TARA Labs Prism Interconnects and
Speaker Cables
300i interconnects
300i interconnects
Omni speaker cables
Bi-wire speaker cables
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I recently got the chance to audition a selection of the
latest Prism cables, including the 300i ($19.95 per one-meter pair) and 3300i ($89.95 per
one-meter pair) interconnects and the Omni ($1 per foot) and Bi-wire ($4.95 per foot)
speaker cables. Although TARA’s budget speaker cable is usually sold without
termination, terminated lengths are available from the factory for an additional charge of
$60. The review cables that I received sported banana plugs at my request.
Technologically speaking
Every cable TARA Labs manufactures -- including the Prism
line -- uses the same SA-OF8N copper (Super Annealed Oxygen-Free Eight Nines). Oxygen-free
"eight nines" (99.999999% pure) copper is an extremely pure version of the
metal, which is then treated with TARA’s proprietary "Super Annealing"
process, which heats and cools the copper so it results in a long, unbroken crystalline
structure that TARA refers to as a "monocrystal." TARA contends that the many
breaks in the crystalline structure of typical copper conductors exacerbate audible
high-frequency distortion, while the monocrystal of SA-OF8N copper offers a smoother, more
detailed transfer of frequencies over a wide bandwidth.
TARA’s less-expensive Prism cables use the company's
"pressure stranding" process, in which many thin strands of the soft SA-OF8N
conductors are twisted together with great force. This results in very close contact
between the conductors and very little air space between them, reducing the possibility of
internal oxidation between the strands, which could adversely affect the transfer of the
audio signal. Alternatively, several Prism cables feature "pressure
grouped" conductors, which consist of a few round conductors that are tightly wound
so they act much like a single conductor, TARA claims. In addition, the company claims
pressure-grouped cables have better phase coherence than regular, stranded conductors.
All the Prism cables use a dielectric called Aero-PE
(Aerospace Polyethylene) or SVPE (Stable-Valence Polyethylene), which is chemically
treated to be less reactive with the audio signal. Dielectric materials typically store
energy, releasing it back into the conductor as random distortion. Polyethylene is
generally believed to be a better dielectric than the more commonly used PVC, but is not
as good as, say, Teflon, which is used in TARA’s most expensive cables.
Finally, the Prism interconnects (audio, video, and
digital) come with a handy convenience feature known as the "Signal Shuttle"
cable-management system. These plastic sleeves slide up and down the length of the cable
and can be connected to each other to keep things neat and tidy. They also come with
pre-printed stickers so that you can label each of the Shuttle connectors, which will come
in handy if you ever need to disconnect the cables and reconnect your components later on
(a nice touch, especially if you have a complicated home-theater system).
In short, TARA Labs' Prism cables appear to offer
high-quality materials and construction techniques.
Interconnects
The 300i interconnect may be inexpensive, but it features
SA-OF8N pressure-stranded conductors, SVPE dielectric, and heavy-duty RCA connectors that
provide a very tight fit. The more expensive 3300i interconnect uses solid-core conductors
and is a thicker, stiffer cable, but is still quite easy to work with. It appears to have
the same tight-fitting RCA connectors as the 300i, and also uses SVPE dielectric.
Speaker Cable
Both of the Prism speaker cables I received for review
utilize 14AWG pressure-grouped conductors and Aero-PE dielectric. The Omni speaker cable
is similar in design to the Bi-wire speaker cable, but it only employs a single pair of
insulated wires within the outer sleeve.
The Bi-wire speaker cables, on the other hand, (as the name
implies) have four separately insulated wires within the outer sleeve, allowing the
consumer to biwire or biamp his loudspeakers. Some speakers have two sets of binding posts
(one for the low-frequency drivers and another for the high-frequency drivers) and can be
connected to one or two channels of amplification with this cable configuration. The
Bi-wire speaker cable can, of course, be terminated with a connector for each separate
wire group with this type of setup. However, the cables I received for audition were
terminated with only a single pair of banana plugs on either end, with two wires connected
to each of the plugs in a configuration often referred to as "shotgun."
Sound for all tastes and budgets
I auditioned the TARA Labs Prism cables on a reasonably
priced system consisting of a Blue Circle CS integrated amplifier ($1150), Axiom M3Ti SE
loudspeakers ($275), and an NAD 502 CD player ($299, discontinued). Included in the system
was an Audio Magic Xstream power cord ($69) that was used with the CS integrated. For
review purposes, the 3300i interconnects were used in conjunction with the similarly
priced Bi-wire speaker cable and the less expensive 300i interconnects were paired with
the Omni speaker cables.
