I will be receiving the Stealth Audio Indra Version 8 RCA/1 meter (used) this Wednesday.

I make no apologies for owning some of the best cabling in the world....they do matter. Nor, do I ever get into pissing matches about them, as I look you in the eye and smile.

The Indra has an established 10 year track record for being excellent in only needing one (1 pair) of them from Source to Preamplifier or Direct from Source to Amplifier. As long as your downstream stuff is damn good (from CSP3: Kimber Select 1030 to Zen Mystery Amplifier to Kimber Select 3033 to modified Acoustic Adagio's ~ for me), I'm in good shape. The PS Audio P3 matters too.

For those interested......I will report back on them. After an intense next 30 days of evaluating them....will they stay -or- will I be trading them in for a full store credit (yes even used at less than half the original price - I have this option)?  

I have a pair of Ediswan's coming for my A12 & B12 positions of my ZMA. I will not introduce those in the System till much later.

I will pop back in on this thread, come Thursday or Friday...with initial impressions.






Listening Room:
Room Treatments from Michael Green & Home Brew

Sony as Transport (DVP-NS57P)/Sandwich weighted for Isolation
Illuminati D-60 Digital Coax IC

Decware ZDSD DAC / Recorder (@ -20 Ref Level @ 16/176.4)

Stealth Audio Indra version 8 IC RCA coming!
*************************************************

Kimber Select KS1030 IC RCA
Decware CSP3 w/Jupiter Caps (NOS/Platinum/Telefunken 6922/E88CC .....for Input Tube)
Kimber Select KS1030 IC RCA

Decware Torii Junior coming!
*************************************************

Decware Zen Mystery Amplifier (NOS/Platinum/Matsushita/National PCC88/7DJ8.....in A12 an B12 Input Tube positions)

***NOS/Platinum/Ediswan's CV2492/6922 pending in my A12 an B12 positions***
I finally ordered them...should have them in by next Tuesday or Wednesday... .



Kimber Select KS3033 Speaker Cable
Acoustic Zen Adagio - Black Pearl (Modified)

Acoustic Zen Adagio's x-over's Modified/Full Range with Mundorf MCap Supremes-single Cap to each Tweeter/4.5k cross
(Gutted: 3rd order Linkwitz/Riley's....with all crappy parts = gone)


XLO Pro Power Cords to CSP3 an ZMA
PS Audio P3 Power Plant / Pangea AC-9SE from wall to P3
(Transport, ZDSD an CSP3, Regenerated/120 ~ Multiwave off...ZMA on High Current Output)


Decware SE84CS (NOS Svetlana SV83's from 1980's-not the New Sensor knock-offs) ...when SE Pentodes run in Triode/Decware Style...needs to be in the System!

You need to hear high end cables/just the RCA thru the CSP3 in & out. You will be scratching your head saying: XLR what? Steve clearly stated you can match the weight and density (via CSP3)....most importantly the lower noise floor too...AND with premium cables like the KS1030 IC's in RCA vs. cheap XLR....you can.

Having said that: I'm getting the Cardas XLR adaptor's to run out of my balanced ZDSD to see if there is anything discernible.... . Even though I'm not balanced going into the CSP3 an ZMA. Plus, I will run the Indra direct (no CSP3), via both RCA with Steve's output stage and XLR to ZMA (via adaptor's). I probably should not even bother with the XLR, I don't need the few extra db it provides when using the CSP3/RCA.

Bottom line, if the Indra can't beat my WBT-0102Ag RCA Kimber Select KS1030 from Source to Preamp and Source to ZMA......I will trade them for the Auralic Vega.   All good - all good.
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/auralic-vega-digital-audio-processor-1/...
If I get the Vega it has a 100 stepped attenuator/PRE. So I would run that direct with CARDAS XLR adaptor's.

I will move my ZDSD downstairs (with CSP3) with either my ZMA or new Torii Junior. Or maybe the Auralic goes downstairs/driving direct to ZMA or T-Jr., with ERRx's?

Well, I'm getting ahead of myself-first things first.

Stealth Audio Indra Version 8 RCA/1 meter (used) ~~ out for delivery.

I should have her in the System: Source (ZDSD) to Preamp (CSP3).....by 1pm.

My pair of Ediswan's from Upscale came yesterday. They will have to wait. What an incredibly constructed Tube!  Can't wait to get those in my A12 an B12 of my ZMA!

11 hours in on the Indra and no doubt it is an organic tonally balanced wonderful IC. However, it will take me another couple weeks to get a full handle on her (plus break in she might actually need).

I might however, prefer my all Kimber Select 1030's. The touch of sweetness in the highs and bass depth of the 1030's....with more atmosphere overall.......... . Then, one would say your 1030's are colored?  No, they are voiced. Their voicing is very conducive to Tube Amps...my Decware.

Both IC's share the Holographic soundstage, stellar imaging with tone & timbre. By comparison, if I put in my very good Kimber KCAG, Silver Streak or Hero... .  No contest, you can't wait to put the Select 1030's or Indra back in.

