Karen Sumner, founder and CEO of Transparent Audio,, recently sat down with us to share a candid, inside look at how Transparent developed and grew to become a leader within the high-end audio industry. Transparent Audio designs, manufactures, and distributes audio, video, and digital cables and power conditioning products through a worldwide network of retailers and distributors. Here is Part 3 of her 4-part interview.
What would you say is unique about the way Transparent Audio Cables and Power Products are manufactured?
Most cable companies who match or exceed our level of distribution do not come close to offering the degree of customization that we do. We don’t just pull cables off the spool, attach connectors, and ship them out the door. We build networks for the specific length of cable and for the specific electrical properties of connected components. With 8 performance levels and infinite length options, every item we build has its own specifications. The size and scope of our master production manual and our extensive database of the electrical characteristics and the connection requirements of connected components are unheard of in high-end audio cable manufacturing.
In addition, our team provides an unparalleled level of termination customization with our audio cables and power cords to meet the specific component interface needs and system layout requirements for each customer. When placing an order for most of the products we offer, our dealers and distributors need to be able to relay every detail about the customer’s preferences, system components, and room and system layout to us. Although we stock standard cable lengths and terminations, most of the products we sell are hand-made, one at a time, by our highly skilled, technicians in Maine, USA.
You offer a wide range of cables. What distinguishes the entry-level products from the top tier offerings?
We have always looked at hi fi as a continuing journey, and we have designed our product range from entry-level to ultimate accordingly. Each product regardless of performance level, however, has its own measure of Transparent’s musical standards — tonal balance, dynamics, and space— designed and built into it.
The design team has meticulously metered out Transparent technologies to create a suite of cable products for each performance level that is optimal for its value. With more controlled low-frequency performance and more effective noise reduction at each successive performance level, Transparent offers music listeners progressively deeper levels of musical engagement as their systems evolve.
As it turns out, offering progressively more controlled low frequency performance and more effective noise reduction is also more costly at each successive level in terms of materials and precision manufacturing, measurement, and calibration.
As one progresses from one performance level to the next, tonal balance remains correct, but the foundation of the music becomes more extended, tactile, and impactful. Individual instrumental timbres become richer, more distinct, and more real, and consequently, the harmonic blending of instruments and their reflections within the performance space creates a richer and more sculpted over-tonal structure to the music. Dynamic range expands, and low-level dynamic nuances become more able to draw the listener closer to the music. With each step, the ability of the system to present a more defined sense of the scale of the performance in its venue increases along with a greater sense of the spatial relationships of individual and ensemble performers within the space. The result is a level of musical realism that suspends our belief that we are only listening to a hi fi.
Can you elaborate on the differences between PowerBank, PowerWave, and PowerIsolator power conditioners?
Simply put, Transparent’s principle power conditioner design objective is to remove noise from an AC signal without limiting current, all while seamlessly creating a power filter circuit that lets power signals transfer as efficiently as possible. Our reliable and sonically invisible Transparent Surge and Spike Protection is an extra level of system protection that each PowerIsolator product in our line-up provides.
Transparent power conditioner products are sonically transparent and do not restrict dynamics because we employ parallel filtration which routes noise away from the signal without affecting it.
All Transparent power conditioners come with an upgradeable level-matched power cord to supply the AC signal, and we strongly encourage our customers to purchase power cords at the same performance level or better for their connected components.
Our 2 models of PowerBanks are the most affordable ways to gain access to the benefits of our power conditioning technologies. PowerBank 2 has 2 outlets. It works well for a very simple system or with standalone components, like a subwoofer or video projector. PowerBank 6 has 6 outlets and can offer power management, conditioning, and surge protection for a more complete basic system.
PowerWave and PowerWave X have 8 and 10 outlets respectively, and they are designed and built for more complex and higher performance systems. PowerWaves have more robust internal wiring and outlets, gigabit network surge protection, and more effective power factor control than PowerBanks.
Our PowerIsolator Series represents the ultimate expression of our power conditioning technologies. Reference PowerIsolator (RPI) has 8 high-current outlets isolated into 4 separate banks and has more effective noise filtration and power factor correction than the PowerWaves. In addition, more design and construction attention has gone into reducing the effects of resonance from within and outside the chassis.
The next step up is XL PowerIsolator. It has 4 outlets isolated into 2 separate banks.
