That is a very generous offer but you are aware that I am in Europe and shipping might be either slow or expensive
FTA (Final Touch Audio) Callisto USB cable
- Thread starter Golum
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That is a very generous offer but you are aware that I am in Europe and shipping might be either slow or expensive
Well, the expense would be yours
and I can deal with not having the cable for a month if I have a new one!
Well let's wait for your verdict firstWell, the expense would be yours
Well let's wait for your verdict first
When you compare USB cables do you just do it on the fly without powering down and equipment? One should certainly mute things but I don't think I need to turn anything off, correct?
David,
I haven’t had any issues live swapping with my GG2, which probably has the same input as your Big 7. But yes, mute it first. But some DACs don’t tolerate this. Bricasti warns against this, so I never did on that unit.
I have both the Callisto and Sablon. One sits on the shelf
What are your findings so far? Things will change with more mileage.
I haven’t had any issues live swapping with my GG2, which probably has the same input as your Big 7. But yes, mute it first. But some DACs don’t tolerate this. Bricasti warns against this, so I never did on that unit.
I have both the Callisto and Sablon. One sits on the shelf
What are your findings so far? Things will change with more mileage.
I just posted this in my Skogrand thread, and thought I'd post here too.......
I spent some time last night comparing USB cables. To hand I had both flavours of StavEssence, Skogrand Beethoven, FTA Callisto, Gekko USG-1, and a homebrew cable.
The first thing to say is that the differences here are pretty small, and if these tests were done blind I suspect you would fail to consistently pick each cable. That said, there were differences that seemed to be pretty consistent.
The homebrew cable had great dynamics but sounded too digital in this company.
The Gekko cable sounded shiny. It's silver in construct so may be knowing this influenced my hearing but none-the-less I wasn't keen.
The FTA Callisto has all the positive attributes talked about in the thread - has great air, musicality, and sounds very analogue. My initial impressions were incredibly positive. However, in comparison, you realise it is doing this by slightly softening the leading edge of notes and so blunts the attack somewhat of the music. If your digital side of things is not absolutely 1st class or emphasises detail, then this is likely a very good thing. However, in my system (LDMS server + reclocker, Lampizator GG2), it slightly robbed the music of something compared to Stavessence / Skogrand.
StavEssence - both great cables, maintaining the air of the FTA Callisto but with more dynamic attack to the music. There is a very small difference (to the extent it could be perception rather than fact) between Eunoia (smooth) and Apricity (dynamic), with my preference being for Eunoia.
Skogrand Beethoven - a small amount better than Stavessence in terms of sounding more natural in conveying the music.
Value-for-money then FTA takes it. All-out performance then Beethoven. My preference would be StavEssence.
I spent some time last night comparing USB cables. To hand I had both flavours of StavEssence, Skogrand Beethoven, FTA Callisto, Gekko USG-1, and a homebrew cable.
The first thing to say is that the differences here are pretty small, and if these tests were done blind I suspect you would fail to consistently pick each cable. That said, there were differences that seemed to be pretty consistent.
The homebrew cable had great dynamics but sounded too digital in this company.
The Gekko cable sounded shiny. It's silver in construct so may be knowing this influenced my hearing but none-the-less I wasn't keen.
The FTA Callisto has all the positive attributes talked about in the thread - has great air, musicality, and sounds very analogue. My initial impressions were incredibly positive. However, in comparison, you realise it is doing this by slightly softening the leading edge of notes and so blunts the attack somewhat of the music. If your digital side of things is not absolutely 1st class or emphasises detail, then this is likely a very good thing. However, in my system (LDMS server + reclocker, Lampizator GG2), it slightly robbed the music of something compared to Stavessence / Skogrand.
StavEssence - both great cables, maintaining the air of the FTA Callisto but with more dynamic attack to the music. There is a very small difference (to the extent it could be perception rather than fact) between Eunoia (smooth) and Apricity (dynamic), with my preference being for Eunoia.
Skogrand Beethoven - a small amount better than Stavessence in terms of sounding more natural in conveying the music.
Value-for-money then FTA takes it. All-out performance then Beethoven. My preference would be StavEssence.
Our/my conclusions were more or less in line with yours.
We didn't have the Apricity from StavEssence, "only" the Eunoia.
Back then, we only had an early FTA that is nowhere near around the current Callisto.
It was already very promising but the "almost missing" treble was a no go but the rest that was there was absolutely fabulous.
Unfortunately no direct compare between those dearer cables with a current FTA Callisto because the other cables were gone, when I got my "proper" Callisto.
I guess you had a current FTA Callisto cable?
Yes current Callisto.
I would stress these differences are small, and may only really be noticable in back-to-back testing. The Stav cables have gone back today, so I have plugged the FTA back into the system to see if in day-to-day life I feel I'm missing anything.
