Audiomica Laboratory is a cable company from Poland. From their website: “We have been present in the audiophile market for more than ten years, at first as hobbyists and now as a manufacturing and trading company. After the years of research we found out that the quality of audio cables is not only affected by such obvious aspects as the kind of conductor, weave, screen and the composition of raw material but also by the filtration of a signal. That is why the unique filters have been developed in our Laboratory.”
Design and functionality
Audiomica Laboratory was kind enough to send their top cabling from the Consequence series:
• Pearl Consequence RCA interconnect (3,461€ 1m)
• Pearl Consequence XLR interconnect (3,461€ 1m)
• Miamen Consequence speaker cable (4,550€ 2.5m)
“The Consequence Series encompasses the most advanced cables in the offer of Audiomica Laboratory. They are made of OCC N7 copper conductor and TPFE dielectric. Moreover, plugs are rhodium-plated in a two-stage galvanisation process. All Consequence cables are screened in Multi-Shields system; unique braids of different density are applied to provide full protection against external influences.
The cables are hand-manufactured and tested for electrical correctness in our laboratory. Consequence series has been designed for the most advanced and uncompromising hi-fi systems. The Miamen Consequence speaker cable is made of 12 helical twisted multi-conductor wires is build of 45 polished micro-conductors. The Allbit power cord`s conductive weave consists of eight numbered conductors, 3mm² each. The cable is screened in Double Screening System along with a multi-wire braid (100% coverage), which protect the cable from the magnetic field.”
I should mention that the Allbit Consequence power cord was sent without their TFCT filter option. Also worthy of notion, the Pearl Consequence RCA interconnects basically use just two 1.4mm OCC solid core conductors.
The Audiomica offers very extensive description about their cables on their website, in-depth with photos, cross-section views and animated GIFs– all very neat and highly informative. Since what we basically do is giving our readers a subjective impressions of the cable performances, anyone interested in learning a greater deal about their cable philosophy can find more on their webpage: link.
From the outside…
The cables are packed in beautiful, exclusive looking wooden boxes (which in turn are protected by carton boxes on the outside).
The cables seem to be made at the top-notch level and are massive looking in their appearance. Especially the Allbit Consequence power cord is one of the thickest I have seen lately and the Miamen Consequence speaker cable, although really thick, is still quite easy to twist and handle.
Performance
The order of appearance: as usual, first I have tried the power cord (on the DAC), then the RCA interconnect (coming from the DAC), followed by a XLR interconnects (between preamp and power amp) and finally the speaker cables, all compared to known references of entry and high quality levels (JPS Labs, Dyrholm Audio, Skogrand and Paradox, to name a few).
Starting with the Allbit Consequence power cord, this cable transmits incredible amounts of energy contained within music material (and it should, judging by its outer diameter). It also sounds very open, refined and with excellent depth portrayal. Compared to the JPS Labs Kaptovator Lite that I have had on hand (a very good power cord) Allbit Consequence showed a much better and believable authority, along with better control and extension into the lowest bass frequency spectrum. Some audio designers feel that sources like CD players and DACs do not need overly dimensioned power cords because their power consumption should be really low, well…my experience tells me the opposite is true. A source like DAC can and will use all the advantages of a properly dimensioned power cord and show it in its performance unmistakably. With a power cord like the Allbit Consequence, lower midrange and bass unfold in a most realistic manner. Being able to transmit huge current levels needed for the lower frequency spectrum, doesn`t mean the higher frequencies will sound subdued, on the contrary, with proper weight comes a more realistic portrayal of the high frequency spectrum as well. Another important thing with a better power cord is how micro and macro dynamics spring to life; the music just becomes revitalized, much more believable and this makes for a really involving listening experience.
If I would be forced to give the shortest description for Audiomica Laboratory - Pearl Consequence interconnects, then the following sentence would give the best impression: very organic sounding with astonishing depth layering!
In general, the Pearl Consequence RCA interconnect gave a slightly rounded tonal characteristics with greater sense of depth of the instruments and voices in the recording venue. The sense of immediacy was traded for a more distant perspective and the tonal colors became warmer which should perfectly suit brighter, forward sounding systems. Transparency was very good but not exemplary. Overall, what I liked the most about this cable is how it made everything sound really organic and stress less.
Bringing in the Pearl Consequence XLR was another story. Although this cables` main characteristics are very similar in regard to its organic feel and excellent depth portrayal, what it brought to the table was a much better sense of a 3D holographic performance… and resolution. If the Pearl Consequence RCA pushed everything further back and gave a just slightly more diffuse focus, the XLR version brought back an incredibly focused and layered soundstage. Especially on classical orchestrations like the Igor Stravinsky - The Firebird Suite (Reference recordings) the effect was most pronounced and welcome. The phrase: “The back wall disappeared” was experienced here literally.
