Brilliance Hi-Fi News

Improved plugs for the Euphony XLR - October 2012

The Euphony balanced interconnect now benefits from new wide-bodied Neutrik XLR plugs giving improved ruggedness, performance and we think looks.

Hi-Fi Journal review Brilliance Interconnects - February 2010

The new web-based Hi-Fi Journal have recently favourably reviewed the Brilliance range of interconnects.

In summary: “It is always interesting to look at a number of products from one manufacturer. I think it tells you more about their design ability then simply looking at products in isolation. I am pleased to say that on the whole Brilliance has done a very good job. Out of the 3 they have one excellent product, The Agility, and one that offers tremendous value for money, the Synergy. It is only the Euphony that I am not wholly convinced by. It offers definite improvements over the Synergy in a number of areas but not enough to make up for the loss of sparkle and openness to make it a truly convincing upgrade over it. Having said that, if you have a slightly bright system or favour a laid-back presentation, it could well be the cable for you. The Synergy and Agility are closer in nature, open and fluid, offering great insight at their respective price points. They are well worth investigating.”

The full review can be viewed here or on-line at Hi-Fi Journal Brilliance Interconnect Review.

London Sound and Vision Show - September 2008

Proteus Audio Developments intend to use our new Silver Agility interconnects in conjunction with our Prodigy speaker cables at the forthcoming London Audio Visual show on September 19 -21. Together with their Diamond all valve integrated amplifier, an Avid turntable and B&W speakers this provides a 100% British demonstration.

Brilliance Agility Pure Silver Interconnects - March 2008

Following an exhaustive period of investigating, prototyping and auditioning, Brilliance is excited to announce the introduction of the Agility analogue interconnects. They are aptly named as they exclusively employ pure silver for all conductive parts, Ag, as well as defining their major attribute of gracefulness whilst being quick and nimble.

When considering many of the commonly available silver wires and cable geometries, we were determined to develop a no compromise lead whose design would be not be constrained in terms of materials, construction and more importantly sonic influence, all this whilst ensuring our trademark robust construction.

The Agility interconnect is 100% hand-built in the UK and is masterful piece of craftsmanship. The numerous Teflon®-insulated pure silver conductors are delicately woven so as to maximize noise rejection performance. This has the benefit of eliminating the need for a screen which from auditioning was found to ‘compress’ the soundstage and generally lead to a softer balance. Performance is further enhanced by the use of Deep Cryogenic Treatment.

In terms of RCA plugs, again we auditioned many offerings from numerous manufacturers. Our final choice in terms of their construction quality and sonic results were the NextGen range from WBT. Auditioning revealed that there was a justifiable sonic benefit in using the top of the range silver 0152Ag model therefore this will be the adopted standard. The use of the NextGen plugs will also permit those growing number of audiophiles to make the most of equipment using similarly WBT-designed RCA socketry.

The use of an array of small high-purity silver conductors means that the Agility permits a breathtakingly informative musical presentation, helping to highlight sounds, nuances and timbre never previously registered. In addition their lower frequency performance may surprise some listeners in terms of uniformity and precision. The elimination of a screen means that the Agility exhibits a huge soundstage permitting an amazing width, height and depth to your choice of music.

Pure silver has its own distinctive sonic signature and we acknowledge that this will not suit all tastes or systems. It is difficult to please everyone but we believe that for those seeking that final degree of detail and refinement, the Agility is without doubt our flagship analogue interconnect.

Both high purity silver and cryogenic treatments are expensive. That said, unlike many of its competitive set, the Agility interconnects are not ludicrously priced, starting at £580 for a 0.5m pair and then £120 per additional 0.5m (or part thereof).

We are continuing to work on other sister products to join the Agility range of hi-fi and AV cables including speaker cables, balanced analogue interconnects and digital leads.

Brilliance Euphony Balanced XLR Audio Interconnects - November 2007

We are please to announce the release of a balanced XLR variant of our very successful Euphony audio interconnects. Listeners with high-end systems that support balanced interconnections can now benefit from a balanced cable that is the match for our Euphony RCA audio interconnects in terms of sonic performance, design and construction, but in addition reap the benefits from the inherent superior noise rejection specifications of balanced audio interconnections.

The Euphony XLR variant has been specifically developed and fine tuned to maximise their performance in a balanced audio system. The large acceptance diameter of the Vampire XLR plugs permit the termination of a cable constructed using two stranded copper conductors with Teflon® insulation in an overall screened twisted pair geometry, almost identical to that employed within our reference Euphony RCA interconnects. As per the Symmetry balanced leads our custom assemble approach allows us to employ an advanced screening and termination topology that considers the use of passive components to optimize the rejection of RF interference and minimizing the effect of ground loops with non-conventional internally grounded equipment.

