the local distributor for torus/bryston, av designs, has kindly forwarded bryston's response on the issue of UK-Vs-US receptacle on the torus PLC.

Some extracts from the attached circular:-

“They [the NEMA 5-15 USA style receptacles] are rated for 120 volts 15 amps and should NEVER be used with 240 Volt gear.”

“Torus has spent many thousands of dollars making sure our products get all the essential Certifications and Safety documentation necessary.”

“So please be very cautious when using 120 Volt rated plugs and power cables with 240 Volt equipment. In fact don’t do it!”

what bryston is implying is: most US-manufactured PLCs for the malaysian market do not have CE certification for safety (in using the US-receptacle for 240V) so you have to use it at your own risk!

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[can never get enough of charmaine sheh]

Hello Leslie,

I was reading your blog and came across the mention of AKG's new "female vocalist" mic. Then you mentioned my wire and I thought maybe I could help.

I would not recommend changing the internal wiring of such a small component, however we could have a couple of balanced microphone cables made for the two singers of 2V1G. They may work well with those beautiful new mics .

Many years ago I made some custom electric guitar cables for some friends in a local rock band.They loved them, but I never got to listen to the results myself, and I always wondered if they picked up any RF noise (they were not shielded).I imagine the conductor windings blocked any possible interferences.

If you are interested maybe we could experiment.

How long would these cables need to be? Please remember we cannot make cables that are too long.

Also, I would not recommend using XHADOW XLR plugs, since they have no incorporated locking mechanism which is standard on all pro-audio XLR plugs (Neutrik, Switchcraft, etc.). An unlocked plug may slip out easily if the singer moves or pulls the mic; certainly not worth the risk during a performance or recording session.

If you like the results and want to keep the cables, consider them a donation to the band.Let me know your thoughts on this.

All the best,
Luis
STAGE III CONCEPTS INC.

Hello Leslie,

It is a pleasure to meet you.

I offer my most humble thanks for such a glowing review of our cable!

We were really hoping our A.S.P. Gryphon would win the shoot out, but we certainly did not expect such an overwhelming victory. Honestly we were more concerned with beating the Audioquest Sky (which is more similar to our design) than the Kubala-Sosna.

I certainly appreciate your admiration, but please be assured, I am no genius (nor am I fortunate enough to have one in my staff).

The A.S.P. line was designed using common sense and employing the physics of electrical transmission to our advantage; not to mention, endless trial-and-error. As I'm sure you know, perfect measurements and ideal specifications often mean nothing when it comes to audio design. In the end we simply chose what sounded best to our ears, and we are thrilled that you concur with our findings.

Rest easy, there is little chance of Stage III going mainstream. I must admit, I am a bit of a control-freak, especially when it comes to my products. I prefer to supervise and be involved in the construction every cable we make, so mass-production is out of the question. The last thing the Audio world needs is another "how-cheap-can-we-make-it-factory-assembly-line-cable".

I must now congratulate you on your very informative and entertaining blog. I try to keep up with new postings whenever I can.

I hope you think this is appropriate, but I would like to post a response to your review as well as thank the many readers for their input and support.

Please keep in touch.

Once again, our most sincere thanks (and to hifikaki) for the extensive analysis and fantastic review.

All the best,

Luis de la Fuente
STAGE III CONCEPTS INC.

p.s. thanks for the "Audio Oscar", I'll cherish it. ;-)