{"id":41805,"date":"2025-08-30T13:22:20","date_gmt":"2025-08-30T11:22:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=41805"},"modified":"2025-08-30T13:22:20","modified_gmt":"2025-08-30T11:22:20","slug":"mad-scientist-white-magic-interlinks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/cables-reviews\/analog-interlink-reviews\/mad-scientist-white-magic-interlinks\/","title":{"rendered":"Mad Scientist White Magic Interlinks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Review sample supplied by Mad Scientist Audio<\/a><\/h4>\n

Retail price in US Dollars at the time of review (ex VAT):
\nWhite Magic RCA starts at $399 for a 0.8-meter pair
\nWhite Magic RCA or XLR Ultra starts at $849 for a 0.8-meter pair
\nWhite Magic Prime RCA or XLR starts at $1.349 for a 0.8-meter pair<\/h4>\n

The Mad Scientist is at it again! Not one to sit still, he developed a new range of cables labeled White Magic. As the manufacturer explains on a newly made White Magic Technology<\/a> page on the Mad Scientist website:<\/p>\n

White Magic cables are the result of over a decade of refinement in high-end cable design. At the heart of the White Magic philosophy is a belief that signal integrity isn\u2019t just about conductivity \u2014 it\u2019s about controlling the environment around the signal: mechanical, electrical, and electromagnetic.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Mad Scientist cables now come in a paper wrapping sealed with a wax stamp.<\/em><\/p>\n

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White Magic Technology<\/h3>\n

The White Magic covers a range of cables, including Analog Interconnects, Digital Interconnects, and USB Cables. Each cable features a custom-made solid-core conductor with unique mechanical and electromagnetic properties. White Magic wire does not contain copper, silver, or gold. Rather than using traditional high-conductivity metals, a material is chosen that offers exceptional resistance to vibration, low microphonic susceptibility, and an elevated level of natural field damping.<\/p>\n

This conductor behaves very differently from copper or silver; for instance, it does not oxidize or tarnish, so unlike copper and silver wires, the surface remains pristine. It also produces a distinct sound. The wire is encased in PTFE (Teflon) tubing to ensure ultra-low dielectric absorption and maintain stable geometry.<\/p>\n

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All White Magic cables utilize a directional, resistively terminated shielding system designed to absorb and dissipate RF energy, rather than reflect it. This multi-layered shielding approach is inspired more by Stealth Radar and RF anechoic chamber design than by traditional audio cable thinking.<\/p>\n

Higher-tier models employ multiple independent shielding layers, each separated by low-loss dielectric barriers and terminated with precision resistors. The lengths and spacing of these layers are carefully chosen using prime number relationships, a technique that effectively suppresses resonance and standing waves across a broad frequency range.<\/p>\n

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White Magic<\/h3>\n

White Magic is the entry to the world of White Magic. This cable has basic screening and uses a 0.2mm run of WM wire for both signal and ground. The review sample is 1 meter and is fitted with the entry-level Starline connectors. Alternatively, the cable is available with KLE or Neutrik connectors.<\/p>\n

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White Magic Ultra<\/h3>\n

White Magic Ultra features the same stage 2 screening as Black Magic Ultra and Gold. Uses double run of 0.1 and 0.2mm wires. The review sample is 1.5 meters and is fitted with Neutrik RCA connectors. Alternatively, the cable is available with KLE or Amphenol XLR connectors.<\/p>\n

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White Magic Prime<\/h3>\n

White Magic Prime has multiple independent shielding layers, each separated by low-loss dielectric barriers and terminated with precision resistors to create a “bad-antenna” design. The lengths and spacing of these layers are carefully chosen using prime number relationships. The cable uses a double run of White Magic wires. The review sample is 1.5 meters, balanced, and is fitted with Amphenol XLR Connectors.<\/p>\n

Running In<\/h3>\n

All three review cables were run in using a Cable Cooker, prior to delivery. Typically, they require about two days to reach cruising level, and they continue to improve for up to 200 hours.<\/p>\n

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Review Context<\/h3>\n

The White Magic cables were listened to in the <\/span>main system<\/a>, which currently consists of the <\/span>CH Precision L1<\/a> preamplifier, <\/span>CH Precision A1.5<\/a> power amp, LAiV GAnM<\/a> power amplifiers, and Apogee Centaur speakers. The main digital source is <\/span>the Grimm MU1<\/a> music server. The interlinks were connected between the CH DAC and Preamp, where I normally use Driade Flow Link Reference 808<\/a>. The speaker cables are Driade Flow Reference 808<\/a>. All components are powered by the PS Audio P20<\/a> PowerPlant.<\/p>\n

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Next: Listening and Conclusion<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Listening<\/h3>\n

When a cable has a special focus on vibration control and damping, one might expect a calm and mellow sound. I’ve certainly encountered this a few times, where the sound was free of edge and hardness but also lacking pacing and expression, and I feared this might also be the case here. However, this fear proved entirely unfounded with the White Magic cables.<\/p>\n

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White Magic<\/h3>\n

I did not have very high expectations for the entry-level White Magic cable, but it clearly punches above its weight, with a surprisingly neutral yet upbeat, confident, open, and propulsive sound. The cable sounds remarkably linear and transparent, with no coloration, thickening, or restraint.<\/p>\n

