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Wonfor Wires EWA IC-5 and EWA MC-5

Foxman50

pfm Member
Ok so I have been using Colin’s EWA LS-25 speaker cables for some weeks now and can honestly say I have no need to improve on these, they are quite phenomenal in my system. Moving from TQ black cables to the EWA LS-25’s provided such an improvement in every area soundstage became wider, taller, greater depth with focus and image placement first class. Bass is wonderfully tuneful and tight, with mids and treble just making music sing. Nothing out of place and at no point do I feel I’m missing anything or that any one instrument is highlighted.


So I purchased the EWA IC-5 and EWA MC-5 cables for trial against my TQ blacks, which Colin duly sent.


EWA IC-5 XLR Interconnect

Upon receiving this I removed it from its plain cardboard box and plain hessian sleeve. Note on this, I applaud Colin for not making me pay for fancy boxes, silk sleeves, manuals, crushed velvet liners or diamond incrusted widgets that have no use, and once the cables are plugged into my system sit in the loft never to be seen again. The cables themselves are hugely flexible that give you confidence to be able to twist the XLR’s to marry up with the kit end. The cable itself is of a bright blue colour with silver XLR plugs.


Once plugged in the EWA IC-5’s were left running 24/7 as the day before I received them I caught a cold so needed to wait to fully recover before doing any serious listening. This at least provided a period of time to allow them to fully burn in, which while I’m always intent on doing so can’t always bring myself to do without listening .


So how do they sound, well this has not been easy to judge if honest. I was hoping for the day/night change the EWA LS-25s had brought, but this, while a clear change, I found much more difficult to put my finger on what the change was. Let me try to explain.


On first listening I thought that the soundstage to be slightly diminished and that the highs to be slightly rolled off, but could not pin point what was missing.


When listening to new equipment I tend to try unfamiliar tracks, which I know goes against common consensus. I find that if I am familiar with a track I tend to concentrate on say a bass note or cymbals or something that I know exists to check how well this particular aspect of music is reproduced on the new equipment. By playing music I am less familiar with I can then see how much I’m drawn into the music.


However, by using familiar music it became apparent that the highs were not rolled of or in fact the soundstage diminished. What was happening was that the EWA IC-5 interconnects had removed a level of hash or noise around the instruments. The likes of cymbals now sound realistic, guitar strings sound like a string. Maybe sound is not correct what im referring to is how it looks in the soundstage. The background seems quieter somehow again adding to that sense that I was missing something.


This same attribute of the EWA IC-5’s brought such focus to the instruments within the soundstage that it seemed slightly diminished but in fact it was just focus. One track that really brought this home was Miles Davis “All Blues” on the “Kind Of Blue” album, where a couple of minutes into the track you hear drum stick on cymbals. Now don’t crucify me if this is not its name I’m no musician. Previously on the TQ blacks this seemed to take up the whole right channel from speaker to centre soundstage, very unnatural. However; on the EWA IC-5’s the point at which the stick hits the cymbal is now etched in air and the cymbal shimmers which sounds and looks natural. That point of contact is just so pin point you can see it. Nothing blends together, each instrument has its own space to breath.


EWA MC-5 Mains Cable (Silver)

Again, a plain box and protective sleeve. The lead has an MK silver tough plug one end and what looks like standard IEC, unknown if silver, the other end with the lead being flexible. Nothing fancy but looks pretty good without being bling.


First off, I’ve never really spent much time comparing mains cables, as I’ve never felt comfortable constantly turning off my equipment and swapping back and forth. If honest I was not expecting the EWA MC-5 to compare to my TQ black mains lead due to cost and plugs used on the TQ lead.


Again, as with the EWA IC-5 I found the need to compare the same way and without making this too long, I found exactly same attributes as with the EWA IC-5 interconnects. Black back grounds, Image stability and focus of instruments with space around instrument. Yes, superior to my TQ black lead.


Putting both cables into the system really emphasised their abilities with a couple of additions. With the LS-25’s, IC-5s and MC-5 on my amp the sound removed itself from the speakers and they disappeared entirely. The soundstage became pin point where you could listen to each individual instrument and see it in mid-air. I know this all sounds very clichéd and I have no idea how someone can create cables with the exact same attributes but Mr Wonfor has done just that, and this is how I found them to sound in my system.


