As compared to everything else I've auditioned, I ultimately preferred the more natural performance of the Analysis Plus Golden Oval overall.

Some Things You Simply Cannot Explain

Sonic synergy, as hard as it is to acquire, remains unmistakable once heard. It's like catching lightning in a bottle. Mixing and matching isn't easy but the more you do it, the more you realize how important and mystical it is—and how hard it is to achieve. Make no mistake about it, living with the Golden Oval cables has set my system apart with a new sense of musicality that I honestly didn't expect, nor did I think possible.

The very first thing I noticed from the Golden Ovals was the absolute "being there" presence in the midrange that felt almost physical.

Voices immediately sounded three things at once: three-dimensional, life-like and palpable.

The Golden Oval made everything sound noticeably easier. This presented even a greater sense of ease and effortlessness to the music.

Sade's "Lovers Live" CD [Sony EK86373] offered a glimpse of how distinctly raspy and chesty this sex diva's voice really sounds. I admit that I'm in love with Sade—even though she's sometimes too up-close and personal—sounding as if she's chewing on the mic. That said, her presence via the Golden Ovals, seemed to emit from right before the microphone a step backwards yet palpably vivid while remaining right-sized and centered between the loudspeakers. How the Golden Oval managed to bring so much of what sounds "live" to light, while remaining distant, delicate and "there" simultaneously, is a magical feat I've still not quite figured out.

Another great sounding disc is the newly remastered 2-CD compilation of "Earth, Wind & Fire" [Columbia 2-086661]. "Reasons," "Devotion," "Keep Your Head to the Sky," "That's the Way of the World" and the melancholy "After the Love is Gone," through the Golden Oval allowed me to relish each of these classic hits in a way I had not done previously. Here's a gritty '70s R&B-funk band, led by the super talented Maurice White, whose music literally became the soundtrack to my adolescence. Each song had me in its persuasive groove via the Golden Ovals. From the lowest hip-shaking bass notes up to the highest octaves tenor Philip Bailey could reach, the Golden Oval took on every instrument with an unusual touch of naturalness my system has not exhibited prior to their installation.

Bass articulation, for example, along with the overall musicality sounded more resolute and exact, improving the overall tonal landscape quite visibly.

Sibilance took a couple of steps backwards while vocal resolution and intelligibility (the ability to hear individual voices clear and distinct) stepped up.

I simply can't find anything else with the Golden Oval's multifaceted abilities to present string tone, delicacy, ease and (uncannily natural) flow to go with its hair-raising low-level resolution capabilities. in terms of getting virtually all the things I'm looking for in a single product, I must take my hat off to the Golden Oval.

For my tastes, the Golden Oval does all the things I like in my system.

They've allowed me to stop evaluating everything so damn hard and finally sit back and enjoy some good old R&B classics. This is rare, indeed. There is no question the Analysis Plus Golden Oval cables are expensive, even by today's standards, but when a cable performs on this level what else is there to say?

Clement Perry
Stereo Times
October 2003