AAI Estremo
Interconnects
I tasted the all new Estremo range last year, on two remarkable occasions. The first involved a Guarneri violin and a Fazioli concert grand, the second involved my own TAD Revolution One loudspeaker project that I have thoroughly decribed earlier. I'll elaborate on these two occasions, but even though on both the occasions the Estremo components excelled, their designers at Slovakian AAI claimed that some final touches were still needed. It took half a year to finalize them - and I think it was worth the wait.
Function and form
I was very curious about how the Estremo XLR signal cable would perform. Initially, we found the SRX XL more attractive sounding but as we continued listening, the audience started to polarize. We swapped the signal cables forth and back many times before each of us settled on an opinion. The verdict was 80/20 in favour of the Estremo.
Bass management
Soundstaging was clearly one of the virtues of the Estremo. It better filled the soundstage extremes, especially diagonals, while the SRX XL´s soundstage was slightly congested.
Clarity & delicacy
Also, the Estremo provided cleaner sound against quieter backdrop, so the sounds emerged with bigger contrast. There are endless variables for the Synergistic Research system as it is highly adjustable within its own ecosystem. That´s why it has ´Synergistic´ in its name.
Tonal accuracy
On the other hand, AAI has ´Authentic´ in its name and the resolution, colours, and openness were closer to the sound of live instruments. We decided to repeat the interconnect shoot-out later and in much bigger context. Keep reading.
Spatial resolution
Despite their understated appearance, the AAI Estremo cables have ability to compete with the best. And I mean the best. Encouraged by the power cable experiments I organized loans of several truly high-end interconnects. So, the Estremo signal cables were benchmarked against Ansuz (Signalz C2/D2), Stealth Audio (Metacarbon/Sakra V16), Krautwire (Super Symetric), Nordost (Odin 2), Synergistic Research (SRX) and AudioQuest (Dragon/Thunderbird). And the winner is…
This text is an abridged version of the full AAI Estremo review: AAI goes extreme.
Recommended resellers
AAI (Authentic Audio Image), Povážská Bystrica, +421 905 694 943
Manufacturer's website: http://www.aai.sk
Associated components
- Sources: Accuphase DP-720, Ayon CD-35 HF Edition
- Amplifiers: TAD-M2500, Audia Flight Strumento No.8
- Interconnects and speaker cables: Krautwire Numeric Digital, AudioQuest Dragon Zero | Bass, plus all the cables that were mentioned in the test
- Loudspeakers: TAD Revolution One, Silent Laboratories Melodee
- Power conditioning: Shunyata Research Denali, Stromtank S-1000, Ansuz Mainz C2, AAI Maestoso, AAI Assoluto, Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 2 a SRX XL, Nordost Qv2, QWave and QSine, Diamond Sound E2 grounding, GMG Power X-Blocker Exclusive, IsoTek Syncro V5 Uni, AAI power distribution unit, Synergistic Research Galileo PowerCell SX a Active Ground Block SX
Gallery
AAI Estremo
I tasted the all new Estremo range last year, on two remarkable occasions. The first involved a Guarneri violin and a Fazioli concert grand, the second involved my own TAD Revolution One loudspeaker project that I have thoroughly ...
Recommended resellers
AAI (Authentic Audio Image), Povážská Bystrica, +421 905 694 943
AAI Maestoso IC
Out of all those interconnect cables that my audio system has ever hosted, the Maestoso interconnect reminded me Nordost´s Odin the most. I mean the original Odin that sold at 16k€ per meter. Certainly, there were some nuances, like ...
Recommended resellers
Authentic Audio Image, Povážská Bystrica, +421 905 694 943
ANALYSIS PLUS Copper Oval-In
Analysis Plus Copper Oval-IN (1m XLR) brought up images of a hornet to me. There was nothing hornet-like in its sound, rather it looked exactly like it with its black and yellow camouflage. Contrary to a hornet the Copper Oval-IN is ...
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Audiostudio s.r.o., Olomouc, tel. +420 608 752 475
ANALYSIS PLUS Silver Oval-In
After many computer simulations and other exhaustive tests, in Analysis Plus they determined that a hollow oval cable constituted the best possible conductor design. The primary advantage of an oval conductor design rather than ...
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ANSUZ Signalz C2
The design goal of Ansuz Acoustics is to keep inductance as low as possible. The Ansuz interconnects are using three twisted 3 mm coaxial cables (Direct Ground Connection alias DGC), and 2x6 wires twisted in reversed directions to ...
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ANSUZ Signalz D2
Like the Ansuz Signalz C2 is the Signalz D2 a showpiece of modern technicistic design of interconnects. The black and grey of braid is complemented by translucent copper that gives the cable its depth of colour and premium look. Like ...
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RP Audio, Ostrava, +420 737 366 831
AUDIOQUEST Thunderbird
After years of hiatus, AudioQuest has finally decided to shift the attention to signal cables. It could have been an upgrade, but it is not: the new range of interconnects turns most cable-building principles upside down. There is ...
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AQ s.r.o., Červenka, tel. +420 585 342 232
