Listening – Apogee Centaur
Connected between the LAiV GaNMs or the CH Precision A1.5 and the Apogee Centaurs, the Vanish 334 makes the inherently crisp, clean, and direct-sounding speakers sound considerably larger, fuller, smoother, and more harmonically rich. Initially, the sound feels less tight, impulsive, and expressive than with the Driades, but the larger soundstage and riper tonality fit the speakers well.
While the cable works well with the GaNMs, the CH A1.5 makes for a better match. The additional fluidity, delicacy, and air that the Swiss amp has on offer are reflected particularly well with the Vanish 334.
The Driade cables are admittedly a little lean in the bass and not especially rich-sounding. In that regard, it’s fair to say they are not 100% absolutely neutral in terms of timbre and fullness. But they have very pure and clean transient behavior with no edge or added brightness, and I consider them to be otherwise extremely neutral. With this in mind, can a fuller, smoother, and harmonically richer sound be considered more neutral than Driade cable? I honestly do not know, and can only report relative differences.
In any case, while the Vanish 334 cables are comparatively darker and not as crisp and airy as the Driade, they are remarkably fluid and refined, particularly free-flowing, and more organic, while possessing the same level of resolution. An interesting aspect of the Vanish 334 is that, despite my system’s tendency toward smoothness, I do not regard these cables as warm-sounding.
The midrange is richer in harmonics, more deeply saturated, and more voluminous, resulting in instruments and musicians being portrayed with more body and greater depth. However, it is all presented in a very natural and uncolored manner, without added creaminess or thickness.
After a few tracks, I noticed that I had begun to focus less on technical aspects and more on the music itself. This is when it hit me. These cables are not the analytically precise conductors one might expect from products marketed as “vanishing.” Instead, they deliver impressive resolution and refinement while maintaining a genuinely sweet musicality. Importantly, they do not add warmth, thickness, or muddiness to the sound.
Notably, these cables provide a decidedly non-technical performance that is very easy to listen to. While not the most articulate or expressive cables I’ve heard, they are indeed very neutral and allow one to enjoy all musical styles without making lesser recordings unlistenable.
Above all, beyond their relaxed nature, these Vanish 334 cables “simply” do not call attention to themselves and are essentially chameleons. They allow the music to breathe and flow naturally.
Listening – Apogee Duetta
One might expect two Apogee speakers to sound similar, but the Centaur and Duetta Signature are actually quite different. While both models are two-way designs featuring ribbon midrange/tweeter sections, the main distinction lies in their woofers. The Duetta features a full-range woofer foil, whereas the Centaur utilizes a dynamic woofer in a closed cabinet. Along with more minor generational differences in the ribbons and crossover, this has a significant combined impact on their sound.
Switching from the Centaurs to the Apogee Duettas, which were fitted with new Graz foils just a few weeks ago, the Vanish 334 cables work their magic again by providing a remarkably smooth, lush, and fluid sound with very good resolution that serves the musical message rather than functioning as a magnifying glass. The sound is clean and clear, yet there is zero edge or hardness. As with the Centaurs, but even more so, the sound flows effortlessly from the speakers, filling the room with a giant sound bubble.
Despite their dipole nature, full-range dipoles and, to a lesser extent, hybrids with long ribbon tweeters, tend to sound less 3D than dynamic loudspeakers. When set up correctly, the Duettas definitely project both forward and backward, and they sound large by nature, but the imaging within the soundstage appears flatter than with the Magicos. This is where the Vanish 334 cables come to the rescue. Somehow, they manage to lend more body and depth to vocalists and instruments within the sound stage.
One might not expect a truly deep or full bass from a Full-Range Ribbon speaker, and it is true that many planar magnetostatics struggle to produce credible bass. However, full-range Apogee Ribbon speakers stand out by delivering remarkably deep and impressively voluminous bass. In my room, and likely in most rooms, Duettas typically do not require any additional support. In this regard, the comparatively leaner-sounding Driade cables work better for me in this combination. Then again, the Duettas are also very revealing, and they also unveil that the Driade cables provide a less richly saturated and, in essence, more analytical rendition than the SMR Vanis 334.
Listening – Magico S1 MkII
Moving from the Apogees to my trusted Magico S1 MkIIs, I found that the Vanish 334 cables produce a predictably similar, sweetly musical performance. I should reiterate that the clean, sterile, and cool image that lingers in some people’s heads regarding Magico is very far from what the brand offers with the S-series. Unlike the Q-series that made the brand famous but also drew criticism, the S-series offers smoothness, warmth, and immense refinement.
Much more so than the 3-way models, the 2-way Magicos are capable of remarkable 3D imaging, and the Vanish 334 fully enabled the S1 MkIIs to portray a room-filling sound with immense depth extending even beyond the rear wall. As with the two Apogees, the Vanish 334 behaves in a self-effacing manner, allowing the music to breathe freely.
However, given the Magicos’ inherently rather voluptuous bass and well-behaved, silky treble, I found the balance a little too voluptuous and dark for my taste. This is not to say that the Vanish 334 emphasizes the bass. Instead, it confirms what I have always known about the Magicos: they are quite bass-heavy and require balancing with leaner, more articulate cables.
With their unforced, naturally flowing, well-defined delivery, they remind me of Cardas Golden Reference, Transparent Reference XL, and Jorma Audio Unity. While it may seem trivial to compare speaker cables to power cables, the Vanish 334 cables also remind me of the overall balance provided by the GigaWatt PowerSync Ultra.
In a landscape of cables that vary from sweet, smooth, lush, and warm on one end to clean, cool, tight, dry, and analytical on the other, I would position the Vanish 334 cables between the former and what I consider absolute neutrality.
As always, achieving an ideal balance in an audio system requires careful matching and consideration of the specific variables. As it turns out, even with cables designed to have vanishingly little influence on the sound, the outcome can still vary based on factors such as the speakers, the room, and personal preferences.
Conclusion
With their focus on measured perfection and Zero-Loss Vanish marketing, one might expect SMR cables to offer a balance similar to that of very clean and analytical cables, such as those made by Nordost, Anti-Cables, or FoilFlex. What they deliver is pretty much the opposite. The Vanish 334 cables prioritize musicality and emotional involvement over ultimate control and expression, providing a consistently smooth and immersive sound that fills the room effortlessly.
These cables possess excellent resolution and transparency, but they never try to impress. Rather than functioning as a laboratory tool to seek and find imperfections, they unobtrusively present the music in a gently sweet, but otherwise chameleonlike manner, enabling it to flow naturally.
External Links
Manufacturer: SMR Cable Technologies
