Review: Snake River Audio Takshaka power cable

[keithc]

Along this audio journey I am often reminded of two consistent beliefs -- 1) that everything matters, and 2) in the words of my sage friend Stephen (@Puma Cat) , our upgrade-itis should aim at practically significant upgrades and not for barely imperceptible differences. These two concepts repeatedly came to mind during the months spent listening to and gathering my thoughts for reviewing Snake River Audio's flagship Takshaka power cables.

Ironically, my interest in the Takshaka was the result of my evaluation of another product, the Vera-Fi Swiss Digital Fuse Box (SDFB) -- this is a $495 unique product in the aftermarket audiophile fuse market comprised of a box with a Hall effect fuse switch (and a graphene-coated copper slug in place of the IEC fuse). The SDFB necessitated an extra power cord: an upstream cord from power conditioner to SDFB and a downstream cord to the component. My SDFB was purchased along with Vera-Fi's 2-feet power cord (aka "Extreme Piggy") which conveniently addressed the extra-cord problem, but to be frank, this little cable was total scheiße -- everything sounded so off that it was as if I lost one phase of a balanced system (been there). Other folks on the WBF forums also acknowledged the Piggy extension cord was not the best and suggest using a $10 IEC C13 to NEMA 5-15P adapter from Amazon, which members swore would make the SDFB awesome. Well, I tried that too, and despite being mildly better than the Piggy, it was still extremely veiled and there was a general loss of dynamics and frequency extension, robbing the whole system of its liveliness and soul (I told a friend the adapter/SFDB was akin to being choked to near black-out, and putting back my OEM $0.02 fuse was the fresh breath of life-saving air). To be fair, it was not the actual SDFB box that was the problem but rather the need for an excellent second cord; just as an experiment I replaced the $10 Amazon adapter with the QSA-Lanedri Spectra King (MSRP $12,000) as a second cord and it sounded wonderful.... but c'mon, this was far outside of being practical. I asked multiple manufacturers if they could make a 12" cord but none were willing, citing technical issues and general lack of interest. At this point I was absolutely convinced the SDFB was not going to work for me and was about to ask Mark at Vera-Fi for a refund when I saw @treitz3 post about a custom 8-inch Takshaka power cord which is specifically created for the SDFB market.

Would using Snake River Audio's reference cord solve my problem? Several Takshaka power cords spent a few months in my system to answer this question... and during this process, the Takshaka was tried not only with the SDFB, but also in lieu of multiple cords across the whole system -- with my Lampizator Horizon DAC and Sutherland phonostage, the Riviera AIC-10 amplifier, the Lucas Domansky digital music server, and also with my Network Acoustics network switch, and the rivals in this snake fight included the Shunyata Alpha V2 XC (MSRP $2,300), Sablon Audio Prince 2025 version (MSRP $3,250), QSA-Lanedri Gamma Infinity (MSRP $4,000) and Spectra King, as well as another custom-made power cord.



But wait! A short segue is due to introduce Snake River Audio, a small-but-increasingly-renowned audio cable company from Riggins, Idaho, a small town in the Pacific Northwest near the convergence of the Snake and Salmon Rivers. Owner Jonny Wilson is a passionate audiophile who has been experimenting with cable designs for over 15 years -- his early efforts took off with glowing reviews of the Mamushi and Cottonmouth cables dating back to 2011, and now he makes digital and analog interconnects as well as power and speaker cables. Jonny describes his innovative approach with "I start by asking 'What if it could.... ?' using a new concept, be it material, geometry, shielding, or mix of metals (he has hybrid designs combining gold, silver and copper) and seeing if it can be made," and then tests his prototypes and iterations both within his audio systems and with trusted listeners. While other audiophile interviews have described his journey into cable manufacturing, during my conversations with Jonny I had the fortune to find out more about the man behind his work -- and what stood out most to me is that Jonny is a sincere and nice guy who would be fun to hang out with over a beer and a bonfire; he comes from generations of ranchers who first settled along the Snake River canyon, has had careers in law enforcement and the arts, and is a proud veteran of the US Army. He is the kind of small business owner who loves what he does and exudes this joy when he talks to customers. Jonny describes his dedication to have the best possible cables and performance as a pursuit in ultimate artistry -- "no matter how long it takes... half-assed does not exist in my shop." Unlike larger competitors, every Snake River Audio cable is handmade by himself from raw wire to the final product, with his personal evaluation of the quality and meticulousness. He faithfully stands behind every product with a 30-day return policy and attention to customer issues.

