October 2024

World Premiere Review!
KBL Sound EXtrema Interconnects, Himalaya Pro 2 Power Cables, And EXtrema Digital Cable Review
An awe-inspiring musical experience with extended frequencies and razor-sharp transients.
Review By Tom Lyle

   As a high-end audio equipment reviewer, I've heard many brands and types of high-end audio cables. However, the sound quality of KBL Sound's reference-quality cables, which included their EXtrema interconnects, Himalaya Pro 2 power cables, and an EXtrema digital cable, differed significantly from all the other audio cables I've heard or reviewed in the past. Their superior sound quality was obviously due to their elaborate construction techniques and materials used.

KBL Sound Review
For this review, I was sent two of KBL Sound's EXtrema interconnects, one terminated with RCAs and one terminated with XLRs. I was also sent three Himalaya Pro 2 power cables and one EXtrema digital cable. It's a shame I wasn't sent more KBL Sound cables to review. A few of these cables I was sent for review were shipped from Poland, where KBL Sound is based, and others were sent to me from their North American distributor.

I would have liked to have reviewed KBL Sound’s speaker and USB cables. However, because my equipment rack is not located between the two speakers but instead is positioned to the side of the left speaker, I would have required at least 12 feet of speaker cable, which KBL could not lend me. Also, my computer-based music server is far from my DAC, so I would have needed at least an 8-foot USB cable. KBL Sound could not make me a USB cable this long for a review.

KBL Sound Effects
I've often insisted that the only way to accurately evaluate the effects of a brand of cables upon a system's sound is to use that cable throughout one's system or at least use as many cables as possible. Despite this, perhaps due to the higher-than-usual quality of the KBL Sound cables, even without replacing my speaker or USB cables, I could hear a very significant improvement in the sound of my system when I used only two KBL Sound interconnects, their power cables, and one digital cable. OK, that was a spoiler of sorts, but I suppose most readers saw that coming.

A wide diameter and relative inflexibility were standard to all the KBL Sound cables I was sent for review. When I read about these cables' design, construction, and the sonic goals of KBL Sound on their website, it was apparent that the wires weren't designed with this thickness only to appeal to an audiophile's ego ("wider diameter cables are better than thin cables"). Because of their inflexibility, it took some finesse to get every one of these cables into position. But the cable’s high performance made this slight inconvenience worth it.

Plus, I assume most users of these cables will only have to install them once and then leave them in their system for quite some time, as opposed to audio equipment reviewers who switch out cables much more often.

KBL Sound... Between
I used the KBL Sound EXtrema interconnects terminated with XLRs between my amp and preamplifier / linestage. For most of the review, the lineage was the vacuum tube-powered Nagra Classic Preamp, but near the end of the review period, I used the Pass Laboratories two-chassis XL-22 linestage. The amplifier was the Pass Labs X250.8, which powered my reference Sound Lab Majestic 545 electrostatic speakers. Even though Sound Labs calls these monoliths "full-range," I used a pair of SVS SB16 Ultra subwoofers, each using a single 16” woofer behind each Sound Lab speaker.

At first, I used the EXtrema interconnect with RCA termination to connect a Simaudio MOON 681 DAC / Streamer to the linestage. But shortly after this, I used this EXtrema interconnect to connect the output of my reference two-chassis Pass Labs XP-27 phono preamplifier to the linestage, where it remained for most of the audition period. The KBL Sound Himalaya Pro 2 power cables connected the Pass Labs power amp to a custom AC wall receptacle, one of two 20 Ampere power lines running directly to the circuit board in our basement. One of the other Himalaya Pro 2 power cables was used for the linestage, and the other was the DAC/Streamer.

The EXtrema 75-Ohm coax digital cable connected an OPPO UDP-203 Blu-Ray / Universal disc player to the MOON 681 DAC. Although the OPPO is a discontinued product, its performance as a disc transport and for listening to the occasional SACD or DVD remains outstanding.

