Fernando Alday


Stager Silver Solids - RCA

For those who didn't know, I promise you'll discover a well-kept secret of the audiophile world. For those who know them, it's no secret that they're excellent interconnect cables.

It's no secret that silver-core patch cables are extremely high-performance cables. Many veteran audiophiles know this and use them. The legendary Shindo, Auditorium23, and others are used by leading figures in the audio world, all with excellent reviews and praise. These cables, however, have two fundamental problems. First

Now, I don't intend to compare the Stager Silver Solids with these cables I've mentioned, beyond pointing out that, essentially, they are audio cables with a silver conductor. And I don't dare make any further comparisons because I don't own a pair of these exotic cables, which are considered rare birds. rara avis

What I do have on hand is a pair of 1-meter-long Stager Silver Solids RCA cables that Marc Stager kindly sent me from New York. The cables arrived after Marc found Et Sona (or Et Sona found Marc), that's unclear. We talked and agreed that he would be kind enough to loan me the cables for the review. About a week later, a small, discreet package arrived at my house. They were the cables. Now for the details. In the meantime, to paraphrase Hannah Arendt, who is Marc Stager?
Marc Stager is a sound engineer living in New York City. He has a long history of facilitating audio and video installations for musical events, concerts, private parties, and more. During these years of experience, he developed his own interconnect cables using silver monofilaments about 20 years ago.

The cables, known as Stager Silver Solids, are a little secret, well-kept by audio connoisseurs. Their quality/price ratio is unbeatable, and what makes them even more special is Marc's carefree approach to promoting them. There have been a handful of reviews of these cables since they were released. In most cases, reviewers have kept the cables, buying them at full retail price, as Marc's margin must be almost nonexistent compared to materials, labor, and management. I'm convinced that, for him, profit margins are secondary. His true passion is audio.

Conclusion

Let's get to the description. It's actually the simplest one I've written in a long time.

The Stager Silver Solids are very spartan. They begin and end with a pair of Canare F10 connectors, Japanese and originally designed for professional audio. They have a gold-plated center pin for better conductivity. They also incorporate a sort of spiral on the back, which provides mechanical protection against vibration or damage. The rest of the material is copper alloy and must be soldered for assembly. Marc uses Cardas Quad Eutectic solder, an (undisclosed) blend of copper, silver, and lead, among other materials. Again, top quality.

The conductor itself is silver. There's nothing else. It's pure, 24-gauge, solid, soft-tempered silver wire (0.020" diameter). The insulator, in this case, is a thin Teflon jacket. According to Stager, silver is the best conductor, and Teflon is the best insulator. There's nothing else. In other words, there's no need for anything else. The pair of wires in each channel are twisted together. The Teflon jacket is slightly larger than the core to allow for interaction with a slight cushion of air, which is also an integral part of the design.

As I was saying, a minimalist design, top-quality construction and materials. The result? Spectacular. This minimalism conveys, in essence, the same thing current trends seek in design and architecture: Simplicity, neatness, eliminating the non-essential. But, at the same time, it has a deeper message: This cable is enough.

How they sound

As soon as they arrived, I unpacked them and set about installing them. As usual, I left them plugged in for a while and the equipment running. The critical listening session took place after approximately 48 hours of run-in. The equipment I brought with me for the review was as follows:

Amplifier: Unison Research S6 Black Edition

DAC: Lampizator Amber 5

Streamer: Innuos Pulse Mini + LPSU

Streaming platform: Qobuz via the Innuos and ROON apps

Intercopnnect Cables:: Final Touch Audio USB (Callisto)

Current treatment: Lampizator Silk

Power cables: Bazco Audio L1 (custom)

Speakers: Graham Chartwell LS6

Speaker cables: Nordost Blue Heaven

Rack: Artesania Audio Prestige 4

Stager Silver Solids cables were installed between the Lampizator Amber 5 and the Unison Research. The cables are very thin but not at all delicate. The connectors are high-quality and they securely gripped the terminals of both devices.The tracks used for this review are included in my regular Qobuz compilations, so you can check them out in the music on the web.

