Other proprietary parts include cable “combs” to maintain consistent distance between the pairs alongside silver-coated copper conductors in PTFE dielectric wrapped in a 100% coverage aluminum foil shield. Nigel also wanted an additional 95% copper foil as braid and solid shields to address slightly different frequency ranges. He applied silk as an additional anti-vibration layer. Finally, silicone was chosen for the spacer tubes due to its amazing flexibility contributing to the surprising lightness and flexibility of the Jundo Stream cable.

Jundo Stream (Jundo means purity in Japanese) is a perfect example of form follows function. Nigel originally envisaged using a circular spacer with the twisted pairs spaced North, South, East and West, which would have resulted in a fat and round profile. But when he made a prototype of this, it became clear that as soon as this circular structure goes around a corner, the gap between the twisted pairs would narrow, and heightened crosstalk risks. The final parallel design is much more flexible that maintains a consistent distance between twisted pair even if the cable was installed around a corner.

Nigel simply had to take an educated gamble on this complicated project as he couldn’t be certain until he could test the first complete assembled cable to verify if all theoretical advantages would translate into an ethernet cable that game-changes audio quality.

Otherworldly Listening Experience

I listened extensively of this almighty creation in two systems respectively in AE Sheung Wan and Divin Lab.  In both cases, the cable was used prior to the streamer from the Reiki Super Pro Switch subsequently connected to APL - GR DAC in Sheung Wan and Synastec Origio SACD player connected to Pink Faun Ultra 2.16 server via Ikigai Kinzan USB cable in Divin Lab.  I had written over hundreds of articles on Facebook in the last few years).  Observants could easily tell I had never written anything on any cable. 

The first word that comes to my mind is an Italian word - “Legato” ! The sound is seamless from one end of the vocal range to the other.  Voice inherently passes through areas of changing resonance.  If the singer could smoothly move from one vowel to the next without changing or dropping the internal space, a legato could be achieved.  Please do not misunderstand vocal tonality is smoothened. The Jundo neither imbues any character nor highlights anything in the system. What I meant is the whole singing process was revealed seamlessly. That defines musicality.  Often digital in general sounds a bit brighter and harsher than analog due to discontinuity. Instead of writing subjective listening notes and to avoid describing it is warmer/cooler versus whatever that don’t make any sense, I decided to do a blind test inviting a professional soprano (she prefers to stay anonymous) by auditioning Maria Callas, heralded as Greatest Diva of the Century.  This is the type of music that digital tends not to do well due to tremendous amount of energy in the upper high range.  

Nancy told me anyone can shout.  It is those singers who are able to control the voice to the extent that they can willfully communicate the emotion of the text with diverse vocal colors that really stand out from the crowd.  Afterall, lyrics are the most important part of vocalism.  The more tools a singer has with which to communicate the better.  Techniques include proper placement of sound (squillo), to locate the correct space for bright vowels through your body as a resonator and a solid diaphragm (appoggio) support.

She has no idea what is digital and what is analog.  I played her a few cuts of Maria Callas through an analog turntable.  Her comments were, “She has quite a presence, same as what I read from the literature.  The midrange is very powerful, or maybe a bit too powerful.  Her famous high range was not extending high enough lacking her famous agility and ferocity. Her voice is higher than normal range, from the low F- Sharp3, to the highest E6.  Her vocal range isn’t remarkable particularly and is even slighter narrower than Renee Fleming but her sheer vocal power and technical agility across the full range is second to none in history.  And I didn’t feel her power”.  She suggested listening to a few more of her recordings.  Her comments still didn’t change.  “The high range is a bit recessed in terms of energy and extension thereby undermining her famous attack.”  (The issue of analog in the high range extension deserves closer scrutiny in another article as passive RIAA always truncates high frequency extension.  A soprano could tell in a few seconds.)   

Then, I played the same recording via the APL-GR DAC with the Jundo Stream connected from the switch to the streamer.  After 8 minutes or so, she said, “Maria Callas is the greatest opera singer known to me because she got every right.  Opera is a craft that relies on more than one skill.  In addition to sing beautifully with proper technique, she has to be an excellent actor on stage and most importantly, interpreters of the lyrics.  She excelled in all these areas.  And I could feel all of them now.  Agility of the high range comes back.  Midrange is less dominant. And her delivery of legato is mastery!  I don’t know high end audio could recreate so much of her presence.  It is quite an experience for me.  Could I listen some more of her most famous roles such as Norma and Tosca?”

Another hour of listening lapsed, Nancy commented, “Chris, this audio system is amazing because it could reveal her kaleidoscopic-like traits which I couldn’t discern at all from watching video or from headphones.  Sometimes, she had a sort of hollow sound, sometimes a very dark sound, sometimes a little shrill on top, and sometimes even harsh. Your system could even reveal her midrange is partially oboe and partially clarinet. This is just so hard to believe.  Even her “Fila della voce”, which means the “thread of the voice” in Italian is very beautifully rendered. I could feel her energy support from the diaphragm to control the voice to sing very quietly achieved by passing a narrow, vertical sustained column of air through the vocal chords.  I could visualize all of these even without a screen.  Why is that?”

Lastly, I replaced the Jundo Stream with the Raku Stream in the same position before the APL Streamer (the Raku Stream is excellent and has been my ethernet cable of choice since it was launched). We listened to Maria Callas as the role of Norma singing “Casta Diva”.  Upon 3 minutes or so, Nancy said, “her exterior clarity remains but her soul has become translucent, not palpable anymore.  Her singing techniques are now presented in a somewhat fragmented manner.  The delivery of Legato is definitely not the Maria that I know.  Wow, I didn’t know an ethernet cable could change so much.  The former cable (Jundo) delivers art.  This one is about sound, which is still great, if I had not experienced the one prior.”

I believe I need not repeat my other subjective writing notes because I am blown away by all genres of music.  I even postulate the performance of all computer audio system has been limited by the architecture of the ethernet cable for far too long. 

I know Reiki Audio will invest similar amounts of time and money into future R&D projects, and some of these may come to nothing.  This is the very spirit of high-fidelity audio. Pushing at the boundaries of what is possible requires creativity, commitment, and judgement about when to press on and when to stop.

 Nigel is clearly on a mission.  

My deepest salute to your work on Jundo Stream.

Chris Leung