KBL Sound EXtrema Interconnects
KBL Sound describes its EXtrema Interconnects as cables that "exceed reference quality in systems where cost is not an issue" and is intended to be used in "the very best systems." Without the need to manufacture them to a specific price point, this allowed KBL Sound to "push all construction barriers aside" and design and manufacture these cables without compromises.

After reading about their design and construction materials and hearing the superior sound quality during the review, I expected these cables to be more expensive than their $7400-a-meter asking price. No, I doubt anyone would consider them "affordable" cables, but compared to some other manufacturer's top offerings, these cables are practically a bargain. And I have no doubt those who hear the EXtrema interconnects in an excellent high-end audio system will agree that their sound is almost unequaled, that is, unless one hard-wires the inputs and outputs of their components together!

KBL Sound says that the EXtrema interconnects 'design features use materials with "the best conductivity on Earth." For this, they utilize ultra-pure monocrystal silver and copper, which is hand-polished. This process, says KBL Sound, procures "a nobler tone" of reproducing the treble frequencies.

KBL Sound's top cables, including its EXtrema interconnects, physically separate the hot and return conductors, lessening the influence of magnetic fields. The shielding is also moved away from the conductors as far as possible. According to KBL Sound, all the above is meant to minimize the mutual influence of magnetic fields, leaving these cables with an improved capacity and no phase shifts.

KBL Sound says on its website that "the main dielectric of EXtrema cables is air, the best-known insulator for practical use,” although this process creates some challenges. To accomplish this, the conductors of the Extrema interconnects were placed in Teflon sheaths. Using "specific spiral HyperSpace architecture of the wires, only a few percent touch the sheaths." Any loss from any contact with a rigid insulator is "completely negligible."

KBL Sound Stiffness
The stiffness of the housing and sheaths of the EXtrema interconnects make a mechanical barrier that protects the cables against vibrations caused by the signal passing through the conductors. But they go even further by shielding the cables in even more ways, such as creating another cover by "multi-layer lagging," which dampens any other vibrations "to zero." The cables are then covered by carbon-infused polymer, improving high-frequency shielding.

The "electrostatically dissipative" carbon polymer in these interconnects further reduces mechanically induced electrical noise, improving the "uniformity of the voltage gradient within the insulating dielectric."

KBL Sound Packages
Before KBL Sound packages the cables for shipment, they break in the wires using a full-frequency, high-voltage conditioning process that takes days. Even though this shortens the break-in time of the cables, I did not judge the sound quality these cables until they were in my system for a while. I wondered if that made any difference since I was impressed by their sound from day one.

KBL Sound Himalaya Pro 2 Power Cables
Much like KBL Sound's EXtrema interconnect, the thickness of its Himalaya Pro 2 power cable is due to the separation of its parts' physical distances. They are "individually tuned and shielded." KBL Sound uses the "highest standard" for its construction and materials.

The improvement in sound quality that these power cables imparted to my system was similar to the KBL Sound EXtrema interconnects, which was amazing since the Himalaya Pro 2 is "only" KBL's second to their top-of-the-line EXtrema power cables. Still, I believe them when KBL Sound claims they used "the highest standard of construction and material advancement."

On their website, KBL Sound again says that the thickness of the cable "is not a mere visual effect" but is due to what they call its "unique" HyperSpace topology, which "one will not find in cables from other manufacturers." The space between the internal wires and similarly spaced "wideband shielding layers," along with "tuned vibration damping," is responsible for their performance, claims KBL Sound. The dielectrics used in the Himalaya Pro 2 power cable include Teflon, Kapton, polypropylene, cotton, polyolefin, and air.

The Himalaya Pro 2 power cables feature three separate cables running between each cable end. I assume this will have the same benefits as running three separate cables between the AC input of the component and the AC source. These three separate cable runs further increased the cable’s lack of user-friendliness when connecting the output and source. But since these cables improved the component's sound quality, it was worth the inconvenience. As I mentioned, once they are connected, it is unlikely that the cable will have to be reinstalled unless the listener is also a high-end equipment reviewer.