OPUS PowerIsolator takes everything up a notch in terms of noise-free, dynamically unrestricted performance with its superior noise filtration, more ideal power factor control, more signal isolation, and more effective resonance damping. With its two 20-amp outlets and heavy internal wiring it can deliver all the noise-free power required of the most demanding systems.
It’s not exactly intuitive to offer fewer outlets at greater cost, but the approach makes sense for very powerful, higher resolution audio systems where the performance benefits of increased AC signal isolation, mechanical resonance isolation, and superior power factor control matter the most.
Why are power cords important when they are connected to hundreds of feet of household wiring?
Audio components draw power rather than receive power. The power cord that connects a component to the grid is not the last thing in the power chain, but it is the first thing your component’s power supply sees when it demands power. Because it is the first thing, it is a component’s best chance to receive a noise and interference-free power signal that is robust enough to meet the component’s instantaneous and dynamic power demands when it is playing music.
Transparent has gone to great lengths to create a range of power cords that meet these specific and demanding criteria. Utilizing the same design principles as our audio cables, each performance level of power cord Transparent offers is designed from the ground up with precise and tightly constructed geometry and stabilizing fillers to reduce the effects of noise and vibration. To further reduce noise, pressure extruded CL-approved PVC jackets hold power cable constructions firmly in place. Pure copper strand bundles are also larger than typical power cords to accommodate the component’s instantaneous demands for power without restriction.
Our power cord terminations are crimped and firmly joined to hefty connector terminals. Connectors have been carefully chosen for their ability to make sturdy and reliable component and wall connections.
Power cords are particularly subject to noise infiltration because the desirable frequency band (50—60 Hz) is much smaller than audio signals (20—20,000 Hz). At the Transparent Premium Power Cord level and above we employ network technology to reduce noise. Like our audio cables, these networks are adjusted to the specific electrical characteristics of the cord itself and the cord’s specific length.
Using a Transparent Power Cord instead of the stock cord that comes with a component can provide a performance improvement that is as great or greater than any other system upgrade.
What advice would you give someone just starting with high-end audio? Where should they begin? Which cable or product is most important to start with?
My first bit of advice is to find a local dealer or distributor who has extensive experience putting together great sounding home music systems. Every component in a system, including cabling, coupled with the characteristics of the acoustic environment determine the degree to which a system can deliver a satisfying level of music engagement. Expert dealers and distributors want to help customers who are just getting started with high-end audio, and they offer high-end audio system solutions that fit just about any budget.
Starting with a basic system can be the gateway to high-end audio musical enjoyment. Basic systems usually consist of 2-way speakers on stands or shelf-standing speakers (tweeter and a bass/midrange driver) and a receiver or integrated amplifier. Sources might be limited to a basic digital streamer and/or a turntable. These types of systems usually come with generic cables in the box. Generic cables pass a signal, but they are constructed from the least expensive materials and manufacturing techniques. Our well-built and sturdy entry-level Hardwired audio and digital cables are good options if budget constraints prevent considering the higher performance Link Interconnects and Wave Speaker Cables with noise reduction networks built into them. Basic systems sing beyond all expectations when connected components see purpose-designed, well-constructed Transparent Cables and power management. Because these entry level systems are simple and have relatively few connections, I suggest outfitting the entire system at once, if possible, to transform the system from something ordinary to something extraordinary.
Customers who have more advanced and complex systems than a typical basic system have more options to consider. If someone is approaching system improvements a step at a time, I always recommend getting the highest performing Transparent speaker cable one can justify given the performance level of the system’s amplification and speakers. Because this link carries the largest signal, it has a greater effect on tonal balance than any other link in the system, and achieving more natural tonal balance is the most important criterion in putting together a home audio system that is musically satisfying. Next choose the primary source interconnect at a performance level that matches the speaker cable. If the preamplifier and amplifier are separates, purchase an interconnect that is the same performance level as the source cable. Rounding out a system with level-matched digital cables, power cords, and power conditioning will provide the framework for a cohesive system that should exceed all expectations.
What makes Transparent stand out from others in the industry?
With our Network Technology, we can control the electrical properties of every type and length of cable required for any audio application very precisely. This platform allows us to offer demonstrably higher performance at each price point, not just a different sounding product with a higher price tag.
We have managed our growth with intention so that we can stay true to our mission of helping our customers put together the most musically satisfying systems possible. Our experienced and passionate dealers and distributors stand above the norm in terms of their focus and ability to help their customers achieve this goal. It has taken decades to develop our team of expert partners. Developing new partnerships to expand accessibility to our products is of course ongoing.