The Takshaka is the culmination of Jonny's experience to create the elite cable that "stands above everything else" he has ever built, and it took 4 years from concept to product launch. The design incorporates gold, silver and OFHC copper wires, his custom winding geometry and a floating shield, and is available as both signal cables and power cords. The name comes from Hindu and Vedic mythology of the revered Takshaka, an imposing and majestic king of the serpents with unmatched strength and authority. Sweet! Hit me up, Jonny, show me what you've got!

In full disclosure, when the Takshaka came in for this review I was cautiously optimistic... already being absolutely content with my current system with all of its aftermarket tweaks, tubes, and crazy knick-knacks, I get so much joy just listening to music and am no longer interested in any upgrade or thinking about gear. Although I recognize the name Snake River Audio from friends, I have not seen or heard Jonny's products. But hey, I'm always a fan of small business owners especially those from my corner of the world, so the review begins.

 

[keithc]

(part 2)

Takshaka - the King of Serpents?

According to magazine Psychology Today, “Attraction without personality is just a hook up. Personality without attraction is friendship. You need both for a relationship.” I wish every manufacturer of the-next-black-cable would read this and appreciate how, regardless of sonic characteristics, a potential buyer's first impression of a cable is its appearance, weight, construction and packaging -- analogous to how put-together a first date appears when you see her; if she has body odor and frumpy dirty clothes, how interested would you be in what she has to say?

The Takashaka is a physically beautiful cable, with prominent gold connectors and specks of gold throughout its length. It has heft but is amazingly flexible and ranks among the top 10% of similarly-classed cables in ease of use and plug rotatability in tight corners. The custom-designed connectors are girthy (if you're into that kind of thing) and the spades make a very solid connection with my Shunyata Denali power conditioner, the first few cable changes needing rather significant force to insert or remove. Even the 8" Takshaka was relatively easy to use, and I would dare challenge any other high-end cable manufacturer to make an equally-short cable with this level of ergonomics. During the months of swapping cables in/out/in/out/in/out for this review, the attention-grabbing appearance of the Takshakas begs the question of why other multi-thousand-dollar cables look so bland in comparison. I know some audiophiles would say, "Who cares, I never look behind the components" -- sure, but at this price point, you should have something that sounds AND looks great!

Snake River Audio cables are shipped in a compact box which upon first opening exudes an attention to details. He clearly took pride in sending each one out. The cable is vacuum-sealed for transport and opening this bag invoked a bit more excitement than the cloth bags that seem universal among all brands. Included are brochures with a good amount of information about the company and cables. Each box also includes swag and local candy from Idaho which I think is fun (even though I'm on a diet)... it's nice when products have personality and something to say about where they're from. The entire presentation is cool without being cheesy, appropriate without making me feel "shit I'd rather they lowered the price by $500 than send this Gucci packaging." Last but not least, Jonny burns in every cable over 200 hours with actual music playing before he ships them -- a big deal when burn-in may take up a majority of the 30-day return policy for other brands. In my experience, however, additional burn-in further improved the Takshakas, and after approximately another 100 hours I started to really smile.