Having now spent some days with these in my system and listening to all sorts of music, familiar and not so familiar, these really are stonking cables. Bass weight has increased but not booming or bloated, but fast and musical. This is how I find these cables, musical which somehow have reduce noise or hash, and provided pin point accuracy within the soundstage.


I have noticed that the sweet spot on my sofa has reduced slightly and now have to sit a fraction higher in my seat. I think this is as a result of the way the Wonfor wires create its soundstage, you can almost move around it.


One last point, I've never considered my system to be lacking on the black background side of things but this is one of those times when you don’t know you have an issue till its gone.


I just need to work out how I can afford to buy enough EWA MC-5 mains cables for my entire system. Question is silver or gold plugs ??????
 
Great write that proves that a coherent Cable loom of whatever manufacturer you chose is worth pursuing. For me it’s Atlas but it’s a personal and system dependant thing
 
Nice review @Foxman50 :)

Can you tell me what was your previous XLR? TQ Black?
I can not find XLR on Colins website...
Yes my previous was TQ Black XLR. As you can tell I was a fan of the TQ Black's, but for me the EWA's have surpassed them.

As Colin mentioned above he makes to order.

I moved to XLR's as I've found them to be quieter and more focused in my system. However these EWA's are so focused and quiet I wonder if the RCA's would be just as good. Only one way to find out I suppose.;)
 
Yes my previous was TQ Black XLR. As you can tell I was a fan of the TQ Black's, but for me the EWA's have surpassed them.

As Colin mentioned above he makes to order.

I moved to XLR's as I've found them to be quieter and more focused in my system. However these EWA's are so focused and quiet I wonder if the RCA's would be just as good. Only one way to find out I suppose.;)

I have xlr TQ black now.... Good to know there is an improvement :) Thanks!
 
Ive certainly tried cables previously that surpass the TQ black's but have all been at vastly inflated prices. Where abouts are you in the country, thats if your in the uk.
 
Great write that proves that a coherent Cable loom of whatever manufacturer you chose is worth pursuing. For me it’s Atlas but it’s a personal and system dependant thing

How does it prove that, a sample rate of one is not conclusive evidence.
 
Ive certainly tried cables previously that surpass the TQ black's but have all been at vastly inflated prices. Where abouts are you in the country, thats if your in the uk.

I am based in south London.
Yep, I am also tired with high prices of cables. Colin is doing great job here.
 
How does it prove that, a sample rate of one is not conclusive evidence.
Several reviewers would echo that and it seems a logical conclusion that a single manufacturer through out will rule out the various different ‘sounds ‘ of cables that can be used as tone control with a mish mash of different cables.
But hey it’s only my opinion
 
Possibly but for the first time in my hifi hobby I now have single manufacturer cables from power to speaker and it makes sense to me, whether it’s simple qed or mogami or exotic stuff there tend to be products at differing price points by each manufacturer that complement each other .
 
Hifi-dog i agree. I have tried a few full looms recently and have noticed that some, and not all, provide a further jump when a full loom is used. Ive no idea how or why this happens but it happened with the EWA's.
One other thing i noticed with these cables it didnt change the tonal balance of the system, which was something i was keen to keep.
 
I made a comment in my above post with regards to imaging and the way the EWA cables have allowed my speakers to disappear. I found this very interesting video on youtube explaining imaging, how it works and how it should be. Well since adding the Wonfor wires this is now exactly how I find the soundstage in my system, set back from the speakers. It was a little odd at first, which is why I believe I found it hard to work out what was going on, a different experience to other cables I had tried. Anyway link below. Again just to add I have no idea how cables can make this change but as always trust your ears. Have a good Xmas all.

 
I’ve been using Colin’s cables for many months now. I started with the LS-25 speaker cables. These are vastly superior to the TQ blacks I was using. I’d say they are on a par performance wise with the TQ ultra black speaker cables I demoed but at a much more pocket friendly price. (Will Colin ever release the mythical LS-50???)
I then added an IC-5 din to XLR between my Naim Pre amp and 250DR amp. This was a huge leap over the standard cable. I can’t really add any more to the brilliant description given by @Foxman50. All I can do is wholeheartedly confirm his findings. Finally I added an MC-5 which again added (or removed) something to the sound which put a smile on my face. There sure is something about a full loom. I’m just about to purchase another MC-5, whilst they’re still available!!
 


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