REVIEW: JPS Labs Aluminata Cable

Cable Asylum

Interconnects, speaker wire, power cords. Ask the Cable Guys.

Model: Aluminata
Category: Cable
Suggested Retail Price: $3500
Description: power cord
Manufacturer URL: JPS Labs
Manufacturer URL: JPS Labs

Review by GliderGuider ( A ) on January 06, 2007 at 18:11:40
IP Address: 74.105.129.248 Add Your Review
for the Aluminata

Can a power cord be worth the price of a very nice amp or pair of speakers?
I was leaving my dealer's shop a couple of months ago he asked if I'd like to try a power cord and tell him what I thought of it. I knew he was a JPS Labs dealer but had no clue what Aluminata was. I agreed and he gave me a power cord and a pair of Aluminata interconnects, warning me that these were distributor demos that he planned on loaning to a number of his customers, and so weren't for sale.
The Aluminata cabling is distinguished by the aluminum particle shield that's wrapped like a blamket around the length of the conductors. This makes the cables fairly bulky, but the power cord at least is quite flexible. The power cord replaced an Elrod Statement running straight from the amp into a dedicated circuit. The interconnects replaced a pair of Kimber Select KS-1030 between the preamp and the amp.
I turned on the system, let it warm up and put in a CD. I hadn't even made it back to the listening chair before I knew I'd be buying the wires. I got to keep the demos for three days, and regretted seeing them go. The four week wait for my own cables to arrive was interminable.
To make a long story short, I've never heard a power cord do what the Aluminata does. It has transformed the sound of ever amp I've tried it on - my Audion PX-25, the Pass Labs Aleph J and especially the Tom Evans Linear A. The changes are always the same - more transparency, more tonal body, richer midrange, deeper and fuller bass, more musical coherence, and better intelligibility due to less masking of low-level detail.
The difference between using the Aluminata and the Elrod on any amp is much greater than the differences between the various amps I've tried. After using the Aluminata for a while (say a day or two), going back to the previous power cords made the system sound broken.
I heard from my dealer after he had sent the Aluminata out to four of his customers. They all ordered them on the spot, and one was extremely unhappy when he refused to sell the demos. For something as insane as a $3500 power cord, this is a remarkable testimonial.
I also bought two pairs of Aluminata interconnects to replace the KS-1030 I was using. They have the same effect as the power cord, and make the excellent Kimber sound pinched and bleached in comparison.
The Aluminata cabling has my highest recommendation. If you can afford it, I can't imagine being disappointed.

Product Weakness: The price is a barrier. Not many people can or will part with this sort of stupid money for a power cord, and the usual nay-sayers will just cross their eyes in disbelief.
Product Strengths: Utterly remarkable sound - it may make more difference to a system than a component upgrade. A power cord can actually be worth the price of an amp.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Tom Evans Linear A
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Tom Evans Vibe/Pulse
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Audio Note XDT-3 / DAC 4.1x Balanced Signature
Speakers: Fab Audio Model 1
Cables/Interconnects: Aluminata interconnects, Kimber KS-3038 speaker cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Folk, blues, jazz, classical - various selections
Room Size (LxWxH): 19 x 12 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: symmetrical room, well treated with Echobusters and lots of RPG Skylines
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 weeks so far
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Isoclean 60A3 filter
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Amplified Parts

Topic - REVIEW: JPS Labs Aluminata Cable - GliderGuider 18:11:40 01/6/07 (4)

Before you buy, compare with the PAD Contego AC - tonemaniac 09:34:09 01/7/07 (2)

Re: Before you buy, compare with the PAD Contego AC - sherod 13:10:44 01/7/07 (1)

Yup, the original Dominus - tonemaniac 13:26:23 01/7/07 (0)

JPS Labs Aluminata Cable - calloway 08:26:46 01/7/07 (0)

You can not post to an archived thread.

Model:	Aluminata
Category:	Cable
Suggested Retail Price:	$3500
Description:	power cord
Manufacturer URL:	JPS Labs
Manufacturer URL:	JPS Labs

Product Weakness:	The price is a barrier. Not many people can or will part with this sort of stupid money for a power cord, and the usual nay-sayers will just cross their eyes in disbelief.
Product Strengths:	Utterly remarkable sound - it may make more difference to a system than a component upgrade. A power cord can actually be worth the price of an amp.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Tom Evans Linear A
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Tom Evans Vibe/Pulse
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Audio Note XDT-3 / DAC 4.1x Balanced Signature
Speakers:	Fab Audio Model 1
Cables/Interconnects:	Aluminata interconnects, Kimber KS-3038 speaker cables
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Folk, blues, jazz, classical - various selections
Room Size (LxWxH):	19 x 12 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	symmetrical room, well treated with Echobusters and lots of RPG Skylines
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 weeks so far
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	Isoclean 60A3 filter
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner