Brilliance Hi-Fi Cable Reviews and Awards

The Hi-Fi Journal - February 2010

Wading through the plethora of cable companies is a tricky business and can seem a little bit of a mine field. When choosing a cable it is important that you are comfortable that a manufacturer knows what they are doing, that there is coherence to their product range and that they are not simply trying to baffle you with marketing hyperbole.

I still find it amazing the number of companies that do not have a cohesive design philosophy. If a designer believes a particular geometry or specific material combination works then that should be evident through out their range.

I came across Brilliance about 4 years ago when they came to prominence by winning an award from a well known magazine for their entry level cable. Here we are looking at the companies interconnect range spanning 3 models from £83 to £500.

All the cables have a family look and feel to them and reading their literature they seem to have a sound design philosophy which should translate into a family sound.

Synergy

Constructed from high purity copper and finished with the ubiquitous black braide the Synergy looks well constructed. Right from the off the Synergy is a very likable cable: the music bounds along with great enthusiasm; bass seems well controlled if not particular extended; and timing is good. Tonal balance is good with only a slight bias towards brightness (not necessarily a bad thing at the price point as it will inject a sense of speed and openness into budget systems.) Please don’t confuse this with harshness. The Synergy never sounds brash, just lively and fun. A very well judged product that suits its position in the market very well.

Euphony

There is a Definite step up in refinement and the music definitely flows better. Gone is the slight zing injected, I would imagine, by the cheaper plugs on the Synergy to be replaced with a well controlled refined performance. In fact, I would say that the Euphony sounds slightly laid-back in comparison to the Synergy. There is an increase in realism and body to the sound, underlined with a fuller bass line with better extension but I would say it is more suited to slightly forward sounding systems. There is a lot of things the Euphony is doing well: I feel it could just offer slightly more insight. It seems to have lost the lightness of touch the Synergy had. An improvement in some areas and I think if you had a slightly lively sounding system it would bring the added refinement and smoothness to the game.

Agility

Constructed from Teflon insulated solid silver conductors and fitted with the excellent WBT 0152Ag silver nextgen plugs you appear to be getting a high specification for your money compared to a lot of brands out there.

The improvement to spatial separation and scale are immediately apparent. The Agility allows the music to come through with a delicacy and naturalness that simply was not present with the previous 2 cables. There is a deftness of touch and openness that allows the system to breathe. Gone is the slightly laidback presentation of the Euphony to be replaced with a neutral balance with a level of finesse the other two could only dream about. Where the Synergy and Euphony could definitely be said to be imparting a slight character to the sound, the Agility is pleasantly neutral. Timing is good and imaging is impressive.

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.

What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision - March 2008 Issue - Brilliance Clarity lives up to the promise of its name

BRILLIANCE CLARITY DIGITAL COAXIAL CABLE

£53 per 1m Cable - 5 star rating

£53 worth of digital coaxial cable isn’t going to suit every cinema system, of course, but if you’ve assembled a set-up that justifies this kind of outlay, you need to add the Brilliance Clarity to your shortlist.

Forceful, yet tender too. The Clarity delivers widescreen sound, integrating information deftly while offering impressive separation. Dynamic and forceful when required, but atmospheric and tender too, the Clarity – luckily – is an aptly named cable from a company whose own risky name is safe from ridicule for now.

Verdict . Grippy and poised, the Clarity is well worth the name.

Hi-Fi World – December 2007 Issue – Atonement by Tony Bolton

BRILLIANCE EUPHONY INTERCONNECTS

£240 per 1m pair

The Brilliance Euphony is a bulky cable consisting of copper conductors in a twisted pair configuration, terminated with WBT 0144 lockable phono plugs. It is very flexible and can be fitted into quite tight spaces without risk to cable or equipment.

Listening to Morcheeba’s ‘Big Calm’ via the Euphony, I was confronted by an expansive and full bodied sound. Imaging was good with a soundstage that just extended past the outer edges of the loudspeakers, and had reasonable front to back depth. Singer Skye Edwards’ voice stood in front of the instruments, and was presented with a beautiful velvet covered smoothness that was very enjoyable.

