KUBALA-SOSNA Anticipation

MJ11.11.2011

Interconnects

I like one thing in Kubala-Sosna Research's philosophy: their humbleness and acknowledgement that  there are so many different factors in the quest for a perfect cable that it is often an emprical way that leads to better results, rather than measurements.

Function and form

95%
Ease of use
35%
Sound
85%
Appearance

Kubala-Sosna does not give up many details about how the Anticipation is designed. Actually the are no details  shared. This is a fertile ground for speculations - is there a wire from supermarket inside? Is there anything inside? Let'have a listen...

Bass management

Weight
58
Slam
52
Articulation
52

Lows of the The Anticipation are sensantionally growling, they are both authoritative and have slam. I had no issue to visualize a double-bass in my room, not just its strings like many other cables try to portray it. Yes, the definition of the bass of the Kubala-Sosna is perhaps not the final word in hifi, but it is cheap cable.

Clarity & delicacy

Detail
49
Air
42
Transparency
42

Considering its asking price the The Anticipation is a very 'pragmatic' cable - no excesses or big surprises anywhere. It does what it can without showing off. Tonally the stress is on tone fundamentals with less of the harmonics heard. Spatially it gives a very clear soundstage with good focus, but it lacks the ambience of the best cables - the soundstage is therefore a bit flatter and slightly compressed towards its center.

Tonal accuracy

Timbre
32
Dynamics
34
Temporal resolution
32

The Anticipation is a quite ´laid-back´ cable, sounding a bit British. Its performance in the midrange  was excellent and voices were delivered with correct timbres, without boxiness or nasal tonality. I was also pleased not to hear any excess sibilance.

Spatial resolution

Holography
38
Soundstage width
36
Soundstage depth
40

In the The Anticipation's top end I could detect a tad of softening, not unlike silk dome tweeters can deliver. If there is something like 'muted spark' then the Kubala-Sosna has it. That's why the The Anticipation was not aggressive with any recordings, but it is also why I would be pretty hesitant to recommend it for already darker sounding systems.

Price as reviewed:11 500,- Kč

Recommended resellers

High-End Audio Studio, Belgická 4, Praha, tel. +420 224 256 844

Associated components

  • Sources: Accuphase DP-78
  • Amplifiers:  Acuphase A-60, Pathos Logos
  • Interconnects and speaker cables: Krautwire Fractal, Homegrown Audio DNA, Furutech Lineflux
  • Loudspeakers: Audio Physic Virgo V, Bowers & Wilkins 802 Diamond

Gallery

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