High End 2013

It’s strange how audio coincidences occur, but with Nordost launching their Valhalla 2 cable line, it was perhaps inevitable that the second-tier Crystal Cable Dreamline would also be up for a major revision. Dubbed Dreamline Plus, this isn’t so much a makeover as a ground-up rebuild. The really good news is that the revised model is essentially a half-sized, half-priced version of the phenomenal Absolute Dream cables that impressed both Chris Thomas and Roy Gregory.

Using identical conductors (the same metallurgy, topology and materials) as the flagship cables, Dreamline Plus employs a single twisted pair in place of the Absolute Dream’s twisted quad arrangement. Plugs are Neutrik and WBT NextGen rather than the Furutechs on the flagship design -- but that might even be preferable. The results could be spectacular, especially in systems with less than really full-range loudspeakers, while the existence of Dreamline Plus also opens the opportunity for hybrid setups, based around Absolute Dream power cords and Dreamline Plus signal cabling, for instance, an arrangement that would prioritize cable function without compromising materials and topological consistency.

Available in the end of May, Dreamline Plus's approximate pricing looks like this: one-meter interconnects (RCA or XLR),  €5500 per pair, with two-meter speaker cables costing €10,000 per pair. A one-meter power cord is €3000. As with all Crystal Cables, the line will include a full range of digital and other source cables, with special terminations available to order. This is one product that really does offer a serious slice of flagship performance at a lower (albeit still eye-watering) price -- and we can’t wait to play with the options.

Crystal Cable Absolute Arabesque loudspeakers and Siltech SAGA amplification once again made some of the best sound. Who says you can't listen to one of the great full systems reviewed in The Audio Beat?