All of these cables had a smooth and civilised presentation, avoiding the pitfalls of incoherent bass rumbles and ear-drilling treble, but each had its own unique flavour. I felt that the size of the Euphony could get a bit overpowering in a richly toned set-up.

As such, all three [Brilliance Euphony, Chord Co Chorus & Translucent Ultra+] offer excellent value for money relative to their performance/price hierarchy of the cable world, and I would recommend auditioning all three to see which sonic balance works best for you.

Hi-Fi World – March 2007 Issue – David Price

BRILLIANCE EUPHONY INTERCONNECTS

£240 per 1m pair

It was the entry-level Synergy that first alerted us to this small UK specialist cable manufacturer. While the look and feel of the £50 interconnect was nothing to write home about, the performance spoke volumes, the cable delivering a sound that wouldn’t disgrace a cable at around twice that much. Well, at £240 the Euphony is a whole new price point, and there’s some intense competition from the likes of Chord Company, to name but one big brand. This mid-to-high end interconnect has equally no-nonsense in presentation – no lurid ‘day-glo’ shell suit colours here. The braided sleeve is of excellent quality and the soldering to the WBT-0144 locking RCA plugs is excellent too. These are a pain for reviewers constantly plugging and unplugging cables but once you’ve locked them in position, they stay! Euphony uses a twisted pair configuration, but beyond this Brilliance doesn’t specify any technical details.

Once again though, the performance speaks volumes, the Euphony proving more than price competitive. In absolute, cost-no-object terms, there’s a touch of haze to the midband, and a slightly soft and rose-tinted presentation (hence the name, I presume?), but in sub-£300 terms this is utterly on the pace with an expansive, detailed and engaging sound. Whilst it never sounds explicitly detailed (in the way that Nordost cables do, for example), it is no less informative and more engaging to listen to than rivals under £300. Bass is full but controlled, midband is mellifluous and beguiling, and treble silky smooth and spacious. Overall an excellent interconnect that just plays music. It’s particularly amenable with ultra spry and analytical sounding CD players (the Audiolab 8000CD benefited immensely!), and many will be reassured that much of the purchase price has been spent on the cable rather than fancy packaging.

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

Hi-Fi+ Issue 49 Jan. 2007 – Roy Gregory

BRILLIANCE EUPHONY AND PRODIGY SPEAKER CABLES

£240 per 1m pair

£280 per 3m terminated pair

Brilliance Hi-Fi is a small, family owned company building an equally small rage of bespoke interconnect and speaker cables. As well as the models reviewed here, there’s a cheaper interconnect and more expensive cryogenically treated options. All cables are built and terminated to order from Teflon insulated copper conductors, with spade and Z-plug termination alternatives to the 4mm plugs supplied for review. The interconnects employ the well-regarded WBT-0144 plugs, the best sounding of that range, although the Next-Gens are better still.

In use the Brilliance cables are immediately likeable and inviting to listen to. They offer a reasonable sense of acoustic but more importantly, a coherent yet well separated image of the band or orchestra within it. 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. Conversely, an energetic, driven track like the Cure’s ‘Push’ can sound a tad refined and lacking in sheer forward momentum. If your system tends to the relaxed or laid-back, the Brilliance cables might be too much of a good thing. But if it is inherently well-balanced or even a little excitable (like the EERA/X-treme combination) then these cables will open it out without stifling its virtues. Clean, clear and easy on the ear, they will reward long-term listeners with easier musical access and lower levels of fatigue. Excellent value at their very reasonable price.

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"

Synergy Interconnect What Hi-Fi Review - October 2006

What Hi-Fi Sound and Vision - October 2006

BRILLIANCE SYNERGY (1M) £83 - 5 star rating

"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. If you don't need a full metre length go for the 0.5m options, saving yourself £13".

