The sound
Contents
We have played with the Driade Flow and later the Driade Flow Reference for years now. Lovely cables where the Flow and Flow Reference sound very smooth (yes… really!) and the Reference especially adds some low end. There is more body in the mid-bass and low end. This makes it slightly warmer.
Speed
The Van den Hul is different. It all seems a little faster and a little more powerful. Especially in the bass. The kick and punch seems a bit deeper and tighter than with the Driade Flow Reference. This makes it easier to perceive definition in these deep regions. Something the TADs are excellent at, provided everything is right, of course. If an amplifier – or cable – does not have the quality it needs… it quickly becomes a mess.
The midrange also feels different: more direct. More pointed. This is very audible in, for example, Hania Rani (Album Home). The attacks feel tighter and more direct than with the Driade. What is more pleasing is entirely taste. Both cables perform beautifully, but the interpretation is different. The Van den Hul emphasizes the attack and speed in the attack. The Driade presents it a bit more sweetly.
Finally, then the high range. That is an equal story (not very surprising). The Nova is a pretty airy cable. So anyone who thinks Van den Hul is dark and slow sounding …. that’s pure nonsense. The Nova is the opposite: it’s fast and open. In all areas.
Image
The image is very stable. Effects dance around the room excellently. Now the Driade is already a cable that does this very well; we never felt that the system played ‘closed’ or was restrained. Or could reproduce more space. Now it’s not like the Van den Hul puts down more space either. Both make the speakers disappear completely. However, it is in a different way. It’s incredibly difficult to put into words. The Driade is more like a blanket. It’s cozy, and you feel embraced. The Van den Hul is a bit fresher, more lighthearted and airy. Also when setting ambiance and space.
