Oyaide Powercables: Tunami and PA-23
Related in brand, not in sound characteristics
Christiaan Punter
PA-23
This is a much thinner cable than the Tunami and it uses different materials. It is sometimes called the light version of the Tunami but given the different materials and very different sound, I wouldn't call it that. The PA23 has the same length as the Tunami and has had as much playing time, and naturally, I fitted the same IeGO 24k Gold plated connectors to this cable. (the connectors are the same type, despite the difference in colour). Starting with the positives, the PA-23 has much better upper treble than the Tunami. It is at once more open and extended as well as more fluid. Bass is much, much faster and articulate, but lacks the fullness of the Tunami, which really isn't that full to begin with. Moving on to the downsides, the PA23 definitely didn't inherit the Tunami's spot-on midrange, instead delivering a dull, shut in, dynamically restrained, greyed out facsimile of the original. Overall, the PA23 sounded technically quite correct, but it plays with clearly tempered enthusiasm and spirit, as if it really doesn't want to get up and go. Mainly due to its lacklustre midrange, the PA23 manages to sound even more technical than the Tunami.
Conclusion
Both cables fail to stir my soul. You could say that taste plays a part, as well as system synergy. But since I tried the cables in different systems, I guess it is fair to say that my observations will most likely be universal. Whether or not you'll like these cables will ultimately come down to taste. In closing, I'd say that the Tunami sounds closer to a typical Lapp and the PA23 sounds more like a Belden. In fact, I'll organise a followup review, comparing the PA23 to a Belden and will post the results here.
Tunami
The Tunami has been around for quite a while now and is a well-known cable among audiophiles. I had heard it many years ago when a visitor brought it in for comparison. This was a factory-terminated cable complete with Oyaide connectors. Although the cable was impressive in a technical sense, I didn't much like it then. It was fast, tight and detailed but in a forward, analytical manner. It wasn't harsh or grainy, but combined with my Martin Logans this was just too much, lending too much a technical quality to the sound, pushing aside the emotion. Fast forward a couple of years and again I have a 2 meter length of Tunami but this time I fitted it with IeGO 24k gold plated connectors. My system is now quite different from then but to make the test more meaningful, I also listened to it in two different friends' systems. The outcome in friend 1's all-Jadis tube system with Sonus Faber speakers was more or less the same as back then: technically very good with a very high level of accuracy and detail but presented in a non-emotional manner. It just didn't sound involving. Switching to friend 2 with a Rowland system and Apogee speakers with a ribbon tweeter/midrange (500hz and upward), the result was still disappointing, but different. For one, now we heard how good the Tunimi's midrange is. It is open and detailed but also freeflowing and natural. In retrospect this was also fine in the Jadis system but this quality didn't stand out this much. But other than the high resolution and fine midrange again the Tunami wasn't found to be particularly good all round. Bass was surprisingly thin given the conductor size. Bass wasn't exactly thin, but it lacked substance, drive, power and most of all, articulation. Upper treble finally, wasn't grainy but shut in and lacked air and fluidity.
Here are Oyaide's two powercables in a comparitive review. They may share the brand name but as it turns out, this isn't reflected in their sound.
Tunami - around 100 euro per meter
PA23 - around 45 euro per meter
The review system in detail:
Also read:
Loading
Find out all about classic and current Jeff Rowland equipment
Streaming, USB, Firewire,
Computer Audio
Current and Classic CD players, Cables, Accessories and more
Galleries, timelines & interiors of fascinating classic equipment
Info, Tips, Tricks and Insights
How to optimise your system
 DEF.jpg)