Purity AES/EBU DCT Interconnect Hi-Fi World Review

Hi-Fi World - July 2006 - David Price

BRILLIANCE PURITY AES/EBU DCT DIGITAL ANALOGUE INTERCONNECT £170/m

"Brilliance Hi-Fi's new Purity DCT Balanced Digital AES/EBU interconnect is designed for high end domestic and professional digital applications. The AES/EBU connection found on most professional recording equipment is regarded as the highest quality digital transmission format available and is being increasingly adopted for high end domestic CD transport and DAC applications. The Purity has a true 110 Ohm impedance- matched design using the latest shielded twisted pair (STP) cable and Neutrik¹ XLR plugs with gold plated contacts. As per all of the Brilliance range of cables, the Purity employs Teflon insulation in order to deliver an astoundingly low capacitance of a mere 39 pF/m. This ensures minimal signal degradation on this the most critical of applications from the digital source of your audio system. Performance is further enhanced by advanced screening and termination topology, and the cable parts have been cryogenically treated in order to maximize the listening experience. Price is a very affordable £140 for the first half metre with an additional £30 for each additional half metre, (or part thereof). 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".

Synergy Analogue Interconnects Hi-Fi Choice Review

Hi-Fi Choice Review - January 2006 - Richard Black
BRILLIANCE HI-FI SYNERGY ANALOGUE
INTERCONNECTS £83 (1M PAIR)

"While £83, isn’t the cheapest price around for interconnect, these low capacitance cables are suitable for any source component, even elderly valve kit that can be fussy about such parameters. Synergy’s sound is very clear and open with solid base, though not quite as much weight in the lowest octaves as some cables can offer. However, imaging is good and image depth is very well portrayed, with considerable precision and a very long reach. The sound seems altogether agile and lively, and we liked these cables a lot. You may wish to try the Deep Cryogenic Treated version, that costs approximately 50% extra."

Synergy Interconnects Selected for Vinyl Lovers' Dream System

Hi-Fi World - September 2005 - David Price

Black Art - Brilliantly Balanced System, (p13)

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.

Bi-Prodigy Speaker Cables Hi-Fi World Review

Hi-Fi World - July 2005 - Channa Vithana

BRILLIANCE BI-PRODIGY SPEAKER CABLES
- £385 per 2m terminated pair

AWARD: 4 GLOBES - Excellent, extremely capable

TOTALLY WIRED - Speaker cable group test, (p61)

• Microphonic Audio Original
• True Colours Industries Anaconda Bi-wire
• Audioquest Type 6
• Brilliance Bi-Prodigy

Brilliance Hi-Fi Bi-Prodigy

These cables are substantially built with two conductors at the amp-end and bi-wired four at the speaker-end. They are made up of a balanced coaxial construction using Teflon insulation over plain copper conductors. Each Teflon shielded copper conductor measures 5mm diameter and is paired up in an oval configuration to have an overall dimension of 12mm x 6mm including the black outer 2mm nylon flexible braid. The signal cables are terminated into a splitter made of polythene shrink wrap and then completed with banana plugs. Brilliance Hi-Fi evaluates their cable through electrical measurements, commenting that "the electrical characteristics of the Prodigy are impressive with a capacitance and inductance of only 161 pF/m and 0.22uH/m respectively, making them ideal for longer length applications". They do state however that Prodigy cable may be unsuitable for some amplifier manufacturers such as Naim, and if unsure, to check with the amplifier company. They are available single wired for £200/2m or bi-wired for £385/2m. Additional lengths cost £32 and £64 per extra half metre respectively.

The Brilliance cables had the most neutral sound of the group, with an entirely unflappable ability regarding the extremes of the frequency range. They were tight, focussed and disciplined without losing out on the emotion from thrilling pieces like ′Ya Gotta Try …Harder′. With the distinctive and divergent vocal deliveries of both ′I Won′t Back Down′ and ′Fair Enough′ the Prodigy remained completely neutral only communicating what was on the recording. In fact everything was in its right place regarding musical structure with a near perfect balance of instruments and vocals, nothing projected or recessed. Excellent, but so they should be at this price!

