Preview – The Shunyata Lyra Speaker Cables and Aries Balanced Interconnects

Over the last few years I have not spent a lot of time experimenting with cables. Rather, I have focused on getting the blend of components that make up my system in tune. After all, my current cables are state of the art wire from MIT that happens to work really well in my system, if at a steep price, leaving me rather disinterested in a change. 

After spending some very rewarding time with the Shunyata Hydra power system and the accompanying Anaconda power chords, I knew this was a company with its collective heads on straight and its sonic priorities in line. So when Grant Samuelson, Shunyata’s Head of Sales, suggested I give their new line of interconnects and speaker wire a listen, I reconsidered my ambivalence, and jumped at the chance.

First off, this is not a full review. I have only had the cables for a couple of months and the break-in period came to a conclusion only about a week ago. On top of that I have about seven reviews in the works and the last thing I want to do is bury myself in an even deeper editorial hole.

So it is the outstanding performance of the Shunyata Aries interconnects and Lyra speaker wire that has kept me up this fine evening, compelling me to give you all a heads up for what are truly remarkable products. 

The first thing that strikes me about this wire is the near total lack of character or coloration that I can trace to the sound of the wire itself. Cohesive from top to bottom, and fast as hell, and with a supremely natural mid-band, the Shunyata combo couples those attributes with a treble that at once sounds endlessly extended, detailed and totally free of grain or harmonic flattening. Dynamics feel totally un-tethered down below that gives the bass a grip and growl that left me more than a little rattled. 

A quick call to Clement Perry who received the same cables shortly after I did confirmed it. His initial observations were emphatic and identical to mine. Even my wife and our neighbor Jill, whom would never in a million years comment on the sound of cables I had added to the system, took note on the quality of the sound. 

I will be expanding my thoughts on the potent Shunyata Lyra and Aries in the near future. Until then I urge you to seek them out and give them a listen. If your components are up to it, the Shunyata system may shock you with its state of the art performance and thrill you with its real world pricing.