The Sound
Contents
When a system plays very transparently, everything feels very normal. And while that doesn’t come across as “impressive,” it is. Because at such times, you are hearing the source not the system. Cables that “impress” do something. But the trick is precisely to do nothing. However, that’s practically impossible… every link does something. The art is to do as little as possible….
Calmness and fluidity
What we hear with the John van Gent Magic Link Jubilee Edition is above all calmness, grip, flow … insight. And with that, it is especially striking how smoothly the midrange comes through the TADs. There is not a shred of sharpness … and all the insight and openness we appreciate so much in the Grimm TPM still remains. The Driade 808 interlinks bring more clarity and scale to the stereo image. And that sometimes adds perfectly to sources that could use it. But the JvG Jubilee struck the balance between scale, speed, calmness and rhythm….
Playing Tool Fear Innoculum again for a moment, we notice the delicious attack. A bass kick is a kick. High-hats chatter left and right. And the raw guitar rips fantastically through space. The TADs are allowed to get to work for a moment…. Put on Mammal Hands, and we hear that the John van Gent shows more finesse in the midrange. The attack on the piano is simply more refined than on the TPM. Less sharpness, more natural harmonics without the edges…. It really stands out on this piece. It may be subtle, but once heard, it remains noticeable. And then we hear it more easily elsewhere. Think of vocal work. For example, with Anathema, Beth Orton, Beth Gibbons … it’s like getting a private concert from these ladies. So pure, clear…
Imaging
Another striking feature is the proportions of the stereo image. It is not overly large or “larger than li(f)(v)e,” but that is precisely what makes it so enjoyable to listen to. Effects that should be in the room are there. As with the Grimm, which plays a little more compactly than the JvG. In “Blauwe Ruis” by Blof, for example, we hear the effects going around nicely. And with intimate work by Beth Gibbons, it all feels a bit small and cozy, too.