As with the EXtrema interconnects, their power cables are broken at the factory, significantly shortening their break-in time.

KBL Sound EXtrema Digital Cable
In the vein of KBL Sound's EXtrema interconnect, their EXtreme digital cable is of reference quality. It is a no-compromise design with no cost restraints. As with their EXtrema interconnect, they recommend that it be used with reference-quality audio systems. The EXtrema digital comes in five versions: USB 2.0 A/B type, S/PDIF RCA, S/PDIF BNC, XLR, AES/EBU, and the more obscure Taiko XDMI.

As with KBL Sound's EXtrema interconnects, their digital cable uses wires with "the best conductivity on the Earth." And like the EXtrema interconnect, this includes "ultra-pure" monocrystal silver and copper. They are also hand-polished to obtain a nobler tone of higher frequencies." Lest I bore the reader, it is worth repeating that, like their EXtrema interconnect, the hot and return conductors are physically separated to minimize the mutual influence of magnetic fields. The shielding was moved away from the conductors as far as possible. Again, this leads the cable to have an extremely low capacity and no phase shifts.

So, as the EXtrema interconnect, the primary dielectric is air, which KBL Sound calls "the best-known insulator for practical use," but this isn't as easy as it sounds. To accomplish this, the conductors were wrapped in Teflon sheaths. With their use of "specific spiral HyperSpace architecture of the wires," only a tiny amount of it touches the sheaths, and there is a negligible loss due to contact with this rigid insulator.

Like all the KBL Sound cables in this review, the EXtrema digital cable is thick and inflexible. However, the stiffness of the housing and sheaths provides an excellent mechanical barrier, protecting against vibrations caused by the signal flowing through them. Plus, another cover shields the cables using a "multi-layer lagging," which further dampens stray vibrations to zero.

These cables are also covered with a carbon-infused polymer on their exterior, increasing the high-frequency shielding level. "Electrostatically dissipative carbon polymer" reduces mechanically induced electrical noise, improving "the uniformity of the voltage gradient within the insulating dielectric."

Like the other KBL Sound cables, during the final production stage, the EXtrema interconnects undergo a multi-day high-voltage conditioning process across the entire frequency spectrum to achieve "better clarity, musicality, and resolution without the effect of fatigue." This process shortens the cable's break-in time.

The Music
During the review period of KBL Sound's cables, I listened to many different genres of music. This included lots of vinyl, including but not nearly limited to my original 1984 vinyl pressing of Black Flag's My War, a vinyl reissue of the 1964 Empyrean Isles by Herbie Hancock from Blue Note Records' excellent "Classic Vinyl Series" mastered by Kevin Gray, the Speakers Corner reissue from a 1961 Decca LP of Dvořák's Symphony No.5 In E Minor (From The New World) with István Kertész conducting the Vienna Philharmonic. These are only a few musical samples I played during the review period.

I spun these records on my reference Basis Audio Model V turntable, with a Top Wing Suzaku "Red Sparrow" phono cartridge mounted on a Tri-Planar 6 tonearm. The tonearm's integral interconnect terminated with RCAs was connected to the Pass Labs XP-27 phono preamplifier. Sonically, it was immediately apparent that the phono preamp's outputs were connected to the linestage with the KBL Sound EXtrema interconnect. My analog front end never sounded better.

Sound Frequencies
I will discuss how the KBL Sound cables improved these frequencies' frequency response and sound, but many other traits were enhanced. It was as if I had upgraded every component of my system. If I had discussed every single one of these improvements, I would have used up all the server space that Enjoy the Music.com occupies for this issue.

With the KBL Sound cables in my system, I heard a silky-smooth and ultra-realistic midrange through my speakers. This was very noticeable on vocals, where Black Flag's Henry Rollins' spoken / sung lyrics entered my listening room, and to be honest, it made me a bit frightened when these vocals appeared in front of me as if I was hearing a live mic feed on the other side of the studio's control room window. Even though this album was not recorded in a state-of-the-art studio, they either used the best microphone that Total Access Studios in Redondo Beach, California, could afford, or they simply lucked out and ended up with an outstanding recording. 