The other thing to add is that the tests were done using Audionet Stern / Heisenberg I'm currently demoing, which have probably the lowest noise floor I've experienced - without this, the differences may be even smaller or impossible to spot.
I would stress these differences are small, and may only really be noticable in back-to-back testing. The Stav cables have gone back today, so I have plugged the FTA back into the system to see if in day-to-day life I feel I'm missing anything.
The other thing to add is that the tests were done using Audionet Stern / Heisenberg I'm currently demoing, which have probably the lowest noise floor I've experienced - without this, the differences may be even smaller or impossible to spot.
Which is the one you use and which is the one on the shelf?I have both the Callisto and Sablon. One sits on the shelf
What are your findings so far? Things will change with more mileage.
I didn’t hear anything with the FTA that I preferred over the Sablon. In fact, I did not like the high end sound with the FTA. It was a little edgy, for lack of a better term.
I am really happy with the Sablon. I am waiting for the demo box so I can try out Mark’s interconnects.
Thanks for the answer.
Was the FTA Callisto brand new or did it have some hours on it?
Christoph,
Thanks for reminding me to dust my unused equipment shelf.
The Sablon cable is nestled between an EML 5U4G rectifier, which is handsome (just don’t let it talk) and my SOTA turntable, which is the only thing I can play my crap LP’s from the ‘70’s on.
As I stated in another forum during the FTA break-in, it had a sharp leading edge that annoyed me for the first 30 hours or so. At this early stage I just considered it to be another silver sounding cable with a tilted treble. With more time it developed to a more resolved 3D sound. I learned it was passing more information, not just playing tone control. Eventually the frequencies settled in to portray a holistic picture, not one pocked with frequency aberration. In this regard it easily surpasses my other cables, whether usb or spdif.
In comparison the Sablon is flatter and less extended in the high frequencies portraying a rather smoothed sound. This may be the perfect antidote for some systems, but not mine. What I find unique about this cable is it seems to actively smooth the midrange and to me the result is a coloration. Of course opinions will vary.
I would say the Sablon is a good cable at its price point, which is a bit lower than the FTA. Also, I am not certain of its age as I acquired it second hand. It is the unpowered version.
Thanks for reminding me to dust my unused equipment shelf.
The Sablon cable is nestled between an EML 5U4G rectifier, which is handsome (just don’t let it talk) and my SOTA turntable, which is the only thing I can play my crap LP’s from the ‘70’s on.
As I stated in another forum during the FTA break-in, it had a sharp leading edge that annoyed me for the first 30 hours or so. At this early stage I just considered it to be another silver sounding cable with a tilted treble. With more time it developed to a more resolved 3D sound. I learned it was passing more information, not just playing tone control. Eventually the frequencies settled in to portray a holistic picture, not one pocked with frequency aberration. In this regard it easily surpasses my other cables, whether usb or spdif.
In comparison the Sablon is flatter and less extended in the high frequencies portraying a rather smoothed sound. This may be the perfect antidote for some systems, but not mine. What I find unique about this cable is it seems to actively smooth the midrange and to me the result is a coloration. Of course opinions will vary.
I would say the Sablon is a good cable at its price point, which is a bit lower than the FTA. Also, I am not certain of its age as I acquired it second hand. It is the unpowered version.
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Thanks for your extensive answerChristoph,
Thanks for reminding me to dust my unused equipment shelf.
The Sablon cable is nestled between an EML 5U4G rectifier, which is handsome (just don’t let it talk) and my SOTA turntable, which is the only thing I can play my crap LP’s from the ‘70’s on.
As I stated in another forum during the FTA break-in, it had a sharp leading edge that annoyed me for the first 30 hours or so. At this early stage I just considered it to be another silver sounding cable with a tilted treble. With more time it developed to a more resolved 3D sound. I learned it was passing more information, not just playing tone control. Eventually the frequencies settled in to portray a holistic picture, not one pocked with frequency aberration. In this regard it easily surpasses my other cables, whether usb or spdif.
In comparison the Sablon is flatter and less extended in the high frequencies portraying a rather smoothed sound. This may be the perfect antidote for some systems, but not mine. What I find unique about this cable is it seems to actively smooth the midrange and to me the result is a coloration. Of course opinions will vary.
I would say the Sablon is a good cable at its price point, which is a bit lower than the FTA. Also, I am not certain of its age as I acquired it second hand. It is the unpowered version.
Audiostream has the FTA USB included in the 2019 Editors choice awards in the $500-2500 USD category.
I just bought the Callisto the other day after using it in my system for the last month or so. It def made a massive difference.
Added a pair of C-Marc Lessloss RCAs. Quite the cable upgrade for me!
Added a pair of C-Marc Lessloss RCAs. Quite the cable upgrade for me!
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