Thanks to its single-conductor run and basic shield, this cable is very flexible and easy to bend. Although it may be entry-level in terms of cost, it still delivers with such enthusiasm and truthfulness that it almost instantly earns a seal of approval. This cable ticks so many audiophile boxes that it requires willpower to dissect further, which is an excellent sign. Rather than being lean or dry, as can happen with very neutral cables, the White Magic has a fluid and refined delivery.<\/p>\n

When approached more critically, it is slightly less articulate in the bass and a bit splashy in the treble compared to the Driade Flow Link Reference 808, making it enjoyable, expressive, and exciting, albeit slightly less neutral and refined.<\/p>\n

As the Mad Scientist alluded to, White Magic is a new direction, and I wholeheartedly agree. The Black Magic cables are darker, more sober, and less refined compared to the White Magic generation, or the Driades, for that matter. While the earlier Black Magic generations had a very special, ultra-robust, and earthy quality that was impressive and well-suited to my system at the time, they were not as neutral or linear as what I am hearing now.<\/p>\n

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White Magic Ultra<\/h3>\n

The White Magic Ultra features more advanced screening and is thicker than the entry-level White Magic, yet remains quite supple and nowhere near as stiff as the earlier solid-core copper designs.<\/p>\n

The Ultra sounds more full-bodied than the entry-level White Magic, along with higher precision, notably, and a more accurate treble that is cleaner, crisper, and more refined. By comparison to the White Magic, the Ultra’s treble is also relatively darker and subjectively less airy. A slightly more pronounced treble can also be nice, but one has to ask: is it accurately relaying the source, or is it enhancing it? Between the entry-level White Magic and the White Magic Ultra, there is certainly no doubt that the Ultra is more precise and overall closer to the truth.<\/p>\n

The Driade Reference 808 has an airier and more refined delivery, but the White Magic Ultra counters with a more direct, energetic, and exceptionally tangible and realistic rendition. The cable is highly resolving, but it does not sound Hi-Fi. As with the entry-level White Magic, the Ultra does so much right and sounds so involving that it almost immediately finds its way into your heart and stops the brain from asking further questions.<\/p>\n

There’s another aspect that makes the White Magic Ultra stand out from the entry-level model and the Driade as well, which is a hint of the familiar Black Magic solidity and harmonic richness, but in this case, married with considerably more refinement and higher resolution.<\/p>\n

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White Magic Prime<\/h3>\n

The White Magic Prime is quite thick and less easy to use than the Ultra. Especially considering the fixed orientation for the XLR connectors, it would not be my first choice from a reviewer’s standpoint. However, compared to the earlier solid-core copper designs, it is still easy to bend and less springy, so it stays in place.\u00a0 Upon sharing my concerns with the maker, I was assured that the cable is strong and can withstand being modeled in any required position, including being rotated as needed to fit XLR inputs and outputs.<\/p>\n

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Whereas the differences between the White Magic and the White Magic Ultra are easy to hear, the differences between the Ultra and the Prime are far more subtle. The most apparent differences are that there is a higher level of refinement, and the treble has more air. A less obvious aspect is that the soundstage is a little deeper and feels more organic. But otherwise, I was hard-pressed to hear any other differences.<\/p>\n

As I heard no differences in focus, resolution, or transient behavior, I wondered, would this really be it? Not content with this outcome, I stopped my comparisons and resumed them later, but this time listening “blindly” (toggling between inputs with the display off) to ensure I stayed objective. During this test, one of the two cables sounded consistently more magical and emotionally engaging. While repeatedly swapping inputs, I kept gravitating to one input. You guessed it: that was the one fitted with the Prime.<\/p>\n

So, there you have it: differences that may\u00a0appear<\/em> subtle can be quite profound in terms of emotional engagement and overall involvement<\/span>. The jump from Ultra to Prime is perhaps less distinct than the jump from White Magic to Ultra, but the difference is real and worthwhile.<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

I realize it can be annoying to read about how the next generation consistently outperforms the previous one. One might resent the manufacturer for effectively devaluing the outgoing line, or suspicions may arise concerning the believability of the review(er). Still, I have no choice but to report what I hear. To my ears, the White Magic interlinks are simply the best cables I have heard yet from the Mad Scientist.<\/p>\n

Product ranges can be tricky. Sometimes, top-tier products excel in certain areas while sacrificing others compared to lower-tier products. Fortunately, this is not the case with the White Magic interlinks. The Ultra and Prima are successively higher-priced, but not objectionably so. Their higher price 100% reflects the higher cost of the source materials and labor, and they are absolutely worth the extra outlay. That said, the cable that most surprised me is the entry-level White Magic, by performing better than any other cables I have heard in its price class.<\/p>\n

Importantly, despite being the most neutral and revealing cables from this brand yet, in line with everything the Mad Scientist makes, all three cables remain musical and involving. Their most significant achievement is their well-balanced nature. There is no hardness or edge, but neither is there any thickness, abundance of warmth, or other coloration. These cables are all about effortless musicality, lifelike dynamics, and emotional expression, combined with excellent precision, transparency, and linearity.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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Associated Equipment<\/a><\/p>\n

External Links<\/h3>\n

Manufacturer: madscientist-audio<\/a><\/p>\n

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