Mad Scientist Black Magic Ultra and Black Magic Gold
Black Magic Ultra Speaker Cables
After reviewing the Black Magic speaker cables, I was so impressed with their grip, dynamics, and realism that I retained the review samples and kept using them in my main system. As a result, I know them well, and I also know now that the running-in process continues over the course of a few months to half a year after the cables seem to have settled. What happens mainly is that the overall sound relaxes a bit, and the treble becomes a little rounder and a little darker. These effects are actually quite common for cable breaking-in in general.
When switching from the Black Magic to the new Black Magic Ultra and with the sound of the original pair when it was new still fresh in my mind, I’m positive I’m hearing a new balance in the presentation. The Ultra variant trades a measure of solidity for a more controlled and more even balance from top to bottom. The bass is still impressively concrete and powerful in equal measure but less sonorous and a little more slender than with the regular Black Magic cable, although it is most certainly still on the big and bold side. The bass still pressurizes the room more than any other cable I have heard, but instead of some of the “extra ballsiness” of the regular Black Magic cable, the Black Magic Ultra cable now offers a newfound level of fluidity and refinement while the treble is also opener and airier. Otherwise, the cable’s familiar character is retained, which keeps it firmly on the sonorous, powerful, and dynamic side. I should emphasize that these differences are not to be attributed to the cable needing more breaking in. The regular Black Magic version did not sound as linear, open, and incisive when it was new or well run in.
With its more neutral balance, the Black Magic Ultra is closer to the Jorma Unity in its overall sonic rendition than the regular Black Magic speaker cable. The latter can, in some combinations and to some ears, be found to sound a little lean or devoid of tonality, but it counters with immense resolution, fluidity, air, and refinement. In any case, lean or tonally gray, the Mad Scientist cable is certainly not! As with the interlink, acoustical instruments come across as remarkably convincing and in-your-room, decidedly more so indeed than with the Jorma.
Between the Mad Scientist and the Jorma, the most telling were the two individual sessions I had with two friends, one who likes Soul and Smooth Jazz, and the other preferring World Music. During the first session, we both agreed that the Mad Scientist cable provided significantly more realistic texture and tonality, but we also felt that we were missing some of the nuances that we knew to be in the music. During the second session, it was 100% the inverse, with us both preferring, by a wide margin, the Mad Scientist cable. Such is the division between the two that I can’t say the difference between them is a matter of quality but really comes down to the musical diet and personal taste.
The Black Magic cable uses a crazy amount of copper and is extremely labor-intensive to make, and this translates to a serious price that places it firmly in the high-end territory. In principle, there’s nothing wrong with that, as the cable sounds spectacular and offers sonic traits that no other cable I know does to the same extent. But although the Ultra version offers improved refinement and high-frequency behavior over the standard Black Magic version, it does not offer quite the same level of resolution, refinement, or air as some competing cables in its price category, or even below. Most strikingly, compared with the Jorma, the Black Magic Ultra’s treble is a little blunt. Don’t get me wrong, the Black Magic is not sharp or edgy, just not as open and refined as I like. The best I can illustrate it is by making a video comparison. It’s a bit like HD versus 4K video. Both are sharp and defined, but the latter offers higher resolution and is more refined when it comes to detail in small areas.
While the Jorma is the reference against which I’m judging the Black Magic Ultra, some aspects of its sound can also be found in other cables. For instance, if it’s fluidity, air, transparency, and resolution you crave above other aspects, then the Driade Flow Reference 808 is a cable to keep in mind and, incidentally, quite the bargain. The Jorma does pretty much what the Driade does and adds to this a portion of what the Black Magic cable does. But, and this is important, only a portion!
If you mostly play music with real acoustic instruments and care most about the texture, body, dynamic impact, and authenticity of the performance, then the Black Magic or Black Magic Ultra are probably the best cables for the job. And finally, but not unimportantly, if you own Magnepan, Diptyque, or Analysis full-range ribbon dipoles, which all three have relatively lean bass and wide open treble, this may be the perfect cable for you.
Conclusion
Mad Scientist has always been known to offer amazing value for money. Meanwhile, the company is always looking to improve their recipes, and as long as I’ve known Mad Scientist products, the curve has only gone up. Of course, as materials become costlier and more exotic and the construction becomes more elaborate, the prices must go up. But rather than abandoning the original “bang for buck” philosophy, there are now multiple product tiers, with a range still founded on providing exceptional value and two additional ranges reaching ever more for the stars. All cables now carry the Black Magic moniker and are divided into three levels: Black Magic, Black Magic Ultra, and Black Magic Gold.
Having reviewed four of the new products, as well as most of the brand’s earlier designs, I can confirm that each tier still represents great value. More specifically, the Gold USB Cable, Gold Interlinks, and Ultra Power Cable offer fantastic value for money!
The deviating member is the Black Magic Ultra speaker cable, which uses a crazy amount of copper and is extremely labor-intensive to make, which translates to a price that places it firmly in the high-end territory. While the cable really does sound spectacular in many ways, and I have heard no other cables at any price point that can beat it in its particular fortes, I feel that it just misses the mark in a couple of areas compared to other cables with similar price tags. There’s also the regular Black Magic speaker cable to take into account, which offers many of the Ultra’s traits for a grand less. But ultimately, if you want the best the Mad Scientist can offer, the Black Magic Ultra is it.
With all that said, what it comes down to is musical diet and personal taste. If you mostly play music with real acoustic instruments and care most about the texture, body, dynamic impact, and authenticity of the performance, then the Black Magic or Black Magic Ultra are probably the best cables for the job. And finally, and not unimportantly, if you own Magnepan, Diptyque, or Analysis dipoles, this may be the perfect cable for you. I hope to put this intuitive prediction to the test sometime later this year!
External Links
Manufacturer: madscientist-audio
Nice
I am using their speaker and power cables for some time now, but not the interconnects. Thanks to your review I bought the digital and rca interconnects. Great cables and especially the performance jump by the digital cable surprised me. Never expected this.
I have been using the Black Magic cable for a few years now; been very happy with it.
Thanks for the article, I’ve now reached out to Bob to demo the Gold USB and excited to test it out!