The Absolute Best Sounding Cables Ever - Velumnatics AudioPhlow
I have always been very skeptical of these “snake oil” mortgage-the-house audiophile grade cables. Now I have a set of really nice cables for my Sennhieser HD650 and cannot tell the difference, but from what I have been told recently by some hardcore audiophiles is that you really cannot tell the difference until you get into the thousand dollar range and it becomes more evident from there up. I still rolled my eyes at what I considered pure and utter BS. But now I am a firm believer; I have seen the glistening light of the audiophile community.
A high end audio manufacture Velumnatics contacted me last week to see if I wanted check out their new AudioPhlow patch cable. Hearing that they cost several thousand dollars, I thought I have to check these out and give abi readers the full scoop.
The AudioPhlow 420’s retail for $2940 for the 1m version but can also be custom sized. The contact alloy on each jack is a newly developed technology that allows elections to be evenly distributed on the contacts. Comparing these to a standard cable they look slightly hazy and iridescent.
The cabling itself is a technology licensed from a German aerospace firm called Gaurdenhose Polyimeplastic. This tech enables the blend of several different plastics with audiophile particles in order to make the best sound isolation within the cable. But this also lends to a very durable build quality that will fend off any kitten attack.
What makes these cables unique however it the center core is filled with denatured H20. This is done to give the 24 gage internal wires room to freely “swim” and move as music passes though them. This became very evident when I tested the sound quality- music just seemed to flow much better.
How did they sound? Initially I plugged them into my Toshiba T400 and connected them to an old Sony Boom Box and wow! Music just came to life and basically as the liquid technology suggests, it just swam, moved, flowed and grooved. It’s really hard to describe the realism of this cable and how it brings music to life; it is something that needs to be witnessed. Are they worth the $3000 price tag? Simply, yes.
Comments
dfkt on April 1, 2008 11:16 AM
I have one on order as well, custom sized. I asked Velumnatics if they could make a 10cm long cable to use as an interconnect between my Coby MP3 player and my CMOY portable amp. This should be a challenge for the company since the election distribution and the H20 particles need to be cryogenetically enhanced to work over such a short distance. But I have great faith in them and believe they will do a great job.
musichound on April 1, 2008 11:40 AM
I have 2 pairs of these cables an let me tell you, i could not believe how I ever got along without them. They sound especially nice when plugged into my Fisher priced table radio.
AliL on April 1, 2008 12:54 PM
I would have believed you but you just tried too hard.
"The contact alloy on each jack is a newly developed technology that allows elections to be evenly distributed on the contacts. Comparing these to a standard cable they look slightly hazy and iridescent."
Come on, I'm never gonna believe that.
lefty on April 1, 2008 1:42 PM
Well, someone got some free cables for a favorable review, I think, which is too bad, because I was hoping this site was unbiased.
FWIW, it's "electrons" not "elections" - but let me tell you, electrons will flow just as good without "denatured H20" surrounding its conductor.
Live long and prosper. At $3000/cable, and enough suckers out there, this company will.
@musichound - is that the tube version of the FP radio? That's sweet audio baby!
Christopher on April 1, 2008 1:43 PM
I love plugging my mp3 player into my garden hose. I can water the plants and listen to music.
MIchiel on April 1, 2008 2:06 PM
How many hungry babies could you feed with 3000 dollar?
ooooh but of course, your audio-delight is worth much more than that.
MIchiel on April 1, 2008 2:07 PM
How many hungry babies could you feed with 3000 dollar?
ooooh but of course, your audio-delight is worth much more than that.
Tuan on April 1, 2008 2:11 PM
Did anyone check the date? :)
Omar on April 1, 2008 2:38 PM
Yeah guys really, haha.
I've been browsing the internets for a while now seeing which of the sites I regularly visit did April Fool's jokes. IGN did a pretty good one too, haha.
Jeffrey T. Meyer on April 1, 2008 4:03 PM
My mp3 player kept freezing up during a recent ski trip. I blame these cables.
szzapper2 on April 1, 2008 4:21 PM
Ha Ha! you know everybody should buy a set of these cables- they surprisingly fit the decor of the garden hut. ill have to purchase these, but only today... because, well you know why.
Hozed on April 1, 2008 4:43 PM
I had one of these babies, and it sounded great... Until I accidentally punctured it and all the denatured H2O leaked out. Now I'm stuck with a $3000 leaky garden hose.
Dave on April 1, 2008 4:46 PM
I'm assuming this is an April Fools joke. Considering it looks like a garden hose with electric tape and some audio video cords fed through... Hmm am I the only one that got the joke or am I a complete ass?
kugel. on April 1, 2008 4:48 PM
Nice joke, I really believed in that when I read it for the first time.
But on the second time I saw, that the chinch plugs are not gold at all. $3000 and they don't even offer gold plugs? Also, the tape, with which the plugs are stickt to the hosepipe just looks awesome :)
Nice joke, realistic actually.
But I guess I'd rather buy the betamax-to-HD-DVD-converter.
akasan on April 1, 2008 4:50 PM
I am not frakin with you. One day innoccent little me stumbles upon a seemingly harmless website called head-fi and discovers these insane people who actually pay upwards of $100 for a pair of freakin headphones...these people are crazy, surely the sound can't be better than my cobys! Innocent me splurges on a $50 dollar pair of sennheisers, then move on to shure e2's then to e3's then to e4's down to se210's and back to the e4's and now seriously considering spending $500 on a pair of e5's. I can't even stand to listen to a pair of sub $100 headphones any more when I know
once upon a time I was satisified with my 5$ cobys. Now here you go with this tale of $1000+ audio cables and i find myself...curious...no...I will not! still...I wonder. lol. Forgive me. Slow day at work.
akasan` on April 1, 2008 4:56 PM
oh...april fools...i feel..really...stupid...
screw on April 1, 2008 5:01 PM
haha nice one
The Little Guy on April 1, 2008 5:13 PM
LOL,Google has a good one also
WalkGood on April 1, 2008 7:21 PM
Just ordered a few to water my orchids :)
dragnandy on April 1, 2008 7:46 PM
man, i think it sucks to be an audiophile. im happy with my $30 headphones =D.
Victory on April 1, 2008 8:34 PM
Lolzors! I thought this was serious until I realized it was April Fool's Day. Good job ABI.
screw on April 1, 2008 9:43 PM
so can i get them at home depot or lowes?
Aardvark on April 2, 2008 3:26 PM
Top job, I had a sinking feeling reading this. H20 forever. Almost had me for a second there. :)
QBoi on April 2, 2008 6:27 PM
lmao, i fell for it
DevilJIN on April 3, 2008 12:04 AM
but i already placed my order =O
U ARE GONNA PAY FOR THIS,ABI!!!!!
the matrix expert on April 3, 2008 9:24 AM
I was fooled also :D
denaturated h20; you mean boiled? rofl
Piper - the Peter on April 3, 2008 10:42 AM
I can't believe how many people fell for this.
Especially the blokes Michiel and Akasan.
loopfreak on April 6, 2008 1:50 PM
3000 bucks than plug&play ?
I think this cable is for David Beckham and his gold plated i f###ing pod !!!????
GadFly on April 10, 2008 9:04 PM
You got me! I even looked at pic 4 of 9 and thought, "Weird, they look like garden hoses". Nice job.