The Euphony XLR interconnects start at £300 for a 0.5m pair and then £50 per additional 0.5m (or part thereof). The Teflon® insulation gives us a low capacitance design making the Euphony XLR audio interconnects ideally suited to longer-length applications such as systems employing remote mono block amplifiers or active loudspeakers. Using similar conductors and insulation materials throughout our full product range also means that they are an ideal match with our Prodigy speaker cables, thus providing a coherent cabling loom.

Hi-Fi World consider the "Excellent" Euphony interconnect - March 2007

Our Euphony interconnect has just been reviewed by David Price of Hi-Fi World. His comments included "performance speaks volumes", "Utterly on the pace with an expansive, detailed and engaging sound" and "Overall an excellent interconnect that just plays music".

For the full review, please click here.

Hi-Fi+ Positively review the Euphony interconnect and Prodigy speaker cable - January 2007

Our Euphony and Prodigy leads have just received a very complimentary review from Roy Gregory of Hi-Fi+ in Issue 49. Comments include

“Immediately likeable and inviting to listen to….. Pace and rhythmic expression are both easy and relaxed, which combined with the sense of detail, focus and texture allows the listener to hear the performance… Excellent value at their very reasonable price".

For the full review, please click here.

Synergy scoops What Hi-Fi 2006 Best Stereo Interconnect Award - December 2006

The 2006 What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision award for Best Stereo Interconnect was won by our Synergy leads.

"BEST STEREO INTERCONNECT, BRILLIANCE SYNERGY, £83 (1m)
Never heard of Brilliance? Don’t worry, neither had we, until we came across this excellent interconnect. The Synergy is well made, uses good-quality plugs, but most of all, sounds great. Its tonal balance is well-judged, and the level of clarity is a match for anything below the £100 mark. If you only need 0.5m, you'll save £13 off the price stated above. Either way, this interconnect is a great buy"

What Hi-Fi's review of the Brilliance Synergy Analogue Interconnect - October 2006

Brilliance’s Synergy interconnects get What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision’s recognition with a 5 star rating on their October 2006 edition, they said: "VERDICT The Synergy is an excellent cable from a company that’s new to us, and it’s sold at a very sensible price. It’s the first time we’ve tested a Brilliance product, and we’re glad we did. This well-made interconnect ticks all the important boxes: timing is crisp, insight class-leading and tonal balance spot on."

Hi-Fi World Purity Article - July 2006

In July, Hi-Fi World published an article on our new Purity AES/EBU digital interconnect, in this instance the cryogenically-treated variant. To conclude, David Price said "Hi-Fi World’s brief chance to audition this cable has been encouraging; as we’ve found with the company's other products, it gives results way beyond those expected at the price".

New Dealerships - Brighton Hi-Fi Exchange and Premier Audio - June 2006

We are pleased to announce two new dealerships. Firstly there is the very well respected Brighton Hi-Fi Exchange. Agencies include Acoustic Signature, ASR, Basis, Kings Audio, Luxman and Music First among others.

Wakefield-based Premier Audio have a very impressive equipment portfolio including DCS, Martin Logan and Avid turntables.

Acoustica to sell Brilliance’s Cables - January 2006

We are pleased to announce that Acoustica have agreed to sell Brilliance cables. Acoustica is the leading specialist supplier of quality Hi-Fi and Home Cinema for the North West of England, the West Midlands and North Wales with shops in Chester and Stafford . Their selective agencies include Naim, Rotel, REL, Classe, B&W and Focul.JMlab.

London’s Walrus Systems to offer Brilliance cables - November 2005

We are very pleased to announce that Walrus Systems of London have agreed to sell the Brilliance Hi-Fi range of cables. Walrus are without doubt our most prestigious dealership to date adding further credibility to our product range. Walrus just love vinyl replay as can be seen from their extensive product listing including Mitchell, Nottingham , Roksan, Origin Live, Clearaudio, SME and Brinkmann. Amplification can come from the likes of Musical Fidelity, Consonance, EAR Yoshino, Shanling, Mcintosh, and speakers from Hyperion, Stirling Broadcast, Tannoy but to name a few. We are proud to be considered along side such eminent brands.

