Shunyata Theta/Gamma Lines - Do they surpass the Delta/Venom of the previous generation?

[Eric_E]

I just bought a pair of the new Theta XLR ICs and they are also superb.

BTW, if you need cables for "lesser" applications, e.g. a second system or components or equipment in another room, or for Home Theatre, etc. the new Gamma line is exceptional as well. I've got a full loom of Gamma in I'm presently writing a review for.

Good to know. I am waiting on my first Gamma PC. I ordered it 6 weeks ago. Shunyata must be in demand.

 

[Puma Cat]

Look forward to your review. In a small home office system (with all Shunyata power products) I added a 2 meter Gamma power cord for a new REL T7x. Separately, my A/V technician modified my home theater system to provide for better 2 channel audio. Involved adding a Mac pre-amp with home theater pass- through. A neat trick. Added / replaced 3 power cords with Theta NR. They plugged into a Hydra Delta 6 which is fed by an Alpha XC V2. Also added a Gamma XC for ancillary components and the 4k set. Very happy so far. Worked with John at Cableco for all the Shunyata gear. The A/V technician is with a prominent Denver provider.

Yes, the guys at the Cable Co are excellent. Great to hear the Gamma PC for your REL is working out well for you. I haven't heard the Theta NR PCs yet, but the new Theta XLR IC is superb, using one as my main IC right now, as with my current setup presently, I only need one IC (not counting my phono stage).

Cheers.

 

[Lee]

Yes to the OP.

 

[jmimac351]

Yes, the guys at the Cable Co are excellent. Great to hear the Gamma PC for your REL is working out well for you. I haven't heard the Theta NR PCs yet, but the new Theta XLR IC is superb, using one as my main IC right now, as with my current setup presently, I only need one IC (not counting my phono stage).

Cheers.

Hi, I'm curious - have you owned Cardas Clear and / or Cardas Clear Reflection? I wonder how that would present compared to Theta XLR & Speaker. I am putting together those 3 setups.

I have Clear speaker cables and 2 pairs of Clear XLR here now.

Today, 2 pairs of Clear Reflection XLR showed up... now I need Clear Reflection speaker cables.

I'm actively looking for Theta XLR to pair with the Theta speaker cables so I can compare all 3 setups... and sort it out for what I like best.

I am trying to balance how much RESOLUTION comes thru... it's like Kelvin temperature with lighting... there is a visceral thing going on I suspect. Sometimes a little gravy makes everything taste better and I suspect one can go thru an arc of chasing extreme resolution and then coming back around the corner to a bit more relaxed delivery.

I'm trying to settle on what I will like long term, and it could be that I need keep a certain second setup around... for emergencies!

 

[Puma Cat]

Hi, I'm curious - have you owned Cardas Clear and / or Cardas Clear Reflection?

No. Before discovering Shunyata's cables, I was using Audoquest. I've only owned and used Shunyata cables since then. If you'd like to compare Shunyata's cable directly to the Cardas cables, my recommendation would be to rent in the cables you're interested in from The Cable Company, and determine for yourself the anwers to your questtions with real data in your room and system. I'll just that if Shunyata cables weren't available, I'd most likely be using Cardas.

Cheers.

 

[Richard D. George]

Yes, the guys at the Cable Co are excellent. Great to hear the Gamma PC for your REL is working out well for you. I haven't heard the Theta NR PCs yet, but the new Theta XLR IC is superb, using one as my main IC right now, as with my current setup presently, I only need one IC (not counting my phono stage).

Cheers.

What is the timing of publishing your review of the Gamma line?

 

[Jim Treanor]

I haven't heard the Theta NR PCs yet, but the new Theta XLR IC is superb, using one as my main IC right now, as with my current setup presently, I only need one IC (not counting my phono stage).