Haruomi Hosono - Cosmic Surfin'. Okay, this track isn't for everyone; it's a bit odd due to being avant garde and techno. However, I think we can agree on one thing: It sounds incredible. The detail in the recording, the number of layers built upon one another, the spaciousness of the soundstage, the detailed presentation, and the accompanying effects make it a great track to test a sound system with. With the Stager Silver Solids, the warm and detailed sound of the Unison Research was transmitted naturally, deeply, with body, and feeling. In other words, the cables didn't hinder the harmony between the Lampizator and the Unison Research, which, I must say, seems like a top-notch combination to me.

Popol Vuh - Agnus Dei. A bit of ambience from deep within the vault of memories. Popol Vuh, the sacred Mayan text, gives its name to a collective of musicians from Germany. The song in question is part of a soundtrack for Werner Herzog's film Aguirre. It's an inspired musical exploration featuring rhythmic changes and excellent dynamic contrasts between the details of the cymbals and the rest of the instruments. The sweetness of the guitar fills us with satisfaction, while the valves of our associated components lend a warmth to the sound that's difficult to describe. The easiest thing to do is to get lost in the music. Believe me, there is no greater praise for an audio component than to say it has disappeared. This act of magic represents the aspiration of every audio manufacturer: the transmutation of circuitry into instrument. The alchemy is achieved, without a doubt, through the silver contained in Marc Stager's cables.

I've tried silver cables before, with positive results. As soon as I connected the Stager Silver Solids, I had the same impression as the first time I tried the Lampizator Amber 5. These cables had to stay here. The "elevator pitch", - knowing if you like something within the first two minutes of listening - is real, and with these cables, it captivated me.

Technical Data.

  • Design:: Ultra-low capacitance unshielded symmetrical twisted pair. Exceptional performance as an analog or digital link.
  • Cable:: Solid core, soft temper, pure .999 silver wire, 24 gauge. 0.020" diameter eliminates skin effect. Meticulously drawn and hand polished for a flawless surface. Far superior to braided wire, accurately transmitting music's depth, dynamics, and detail. Pure silver, not silver-plated copper.
  • Insulator:: 20-gauge translucent Teflon (PTFE). Teflon is the best insulator available at any price, and silver is the best conductor. Teflon is Chemours' brand name for PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).
  • Connectors:: Canare F-10 RCA connectors. Machined solid brass center, Teflon insulator, 24K gold-plated contacts, spring-loaded strain relief. Excellent fit and finish. Stager Silver Solids are also available in a balanced three-wire configuration with silver-plated Neutrik XLR connectors.
  • Construction:: Cardas Quad eutectic solder is used for all contacts.
  • DeOxit Gold is applied to silver for long-lasting tarnish protection and to connectors for optimal electrical contact. Color-coded heat shrink tubing protects and identifies the ends.
  • Capacitance measures less than 9 pF/ft thanks to its unshielded twisted-pair construction and an air cushion, which passes the 24-gauge pure silver wire through 20-gauge Teflon tubing. This is the lowest capacitance any interconnect cable can achieve. No other cable, in any process, exceeds this specification.


Conclusions.

As Marc himself says: "It's not about how a cable makes music sound good. It's about how it allows music to sound good without hindering its transmission in any way.". And, if there's one thing the Stager Silver Solids do, it's that. Allow music to sound good, very good.

Marc Stager knows what he's doing. He has a long history as a sound engineer, including implementing sound equipment for events and concerts. It's no surprise that once he applied his knowledge to building an interconnection solution, the results were positive. What's not surprising is that this discreet and unassuming pair of cables is one of the best RCA interconnect cables I've ever heard.

The cables are available in various configurations (XLR, RCA), standard or custom lengths, and in fact, any cable the customer wants manufactured. They come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Marc also promises to repair any damage, covering the cost of return shipping and parts, should there be a mechanical problem with the cable.

More information or orders at: Stager Silver Solids.

Cables can also be purchased from the European distributor (Germany): Explorations in Audio. Imported cables, of course, are more expensive than purchasing them directly from the manufacturer.

At the time of review, the 1-meter RCA cable has a retail price of $170 USD, slightly less in euros depending on the exchange rate. Shipping and import charges are also included.