Serenity.
It’s easy to take our good fortune for granted and overlook the simple pleasures in life. We often find joy in our hobbies, favorite music, building things, casual conversations with loved ones, meeting new people, discovering new ideas, learning new stuff, and sharing everyday experiences. But, we rarely pause to reflect on the true meaning of all this and appreciate the beauty of being a part of something. I haven’t had many opportunities to take a step back and truly contemplate all of this, let alone express gratitude for it.
Today is a special one. It is my opportunity to get a moment of serenity and think more about everything. Today, I am grateful for my path, for all that I have, for all that I experienced, and above all, for all the people I have met in the last years on this audiophile road that I took and embraced — wonderful people, passionate people, intelligent, creative, knowledgeable, emotional, brilliant, vivid and generous souls. I have never dreamed of meeting such incredible human beings. If you had asked me three years ago about Nucu Jitariu, Saša Čokić, Lars Kristensen, Michael Børresen, Flemming Rasmussen, Lukasz Fikus, Marcin Hamerla, and so many others, I would have looked at you in disbelief – those were just pictures of incredibly talented human beings in those HiFi magazines that I read. Today, I am grateful that I had the chance to meet them!
I could not believe how many good friends I made by deep-diving into this hobby. I speak daily with most of them, which comes naturally, like the flow of a river. I am grateful to all of them for their friendship, the knowledge I gained, and their help, encouragement, and support. Today, I thank you all!
Today, I realized how lucky I was to meet the most generous of all, my friend and partner Sandu Vitalie, your host of the SoundNews YouTube channel and Senior Editor here on the website. This guy alone opened a new door for me, a new chance to do something I love. How rare is that in life? How often do we realize how lucky we are to meet this kind of people? Today, I thank the universe for that!
And not last, this contemplative moment of understanding happening today is another open hand of a gracious man. I met him maybe a month ago, but I feel like I have known him all my life. We just exchanged messages via email and WhatsApp, so I have never met him in person. But Maro Filičič from Marohei Cables is that kind of guy: sincere, passionate, and highly professional, so you will instantly connect with him. He answered stoically to the ton of questions that I had and generously participated in a mini-interview session.
And just like that, today, listening to music in my system, connected with Marohei’s top-of-the-line Statement SE cables, I had a reverie moment. I felt the present and how rewarding life can sometimes be. We easily ignore the moment, wonder about the past, or question the future and let the present pass. This moment was rare, precious, emotional, and inspiring. The chance to stand still and observe the river of time going through and around you is merely reserved for the most accomplished of us. I just took the time to feel good, enjoy the sound, and think about the wonderful humans I had the chance to meet. I hope that sometimes, somewhere, before I am gone, I will leave a shadow of a trace like that in other people’s souls. I hope to return part of the generosity and love that I am receiving.
Maro from Marohei Cables was generous enough to send us for evaluation a complete set of their best-of-the-best – Statement Special Edition (SE) version of the product. I never heard of Marohei cables before, and I discovered with surprise that this boutique manufacturer was not born yesterday. Of course, they do not have the marketing power of the large tycoons in the industry, so it is no wonder that their reach to the customer is not so straightforward. It is not a secret that I love the products of small, boutique-like manufacturers. They may not have the marketing and R&D power of the better-founded giants, but they usually start to develop something with such care and dedication as these products are meant for themselves, and unavoidably, they will put whole hearts and souls into that. Ultimately, you can feel the love and attention devoted to that endeavor. You will get more than a product; you will get a small piece of their souls.
In recent years, I have had the pleasure of meeting many people who are genuinely passionate about music and are primarily interested in achieving the best possible sound quality rather than financial gain. These individuals started their endeavors in DIY communities driven by passion and built magnificent equipment pieces. Some notable examples include Mattijs of FARAD power supplies and Pink Faun high-end servers, Lukasz from LampizatOr, who is deeply rooted in the audio community and dreamed of creating the ultimate tube DAC, or Saša of Trafomatic who plays the music he loves, designed, and built probably some of the best tube amplifiers on the planet.
Maro Filičič is definitely one of those tireless people who goes all in into their passion. Even high-astute cable brands do not dare to venture so deep into metal science and engineering as to form their conductors. The vast majority will buy the threads from a few well-known mass-market producers. This is not bad, but we can still imagine the dedication required to build almost everything in-house. This is a very special business where science can support you up to a point – beyond remains only pure artistry, determination, experience, love for music, and passion. There is no recipe for success; on the contrary, there is a lot of debate and misunderstanding.
