REVIEW: Epiphany Acoustics 'Atratus III' interconnect

[TPA]

Sometimes we may not see eye to eye with audio especially when it comes to something like cables where any mention of ABX blind testing makes audiophiles break out in a sweat . But coming back to this thread it's a shame that peoples posts were deleted so only the positives remain. I think we need to read both postive & negative views on a forum otherwise it just becomes nothing more than a glowing advert. Also the average punter doesn't get pre-production samples sent to them so by that alone means more communication with the manufacturer than normal & it would take a very hard attitude (almost backstabbing) to then say anything but positive.

I know where you're coming from but Guy from Puresound sent me a phono stage (Aurorasound Vida) just to have a listen to and it was so good I bought it straightaway. I'm not convinced that you have to double blind test stuff to know if you prefer it.

With regard to Mark and these cables I think his contribution is valid because he clearly is impressed and they are at an interesting price point which maybe has an appeal to a broad range of pfm members. For sure it may help the manufacturer but so what, if they make a good product then they can expect (and deserve) to get publicity and do well.

 

[formbypc]

Are these cables available on any kind of trial or approval scheme, similar to Russ Andrews' 60-day scheme?

 

[Joe Hutch]

Are these cables available on any kind of trial or approval scheme, similar to Russ Andrews' 60-day scheme?

From the OP:

Epiphany Acoustics offer a “14 day no-quibble return policy to allow you to evaluate their performance in your own system”

 

[Alexh]

I appreciate the time and trouble that goes into the review and also writing it.

I gives us another option to try that may suit our tastes. Nothing lost by trying it is there,
If it does not work for you, send it back, I cannot see any problem with the OP.
The only problem will be for rather weak willed individuals who cannot decide for themselves, but why cater to the lame ducks ….

I like ATC speakers and preamp, I make my own interconnects and build my own source equipment, will I get flamed for shilling ATC now Lol.

 

[Tony L]

<moderating>

Thread once again pruned back to topic with everything I consider to be a thread-crap, ad hominem or simply caught in the crossfire removed (my apologies to the latter, but it's pointless leavig posts that refer to deleted strands). Anyway, it's all in the AUP folks, so please, please read it. Any reoccurrance may well be met with a two month ban as shorter ones are beginning to bore me. Please understand: I do not intend to waste time or effort hosting negative, sniping, trolling content. It is not what this forum is for and those who bring it will be removed.

 

[YNWOAN]

It was just that it was hard to know if it was real or not or just another marketing ploy. Also knowing how people rarely do anything unless there is something in it for them & that this seller is known to pay for reviews, it was hard to know what to believe.

This is how it is, when someone writes that they have just bought record X and they think it is fantastic it doesn't imply they are in the pay of EMI - or does it? I've written way more about other hi-fi that nobody has even questioned, I've written hundreds of pages eulogising about Yamaha NS-1000Ms (am still waiting for a cheque or even a thank you from Yamaha). What I get from it is the purely academic fun of immersing myself in my hobby - apparently a terrible sin! What I don't get is any financial reimbursement!

"this seller is known to pay for reviews"

Whoever says this is a bare faced liar.

I now understand the modertator of that forum also happens to be a dealer for this seller so that would explain a lot, but with all these things going on is it any wonder why people are skeptical or possibly suspicious.

Sorry, but that just isn't true - the owner of this forum isn't a dealer for anybody, he just sells second hand records, that's it - I don't sell anything, you certainly can't buy this cable from either of us, just from the manufacturer direct - it's as simple as that. I honestly haven't the slightest idea what you could be sceptical or suspicious of because there is zero evidence to support it other than blind paranoia!

EDIT: I've been quite open as to how I got hold of this cable to try - I read about it's existence on another forum (The Art of Sound) and emailed the company to ask if I could try it - that is the whole fact of it; they didn't contact me and anybody else could have done the same! I was never in a position where I had to be unpleasant, I was sent the cable purely on a 'what do you think basis' and I hadn't committed myself to write anything (it hadn't even been mentioned).

 

[avole]

It would be well if people who review for manufacturers or send unsolicited reviews to manufacturers would declare that when they copy the reviews to PFM. That would avoid any misunderstanding, as was the case here.

 

[Errol]

I was sent the cable purely on a 'what do you think basis' and I hadn't committed myself to write anything (it hadn't even been mentioned).

This is the way our group of enthusiasts usually get to listen to cables etc. We do a pass around, sometimes there is a change for the better in a system, sometimes not. It's a great way to evaluate, all the dealer requires is your comment in the context of your system. Win win.
Errol.

 

[Markus S]

I keep thinking that "Atratus III" sounds like the Roman name for a 3rd-century king in Asia Minor. How do they come up with these names?

 

[merlin]

Ah but Atratus 111 was less coloured than Atratus 11 so potentially lacking a little in natural rhythmic prowess.

 

[jandl100]

I keep thinking that "Atratus III" sounds like the Roman name for a 3rd-century king in Asia Minor. How do they come up with these names?

I wondered about that, too.

Googling atratus - it seems to mean black - black vulture (Coragyps atratus) - black swan (Cygnus atratus).

Hmm, I'm not sure that sheds much more light on the subject - the Atratus 3 is green. The At2 is black, though.

Aha - atratus according to the free Latin Dictionary. a mourner. Hmm, maybe they had a premonition of this review?

 

[avole]

Whoever says this is a bare faced liar.

