Morrow Audio MA2 Reference Int...

Problems With Popular Cable Designs...Do your cables possess these?

The Morrow Audio cables differ in 3 major areas from most other popular and often expensive cable designs. As you read about this, you may realize that your cables have problems in these areas. Do not despair, you now qualify for a dramatic improvement in all areas of sound with the Morrow Audio line of cables. After hearing our properly designed cables, many of our customers replaced the ones they had with our complete cable product line.

Take This Test... How do your cables measure up?
Check the boxes that describe your present cable design...

My cables use stranded wire in their construction. ?

My cables use large gauge internal wires, larger wire than 24 gauge. ?

My cables are encased in an insulation jacket. ?

My cables are covered with a decorative mesh netting. ?

Are you finished checking the boxes? Let's see the result...

1. Cables That Use Stranded Wire:
In stranded wire designs, the strands touch each other hundreds of times at various points along the length of the wire, causing the signal to jump from strand to strand instead of flowing through a continuum. The result is a diode effect (like little mV Diodes) at each point where the strands come into contact, causing distortion of the signal; blurring imaging, soundstage cues, etc.

Another explanation of the diode effect is oxide forming between the strands which encourage a non-linear conduction. At the points where this occurs, actual RF detection can occur, turning your cable into a radio; receiving, detecting and injection RF signal and distortions into your music signal.

In my experience with stranded cable, where each single conductor is made from several strands, not insulated from each other, there imparts an unpleasant harshness and brightness to the sound.

The Morrow Audio Design:
Morrow Audio signal cables use ONLY solid core wire, NEVER stranded. We eliminate all diode effects by using only solid core wire. You will hear much more information in your music that was lost from the smearing effect that stranded wire produces.

Some of our models contain multiple runs of wire. They are mono strands, individually insulated from each other. In the case of our MA2 Reference interconnect, these multiple runs yield a more detailed sound. The speaker cables, out of power handling necessity, also contain these multiple runs of wire.

"I hear a beautiful, natural, extended frequency range top to bottom, with a spacious, airy soundstage. I'm enjoying gorgeous, dynamic music, with a natural sense of performers, instruments, musicianship and recording venue."

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2. Cables That Use Large Gauge Wire:
Different frequencies tend to ride at various depths in the wire structure; the highs, mids and lows tend to separate which cause time and phase errors in the signal. This is commonly known as the "skin effect". When a large gauge wire is used, this problem is even greater, resulting in phase and timing errors. The soundstage is reduced, instrument timbre is distorted. See photo below...

The Morrow Audio Design:
Morrow Audio signal cables ONLY use a small gauge wire. The different frequencies ride at the same plane in the wire, resulting in less phase and timing errors. A more accurate sound is the result. The soundstage is huge, instrument timber is accurate, it seems like the performers are in your room.

"I retired as an electrical engineer 15 years ago and this cable was a breakthrough for me. I was hearing a wide, deep soundstage, with really good but not over-etched detail, with instruments and voices sounding so much more real than ever. Bass was very clear, mids were delightful, and highs were clean."

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3. Cables That Use Mesh Cable Jackets Or Heavy Insulators:
Some cable designs use decorative mesh cable jackets or even heavy insulators to insulate and/or make their cable attractive to the eye.

Inside common cable designs are internal conductors with an extruded insulation of some sort. The insulation material is in close and immediate contact with the conductor along its entire length. One of these conductors might be in the form of a wire mesh that surrounds the center conductor, acting as a shield from RFI.

Wrapped around all this is the outer casing of the cable, made out of rubber, PVC, Teflon or some other material. Finally, there may be a decorative mesh netting around all this, the only purpose of which is to appeal to the eye and make the cable attractive.

These insulation elements all form the dielectric of the wire, which has a tendency to absorb and release energy to and from the conductors. This occurrence produces a negative sonic affect; smearing of the signal and other distortions. The greater the number of insulating layers there are, the greater this distortion will be. The thickness of these layers is also a factor of concern, with thicker layers being the worst.

Have you ever heard of speaker cable lifts? They are little stands that lift the cables off the floor, improving the sound. The improvement comes by keeping the electrical field from reflecting back into the cable off the floor. Why then do cable manufacturers apply decorative mesh, thick insulations and other signal distorting elements in their design?

The Morrow Audio Design:
Morrow Audio cables DO NOT use decorative mesh jackets or heavy insulators. Each strand of wire incorporates a very thin insulation and are bundled together with small pieces of heat shrink every 6 inches. This allows the least amount of reflection back into the cable, retaining the quality of the music you love.

Morrow Audio cables are not as attractive as other designs, but it is the music that counts! With Morrow Audio cables, your music will flow unhindered, resulting in greater realism as well as longer and more enjoyable listening sessions. Those who have have heard our cables describe it as a "Listening Experience".

"I was particularly impressed with how a piano sounded like the real instrument with the lid open in my room (I also play a little piano and djembe). Hand drums had a visceral, dynamic punch with a natural sounding decay. I wish I could quantify it better, but musical and natural was my main response, and my rational brain can't quite explain it."