Marohei is proud to build “high-performance products that will let you experience music like never before.” But it is more than that — a lot more. I discovered Marohei cables by reading about Mulberry silk and TMT high-purity annealed long crystal silver. After unpacking the complete set, carefully put together in two boxes, I was even more surprised by the craftsmanship and attention to detail. The package contains the following set of cables, well protected and accompanied by certificates of authenticity:
- 1 digital AES/EBU, 2m
- 2 analog XLRs, 1,5m
- 1 set of speaker cables, spade termination, 3m
- 2 power cables, 1,8m
But before going into more details, let’s learn more about Marohei. Maro from Marohei was kind enough to answer our mini-interview session.
Marohei Cables
Q1: Hello, Maro. I just saw your superb craftsmanship, and I am amazed at how good it looks. I have to admit that I had yet to learn about your boutique endeavor for such high-level audio cable design. I am pleased to meet you. Before going further, please tell me when this all started. What fueled this initiative? Who are you, Maro of Marohei-cables?
It’s nice to meet you, Catalin. It’s a pleasure to meet you, too! Right at the beginning, I would say that Marohei is derived from my name, and the suffix “hei” has a very personal meaning—and it sounds good!
Sixty-two years ago, I was born in socialist Yugoslavia, and even though we had open borders to the West, many things we wanted were not easily available to us because we had to pay prohibitive taxes. Our wishes were so strong that we had the only option: to do it ourselves with our hands! Creativity and manual dexterity developed with a bit of talent and a lot of practice. My friends built motorcycles and guitars so well that people worldwide came to buy from us because they were terrific products! We made extremely high-quality amplifiers and loudspeakers because we had a solid electrical industry (Ei Niš, Iskra, Rudi Čajavec). I chose the cables because I noticed that each wire gives a different character and sound. I made my first silver interconnect back in 1989. if I had opened a factory then, I would be a rich man today.
Q2: How hard is it to compete with the behemoths of this industry? All those companies have massive marketing budgets, a lot of R&D, and resources. Are passion, hearts, and souls enough to do something so much better? Is the music love a secret ingredient poured into the metal itself?
I never had the need or desire to compete with any brand; I just tried to make a product that would meet my criteria, which are very complex and relatively high. I didn’t bother to think about whether I would succeed, how much money I would earn, etc. My love for music and desire to achieve the most authentic reproduction in my space guided me. This was just a hobby for a long time, and ten years ago, on September 24, 2014, at 5:45 p.m. at a nearby beach (I remembered the date, time, and place very well), I decided that I only wanted to deal with cables, i.e., that it would be my only job from which I will be able to live. This was one of my best life decisions! I had only one condition: to start a business from scratch on my terms. I started without money and with some old essential tools.
This is where the key to making my products specific is hidden. In the beginning, with some basic knowledge, most of the work was done empirically, which turned out to be a good thing. It was beneficial that I was not burdened with numbers and various instruments but trusted my ear the most. Otherwise, the story is complex and too challenging to tell in just a few sentences!
Q3: In the meantime, I have read about the lengths you go to control everything and manufacture as much as possible in-house. I read that you make your own conductor, and olive wood is even used to dissipate vibration in the cable. The wood is from a Croatian olive tree and processed in-house. Can you tell us more about everything that you manufacture yourself?
When I decided to start production and go out into the world, I had to adhere to a stringent rule, which is quality. The most important part is the consistency of quality, that is, the immutability of each product. When it comes to handwork, it is extremely hard to make the first, tenth, or hundredth product have the same character, that is, to “sound” the same! This is the main reason I need to have 100% control over every component built into a product, and that’s why we do most of it ourselves with the help of quality manufacturers. Some don’t know what part they produce for us is used for! Olive wood was chosen for its density and fragility. It has proven to be outstanding for controlling vibration dissipation. We make tubing from pure natural silk and copper and silver wire. We have a chamber for deep cryo treatment, equipment for additional metal purification, and a machine for rolling wires without creating microcracks.
Q4: What are the main product categories? I just found out about the “Maduro” entry-level series. Are those still available? What is the difference between the product series, entry models, and Statement and Statement Special Edition (SE)?