Perhaps more readers can relate to the midrange prowess of the KBL Sound cables I heard on Dvořák's reissue LP. About 25 years ago, I was lucky enough to have attended a Vienna Phil concert from one of the best seats in the hall. Coincidentally, I heard them perform Dvořák’s From The New World that evening.

Many factors made me feel like this was one of the best orchestras I’ve ever heard. I could clearly remember the massive, overwhelmingly gorgeous timbre I heard from their string section. I was blown away.

Somehow, the Decca engineers could reproduce a similar version of the sound I heard, which was recorded almost 30 years before I heard them that evening. The string sound that the KBL Sound cables delivered to my speakers was terrific, and I hope my description leads some people to search for this reissue or even the original UK Decca pressing.

This Decca reissue LP was a perfect demonstration of the prowess of the KBL Sound cables when it came to acting as a transparent conductor of the musical signal. I'm not an electrical engineer, so I couldn't begin to explain why my system sounded as if all of my reference components were connected to the best power conditioner on the market. Given that the three 1.8 meter KBL Himalaya Pro 2 power cables I used in my system for this review cost a total of about $17,700, one could purchase quite a good power condition in addition to the one most first-class systems already use, as I did in my system for at least a portion of the review.

The combination of both the interconnects and the power cables I heard my system produce sizzling and realistic-sounding treble frequencies that aided in making the musicians on these records create a sonic hologram in the front of my listening room. The Herbie Hancock’s Empyrean Isles album featured one of my favorite jazz drummers of all time, Anthony (Tony) Williams.

On this album, William’s cymbals produced a ping that was realistic as heck. Combined with the rest of his drum kit, it panned into one speaker, with bleed coming through the other. Anthony Williams's outstanding percussion expertise caused me to sink into my listening seat while playing this album. This amazing drummer was only 19 years old when he sat in during this session. Mind blown.

Music Discs
Because my physical discs were ripped to my computer-based music server, and are stored on hard-wired hard drives, I don’t play as many 5” silver discs on my OPPO Blu-Ray / Universal Disc player as I used to, that is, unless they are SACDs. The OPPO's output is connected directly to the linestage when playing SACDs. The exception is when I spin music DVDs that have not been ripped to my music server, such as the DVDs that are included in the box set of remixes that were made in the mid-2000s of the Peter Gabriel era Genesis albums titled Genesis 1970–1975.

This box set contains the five studio albums released during this period, including 1970s Trespass through 1975’s two-disc The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and a disc of rare tracks on a double album. The set includes both CDs and DVDs of these albums. The DVDs have 5.1 surround / immersive mixes, stereo mixes, and some videos. I've only listened to the stereo mixes because I do not have surround sound. The sound quality that the KBL Sound Extrema digital cable, plus the other KBL Sound cables installed in my system, imparted to the sound of these discs was awe-inspiring. The improvements in sound quality mimicked what I heard with the other KBL Sound cables in my system.

In other words, it was as if I had improved my system's transport and digital-to-analog converter with components that cost at least twice the price. I'll admit that I sometimes exaggerate to make a point in my reviews. However, I have not exaggerated any sonic descriptions of any of the KBL Sound cables that were the subjects of this review.

I've never heard the bass frequencies sound as good as they did on these Genesis DVDs. During this period, Genesis member Mike Rutherford often played synthesizer bass pedals that produced intense and powerful deep bass tones. These massive-sounding pedals, not to mention the other instruments with a great deal of low-end energy included on these Genesis albums, were reproduced with a solid, authoritative sound that could be felt and heard. This was evident with almost every decent recording I played while these cables were in my system.

