SHUNYATA RESEARCH Omega XC v2
Power cables
The Omega XC v2 is the best wall-to-conditioner power cable ever built by Shunyata Research. It is so easy to kill Triton, Denali and Everest’ performance by a cable that won’t be able to tackle current and voltage transient swings and won’t allow them to perform at their best, so why we should do so? It was the unbeatable dynamic power of the Everest that asked for new development that resulted into the XC v2 has been born.
Function and form
Once again, the XC cables should be used between the wall and the first system’s distribution point, be it a conditioner, a distributor or a power filter. Unlike the SR series of Shunyata’s cables the XC does not have any built-in filtering and is designed to provide as ample and unrestricted power to the system as possible. That’s why is the Omega XC equipped with 16A IEC type 19 so if you need to connect a non-Shunyata equipment an adaptor to IEC type 15 will be needed. Although Shunyata sells a very good one I still recommend not to use it in ultimate set-ups and ask for an IEC C15 terminated cable instead which Shunyata will happily provide.
The Omega XC boasts of one of the thickest conductor cross-section, total of 21mm2. It combines high purity copper for outer braid that surrounds a pure silver core. It took long before Shunyata Research embraced silver but here we are and the company claims that the Ag core demonstrably improves macro-dynamics and creates an incredible three dimensional weight and timing in the lower octaves.
The Omega XC is terminated with Shuyata´s own CopperCONN plugs that utilize solid copper internal parts (no brass) and claim to have measurably lower resistance, and carbon fiber shells to damp micro-resonances. The shells are available in silver, red and gold.
Although the Omega XC is an ultra-thick cable (33mm) it remains rather flexible and I had no issue whatsoever to route it comfortably to my Denali conditioner.
Bass management
Tangerine Dream’s Optical Race (Privat Inc.) is a record from the dawn of digital recording technologies. The song collection was down-mixed on a master tape and then produced digitally through Atari equipment that was very popular at the time. Yet, the original sounds were generated by synthesizers and sequencers and no microphones took part in the recording process. As such Optical Race has ultra-clean and polished sound, perhaps too polished. Whether we like it or not will largely depend on the quality of our audio equipment, I dare to say the lesser it is the more we will like the sound. At the time of its release such pristine sonics were beneficial and contributed to the album’s success, today we can be surprised by sequences that will bite our ears like frost and nothing nor Shunyata Omega XC can eliminate this. It shouldn’t, it is how the recording is conceived. But the Omega XC has some tricks that make the album a real treat – it can analyze its sound down to a molecular level. As if with the Omega XC you could cee deeper into the waved structures of Tangerine Dream, as if you skipped several processors and got closer to the sound-generating machines. This pretty much describes what the Omega XC v2 is all about – sensationally deep resolution and accuracy.
Clarity & delicacy
Most previous top end Shunyata Research’s power cables were great with one exception: they would have deep bass but a bit unfocused and nebulous. The new Omega XC v2 is anything but having lack of focus in bass. The sound is well balanced and very open, the cable has unusually seductive rhythmic drive, further enhanced by the aforementioned microscopic details. The deep end of the frequency spectrum is surprisingly less voluminous (for Shunyata) which helps textures unfold. The bass resolution and its volume are usually connected vessels – the more detailed and fast a component sounds in bass, the less of the bass a listener subjectively gets, and vice versa. I would like to say that the Omega XC v2 has both the speed and the depth, however, it is lighter in its presentation. Not only is this is heard on typical bass instruments, I could detect this lighter signature on the acoustic guitar of Antonio Forcione as well (Naim Sampler #3). The detail is great, the soundstage is holographic and magical, yet the sound is a tad leaner than I am used to hear with Synergistic Research (Atmosphere/Galileo), Anuz (C2/D2) and Roth Audio (Ariya). To be fair I have to remind you that Shunyata Research believes in synergy and the cables are voiced to their own products. The Omega XC v2 was specifically designed for Everest conditioner and such be evaluated as such.
Tonal accuracy
I found out that it was very important to let the Omega XC set in the system before any critical listening when reconnected. Shunyata Research submits each cable to their proprietary KPIP processing (Kinetic Phase Inversion Process) that reportedly outperforms both all usual burn-in and cryogenic processes – yet the Omega XC performed the best when left connected for 2-3 hours with music playing before auditioning. I don’t find it suprising, George Cardas was reporting on the same issue with multistrand cables 20 years ago. So let it set and the Omega XC will reward you with more open and more detailed sound.
Spatial resolution
As far its soundstaging capabilities are concerned, the Omega XC will not be the weakest link of any audio system. I witnessed many times how critical a power cable can be for soundstage and imaging, and the Omega XC v2 is easily among the best (read the most spatially accomplished) cables I have hear. The sound filled my room wall to wall and the system recreated the acoustics of a rather lively recording studio in which Ultimate W ensemble and oboist Vilém Veverka recorded excellent Next Horizon CD for Supraphon label.
Despite its primary role of the cable for Shunyata’s power conditioners I can also imagine the Omega XC supplying power to high-end monoblock and power amplifiers, directly from wall. You don’t need any filtering here, maximizing clean energy supply is what you want. Wealthy audiophiles may find the Omega XC to be a final cable, less wealthy ones have just another subject to dream of.
Recommended resellers
HI-FI studio TYKON, Ostrava, tel. +420 723 449 894
Platan Audio, Hlohovec / Bratislava, tel. +421 905 409 802
Manufacturer's website: http://www.shunyata.com
Associated components
- Sources: Accuphase DP-720, Topping BC-3
- Amplifiers: TAD M-2500, Leak Stereo 130
- Interconnects and speaker cables: AudioQuest Dragon Bass | Zero, Krautwire Numeric Digital, Krautwire MAX-S, Ansuz Signalz C2, Accuphase RCA
- Loudspeakers: TAD Evolution One E1, Sonus Faber Gravis I, KEF LS50 Meta
- Power conditioning Block Audio Snakeblock, Shunyata Research Denali, Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level 2, Nordost Qv2, Stromtank S-1000
Gallery
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