From our beginnings until today, we have had ten product lines. We started this year by choosing a narrow profile and producing only the highest categories. I decided to follow the demand of the market. There are thousands of cable manufacturers worldwide, and you can find something for everyone: commercial products. At the same time, for the high class, that number drops very steeply. You have to be very careful here because luxuriously dressed wires are offered under the high class and for exorbitant prices, which, due to their basic quality, sometimes cannot compete with ordinary UTP wires! The current products are the “Statement” and “Statement SE” lines, and for the end of the year, we plan to offer the “Lazarus” line, which would be primarily machine-made and more affordable. Unfortunately, we can’t make it sooner.
Q5: Do you polish cotton? That puzzled me. How do you manage to work with soft, pure monocrystal silver? It is very hard to process and prone to instant damage. Is it so pretentious in the final product? Are there any handling cares for the finished cables? Your cables are pretty flexible, which is so good from the user’s perspective; how did you achieve that?
We no longer use cotton. Silk is the primary raw material for producing dielectrics, a type with an above-average number of air bubbles (capillaries). Air is the main insulator with a very low dielectric constant. The reference value is vacuum and is 1.1. Silver is thermally processed twice in the final stage after purification, forming, and polishing. The desired hardness is determined the first time, and the second time, cryo treatment is used to recrystallize and bring the crystal lattice into the form of as large a crystal as possible. This procedure takes six days! We want to achieve the metal being brought to the approximate form in which it is found when it has been deep in the earth for thousands and thousands of years. I think Long Crystal is the best name for such a condition. There are recipes for all phases that combine temperature and time, so in the first phase, we heat treat the metal to obtain three essential strengths: hard, regular, and soft, and then each category into three more. In our case, we use cross-section profiles of 0.85mm, 0.55mm, 0.4mm, 0.32mm, and 0.28mm in four strengths, and in these data lies part of the sound character achieved with our cables. The rest is in the type of silk, knitting density, and geometry. Now, calculate the number of combinations, and you will get a result in the form of a considerable number. The strength of the metal in a particular spiral form gives it flexibility and easy handling. Would you ever say that there are ten wires in a power cable, each with a 0.85mm outer profile?
Q6: While many cables out there are heavy and stiff, yours are beautiful, slim, flexible, and light. How did you achieve that?
We use a reasonably large amount of metal, and the rest of the cable is extremely light. The strength of the conductors and geometry gives them flexibility. We do not need to make thick, massive, and heavy cables. I never saw a purpose in it, only problems. Many users are misinformed and often believe cables must be thick and massive. I can design an even thinner cable with identical characteristics to the ones you have with you now. That’s no problem.
Q7: What exactly is TMT high-purity soft annealed long crystal? There are so many attributes for a silver or copper wire. Can you shed some light on them? Is the gauge the same for Statement and Statement SE? Why did you make hybrids, not just silver and copper product lines?
TMT means Thermal and Mechanical Treatment. High purity is the level of pure silver content in the wire, and according to the analysis of colleagues from Slovenia, we achieved a purity of 99.9987%, which is very high and, in practice, is marked as 5N (five nines). I mentioned the first heat treatment stage, which combines temperature and time to obtain the desired strength. The regular Statement and the SE version have the exact conductor dimensions, but the SE version involves more complex combinations of individual wire strengths. Also, P.T.F.E has been eliminated as atmospheric protection, and instead, we use a transparent silicone elastomer because it is immune to static electricity. The speaker and power cables are hybrids, while everything else is pure silver. I wouldn’t go into detail about hybrids because the topic is too long, but I could compare it to a traditional Italian sandwich. The content of the sandwich is silver, and the bread is copper, and no matter how high-quality and tasty the content is, it only comes to the fore if the bread is high-quality! One without the other is edible, but…
Q8: Do you conduct listening sessions? What is more critical: metal science, manufacturing, some secret sauce, or listening sessions?