I think this is a misunderstanding of what Rob was saying. He wasn't talking about a specific seller, but making a general point about sellers, some of whom may pay for reviews
Edit - having re- read this I see you are correct.

Sorry, but that just isn't true - the owner of this forum isn't a dealer for anybody, he just sells second hand records, that's it - I don't sell anything, you certainly can't buy this cable from either of us, just from the manufacturer direct - it's as simple as that. I honestly haven't the slightest idea what you could be sceptical or suspicious of because there is zero evidence to support it other than

Rob made it clear he wasn't talking about this forum but another.

 

[Daniel Quinn]

Rob clearly says - "this seller is known to pay for reviews "

Of course whoever says it could be genuinely mistaken not a bare faced liar .

Of course , it could also be that there is a review of the cable on a forum which is known to charge for such publicity .


Atratus is also a large black swan . It aint that long ago , black swans were thought not to exist . Another metaphor for this thread surely .

 

[Rob.]

The moderator has already had to step in several times to remove posts & prior to this the other skeptical comments had also been removed so I will keep this short but would just like to say the following as you seem to be implying its all paranoia .

You say anyone that says that is a "bare faced liar", as I said this was never aimed personally at you, you obviously seem to get a lot of fun from writing up stuff & thats rare. It was just that I was recently reading this review below so that is why when I saw your review about a cable there had been some doubt already set in.

http://www.totallydubbed.net/2013/0...p-o2d-desktop-amp-an-outstanding-amp-and-dac/

"I first of all would like to thank Oliver at Epiphany Acoustics for selling me the EHP-O2D at a reduced reviewer discount price", payments or discounts all amount to the same thing. Large companies might also do it so im not having a go at this seller in particular just that you can see the positive effect this has on reviews by the 10/10 on everything. Whether he slipped up & shouldn't have mentioned that or perhaps this is a normal approach to reviews so he was just being open about it I don't know.

Also I never suggested this forum was a dealer so you didn't read my comments before coming on here posting, also its not quite true that you can only buy direct as there is a dealer for this seller & it was on their forum that the posts I mentioned were removed, not PFM or AOS. (Tony L I hope my comments here are not against the rules & that they are not removed or result in myself being banned, I just felt I needed to explain my intital comments as it was implied I was making it up)

 

[avole]

@gerald Yes, I see I was wrong on this point so have edited original. The other point still stands, though, Rob made it clear he was not talking about pfm.

 

[gassor]

I am grateful to knowledgeable people on here bringing audio items to my attention. If they like a product by all means let me know and I will investigate for myself. It may suit me, it may not, but its up to me to work that bit out.

Its like as someone has said recommending a new band you like - its not a lynching matter if I don't agree. But I wouldn't accuse the that person of being in the back pocket of the band. But even if they knew some of the band, it is still my decision if I like the music or not.

PS it would be a pretty desperate way to drum up business by making false recommendations on a hi-fi site. Not the easiest people to persuade being mainly a shower of grumpy old barstewards - except Joe Hutch.

 

[Markus S]

this seller is known to pay for reviews

1/ Giving a reviewer a discount is not the same as paying for a review. It implies a quid pro quo that may or may not have existed (my guess is there was no quid for quo, but we'd have to ask the blogger and/or Epiphany Acoustics).

Reviewers sometimes get a so-called industry accomodation price, generally about the same as the standard dealer price. Which is often about the same as is available to anyone else for an ex-dem unit.

2/ A single instance does not mean someone is known to pay for reviews (note plural).

3/ You could at least have the decency to give Mark the benefit of the doubt and ask him before you imply he's been paid for his review.


Edit: From the blog that Rob. linked to:

I don’t take pay cheques from companies, I don’t endorse companies nor do I ever act dishonest to my audience. I might not be a huge influence on the internet, but I want to at least have an impact, by being an honest reviewer that people can trust. A lot of reviewers these days are paid, bias or just plain uneducated on their subject. I’ve stuck to what I know best and built upon that.
Over the years, I’ve also built relationships with certain companies and/or other reviewers and thus, that’s why you’ll see them featured on my homepage – I admire what they do, or use their products daily and thus feel the need to share it. From an audio reviewer friend, to AmazonUK where I purchase most of my things from.

All my work is complete free – I even suggest you use AdBlock on my videos (as there shouldn’t be any adverts on them) – and all my work is self-funded. I’ve had the pleasure of receiving items over the years, but not once have I been paid for what I do (not from YouTube, nor my “fans”). Thus, why I’ve become an Amazon Associate to make commission on AmazonUK purchases that are made via my Amazon links. Thus if you want to help me out and you were thinking of buying an item (especially of something I’ve already reviewed) then I would appreciate you using that link or an AmazonUK link on my reviews. It doesn’t do anything apart from tell AmazonUK where their traffic and purchase came from – and because of this, they give me a small commission.

Other than that, I work full time now

 

[jandl100]

I think it is standard industry practise to offer discount prices to high profile reviewers on the understanding the item would not be sold on within a set period. Certainly Stereophile reviewers used to mention that on a regular basis, and various Stereophile reviewers acknowledged they had bought the kit they reviewed at a substantially reduced price. It always sounded dodgy to me, but seemed to be accepted in the USA at least. It's probably the same here in the UK, I suspect.

EDIT: I see Markus has said a similar thing.

 

[avole]

I think "Which" pays full price anonymously for what it reviews to avoid any possible implications of bias.

 

[Markus S]

Feel free to start an audio magazine that works like that. I assume you are independently wealthy?