The older Genesis albums remix versions eliminated the tape hiss on the originals, and the KBL Sound cables could take advantage of the smoother-sounding midrange and treble frequencies. This was especially noticeable in their later albums, such as The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, where more than an increase in the separation of instruments and voices occurred on these rather complex compositions, creating a soundstage larger than the original mix. I’m not here to judge whether these remixes were artistically superior to the originals, but these 24-bit/96kHz versions sure sounded excellent through my system, thanks mainly to the installed KBL Sound cables.

The bass frequencies up to the lower midrange on just about every reasonably good recording could also take advantage of the razor-sharp transients I was fortunate to hear during some of my long listening sessions. The rounded tone of the bass frequencies on these Genesis discs was overwhelming. As powerful as these bass frequencies sounded, they didn't obscure the other instruments and voices on the recording. What some audiophiles like to call pace and timing was significantly improved.

When I replaced the cables with my more affordable cables, the bass wasn't nearly as powerful and sounded lifelike. Not only that, but the kick drum wasn’t almost as lifelike sounding, and its sound often obscured many of the adjacent instruments and voices.

KBL Sound Recommended
The KBL Sound EXtrema interconnects, Himalaya Pro 2 power cables, and EXtrema digital cable in this review are highly recommended to all audiophiles who have systems that appreciate them and can afford them. My system is nice but not state-of-the-art, yet they improved the sound of my system to the point where I could imagine if every component was upgraded to the higher model in the manufacturer’s roster. 

If someone purchases a set of these relatively pricey KBL Sound cables featured in this review, I encourage this audiophile to also donate some money to a worthy cause. If a worthy cause cannot be decided upon, I would be glad to help them choose one that could help those who are less fortunate. Other than that, I have no reservations about giving these KBL Sound cables my highest recommendation.

Specifications
Type: High-performance cables

Extrema Interconnect 
Conductors: Ultra-pure monocrystal silver and copper, polished by hand
Wire: 20 AWG in the company’s HyperSpace Architecture

Dielectrics: Uncolored PTFE, air, Kapton, polyolefin, polyurethane, and electrostatically dissipative carbon polymer.

Plugs XLR: Cardas Reference XLR Plugs
Plugs RCA: Furutech CF-102 NCF R featuring NCF technology
Optional: RCA Viborg VR106 Ag, pure silver contacts, carbon fiber shielding
Standard Lengths: 1 and 1.5 meter 
Price: $7395 for one meter. Add $1495 per 0.5 meter

Himalaya Pro 2 Power Cables 
Conductors: Pure monocrystal copper, multi-strand, and anti-oxidation.
Gauge: 9 AWG
Dielectric: Teflon, Kapton, cotton, polypropylene, polyolefin, air
HyperSpace architecture and TriKord Power technology with 3D ScreenPoint separate tuning of each physically separated core.

Tuned vibration absorption system
Terminations PRO 2: Furutech C15 and IEC Fi-48 family
Optional IEC Furutech C19 Fi-48 plug for high-current devices
Optional Furutech C15 Fi-48 US type
Standard length: 1.8 meters (other lengths by request)
Price: $5895 for 1.8 meter

EXtrema Digital Cable
Conductors: Ultra-pure monocrystal silver and copper, and polished by hand.
Gauge: 20 AWG
HyperSpace Architecture
Dielectrics: Uncolored PTFE, air, Kapton, polyolefin, and polyurethane.
Electrostatically dissipative carbon polymer used externally to reduce mechanically-induced electrical noise and improve constant voltage gradient within the insulating dielectric.
Version: USB 2.0 A/B type
Version: S/PDIF RCA
Version: S/PDIF BNC
Version: XLR AES/EBU
XDMI: XLR five-pin
Standard Lengths: 1.2 meter, each additional 0.5 meter upon request
Price: $3995

Company Information
KBL Sound 
ul. Bednarska 26 lok.7
00-321 Warszawa 
Poland

Phone: +48 696 551 492
E-mail: info@kblsound.com 
Website: www.KBLsound.com

North American Distributor:
Destination Sound Group

Voice: (631) 813-8992
Email: info@dsgdistro.com 
Website: DSGdistro.com