So what about it's sound? In my opinion, a great cable or component is not showy, but instead it brings greater insight into an artists' talents and expression. To fully convey my Takshaka experience I'll start with a well-known riddle about subconscious bias:

A man and his son are involved in a car accident. The father dies at the scene. The son is rushed to the hospital and when the surgeon looks at him and says, ‘I can’t operate on this boy. He is my son.’
How is this possible?*

Remember that I was already really happy with my system? After spending years fine-tuning I believed it sounds "really realistic" or "like I am at the recording venue" across my usual genre of female vocals, large orchestral symphonies, jazz and rock. I had previously thought I knew what the artists and producers wanted to convey (ironic since I'm obviously not at the recording studio but you know what I mean) and that I could attest to the quality of the instruments and the talents of the vocalists. The Takshaka opened my ears to what assumptions I had made about my system and how perhaps I was wrong.





Takshaka with the Lampizator Horizon DAC

Along w/ other like-minded community members, my Horizon DAC has been a passion project optimizing for the exact make/year/factory of NOS tubes, tube adapters, fuses, isolation, and most recently, an upgrade to the 2025 revision of the Sablon Audio Prince power cable. I am as attached to my beloved digital front end as if it were my 3rd child... pitting the Takshaka in here gave me anxiety and anticipation: Do I dare supplant my winning combo?

The two cables were both excellent but different. Both were ultra-detailed, balanced yet revealing, with excellent timbre and extension. In Diana Krall's "A Case Of You" (Live In Paris, Qobuz), the cables equally expressed all the nuances and subtleties of her singing, the leading attacks and tonal depth of the Steinway and clicks of the pedals, the draws of her inhalations. The Takshaka enabled the music to have a bit more swing, rounded out the notes a tiny bit more and made the focus a bit more on the music rather than the sonics, and there was a bit more plankton in the audience's muffled coughs and seat creaks. On the other hand the Sablon was minimally drier and neutral, and presents Diana in a slightly more technically impressive solo.
The Takshaka was 1.5% "more fun and foot-tapping", whereas the Sablon was 2% more "wow, hi-fi!" -- akin to if I changed between a holy-grail mesh-plate or solid-plate Valvo rectifier.

The Takshaka had a magical way in drawing attention to the midrange -- if you listen to a lot of female vocals this is the cable to get. On Natalie Merchant's "Carnival" and "San Andreas Fault" (Tigerlily, Qobuz), two favorites to these ears, her voice was rendered with n-th degree of timbral richness that reflects a fidelity of harmonics competing with the best of cables without detriment to the song's rumbling bass, shimmering cymbals, and edgy guitar. Similarly, Norah Jones' voice in "Come Away With Me" (Come Away With Me, Qobuz) was ethereal, almost slightly levitating; the same song with the Sablon had a tiniest bit less sweetness in her voice but seemed more honest.

None of these descriptions are intended to be drawbacks as it depends on what your system needs, and ultimately which makes you smile more. One is a Ferrari and the other is a Lamborghini... I could absolutely live with either of them. And considering the latest Sablon revision is one of my favorite cords regardless of price, that's saying a lot about the Takshaka.

 

[keithc]

(part 3)

Takshaka with the Network Acoustics Tempus and LDMS Digital Server

Replacing the Shunyata Alpha V2 power cords into my network switch and digital server with the Takshakas brought a new level of microdetails and transparency, with a sound that was relaxed but yet very engaging; powerful without fatigue. While this initially seemed subtle, it became more evident over time, and was a night-and-day obviousness when I switched back to the Shunyatas.

Listening to Keith Jarrett's Koln Concert pt 1 (Qobuz 24/96), a core piece in all my reviews, my jaw dropped at 17:06 -- piano is very difficult to reproduce on playback, and the high treble key strikes resounded with energy and clarity and tonal rightness that I have never heard before; it could very well have been the physical piano in my living room. The violin at 4:24 in Jewel's "Foolish Games" (Pieces of You, Qobuz) had more bowstring grittiness and texture. Her breathy exhales and inhales were more pronounced, giving the listener a sense of the close-mic'd recording studio.