All of the above is equally important; the last hearing test is the most important. We must remember that our products are intended for people listening to music and not measuring devices. Of course, we stick to some essential measurement points for RLC parameters, but they no longer play a crucial role. The systems we used during these ten years were changed several times from tubes and transistors, mainly in the A class, to various high-quality CD transports and DAC converters. The most valuable amplification was NAT Magnetostat Reference SE preamp and NAT Magma New mono blocks, followed by more combinations of Accuphase, Musical Fidelity, Mastersound, etc. We are currently using and most satisfied with the custom-made DAC and phono preamp of our friend and colleague from the Soundness manufactory, Tomislav Gašparić (remember this name!) Custom line preamplifier and upgraded Adcom 555-II. The custom-made Trafomatic EOS+ is on its way. As the source, Classe CDP-102 is used as transport, and Sansui sr 838 record player and custom-made speakers are used.
Q9: I learned that you have specific requirements for dealers regarding the final customer. You wish to sell experiences rather than products. You want your customers to be happy and fully satisfied with your product. Can you elaborate on how you achieve that?
We, as manufacturers and our customers as users, must be equally satisfied. If both conditions are met, then all this makes sense. Often, with customers, we go through all the stages that must be passed from the moment the cables are first connected to the system until everything is in place. We usually announce what will happen over a certain period and that it is a process that has to be passed. Silver is particular in this matter; sometimes, the oscillations are considerable! Depending on the cable type, the average period of up to 95% formation lasts about 250 hours, and the 5% can take a month or two, but it is not so noticeable, and very often, it is not heard. As for distributors, it is essential for us that they know the qualities of the cables and how to combine them optimally. Feedback from our users is such that we have yet to have a case where the Statement series did not fit well into a system, regardless of topologies and types of amplifiers, source speakers, etc. We produce good, highly musical cables.
Design and build quality.
All Marohei cables, including the ones from the Statement line, are made by hand. The finishing is quite surprising, with an airy mesh that allows the beauty of Mulberry silk below to be seen in full glory. It is a unique design, with gold-brown and woody colors that look much better in reality than in the pictures. All cables are terminated with high-quality connectors from Neutrik and WBT. Elements made of solid wood for the Statement Special Edition – solid burman teak wood – are used for controlled dissipation of vibration. Marohei cables may not look as industrial and perfectly machined as other mass-market cables, but that is the beauty of it – they offer a genuinely nice feel when dealing with natural, environment-friendly materials.
Marohei produces everything except the connectors for now. In dielectric technology, Marohei is one of the few companies using the best capillary silk and its electrolytic and deep cryo systems. They even ditch the well-known PTFE formula for pure Mulberry silk and silicone elastomer used for atmospheric protection. Each conductor runs through its own custom-made Mulberry polished silk tubing.
What I found to be so lovely and helpful is the cables’ finesse, malleability, and thickness. Even the power cables are not thicker than the rest. This is very nice and important for the equipment connectors’ stress. These cables are easy to run, and the visual impact is elegant and not intrusive – undeniable qualities that make Marohei cables so nice to work with.
Statement SE AES/EBU Digital XLR – 100% OCC (long crystal) Silver
The digital cable’s signal conductor is TMT high-purity multicore soft-annealed long crystal silver, 19AWG (0.65mm2). That means it is 100% silver, an OCC conductor covered in Mulberry silk braided tubing in two layers. High-quality, low-resistance, tinned copper braided RF & MF shielding and silicone elastomer atmospheric protection are covered in single-core braided sleeving over a golden, polished silk tubing jacket. The connectors are Neutrik NC XX silver pin XLR. Solid teak wood for controlled dissipation of vibration.
Statement SE XLR balanced signal cable – 100% OCC (long crystal) Silver
The analog signal cable is constructed of TMT high-purity multicore soft-annealed long crystal silver 19AWG (0.65mm2), the same as digital AES/EBU. It consists of Mulberry silk braided tubing in two layers, a high-quality, low-resistance tinned copper expandable RF & MF protection shield, silicone elastomer atmospheric protection, and expandable single-core braided sleeving over a golden, polished silk tubing jacket. The connectors are Neutrik NC XX silver pin XLR. The wood is Solid Burman teak wood for controlled vibration dissipation.
Statement SE speaker cable – 40% OCC Silver + 60% OCC (long crystal) Copper
Speaker cables are a hybrid construction of solid multicore TMT with high purity, soft annealed long crystal 40% silver and 60% copper, totaling 12AWG (3,31mm2). They also feature Mulberry silk braided tubing in two layers, silicone elastomer atmospheric protection, and expandable single-core braided sleeving over golden, polished silk tubing. The connectors are state-of-the-art WBT 0681cu / 0610cu 24k Gold Plated OFC Pure Copper Nextgen Ø7mm, spades, or bananas. Again, solid Burman teak wood is used for controlled vibration dissipation.