In addition, we are also among the first and one of the few high-end audio companies to offer a comprehensive upgrade program. One of the reasons our upgrade program has been so successful is that our technology provides demonstrably higher performance at each price point, and the upgrade program allows customers to keep pace with their desires to improve their systems and to keep up with technology advances while retaining much of the value of their original investment in Transparent. We want to give all our customers an opportunity to improve the performance of their systems at every step along the way, not just create different sound with every component change.
In addition, REFERENCE level and above customers who have registered warranties can return their cables for recalibration at no charge if they change components that require specification adjustments. We optimize their cables for their new components for the cost of shipping.
We also want to do everything we can to help the high-end audio industry be sustainable and healthy, and we take our contributions to those ends very seriously. We are a little like the Switzerland of high-end audio. We align ourselves and help our dealers and distributors align with companies that are dedicated to music, performance, customer service, and value. With these shared values, we all work together to make sure customers’ expectations are always exceeded.
This model has worked well for us for more than 45 years.
What’s special about your existing, returning, and long-time customers?
Our customers are some of our biggest ambassadors. With our upgrade program, customers can affordably evolve their system to become more musically authentic over time. More than a few of our customers start out their audio journey with a handful of studio-produced, audiophile-approved recordings that they like and sound good on their systems. Most of these audiophile-approved recordings are quite compressed and studio manipulated to sound good on any system, including on a car radio. With Transparent throughout a system, customers tend to want to expand their music listening experiences into a wider variety of genres as their systems improve because their Transparent-linked systems remain musically balanced and can reveal all the splendor of more challenging sources.
Customers who grow with Transparent consequently seem to have growing listening libraries and a passion for getting closer to the music. They want the best components that the high-end industry has to offer for their budgets, and many have even committed to building dedicated, acoustically treated listening studios. We have decades-long relationships with many of these customers through their dealers.
Tell us more about the Transparent Audio System Builder?
To help customers decide what Transparent products would be best suited for their systems, we developed the concept of “Levels of Musicality”. Transparent designs our product ranges so that customers can benefit from progressive and predictable improvements in the fidelity of their audio systems when upgrading from one level of a Transparent product to the next level.
The Levels of Musicality System Builder provides an easy-to-use 8-step matrix based upon the type of system. It can guide customers and their dealers in choosing the Transparent product categories and performance levels that will best suit the customer’s goals given their existing and future desired components.
Cables and power conditioning have historically been second thoughts when a customer is putting together a system. The System Builder helps to change the narrative about the importance of cabling and power conditioning, and it helps customers make better linking choices for their systems. Cabling and power conditioning exert their influences throughout an audio system, and choosing the appropriate level-matched cabling and power conditioning can transform a pretty good system into a great system.
How are upgrades handled at Transparent Audio?
Transparent Audio pioneered the idea of an upgrade program where customers can get a very attractive trade-in value for their existing Transparent Cable toward the purchase of a higher performance level. The Transparent Upgrade Program gives our customers the opportunity to receive all the benefits of today’s technology while also being assured that the next generation of Transparent Technology (and next performance level) will be affordably in reach.
Transparent also offers sideways upgrades from the PLUS level and above for customers who want to take advantage of new technology, but they are not ready for the expense of a “Level of Musicality” upgrade. They can trade-in their Generation 5 PLUS level cables for Generation 6 PLUS level cables, for example, and receive substantial trade-in value for their Generation 5 cables toward the purchase of Generation 6 cables.
Whether a trade-in cable is from our first generation or a cable from our most recent generation, upgrades can be done on any schedule and to any higher performance level. This opportunity never expires if a customer is a warrantied owner.
What do we do with all those trade-in cables? We refurbish them, make sure they meet specifications, repackage them, and provide a full warranty for preowned Transparent Cables. Factory-Certified Preowned Transparent Cables with a registered warranty are eligible for the upgrade program. Many of our dealers love this program because it gives them an opportunity to help their customers get started with a higher performance level of Transparent than they could otherwise afford, and it gives the customer entry to the upgrade program.
Our upgrade and certified preowned programs have been instrumental in helping our dealers and distributors build life-long relationships with their customers while helping their customers build better performing home audio systems over time — a stark contrast to the typical audiophile approach of shopping around for the best price for the “product of the month”.
In our next issue, look for Part 4 of this interview to get Transparent’s overview of the current state and promising future of the high end audio industry.