In addition to the tone and microdetails, the Takshaka portrayed a wider soundstage with a cleaner separation between the different instruments and performers. For example, Diana Krall's opening in "East Of The Sun (West Of The Moon)" (Live in Paris, Qobuz), her piano and voice were clearly left and front, and the John Clayton's bass was to the right, and Jeff Hamilton's drums were further back, yet her microphone projected a big voice resulting in a large image size reminiscent of a real performance. In comparison, using my default cable the imaging was confusing; at times the drums would be center front, then suddenly it would seem like the piano was on top of the drums. Could the power cable really affect the microscopic precision of channel timing so much?

One of my early observations with the Takshaka was a decreased bass energy compared to the Shunyata, but the more I became accustomed to the sound I realized perhaps the Shunyata had actually portrayed an exaggerated overemphasis of bass energy resulting in an overall darker and 'fuller' sound. Actual bass impact was there but now sounded more realistic; for example, Sara Bareilles' "Satellite Call" (The Blessed Unrest, Qobuz) started with kick drum's reverberation and decay that I never heard before, and previously were only heard as "kick drums", but now there was a defined heft, membrane movement and roundness and speed; most impressively the concurrent snare drum hits were so well delineated and separate without any blurring between the two instruments.

After using the Takshakas for several weeks, I took them out and went back to the Shunyatas. I expected to re-acquaint my ears to my original beloved system which I was so happy with, and was quite surprised at the immediate loss of microdetails and clarity, but most importantly a sense of missing soul. I pushed on and listened for a few days (don't cables need a few days to 're-settle'?), but after 4 days I gave up and put the Takshakas back. No, I was not imagining it -- they really are that good.



Takshaka with the Sutherland Little Loco mk2 phono preamplifier

Although the Takshaka performed well with digital components, can it do the same with analog? My vinyl front-end consists of a Kuzma Stabi R w/ 4Point 11, Hana Umami Red into a Sutherland Little Loco mk2 transimpedance phono preamplifier for which I have been using a custom-made 8-gauge copper/silver power cord from an anonymous audio journalist; this was a power cord which some have compared against the Audioquest Dragon (I cannot confirm this personally).

The Takshaka's transparent, resolving and soulful character was also consistent with my vinyl rig. Throughout "Take Five" from Dave Brubeck's Time Out (JWR 4525) the Takshaka brought out more woodiness and vibration of the double bass' lowest string, the edginess of the saxophone during treble notes, and even a longer linger of the cymbals (one can even hear acoustic coupling of another cymbal). Small details such as pads sticking and key clicks of the saxophone were more evident, and I was mesmerized by how distinct and separate the percussion, saxophone, and piano sounded, increasing the sense of realism. The elevated sonic attributes, however, did not diminish the swing and spirit of the music... in fact, I found myself head bobbing and knee tapping constantly from song to song.

One of my favorite compositions is Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, his story about a morbid obsession with his beloved and subsequent hallucination of murdering her and being executed, and I especially treasure my DG Original Source Series pressing of Seiji Ozawa / Boston Symphony Orchestra's performance because of its flair and excitement. Adding the Takshaka amplified its majesty and romanticism. What especially stood out were the excellent tympany bass depth and impact in the 5th movement, as well as the micro and macrodynamics when the orchestra swelled and ebbed as the protagonist went from macabre dances to the diabolical witches festival. The death bells rang clear and far into the venue, with an interplay of the horns that re-defines the imagery of the composition. Going back to my original cable felt like throwing a wet blanket on top of the music, as if someone turned down the volume. The dynamic swings were muted, even the background hiss was decreased, and the individual performers of the orchestra were a bit smeared and less coherent. In comparison, after wrestling the unwieldy and extremely pricey QSA-Lanedri Spectra King power cord into the phonostage, I noticed slightly more orchestra presence, deeper bass extension (we're talking subterranean bass), and clarity of the violins bowing. But considering the Takshaka is 1/4th of its price, the rather small differences fall short of what I would consider practically significant. I expected the Spectra King to check off all the sonic attributes, but I was surprised the pricey cable's presentation lacked a certain esprit de corps -- the Takshaka conveyed a more exciting (yet appropriate) sense of rhythm and energy that I very much enjoyed with this piece as it progressed from scene to scene.