Statement SE Power cable – 40% OCC Silver + 60% OCC (long crystal) Copper
Hybrid: TMT high purity multicore soft annealed long crystal silver 40%, TMT high purity soft annealed long crystal copper 60%, of 13AWG (2,6 mm2). Dielectric: Polyolefin Mulberry silk braided tubing, P.T.F.E., ground loop protection. Finish: Expandable single-core braided sleeving over golden, polished silk tubing. Schuko & US standard OEM 99,999% 7u sliver plated copper plugs. Solid Burman teak wood for controlled dissipation of vibration.
Of course, you could have checked all those details on the Marohei website, but the consistency of the materials used in the construction and the quality of the connectors were just too impressive. All cables have an almost uniform thickness, lightness, and flexibility beyond reproach. I encountered the same finesse (even less thickness and higher flexibility) on Crystal cables, and they also have a lot more in common soundwise. But on this, a little later.
Each cable’s unique vibe and uniqueness are truly special with Marohei cables. Beautifully double-packed in elegant black boxes, well-protected with sleeves for connectors and wood parts, the cables make a powerful impression right from the start.
“All cables sound the same…”
No. They don’t.
Before diving into the sound qualities of Marohei cables, I must try again to lift the heavy blanket left by these returning false statements. This is not just an empirical demonstration but a measurable factual one.
Current modulation.
The sound waves we hear at the end of our speakers are generated by the physical movements of the speaker’s membranes. Electrical current drives the movement, transmitted by wires from one piece of equipment to the other. It is the same current from the electrical outlet, modulated in different forms along the way. The voltage is adjusted, the frequency is modulated, and the amperage is controlled in so many other places that we can hear our beautiful music. The critical part here is that the stability and quality of the current from the outlet have almost the same importance as the following modulation.
Inductance and capacitance.
The electrical, measurable parameters inductance and capacitance define each conductor. These parameters, and many others, are also measurable and impact a conductor’s transmission qualities. Lower inductance and capacitance favor the purest transfer of electrical signals, especially low-voltage ones. The skin effect and the thickness of the conductors also significantly impact signal propagation. So, each cable is characterized by clear physical and measurable parameters affecting signal transmission and, consequently, sound reproduction.
Every cable is a passive filter.
Based on the statements above, we can deduce that every cable will act as a passive filter for audible frequencies. Even the power cable is a passive filter for the incoming current, and even if this is not modulated yet, it can carry high-frequency noise and undesirable fluctuations. And this “signal” is later modulated and amplified with the music frequency waves. This is the basement of any musical reproduction. Sometimes, the noise is small enough that it can not be filtered by the equipment (power amplifier, for example) or not entirely. All those small but nasty noises are adding up inside the equipment, from amplifier power, signal input, and the equipment itself. What can be a good filtering capability of the equipment will soon become insufficient for the accumulated amount of noise. Every measure we can consider in reducing the noise the environment adds, from the power outlet or from one piece of equipment to the other, is a good measure. Sometimes, it may not be “audible” considered individually, but the cumulative effect can become significant in the end.
There is no perfect cable or conductor. Every conductor acts as a filter for the outside environment and the signal transmitted. It is a passive filter, which means it can only subtract from the frequency range; it can never add or amplify some frequency. When we hear what we call a “warm” conductor, we hear a filter on the upper band of the spectrum that diminishes the amplitude of the higher frequencies and lets the lower ones be more present. The “bright” alternative also suffers from the same phenomena. Every conductor will filter something from the signal and will have an influence. Of course, the ideal conductor will not alter the signal in any way, and that is the goal, in the end, to come as close as possible to the ideal.
And then, when we talk about “matching” cables with equipment, we are talking about this imperfection of signal transmission and the effect on the frequency range of each cable. If our system sounds elevated in the upper frequency and we add an extra filter for the lower frequencies in the form of a cable, it can become unpleasant, and we say those do not match well. Adding a less significant filtering for the whole spectrum will preserve the actual tonality of the system if that is desired, and adding a higher frequency filter in the form of a cable may bring the desired balance that we strive for. Our ears, type of music, recording quality, and personal taste are all important factors here. That is why there is almost no recipe for perfect matching. What we like or don’t like and our expectations are the only rulers.
