ESPRIT LUMINA > TAS Editor's Choice 2023
The most striking aspect of the Lumina’s performance was its replication of dimension, distance, and soundstage. It made large acoustic spaces more present and reverberantly alive. The acoustics of a symphony hall shimmered with air movement. Perspective was expanded rather than flattened. On a disc like the Rutter Requiem the vast chorale seemed to glow, creating a thick reverberant field suspended in the voluminous air of the Meyerson Symphony Center. During musical rests I could catch the chorus individually and collectively taking breaths.
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Similarly, Lumina RCA and XLR interconnects use 6N OCC copper connectors and silver multilayer plating (20 micrometers worth) in a symmetrical star-assembly configuration. The dielectric structure is asymmetrical, using two different materials (high temperature PVC and silicone) for the two polarities. Lumina comes equipped with dielectric polarization via an attached battery pack, batteries included. In Cesari’s words, “We polarize the insulators which has the effect of making them more efficient and creates an anti-vibratory system by means of the DC bias.” Lumina cabling also employs strategically positioned ferrites to reduce RF effects.
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Esprit Lumina is among the most musically satisfying cables I’ve heard in my system. It represents a significant upgrade from Esprit’s own Aura series and assumes a very high position on my list of top-flight cables that I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing. A superb encore from this fine French company.
- Neil Gader, TAS