Champagne and caviar
The sound of the 3300i interconnects and Bi-wire speaker
cable was balanced from top to bottom. They exhibited good bass control, and clean, clear
highs that did not sound harsh or etched. Imaging and depth were realistic, which resulted
in the creation of a believable soundstage with well-recorded CDs. Both the interconnects
and the speaker cable were quite neutral, and exhibited a similar familial sound.
When the 3300i interconnects and Bi-wire speaker cable were
first inserted between the NAD CD player, Blue Circle integrated amp, and the Axiom
speakers, I was struck by how alive the system sounded. "High Life" from FIM
Audiophile Reference IV [FIM SACD 029] had great pace and a toe-tapping rhythm that
was infectious. The xylophone really came to life in this recording, and the drum kit was
placed precisely within the soundstage. The ambience of the recorded space such as crowd
noise and applause sounded natural, and could easily be differentiated from the
well-recorded but more artificial-sounding ambience of "Jitterbug" from the Mulholland
Drive soundtrack [Milan 73138-35971-2].
There was also plenty of air around Mark Knopfler’s
guitar on the title track of Golden Heart [Vertigo 314 514 732-2], and the bass,
which can become overwhelming on some systems, was tight and controlled. Knopfler’s
soft, gravelly vocals, and the vulnerable voice of Eva Cassidy from Live at Blues Alley
[Blix Street G2-10046] had plenty of nuance, but were pushed slightly forward. This had
the effect of making the voices seem vivid and real, if slightly exaggerated. Both male
and female vocals always had a solid and stable center image that was remarkably palpable.
Beer and pretzels
Although the 3300i interconnect and Bi-wire speaker cable
offer very good value, what if nearly $100 for a single pair of interconnects or speaker
cables is out of your price range? Well, not to worry -- although the 300i interconnect
and Omni speaker cable cost only a fraction of the more expensive models' prices, they
still offered much of the same sound quality.
Listening again to Mark Knopfler’s "Golden
Heart," the bass was still controlled and his voice was again pushed slightly
forward, which gave it an immediate and tangible presence. Eva Cassidy’s vocals were
mesmerizing, with a crisp sound that revealed a lot of detail, yet never turned bright or
edgy. "High Life" from FIM Audiophile Reference IV sounded a little more
forward and had slightly less depth and ambience, but it was still lively and very
involving. The drum kit sounded especially real, and the high-hat and other cymbals
exhibited sharp attack and sustained decay. Similarly, "Old London" had an
immediate presentation, clearly defining the soloists within the soundstage, and
presenting believable front-to-back layering of the orchestra and chorus.
Comparison
Compared to similarly priced cables from Analysis Plus and
Audio Magic, the TARA Labs 3300i interconnect and Bi-wire speaker cable fared very well.
While my preferred interconnect from this bunch was the Audio Magic Xstream ($100 per
one-meter pair) and my favorite speaker cable was the Analysis Plus Clear Oval ($99 per
eight-foot pair), the TARA Labs Prisms offered very balanced sound from both the
interconnects and speaker cables. The Xstream interconnect and Clear Oval speaker
cable both offered neutral and refined sound, but the Xstream speaker cable and Analysis
Plus interconnects sounded dark and not quite transparent.
For example, when listening to Robbie Robertson’s Music
For the Native Americans [Capitol C2 724382829522], the Analysis Plus Oval One
interconnects ($89 per one-meter pair) and the Audio Magic Xstream speaker cables ($114
per eight-foot pair) seemed to veil the complex rhythms slightly. In comparison, the 3300i
interconnect and Bi-wire speaker cable from TARA worked synergistically together to
provide sound that was always quite neutral and well defined. These cables could be
a bit lean sounding, but they were fast, transparent, and highly detailed. Using Prism
3300i and Bi-wire, the densely layered bass rhythms were distinct, and Robertson’s
vocals and guitar work were finely textured, reaching further back into the soundstage.
The two elements of the Prism combination worked together, producing a similar sound,
while combining interconnects and speaker cables from Analysis Plus and Audio Magic seemed
to produce slightly different sonic characteristics.
The less-expensive Prism 300i interconnect and Omni speaker
cable could not compare directly to any of these more expensive cables. They deserve
recognition, however, for their high-quality construction and surprisingly balanced sound
-- even more so when you take into account their extremely reasonable prices. After
all, most specialty cable manufacturers do not even offer products in this price range.
Conclusion
The TARA Labs Prism cables offer great value and excellent
sound quality. Whether I listened to the inexpensive 300i interconnect and Omni speaker
cable combination, or the more expensive, but still reasonably priced, 3300i interconnect
and Bi-wire speaker cable, the sound was always clean and clear. And that makes them
worthy considerations for GoodSound!-approved systems.
Prices of equipment reviewed
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