As for the conclusion, yes, every piece of conductor in the signal path, including the power drawn from the outlet, which acts as a fundamental basement for the upstream modulation, impacts the sound reproduction by filtering the environmental noise and “shaping” (altering) the signal on different audible frequencies. There is also a cumulative effect on the signal path from the outlet to the speakers. Trying to diminish the amount of noise and the impact on the signal transmitted by each conductor may seem irrelevant initially but will pay huge in the end.
Test Systems.
I first listened to Marohei’s cables in my setup, and later, I took them to my friend Sandu.
We have similar systems, but he is lucky to have the Raidho stand floors and almost full-range speakers.
My reference system:
- A custom-built Roon Server connects with 2 RJ45 ethernet ports to the leading network (and the Internet) and a high-quality media converter, LHY Audio FMC.
- Another fiber connection from the first switch will continue for about 25 meters to the speaker system, where the Melco S100/2 enters the scene.
- Melco S100/2 powered by FARAD Super3 linear power supply.
- From Melco S100/2, we reach the streamer/DAC using one of the two dedicated ports (100 Mbs) and an AudioQuest Diamond RJ45 cable.
- Mola Mola Tambaqui as a Roon endpoint and DAC.
- Chord Ultima Pre3 preamplifier and Chord Ultima 5 amplifier.
- Alternatively, a Trafomatic EOS valve integrated amplifier.
- Raidho TD 1.2 speakers.
My friend’s system uses the same Chord amplification with a Rockna Wavedream server and DAC or Chord Dave as a standalone DAC. The speakers are the impressive Raidho TD 2.2. I felt the need to listen to Marohei’s cables on a full-range speaker, and even on my bookshelves, I sensed a fundamental low basement worthy of a higher echelon.
The Sound.
After a lengthy introduction to the real subject of this review, we finally landed on the exciting part. Armed with a strategy, I tried to follow a protocol: insert the cables into my system, one at a time. That is why I will start with the impressions based on each cable type and then the general fully wired system considerations.
Statement SE AES/EBU digital – a taste of pure silver.
The first impressions were excellent, starting with the digital AES/EBU cable. I connected the Auralic Aries G2.1 streamer to the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC and compared it with the USB connection. The transparency was on par with the USB; there was no doubt about that, and the details were complete. What changed was the tension introduced by the USB; a sense of relaxed expression was in place now, and a higher degree of enjoyment took over the upfront presentation of the former. Yes, it is not a fair comparison and highly depends on each input’s implementation at the DAC level. The resolution was fantastic with Marohei’s digital cable, which was a clear sign that it plays at a high level of performance. I was eager to go further and was pretty quick with this test. I jumped to the XLRs’ analog connections and was keen to discover more.
Statement SE XLR balanced – refinement takes over.
Next to the analog interconnects from DAC to Ultima 3 preamplifier and between Ultima 3 Pre and Ultima 5 power, a stable image started to emerge. I still hear some audiophiles claiming that silver may sound bright and lack richness and natural warmth. Marohei Statement SE is another perfect example proving that such a stereotype could not be further from the truth. The Statement SE analog interconnect immediately clicked in place and combined smoothness, richness, and a perfect midrange tonality. The sound was vivid, vibrant, beautifully sparkling, and highly detailed without any trace of harshness.
Marohei’s full silver interconnects show a more saturated midrange, denser, and silky texture. Impressive was precisely the level of detail and textured presentation beyond the top end. Sweet and palpable human voices were presented with an emotional layer that was highly addictive. Listening to the well-known “Etta”of Etta Cameron / Nikolaj Hess with Friends, I was convinced now of how well the tonality and human voices were reproduced. Unheard before, the modulation of Etta’s voice and superb textured midrange highlighted by the silky smooth, sparkly top end was so compelling that I listened to the whole album.
I wanted to continue with women’s voices and listened to the beautiful Lady Blackbird’s “Black Acid Soul” album. Already super impressed by the performance of Marohei’s interconnects, I tried to concentrate on the dynamics. The wrongly presumed lightness of silver still needed confirmation in my deep-down subconscious. After the first seconds, I was at peace; Marohei does not play laid-back. Regarding the transfer of pure energy, the dynamics, particularly on a macro scale, momentum, and speed of the interconnects, did an excellent and awe-inspiring job. The dynamic was outstanding, and any fear of the lack of kick or energy completely disappeared. I was happy now.