Time will tell over the next 3 weeks + I have. It will be a preference thing'.  8-)
A good problem to have...this choice I must make... . If need be, I will exchange it for the Auralic Vega. It will cost me a few more bucks....but I will see if the Vega can beat my ZDSD for PCM.

Now that I have had the Indra in the system for a few months, there is no way I would want to part with them. In my experience, the greatest components don’t sound like anything. They let you hear and feel the music, but not the cable, amp, or CD player. You may not realize how good a component is until you take it out of the system and replace it with something else. Every time I take the Indra out, I hear differences. The GC and PGS sound warmer and slightly compressed, the Cardas GR sounds a bit bright, MITs sound dark … Swap the Indra back in – the music is back!! This cable delivers the biggest soundstage I have heard from any cable to date. It also has more punch in the bass and more air up top. There is just more of everything there! With the Indra, Eva Cassidy, Ben Harper, John Coltrane, Norah Jones are right with you in the room. The Indra bring me closer to the music than any other cable I have had in the system. They are pricey, but then again so are the best cables out there and I truly believe the Indra can hold its own when compared to the very best and might even better some of them. Since I have not heard all of them, I can’t say for sure, but given the level of enjoyment and musicality that the Indra have brought to my system, I have no intention of trying any other cables in their place.

In sum, the Indra is a very special cable that will retain a very special place in my system for a long time. Two more comments about Stealth cables in general: Be patient, Stealth cables need more time to fully burn in and settle into your system than most other cables I have tried. But they are well worth the wait. I have noticed that there is a unique synergy when combining Stealth cables. Add one pair and you hear a difference, change all cables to Stealth and the improvement is magnified. While I cannot afford to buy two more Indras, I have bought two pairs of the PGS and run them from the preamp to the Merlin Bam, to the amps. The whole system now sounds more musical, open, and natural than it did with all my Cardas wiring. I hope I will be able to get my hands and ears on a pair of Serguei’s new Dream speaker cables soon to see if the synergy can be improved even more.

Happy Listening!

http://www.audioasylum.com/reviews/Cable/Stealth/Indra/cables/101520.html

Revelation has been had!

I switched the Indra to CSP3 out to ZMA. Returning my WBT-0102Ag Kimber Select 1030 IC from ZDSD to CSP3.

WOW! My conclusion is: What my 1030 does/preserves from Source to Preamp....now gets passed to the Conduit that is the INDRA! Preserving and improving on PRaT, bass articulation with SLAM! All the while with an even increased Soundstage.

The Midrange?!!!! Holy freakin' hanna! The palpability has gone from a ripe banana........to an even more perfectly ripe banana to the taste buds Ears...texture with even more nuance.

The Kimber Select 1030 is the Air King.....providing its goodness to the INDRA...then the Indra perserves it by getting out of the way even more-one upping the Kimber after the handshake through the Pre!  I think the INDRA has more burn in to it too!

Gotta go and squeeze out some more music before heading out for the weekend!  WOW!  

Hi Stone of Tone,

Thanks for your report. I just bought Stealth Audio Indra XLR 1.5 meter IC. I  am currently using my own DIY Deulund silver wire RCA IC from Audio Note mod DAC 3.1 to LSA preamp. I will get Coincident Line Statement preamp so that I plan to use XLR IC instead of RCA IC. Because XLR out is better than RCA out from Audio Note DAC 3.1. I am always looking for good XLR IC. The Stealth Audio Indra interested me when you posted your review here. I trust your ear.  

I got it at USD 2,000 from post of USD 2,995 and ex-MRSP was USD 9,995 in Audiogon. However the Stealth Indra is original version before V8 version. It is older version than yours. I think that I got it very good price so that I want to try. If I do my DIY XLR IC of Deulund Silver wire, it costs me of USD 2,000, the same price of Stealth Audio Indra. Then I think that Indra is a good choice for me.

@ vyokyong - I will be interested to hear your comparison to the Deulund silver in oil as I find these pretty amazing especially for the money.

Hi Beowulf and Stone of Tone,

Sure, I will report comparison between Stealth Audio Indra XLR IC against my DIY Duelund Silver wire RCA IC. However it will be many months for me to get my Stealth Audio Indra XLR IC for test in my hifi system. Because I stay in Vietnam, the import tax is very high for parcel shipped into Vietnam. I always ask seller to send to my friend's house in Hong Kong. When I have business trip to Hong Kong then I can bring it back. However now I have less frequent trip to Hong Kong. It will be long wait, but I will do report when I have Stealth Indra XLR IC used in my system.

Thanks.

Yes, it will be months. Last time, my Audio Note DAC was 7 months after purchasing and Coincident Line Statement Pre-amp was 6 months after purchasing. I use to and be patient enough for this kind of waiting.

No hurry, just enjoy listening.

Very nice, vyokyong. I commented more in the ZMA Thread Section.

Enjoy!


https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1409130590/153#153