Hi-Fi Choice review the Brilliance Synergy Analogue Interconnect - November 2005

Brilliance ’s Synergy interconnects get Hi-Fi Choice’s seal of approval. Reviewed in their January 2006 edition, they said:

• Very clear and open
• Solid base
• Good imaging
• Altogether agile and lively
• We liked these cables a lot

For a transcription of the full review click here.

Brilliance Hi-Fi extends Cable Burn-In Service to XLR Interconnects - November 2005

Brilliance can now offer a 100 hour burning-in service to direct customers purchasing any stereo pair of balanced XLR interconnects as well as the more traditional RCA. Just £10 will allow you to enjoy your music at its best from the outset and no need to put your expensive components on repeat for 5 days or so. Multi-channel sets can also be accommodated and we hope to extend this service to include our Prodigy speaker cables in the near future.

Purity AES/EBU balanced digital interconnect launched - October 2005

After months of investigations and testing, we are pleased to announce the availability of our new Purity balanced AES/EBU digital interconnect. The AES/EBU connection found on a lot of professional recording equipment is regarded as the highest quality digital transmission format available and is being increasingly employed on high end domestic CD transports and DACs. If you have this quality of components, your system demands a quality interconnect such as the Purity, a true 110 Ohm impedance matched design using the latest shielded twisted pair, STP, cable and Neutrik XCC plugs specifically designed for digital communication applications. An astoundingly low capacitance of just 39 pF/m ensures minimal signal degradation on this the most critical of applications and performance is further enhanced by our advanced screening and termination topology.

Synergy Audio Interconnects included in Hi-Fi World Editor's Choice - September 2005

When David Price, editor of Hi-Fi World, was asked to assemble a brilliantly balanced system it was inevitable that he chose his beloved vinyl as his preferred source. The limited edition Michell Odyssey turntable was partnered by the equally capable Michell TecnoArm, Ortofon Rondo Bronze MC cartridge, Trichord Dino phono stage, Musical Fidelity X-150 amplifier and Pinsh 1 loudspeakers. This system must sound awesome and we are pleased to confirm that David chose to use Brilliance's Synergy interconnects specifically saying "... an excellent budget choice - you'll have to spend a good £100 more to truly improve upon them". In summary of the system as a whole, Hi-Fi World concluded "In terms of musicality, tonality, texturality, dynamics, soundstaging and detail, this is real class. It's expensive, but believe me you can spend a lot, lot more and not get better".

Brilliance Hi-Fi are extremely proud that our entry-level interconnect is considered a worthy partner to such well established brands and highly respected products.

Brilliance Hi-Fi announces Interconnect Cable Burn-In Service - July 2005

Brilliance is now offering a 100 hour burning-in service to direct customers purchasing any stereo pair of RCA interconnects. Just £10 will allow you to enjoy your music at its best from the outset and no need to put your expensive components on repeat for 5 days or so. Multi-channel sets can also be accommodated and we hope to extend this service to include XLR and XLR/RCA interconnects in the near future, as well as speaker cables.

Hi-Fi World review Brilliance Prodigy Speaker Cables - June 2005

Extract from Totally Wired group test report in the July 2005 edition of Hi-Fi World; “That honour, [the best outright], goes to the Brilliance Prodigy which has the most neutral sound, which was initially underwhelming but soon began to beguile. It could handle all of the divergent music thrown at it with a balanced authority, never emphasising one aspect over another“. Other words and phrases from the article include;

• Completely neutral
• Unflappable
• Tight, focussed and disciplined
• Excellent

Click here to read the full review.

Brilliance Hi-Fi adds New Dealerships in Wales and Scotland - May 2005

Our dealership network has expanded into Wales and Scotland with both Wrexham-based Acton Gate Audio and Retro Reproductions from Edinburgh agreeing to offer the Brilliance range of cables.

Acton Gate Audio (www.acton-gate-audio.co.uk) are a well established friendly family business in Wrexham specialising in both Hi-Fi and home cinema systems.

Brands include Audio Analogue, Arcam, Denon, Musical Fidelity, Castle, JM Labs, Quad, Pathos, Michell and now Brilliance.

Tel 01978 364 500, or e-mail "info" at the web site of acton-gate-audio.co.uk

Established in 1999, Retro Reproduction (www.retroreproduction.com) are a main dealer for EAR/Yoshino, Nottingham Analogue, Dynavector, ATC, Graham Slee, Sonneteer, Haddock, Cartridge Man and now Brilliance. In addition they are a specialist supplier of vintage classic quality products such as Quad, Leak, Linn and Tannoy.