 

Testimonials

Excellent vocals, bass & imaging...
"I really like your MA2 cables. They are detailed, nice midrange, excellent male and female vocals and excellent bass when their fully broken in. Imaging is quite impressive too. It's funny when you look at these rather tiny cables - it's like you don't want to believe the sound and musicality coming out of these cables. So, bottom line ...they're excellent cables, and this not considering the price!" Don Comeau

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Recorded piano sounds like a real instrument in my listening room...
"I want to share my recent happy Morrow Audio IC experience. I think I have discovered a really great value IC. I've always believed that I should be able to buy or build decent component interconnect for around $150, and over the last 15 years have tried various IC's from Straightwire, MIT, Nordost, Analysis Plus, Audio Art, Reality Cable, and numerous DIY versions recommended by the Stan Warren/Supermods and Stereophile community.

Until now, my favorite in this price range was the Audio Art IC-3. I have now switched completely to Morrow Audio MA2 IC's, after using their MA1 IC's for awhile. At first, the MA1 easily surpassed ALL the other cables in my system and closet, providing more detail in very musical way.

I decided to try the MA2 when they went on sale, and I am just delighted with them. The MA2 ic's have revealed an amazing musical capability in my system, and have shown me what a really good wire can do to let good components present themselves fully.

I hear a beautiful, natural, extended frequency range top to bottom, with a spacious, airy soundstage. I'm enjoying gorgeous, dynamic music, with a natural sense of performers, instruments, musicianship and recording venue.

I really wanted to let other audiophiles living within normal budgets about my success (after so many years and cables) in finding an ic that was so good. Maybe part of it is how they integrates into my Quad/C-J/Reference 3A system, but I think this is a fantastic audio IC deal, and astonishing when purchased on sale."

I retired as an electrical engineer 15 years ago, I am a longtime audio cheapskate, and this cable was a breakthrough for me. Please note that I did acknowledge integration with my system. So here's more, but far from a full review:

System: Quad 99CDP2 cd player, C-J CAV-50 integrated, Reference3A Veena speakers fave test tracks: Garcia/Grisman 'Friend of the Devil', Angelique Kidjo 'Voodoo Child', Ella & Louis 'Stars Fell OVer Alabama', Nawal 'Kweli', Terry Evans 'The River', Muddy Waters 'G'bye Little Schoolgirl'

I had been satisfied with Reality Cable for a couple of years, but decided to try some new cable when I bought the Quad player, hoping to retrieve more detail and better imaging. I then tried the Analysis Plus Oval One and the AudioArt IC-3.

The Oval One had lots of detail, but sounded a little sharp in the highs, and the IC-3 sounded very natural, but with less detail than Oval. I lived with the IC-3 for about 6 months, and then tried the Morrow Audio MA1. The IC-3 sounded rolled off in the highs, compared to the MA1, and had a lesser soundstage. The highs of the MA1 were clean but not biting.

I was encouraged enough with the improvement in my system with the MA1 that I then purchased the MA2.

With the MA2, magic happened for me. I was hearing a wide, deep soundstage, with really good but not over-etched detail, with instruments and voices sounding so much more real than ever. Bass was very clear, mids were delightful, and highs were clean.

I was particularly impressed with how a piano sounded like the real instrument with the lid open in my room (I also play a little piano and djembe). Hand drums had a visceral, dynamic punch with a natural sounding decay. I wish I could quantify it better, but musical and natural was my main response, and my rational brain can't quite explain it." Thunderbear

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Huge soundstage and transparency...
"Hi Mike, I love them! I have to admit the first time I connected them I lost a little transparency as compared to my other cables, but wow, jave they opened up since I put about 80 hours on them! It seems like they keep getting better. The transparency is back and the soundstage is huge. I'm very happy... a great product that beat my signal cable! Thanks, Brent"

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I was shocked! As good as Indra's...
"I set up an A/B comparison between a friends well broken in MA2 Reference IC's and my Stealth Indra Betas in a way that allowed me to change between them at a push of a button.

I was shocked: not only was the MA2 Reference in the same league as the Indra, it was sonically indistinguishable. My friend and I could not tell be ear when the other was pushing the button.

Betas of the Indra typically sell used for well over $1000.00. Production model Indras, which have identical wires but better termination, sell for over $5000.00 new and several reviewers have called them the "ultimate IC's." Amazing!" Bob Olson

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Product Description

Three runs of a twisted pair of solid core, small gauge wire which is then silver soldered to gold plated WBT style RCA's.

Cables are offered in standard and XLR balanced versions. Custom cables can also be made to meet your requirements. Cables are the same price up to 2 meters, other lengths and termination upgrades are selectable in the shopping cart found above.

The MA2 has an attractive appearance and possess excellent RFI and noise rejection. The cables are directional depending on first hookup, marking the output end at that time.

Capacitance: 0.17 nF per meter.

Inductance: 0.06 mH per meter.

Termination Upgrade Options

Our cables come with high quality RCA terminations that will please the most discriminating listener. For those who desire the absolute best, several Eichmann termination upgrades are available. These are selectable through a drop-down box in the shopping cart after you click the "buy now" icon. The upgrade options include the Eichmann Basis, Eichmann Bullet and the Eichmann Silver Bullet.

The Eichmann Bullet Upgrade

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Breakin Time

We have provided a paper explaining the break-in process and what you will hear.

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Time For Orders

Cables are hand made by Mike Morrow himself. Our cables are very popular and we receive many orders. At any given moment, we have 6 or more orders being worked on. All orders are worked on and completed in the order in which they were received. You can view a real time estimate time for completion by clicking here.

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