Just as with the Horizon, the Takshaka was glorious with analog midrange. A great example is Eva Cassidy's Live At Blues Alley 25th Anniversary Edition at the end of "Autumn Leaves" when she sings a prolonged "my darling when autumn leaves start to fall" -- her timbre is harmonically-rich and punctuated with tiny nuances of her expression. This same section with my prior cord sounded slightly shrill and thin (which I previously blamed on the recording quality). Her famous performance of "What A Wonderful World" with the Takshaka was flawless (dare I say even better than via the Horizon), showcasing an unwavering strength and beauty in her voice filling Blues Alley (despite her having cancer at the time!). Going back to my old cable Ms Songbird was less smooth, less present, less magnificent -- don't get me wrong, with my old cable Eva was an excellent A-, but with the Takshaka she is now a solid A/A+. Regardless of what record was spinning, whether it was Eva, Dire Straits, or Dave Matthews Band, as I swapped back-and-forth across these 3 cables I kept going back to the Takshaka which consistently gave me the biggest smiles and a desire to listen long into the evening.

 

[keithc]

Conclusion

In case you are still awake and wondering about what happened to the Swiss Digital Fuse Box, I think by now you can surmise that the Takshaka extension cord is on a different planet than the alternative connections that I had tried. If you are going to try the SDFB, the 8" Takshaka is a requisite and in my system the only solution (other than another full-cost power cord) which did not degrade the sound.

One might also ask why, at this depth of review, did I not include my Riviera amplifier? The SDFB was actually for this amplifier, and surprisingly the Riviera was completely agnostic (in my system) to the different power cords above when tested. In full transparency, the default cable for that is the excellent QSA-Lanedri Gamma Infinity, and the Takshaka was sonically similar. Like many things in audio, a cable's impact depends on its associated components and your mileage may vary. And it begs the question: Of the components tested, which one then had the greatest improvement from the Takashaka? For me, the largest change was for my phonostage, followed by the DAC, and then network switch and finally the music server -- but all of them were practically significant.

There was also an additive effect, and my system took on a different performance with multiple Takshakas. As I wrote this review and became enchanted with it first on the music server, and then the switch, I added more and more of Jonny's flagship cable until I had a full Takshaka loom. And then I took them out, and went back to my world pre-Snake River Audio.

And it hurt. I missed them. They took what I thought about my system and dismantled my beliefs.

So what's my final take on the Takshaka? I ended up buying not one, or two, but three Takshakas for my system replacing the cords for my network switch, music server and phonostage. It is an exceptional power cord and considering its competitive performance against some of the much more costly and well-regarded cords in this review, makes it an absolute bargain. There are many strong power cord contenders at this price point, however very few do everything so well. The Takshaka performed to its namesake and deserves to be on your short-list of must-try cables regardless of budget, and its physical beauty and easy ergonomics are icing upon this delicious cake.

Well done, Jonny!



* This "surgeon's dilemma" illustrates the gender bias preventing many readers from solving this riddle if they assume that the surgeon must be the boy's father and cannot be both alive and dead at the same time. The answer to the riddle is that the surgeon is the boy's mother (or in another modern variation, the step-dad or same-sex marriage dad).

 

[keithc]

Reserved

 

[treitz3]

The more Takshaka's I get? The more I am in audio bliss, whether it be digital, PC or IC's.

A Diamond In The Rough-Snake River Audio

There are several threads active presently in WBF regarding the integrity of the High End in our hobby. Questions have been raised as to whether the most expensive are always the top of the heap and the best of the best . There are are also very strong suggestions here that the less than the...

www.whatsbestforum.com

No affiliation whatsoever. Just an extremely satisfied customer. When you know? You know.

Tom

 

[Paul1960]

I took advantage of his special pricing at T.H.E. show to buy one. I haven't decided where to put it or whether to terminate it with a C-19 plug (Audio Research Ref 5SE or Puritan PSM 156) or the C-13 plug (Nordost Qbase QB8 MKIII and all the other electronics).