Isolda weekend

I recieved some Isolda at the end of last week (thanks Merlin )

Had a good few sessions with it over the weekend but to be honest im still assessing.
I went from 2.5mm2 T&E mains cable to Isolda.
Well surprisingly i wasnt struck by an imediate difference:yikes:
The Isolda has given better low end deffinition and extension. Also not a bad soundstage, although i dont think ill ever have much of a stage with my speakers in a window bay
The surprising bit - a loss of high detail, it seems some of the higher stuff is now recessed compared to before, hard to describe, maybe quieter - further in the background. Not sure on that one- more listening is required.
However i did notice when fitting the cable (Spades at amp end) that 2 of the binding posts on my amp are loose in the chasis so ill fix those tonight and check the cable join inside. I am hopeing that may be the problem, i find it hard to believe that Isolda would loose detail overr cheapo T&E Another idea i have is to replace the spades with some shark (maplins special) banana plugs i have.
So all in, a strange experience with an apparently top notch cable.
Is it the cable?
Is it the amp?
is it me ?

Stay tuned as i investigate, invigilate, intimidate and digress......................

 

Ooh dear

Actually take time to listen over a period of time and you should notice that there is absolutely no HF detail missing with Isolda, it's just not thrust down your throat like it is with some.

And I personally prefer spades for a speaker cable terminations, banana plugs seem a curiously British phenomenon.

 

Andy, have to go with merlin on this, I still use Isolda in 2 systems (in the second at home & here at work), never ever come across the lack of upper frequeny detail, if any thing, in my old system quite the opposite T.

 

No need for 'oh dear' all in the fun of pursuit

I think you may be right, just not the presentation i am use to.
Amp is now off the shelf and had pre-med, about to start minor surgeory on its rear holes
I will keep the spades for now, see what sorting the binding posts achieves.

 

Surgeory done, resoldered the post connections aswell.

No listening as yet, Mrs P wants to watch TV

Tone, i think you and merlin are probably right, note im not P*****d at all by this
surprised, yes. really surprised that the 2.5 has the same tonal qualities at the lower end as Isolda, not a bad mark against Isolda as such - after all i wouldnt of put up with the 2.5 for so long if i wasnt likeing it

 

Andy, at the end of the day they are both copper must admit my 2.5mm stuff was whitewashed by the cable before the isolda (Dare I mention this QED silver spiral), however a million and one variants captain come into play. Tone

 

well, i am secretly hopeing there is another culprit:MILD:

 

wellllllllllll

Ill take it all back, reslodering must have done something.
Isolda i would say still has same tonal characteristics as 2.5 BUT space, space is big man!
and transients- well er fast, um actually exciteing

The highs are still not as forward, but way better and sweet as a sweet thingy



Mrs P was off for a bath when i finnaly hooked up for a listen, hmm, was another hour before she got to that bath