I heard the acoustic and double bass specifically to show a completely different foundation. It extended lower than I had heard before, and it was clear that there was a perfect fundamental bass with a much lower and detailed presence. And that was the cherry on top of highly detailed and smooth highs and midrange. I jumped to install the speaker cable, which carried my bigger expectations as the missing link in my system. Or that is what I thought…
Statement SE speaker cable – the missing link.
I would not draw a direct comparison here with my existing speaker cable, which is very expensive. And it is not bad, do not get me wrong. It just does not always click in place, and I always felt the need to try different cables.
Now, something else has happened with the speaker cables in place. I was surprised for a moment by a completely different sound. It was bigger, bolder, and, at first glance, relaxed now. It took a little to understand what had happened. Playing Marcus Miller’s “Laid Black,” considered the best contemporary instrumental album from the 60ies, I understood pretty quickly that what I interpreted as relaxation was, in fact, a higher degree of effortlessness. With everything in place, I could hear my system playing at a higher level now, so the difference was not minute anymore; it became substantial.
I could raise the volume a few notches and experience the fullness of the sound. It was a more elaborate sound, more prosperous, bigger, and with an unexpected fluence. The music flows, and the sense of inclusion in a vaster landscape is almost undeniable. The attack of the instruments became even quicker and more natural, and there was a sense of relaxation between them. Everything was a hint more profound and deeper.
The slam and accuracy improved, becoming snappier and more controlled. The percussion instruments were clearly differentiated, making the following of the finest traces of decay highly enjoyable. The representation was unique and thrilling — fascinating. The timbre was rich but still light enough not to color the representation. It was not a warm sound but smooth and even piercing when required, still never analytical.
Above all, the flow of music was the trigger of my serenity moment. The unique feeling of the music and the immersive rendering brought true joy to my soul. Sometimes, we are crazy enough that a slight change in representation brings us excitement just because it is new. It has to be a good kind of novelty, though. This time, it was more than that. This time around, I was grateful for what I experienced. This is quite something, as audiophiles are usually unsatisfied and always wondering about the next thing. That is not the case anymore, at least for a while.
I even forgotten about the power cables. Marohei’s Statement converted an abundance of information regarding tonality, dynamics, and smoothness so satisfactorily that I was happy and delighted. I only wanted to listen more and not change anything for a while.
Statement SE power cable – another surprise.
I was convinced I had found the perfect cable to power the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC. Being in place for upcoming review – stay tuned for that – I was content with the performance and did not hope for more. But I still had to try the power cable from Marohei. It is a lot nicer and has a better build than what I had, anyway. It is flexible, pretty thin, has better connectors, and is more good-looking. But soundwise? I did not hope for a better match.
And it was quite a surprise. I remember running to my fellow audiophile friends with Tambaqui to demonstrate how much more musical and fluent it was. I did not get the applause that I hoped for. They accepted it was something there but felt it lacked some “technicalities” along the way. The details were not so much screaming at you, and yes, the weight of the instruments was more sensible, and the voices were sweeter, but they may not seem enough. I was hurt a little 🙂
In the end, this was what I liked most about Tambaqui. It has a proper fundamental weight of the presentation, is detailed but smooth enough, and even if it does not blink all the time with glittering details, it has a beautiful 3D presentation and a very deep soundstage. It has a solid bottom end, is down to earth, and has a unique flow and quietness. For me, it is highly addictive. But I digress…
I tried the Marohei Statement SE power cable powering the Tambaqui. Big mistake!
Not only did it not lose all the solidity that enthralled me so much, but it became a little faster, and the “technicalities” were now more apparent. Of course, it did not change the character, but it became unexpectedly better and not by a smidge. Marohei’s cable improved the dynamic and showed more of the good things in a big way. Honestly, I did not expect such a dramatic change for the better. Now it is done; my old cable matching is ruined, and I have another thing on my list…
In a more powerful, mightier system.