Beginning in January, I began replacing either a stock power cord (power amp) or Delta NR v2 (server, DAC) on the bedroom system's active components with a Theta NR, one at a time as budget permitted. Each of the first two changes (in January and February) effected an immediate improvement in sonic performance (greater transparency, extension of perceived scale, dimensionality, and heft).Yesterday, I completed the cycle by replacing the DAC's Delta NR v2 with an already partially burned-in Theta NR. And got my socks knocked off within the first 10 seconds of David Amos conducting the London Symphony Orchestra in the first movement of Morton Gould's Folk Suite for Orchestra (Harmonia Mundi CD rip). I was breathing performance venue air in my listening position at the apex of a six-foot-sided equilateral triangle as the speakers pulled off a disappearing act like none I've heard before from this system. Yeah, the soundstage expanded, the mid-bass grunted viscerally, and there was more "there" there top to bottom. But it was the sense of being sucked into the performance that caught me most off guard. And that result was not limited to the Gould as I delved deeper into the music stored on my server's SSD.

It's an improvement that in its scope and sense of presence exceeds the already-substantial improvements achieved with the first two Theta NR PCs. I don't know whether to attribute the scale of the latest improvement to the specific mating of DAC and power cord or to what I'd call the "symmetry" of having all of the system's active components fed by Theta NRs. (Note: An Alpha XC v2 feeds the Delta D6 power distributor from the wall.) But whatever the reason, the Theta NR clearly bests the Delta NR v2 in getting "more" out of the components it feeds.

In the product lineup, the move from Delta v2 to Theta is "lateral". The scope of improvement, however, is anything but. At least in this system.

 

[jmimac351]

I have several pairs of Cardas Clear and Clear Reflection XLR. Cardas Clear Speaker and Theta speaker. Still getting to know all of this stuff.

The Cardas Clear speaker have been in quite a while as I really need to figure out if they are going to stick around. When I put the Theta in recently I was extremely impressed... just more and better of everything. The Cardas Clear also does magic, but I have a hunch that too much of it can almost be too much of a good thing. It can be a "different kind of magic / clarity" that can be very close to being DRY.

All of my gear is Ayre Acoustics R series (KX-R / MX-R / QX-5). So, I've been missing a pair of Shunyata Theta XLR to really get a taste of that compared to the Cardas stuff I have. Well a used pair just arrived today. I'm redoing the room setup / room treatment and the MX-Rs are out of the system, so isthe KX-R.

It's a cobbled setup. I am running direct from the QX-5 Twenty to a simple Ayre AX-7e running in Pass Thru mode (as an amp). Keeping it simple helps for this too, I suspect.

Well, this Theta XLR with the Cardas Clear Speaker... WOW. Instantly it's just "more right". It's full / musical, but with a hint of detail that is just the right amount and not fatiguing.

With some cables it seems they can trend so transparent that it creates discomfort and fatigue.

For instance, I can handle some straight up espresso...but not all the time. In the morning I make an Americano (or 3) with just a bit of half and half and 1 Truvia... I think I like my music presentation the same way.

Full bodied with just a little bit of detail sweetness.

So far, Theta = Smart Money... Big Time.

I am definitely in the market for another pair of Theta XLR... possibly longer than 1M to run to my MX-R monos because this wire may really be sticking around. If I HAD to use Theta and get rid of all Cardas, I would have no problem with that.

So, now trying to sort thru "better" with this stuff and not mistake that for just "different"... I will leave with each for a month or so and see what I miss... and what makes me forget about wire altogether.

 

[Richard D. George]

What is the timing of publishing your review of the Gamma line?

Yes, the guys at the Cable Co are excellent. Great to hear the Gamma PC for your REL is working out well for you. I haven't heard the Theta NR PCs yet, but the new Theta XLR IC is superb, using one as my main IC right now, as with my current setup presently, I only need one IC (not counting my phono stage).

Cheers.

What is the timing for publishing your review of the Gamma line?

 

[Puma Cat]

What is the timing of publishing your review of the Gamma line?

Not sure yet, just about to submit it to the folks at Shunyata for the review fact check. It could be a month or so before it goes live. I'll post back here when it's up.

 

[audioquest4life]

Not sure yet, just about to submit it to the folks at Shunyata for the review fact check. It could be a month or so before it goes live. I'll post back here when it's up.

Your results of the Theta sound promising. I wonder how a full Theta loom, phono, ICs, speaker cables, and power would sound.

Are you doing any reviews of the Alpha or Sigma X lines. It seems as if no one has reviewed the new Sigma X QR. That would be very interesting.