Since Audiomica Laboratory is a Polish company, some great music from Poland must be mentioned. The Leszek Możdżer` “Chopin Impresje” album (Polonia Records, 1994) features beautiful, jazzy renditions of the legendary Polish pianist and composer. While perhaps not an example of an ultimate audiophile recording, the music itself really stirs my imagination and the Audiomica Pearl Consequence certainly brought the best out of it. This is an exciting album with fresh arrangements that I can wholeheartedly recommend to all music lovers (check the Preludium A Nr. 7, I just love it!).
Krzysztof Penderecki - Orchestral & Choral Works is a serious piece of music which presents higher demands on audiophile systems. The track Magnificat - III. Passacaglia (Desposuit potentes) is a fascinating example of a haunting choral performance with occasionally very intense dynamic eruptions. The piece is really difficult to reproduce and especially amps and speakers are put under harsh test. With the Pearl Consequence RCA and XLR interconnects, the sound more than held its overall composure and the cables` ability to portray many layers of depth, with excellent separation of instruments and voices, just gave an astonishing overall impression.
Moving on to some lighter tones, Ania Dąbrowska is one of my favorite female singers. Her albums are a mixture of pop, soul and jazz and she is also a songwriter and composer. I rarely listen to lyrics but instead treat a human voice simply as an instrument, therefore I don`t care if I don`t understand the words being sung… yeah, odd, I know but in songs like “Bardzo lubie opowiadania o milosci” (I love stories about love), her voice actually plays a role of instrument only – there are no lyrics.
Tracks like “Tego chcialam” (2004 album - Samotność po zmierzchu), “Zostaõ “ and “Juz mnie nie ma w twoich planach” (2006 - Kilka Historii Na Ten Sam Temat), “Toru tu tu” (2008 - W spodniach czy w sukience – with aforementioned Leszek Możdżer on the piano!) are brilliant examples of what is possible in popular musical genres – a really inspiring and uplifting musical content.
The production on these albums is great, Ania`s voice is like an Angel`s voice; I get a shiver up my spine every time I listen to her. The beautifully recorded acoustic and electric guitars, the pulsating drum and bass rhythms all add to the incredibly satisfying musical collage.
The rhythmic drive was very well served by the Pearl Consequence interconnects, the bass drum and bass guitar were absolutely clearly differentiated and separated, add to that the very well controlled lower mid frequency spectrum and smooth but transparent upper frequency parts that even with digital sources allowed for a very analog, lifelike sound characteristic that simply evokes overflow of emotions.
OK, the music got me carried away but again, this is a good sign.
Upon inserting the Miamen Consequence speaker cable. I have experienced an incredibly smooth and open sounding vocal range that had an attractive, sparkling character. Again, the tonal range and colors were properly rendered but with the Miamen Consequence speaker cable, the focus was again shifted slightly more forward in the overall placement of the stage – of course nothing wrong with that.
At this point I would like to mention some differences that were revealed in comparison to other cables I have had on hand.
Of course, I couldn`t resist to check how the Miamen Consequence compares to my current personal reference speaker cable, Skogrand Beethoven (costing roughly five times more)and here are my findings: the Miamen Consequence has seemingly slightly less body and definition in the bass and lower midrange but not severely so. Compared to Skogrand this frequency spectrum also seems slightly more lean and less punchy. I wouldn`t say the difference is dramatic but it is still significant in absolute terms.
A brief comparison of Pearl Consequence RCA interconnects with Dyrholm Zodiac RCA interconnect showed the following: the former was very organic-analog sounding if you will and the later was somewhat more neutral but also leaner.
A very interesting duel was between Pearl Consequence XLR and Paradox Audio Serenity Balanced (XLR). The latter is superior to the former in terms of transparency, resolution, authority and extension at both frequency extremes but the former has some very strong points too. The aforementioned very natural warmth with a holographic 3D depth layering abilities made me question my overall listening preferences: the very immediate, lifelike sound of the Paradox or the warmer, more relaxed but still highly resolved sound of Audiomica? Of course the answer depends on the overall characteristics of the individual audio systems: if a system is neutral or even leaner sounding in the lower midrange/upper bass region then Audiomica Pearl Consequence XLR would be better suited. If the basic system sound characteristic would be described as almost overly warm, then of course the Paradox Audio Serenity Balanced would be a better match.
In audio there are no easy answers and recipes, everything is highly dependent on the basic system overall characteristics which dictates the use of appropriate cabling.
Even if we use the sound of live, unamplified instruments and voices as an absolute reference, we are still left with many choices – flavors of reality, because even reality is not only one and in audio reproduction we still have a long way to go towards perfectioning the sound itself.
Conclusion
Audiomica Laboratory Consequence line of cables is bringing a refreshing and very strong alternative to the ever expanding market of high end audio cables. Especially the Pearl Consequence XLR and RCA, plus the Allbit Consequence power cord are all very impressive contenders for the systems of the highest caliber. My time spent with them was a pure joy to experience; I frequently found myself slipping to a “music lover mode only” instead of the analytical observer mode needed for reviewing the components but this speaks very highly of the Audiomica cables` ability to transport the listener to another place and time in his/her musical journeys and remember: it`s always about the journey - Bon Voyage!
www.audiomica.com
Highly recommended.
MSK