-end cables, the Magnus
Prime are exceptionally easy to install and arrange. They’re quite flexible=
compared
to unnamed-cable-as-Burmese-python competitors that require a large bending
radius, or can easily lift lightweight components off the rack.
Despite
being in the business of selling cabling by the meter, Luis recommends using
the shortest practical length of Magnus Primes to get best results.
Fortunately, the pliable mechanical qualities of his design make it easy to
connect close-together components; our python friends along with their
rigid-air-tube relatives can easily require several feet to make a round-tr=
ip.
Less-is-more, at least for this particular type of cable technology.
![3D"Description:](3D"StageIIIMagnusPrimeAnalogInterconnectsfinal_files/image006.png")
Sonic
impressions
One
of my high-priority criteria for cables or components is evaluating to what
degree they constrict the soundstage, dynamics or timbre. With the Magnus
Primes, it’s clear from even the first few seconds of listening that they a=
re
extraordinarily open, unrestricted and neutral. There’s a spaciousness to t=
he
bottom end and lower mid-range that helps bring the performance hall into t=
he
listening room; they project a wide, deep and high soundstage that’s anchor=
ed
by all the low-frequency sonic cues.
Arranged
within this acoustical foundation, instruments, voices, reverberation appear
against a background of utter silence and neutrality. One of the most strik=
ing
results of ultra-refined resolution, focus and clarity is a central image t=
hat’s
rock-solid, pronounced and three-dimensional. Detail and accuracy are at the
highest level: Every nuance of the performance and recording technique—for
better or worse—is going to be readily apparent.
![3D"Description:](3D"StageIIIMagnusPrimeAnalogInterconnectsfinal_files/image008.png")
Starting
with the “or worse” category, the HD Tracks 176 kHz, 24 bit remastering of =
the
Rolling Stones’ Let it Bleed is=
a
veritable education in substandard recordings, unearthed and resuscitated as
much as possible by the heroic efforts of the talented Bob Ludwig. The open=
ing
cut, Gimme Shelter, has all the
dynamics and frequency response of, say, a garage band playing somewhere do=
wn
the street, or, possibly, underwater. There’s very little difference between
monophonic and stereo settings on my DAC. It’s really awful, but the given =
the
condition of the tapes and the limitations of the original recording, it’s
probably as good as can be expected.
In
the title song, Let it Bleed, t=
he
frequency extension is enormously improved, the instruments are clear with
plenty of punch, although the sense of any real soundstaging is modest. In =
this
case, the minor limitations of the sound don’t detract from the entertainme=
nt
value of the track’s raunchy lyrics and gross-out humor. What more could a
teenager want? Even a relatively recent (2011) National Public Radio music =
blog
on Let it Bleed couldn’t quite =
bring
itself to actually quote the words.
Yes,
you too can experience a $200K reference system reduced to the level of a 1=
985
car radio, but the point here is that the Magnus Primes are totally reveali=
ng,
and completely unforgiving. Nothing is obscured, which on good recordings, =
is
of course just what’s desired.
In
the “better” category, Diana Krall’s slightly-dry, raspy and closely-miked
rendition of Temptation gets ev=
en the
most reserved guest to my listening room moving around in the chair, tappin=
g his
feet and looking straight at an ephemeral performer fixed squarely between =
the
speakers. While Diana’s track might be monophonic, and the rest of the arti=
sts
are captured with somewhat more air and dimensionality, the central fill is
stunning, to put it mildly. You’ll understand the personality of her voice =
like
never before.
And
moving on to “best”, Brian Bloomberg’s 2008 rendition of The Chicken with its spectacular yet completely accurate bass
guitar snap, detail and dynamics will shiver your timbers. The background is
quiet, silent, free from grain, and the notes jump out in an almost startli=
ng
fashion. The playing is visceral, lively, funny, and is an excellent
demonstration of top-to-bottom sonic coherence: The timbre is realistic,
convincing and engaging at every pitch along the way.
At
the other end of the artistic spectrum. Herbert Tachezi’s interpretation of=
the
Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor on the 1755 Silbermann Organ pierces, rum=
bles
and delights the air of the Dresden Cathedral, with complex and rich reverb=
erations
returning from every corner of the vast interior space.
Conclusion
It’s
hard to describe interconnect that doesn’t have much sonic character. It’s =
not
warm, not cold, not dark or bright... basically, it’s just right, meaning it
really isn’t there at all. And the benefit of this lack of character is that
whatever is on the tape, that’s what you’re going to hear. The Magnus Prime
lets you spend much more time listening to the music, rather than to the
system. You’ll hear all that there is to hear, to a farethewell.
Manufacturer’s
Web site
www.stage3concepts.com
Pricing
and general specifications
Stage
III Concepts Magnus Prime analog interconnect cables; XLR version: $2,900 1
meter pair; $1,000 each additional 0.5 meter.
Review
system details
Sources:
Antelope Gold DAC with Voltikus power supply; Audiophilleo1 USB-S/PDIF tran=
sport-processor;
Toshiba Qosmio laptop; HP HDX 18 laptop; Seagate 1.5 TB external digital me=
dia
storage.
House
clock: Grimm Audio CC-1 word clock.
![3D"Description:](3D"StageIIIMagnusPrimeAnalogInterconnectsfinal_files/image010.png")
Power
management: Tesla PowerCell 10 SE Mk II, Quantum Line Strip QLS 9, Galileo =
Mini
Power Coupler, Tesla SE Hologram A power cable, Tesla SE Hologram D power
cable, Tesla SE Precision AC power cable, Enigma Active Shielding Tuning
Circuits, MiG Mechanical Interface Grounding, BiG MiG.
Amplifiers: Pass XA 200.5 monoblocks.
Speakers:
Perfect8 The Point Mk II dipoles with powered subwoofer.
Software:
J. River Media Player 17.
Audio
cabling: Stage III Magnus Prime full-range speaker cables; Stage III Magnus=
Prime
analogue interconnects; AudioQuest Carbon USB cables.
Room
1: 18’ deep, 12’ wide, 8’ to 11’ ceiling