Tel 0131 558 9989, or e-mail " retro234" at the web site of retroreproduction.com

Matrix Hi-Fi Increase the Brilliance Dealership Network - April 2005

Our dealership network is growing quickly with Matrix Hi-Fi (www.matrixhi-fi.co.uk) of Dartford agreeing to offer the Brilliance range of audio and av cables.

Matrix Hi-Fi is a leading supplier of new and used audio equipment and openly acknowledges that “they love valves”.

Brands include Shanling, Heart, Inca, Project, Roksan, Omega and now Brilliance.

Tel 01322 292 391, or e-mail "info" at the web site of matrixhi-fi.co.uk

The Musical Experience joins Brilliance’s dealership network - March 2005

Brilliance Hi-Fi is very pleased to announce that their products are now available through the Isle of Man based The Musical Experience.

Based in the Isle of Man, The Musical Experience have a combined 60 years experience in system building and can help you assemble a truly special sounding system at a fraction of the cost that you might otherwise think possible. They are unashamedly focussed on the higher end of music reproduction, but their expertise combined with a careful selection of products means you will not have to spend a small fortune to get top performance.

Brands include Origin Live, SME, Shanling, Musical Fidelity, Revolver, Spendor and Brilliance. Contact Mycl on 01624 824474, Brian on 01624 817230, or e-mail
"info" at the web site of musicalexperience.net

Brilliance Hi-Fi cables demonstrated at the Northern Sound and Vision Show - January 2005

Brilliance Hi-fi cables were successfully demonstrated by Orpheus Audio at the January Northern Sound & Vision Show held at the Manchester Airport Radisson on January 29th and 30th, 2005. Brilliance are delighted that from their current range of cable suppliers including Acoustic Zen, Wireworld and LAT, Orpheus Audio chose to use Brilliance cables throughout at the show. These included the new Symmetry balanced XLR and Euphony unbalanced interconnects, (both deep cryogenically treated, DCT), and Bi-prodigy speaker cables with their very impressive Shanling SCD-T200C, Ear 864/890 pre/power combination, and Monopulse speaker system.

Brilliance Hi-Fi launches new Symmetry balanced XLR Interconnect - January 2005

Brilliance Hi-Fi is pleased to announce the release of their complementary Symmetry balanced XLR interconnect benefiting from a screened twisted-pair construction, Teflon-insulation and Neutrik XLR plugs. If your equipment supports balanced connections, thereby benefiting from the inherent common mode noise rejection benefits of this format, then the Brilliance Symmetry is your easiest route to high-end performance.

Brilliance Hi-Fi partners with Orpheus Audio - December 2004

Brilliance Hi-Fi is pleased to announce an exclusive dealership arrangement with Orpheus Audio.

Orpheus Audio specialise in home demonstrations of fine two-channel audio. Valves take preference, appealing to customers who want their systems to look as good as they sound. Their exclusive product range includes Shanling, EAR, Heart, Monopulse, with the Brilliance range of cables well matched to these outstanding amplifiers and esoteric speakers.

Demonstrations are available by appointment in Gatley, Cheshire. Tel 0161 428 1539. e-mail "anything" at the web site of orpheusaudio.co.uk

Brilliance Hi-Fi launches new range of Deep Cryogenically Treated (DCT) Cables - December 2004

Brilliance Hi-Fi can now offer all of their cables benefiting from Deep Cryogenic Treatment, or DCT. Brilliance cables are treated using the latest DCT vapour process, the cables being slowly ramped down to a very low absolute temperature of circa -185C, held there to soak for 24 hours and then brought back to ambient temperature in a controlled manner.

Cryogenics was first discovered by a Scotsman, Sir James Dewar, the physicist who first liquefied hydrogen and invented the Dewar Flask for the storage of liquid nitrogen, at the end of the 1800s.
From these early beginnings, the cryogenic treatment of metals and plastics has been developed, with much being owed to NASA who used the process to achieve performance enhancements in materials for the space race. Although relatively new to the music and hifi industry, the cryogenic treatment of cables and circuit boards is gradually being considered by many as an important factor in assisting with the reproduction of a pure and transparent sound signal. Many suggest that notable increases in the quality of sound reproduction can be achieved when using cryogenically treated high quality cables specifically designed for use at audio frequency.

The original users of this process with respect to high-end hi-fi cabling was Townshend with their Isolda DCT cables highly regarded by many in the trade.

Orpheus Audio who are evaluating a pair of Brilliance Symmetry DCT interconnects said “… there is an improvement in coherence and realism”.

Further information on deep cryogenic treatment DCT can be found at the website of Frozen Solid, processors of cables for the likes of Townshend and Black Rhodium.