Full of joy and excitement, I scheduled a listening session at Sandu’s place. He is one of those happy humans on earth to own a pair of outstanding Raidho TD 2.2 speakers. A full range of stand floors with the same qualities as my TD 1.2 but so much more. The energy level is incredible, and the extension on lower frequencies is jaw-dropping. I heard already at my place that the Statement cables are pretty linear and significantly extended at the bottom end. I was inquisitive to discover how much.
And I was right. The speaker cables proved to go down substantially and were very linear. It shows the same character, but the speakers show even more. The sound was slightly more relaxed than my system’s, but it was still beautiful. The session confirmed all the qualities, and I could have stolen the bass from that room. Unfortunately, it was completely attached to the cabinet dimensions and the number of drivers. There is little to do.
Sandu, being a dynamic junkie, preferred the silver of another specie. And I must admit that it controlled the immense energy of that room better. It is not that the statement sounded slouchy for a second, but it is about the music we listen to, what we are looking for, and personal preferences. Those aspects are more important than anything. I was happy I left with the Statement and installed it immediately back home. I could not live anymore without it.
Conclusion
Well, I could continue for a long time, but yours and mine are limited. Please let me listen a little bit more to Marohei’s Statement SE cables.
Using the Statement title for any product means the manufacturer has reached a peak achievement. This means an accomplished product, perfected over the years with a higher level of performance. The best it has to offer. Naming it Special Edition will raise the bar even higher. And that denotes a level of confidence that only a lot of hard work and deep knowledge accumulated over the years can provide.
Indeed, the Statement Special Edition products are truly refined, highly resolving, detailed yet smooth, coherent, musical, and natural. They combine qualities that are often contradictory. The highs are shiny and precise, the midrange to die for, open, textured, and honey-sweet, and the bass incredibly extended and rewarding. The speaker cables perfectly combine silver conductors’ best features with copper siblings for a very natural tonality and impressive dynamics. It might be the case that will not disappoint in any serious and highly resolving system.
Unlike fully automated mass-market products, Marohei cables are unique in appearance and materials. These beautiful handmade cables offer outstanding sound quality and a piece of history and humanity. They are attentively crafted objects that reflect the manufacturer’s soul and the efforts of all those involved in their creation. The precision and attention to detail that goes into making them are unmatched. These versatile cables are suitable for most truly high-end systems and offer a reference-level performance that does not compromise on any aspect.
Last but not least, you will get honest human advice, guidance, and support, which is rare nowadays. Maro of Marohei is a really passionate and knowledgeable individual who cares most about customer satisfaction and less about anything else. I hope to call him a friend and assure you will get the same feeling when you meet him.
For all these reasons, I am more than confident I can award Marohei Statement Special Edition cables with our Gold Award. Thank you, Maro, for your generosity and all the efforts poured into these gorgeous products.
Price and availability
Statement Serie
- USB 2.0, 1mt/pc – 900€ (additional 1/2mt 300€ up to 2,5mt)
- Coaxial Digital 75 Ohm 1mt/pc – 1200€ (additional 1/2mt – 300€ up to 3mt)
- AES/EBU 110 Ohm 1mt/pc – 1200€ (additional 1/2mt – 300€ up to 6mt)
- RCA interconnect 1mt/pair – 2250€ (additional 1/2mt – 300€ up to 4mt)
- XLR balanced interconnect 1mt/pair – 2250€ (additional 1/2mt – 300€ up to 6mt)
- Speaker cable 2,5mt/pair – 4900€ (additional 1/2mt – 400€ up to 6mt)
- Power cable 1,8mt/pc – 2100€ (additional 1/2mt – 300€ up to 4mt)
Statement Special Edition
- Coaxial digital 75 Ohm 1mt/pc – 1800€ (additional 1/2mt 350€ up to 3mt)
- AES/EBU 110 Ohm 1mt/pc – 1800€ (additional 1/2mt 350€ up to 6mt)
- RCA interconnect 1mt/pair – 3300€ (additional 1/2mt 450€ up to 4mt)
- XLR balanced interconnect 1mt/pair – 3300€ (additional 1/2mt 450€ up to 6mt)
- Speaker cable 2,5mt/pair – 7000€ (additional 1/2mt 600€ up to 6mt)
- Power cable 1,8mt/pc – 3000€ (additional 1/2mt 350€ up to 4mt)
You can find all the details on Marohei website.
Thank you for following me, and as always, let me know what you think in the comments below. Let’s hear only for the better, dear friends!
