Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 speaker cable by Richard Doron

About a month ago, I was allowed to test out the new Grand Activation speaker cables. Leading up to this opportunity, I have been using Synergistic Research series Alpha cables for a few years. I have never had a complaint with my current speaker cables, nor have I considered replacing them. However, over the years of upgrading components throughout my system, the question began to arise: how would my system sound if I upgraded my speaker cables? Well, I got a phone call from our esteemed publisher, Clement Perry, telling me that he had a fresh set of Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 speaker cables for me to audition for possible review. In CP’s opinion, the Grand Activation is the best cables he’s heard for under $5k, and these retail for $2500

Grand Activation is a British-based company specializing in audio cables and power components. Their innovation over the years has led them to develop what’s called Metal Molecular Activation Technology (MMAT). The MMAT increases the flow of elections per second, improving the dynamic range, lowering the noise floor, and enhancing overall performance. All of their products are made with this technology. Grand Activation products have received awards over the years and have been named one of Stereo Times’ Most Wanted products two years in a row. There is something to be said for a brand that has won multiple awards and received product recommendations.

Grand Activation takes care in packaging their cables. The cables arrived in an elegant black box, carefully wrapped with a protective sleeve over the connections. Looking at the cables is quite impressive. The cables are very thick and quite heavy. The cables are thick, and I found it challenging to lay them flat. However, I do appreciate the extra insulation provided by the thicker-gauge cable. The insulation is made of Teflon, and the outer sheath is made of PET and Nylon. The cable is designed with either banana plugs or spade connectors on the other end. These connectors are made of high-purity oxygen-free copper. The spade ends of the cables were thicker than the spades I have dealt with. I like this because the spades are less flimsy. The cables also come in a set length of 2.5m; other lengths are available by special order. The cable length worked fine for my setup. I have my amplifier about 4ft from my speakers, so I had plenty of cable to run from the amplifier to the speakers, with a little extra slack. For this test, I have the spade connected to my Tekton Lore Reference speakers, and the banana plugs hooked into my Stein Stateline Amp. However, there is no right or wrong way to hook up the cables. I did not see any directional markings on the cables, so if your system attaches differently, you can flip the cables around to attach them.

Now, the fun part: how are the Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 cables going to sound? Well, without any hesitation, once I got them home, I plugged the cables in and hit play on a few songs. I instantly heard a difference in my sound. The voices seemed to pop off the wall. There was a quietness and a darker background. I started to get excited about what I was in store for with these cables. Returning the next day, I spent some more time listening. It became clear to me that I would need to let these cables burn in. As with many cable-related products, a burn-in period is required to ensure optimal performance. Well, this also applies to the Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 cables (herein SC-2000s). Over the next week or so, my system rode the burn-in waves. One noticeable fluctuation was the bass. During burn-in, I noticed the bass was more prominent, and initially this worried me because I feared the SC-2000s would be too rich for my system. Over time, the fluctuations began to level off, and the inner beauty of the SC-2000s emerged. If you find yourself trying these cables in your system, give the cables some time to settle in. Your patience will be rewarded.

Once I got through the initial burn-in process, I could hear the changes in my sound. As mentioned, I heard one difference: the vocals in my music were more dynamically alive. There is a cleaner, more dimensionally focused sound in the reproduction of human voices. I can feel the power in the singer’s voice when they belt out the big notes, and the contemplative emotion as the whispers are sung. A blacker background has provided an elegant venue for the vocals. My system is evolving to the point where the singer sounds like they are performing live in my room. The sound is not gimmicky or manufactured; it feels like the cables are revealing the beauty that has always been hiding in my music. I was able to really experience this with Tom Odell’s song Magnetized. This song is powerful, with big instrumental moments that feature vocals. For a heavily produced song like this, I was surprised that each aspect was nicely balanced. Every aspect had its place to shine without being too showy. Even with the big instrumental moments, Odell’s voice came through my system clean and crisp. The SC-2000s captured the song’s power without editorializing. The integrity and details of the song were maintained, while the powerful moments shone. I really felt immersed in the song.

Another aspect that has improved is immersion and soundstage. I have always been pleased with the soundstage of my Tekton Audio Electrons. However, the SC-2000s have taken them to the next level. The instruments appear denser and are three-dimensionally placed via the SC-2000s. I notice this especially in piano-driven songs. The instruments fill the space of my modestly sized listening room both laterally and vertically. There is also a natural reverb in my music that I have never been able to detect in my system before the arrival of the SC-2000s. Being able to hear this in my music has helped create a more enjoyable and immersive experience. There are layers to my music that have been revealed. Finally, when I sit and listen, I feel like I am in the recording studio, concert hall, or jazz club.

The layers in the music extend forward and backward in my room. An example of a song that gave me a more immersive experience was Culture Club’s Karma Chameleon (which is not typically a song I test against, but I stumbled across it during one of my extended listening sessions and was pleasantly surprised). The harmonica in the opening of the song is beautifully centered, with a light echo that creates depth to the sound. Where the song really shines is in the chorus; their voices sit on the periphery of the recording. The voices radiate around my ears, enveloping me in a radiating wave of sound. This is the enjoyable aspect of this hobby: songs that I overlook or have heard a thousand times surprise me with newfound hidden details and exceptional recording quality.

Additionally, the noise floor was lower. Lowering the noise floor has allowed my music to reveal the quiet details in the songs. I experience this with the high-frequency sounds in my music—instruments like cymbals and bells, and the whispers in the vocals — effortlessly shimmer and shine. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the bass and low ends have improved. The bass sounds tighter, punchier, and more dynamic. I can hear the details in the low-end notes. What used to sound like a cottony low-end now has details and complexities I’ve never noticed. With the lower noise floor, the vocals seem to be more focused and have a much darker background. There is an overall stillness and quiet to the sound that I find exhilarating. A song that helped me see this was Nicki Parrott’s version of My Favorite Things. The song has quiet moments and is also full of energy. Parrott’s voice is so sultry and elegant. Her voice is clean and crisp, and with the band surrounding her, it never gets lost in the mix.

My overall impression of the Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 cables has been positive. The Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 cables have provided my system with a much-needed upgrade. My system has crossed into a new phase. Again, the improved soundstage has given my system a more immersive feel. I can hear more textures and the ebb and flow in my music like never before. The Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 cables have delivered a more transparent, cleaner sound, with a darker background that has utterly captured me. If you are in the market for new speaker cables, give the Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 a try. You might be pleasantly surprised with the upgrade and enhanced listening experience. The Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 cables retail for $2,500. While these may be an investment, they can go head-to-head with cables that cost twice or three times as much. My new reference!

Specifications:

Grand Activation Extreme SC-2000 speaker cables

Price: $2500 a pair

Website: www.gapower.co.uk/products.html

US Distributor: Tweek Geek

Website: tweekgeek.com/