Conclusion

….. 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 the divergent music thrown at it with a balanced authority never emphasising one aspect over another. For high-end systems it should be an interesting and worthwhile alternative to premium priced established brands, as it gives nothing away to them.

Synergy Analogue Interconnect Hi-Fi World Review

Hi-Fi World - January 2004 - David Price

BRILLIANCE SYNERGY ANALOGUE INTERCONNECT £55/m

AWARD: 4 GLOBES - Excellent, extremely capable
£ - Value/Keenly priced

"This tiny UK manufacturer has a range of products including mains leads, noise filters and interconnects, all beautifully made despite the sensible prices. The Interconnects are available in increments of 0.1m, so if you only need 0.7m, you don's need to buy 1m - meaning you save money and get better sound, because as with all bits of hi-fi wire, in terms of sonics, less is more! Be warned though - you'll have to order two weeks before the big day if you're wanting to surprise someone!. Well, the wait is worth it. This cable sports Teflon coaxial cable and Canare RCA terminators, the low capacitance of the former making it suitable for longer runs. The sound per pound ratio is superb. It has a truly open and neutral demeanour, far better than the average clangy sounding £50 interconnect. In fact, it rather resembles far more expensive VdH (Van Den Hul) and LFD Spirolink in its depth and neutrality - you really get the sense that you're listening to the hi-fi and not the cable. Tonally its quite dark (ironic considering the name), but with an airy and extended treble all the same. Ideal for 'budget audiophile' applications where sound is as much an issue as price."

Orpheus Audio Review

In a competetive market, we find Brilliance cables offer tremendous value for money. If neutrality, clarity, exquisite detail allied to superb soundstage abilities appeal to you, these cables should be at the top of your auditioning list.

Customer Feedback - Clarity Digital and Synergy Stereo Interconnects

Clarity digital and synergy interconnects used with a Sony universal player, Mondial Aragon/Acurus multi-channel pre amp and power amps, and B&W Nautilus surround sound speakers.

"The improvement with the new coaxial, [Clarity digital], was very surprising to me. Clearly the music ..... is more detailed and appears to have more volume. The pre-amp to amps interconnects the difference was obvious. I immediately noticed less hissing (I should say lack of), which was obvious in vocals. Also, bass appeared tighter and everything sounded generally much more clear. So I'm quite impressed overall".

Customer Feedback - Synergy Stereo Interconnects

Synergy interconnects employed in a system consisting of Origin Live/SME3009/Goldring turntable, Croft Vitale pre-amp, Leak Stereo 20 power amp and Mission 752 speakers.

"Swift delivery with a Company that appears to have an interest in customer's opinion of their product. Improved clarity and firmer bass definition".

Customer Feedback - Clarity Digital Interconnect

"I have been very pleased with the digital interconnect you supplied me with. The cable has improved a number of areas, including resolution, imaging and ease of presentation. The first thing I noticed about the cable was the way that detail had now increased throughout the frequency spectrum. Cymbals have a much greater realism to them, drums now have two distinct sounds - that of the stick hitting the skin and the actual sound of the drum - and voices have more breath. The stereo imaging is much more focussed than with the Cambridge Audio optical cable and the soundstage has expanded well past the cabinets. The system feels relaxed and it produces music much more effortlessly than before, it almost begs to be turned up."

Customer Feedback - Euphony Stereo Interconnects

Euphony interconnects employed between a Roksan Xerxes and Croft Epoch Elite pre-amp, (the rest of the system being Audio Note Conquest monoblocks and Quad ELS 57s.

"A very neutral cable, musical and detailed presentation presents a large and believable sound stage with pin-sharp imagery. Excellent, robust and durable construction. Cracking value for money - highly recommended".

Customer Feedback - Clarity Digital and Synergy Stereo Pair

Clarity digital and synergy stereo pair used in a Meridian 603/606 transport/DC with Naim 72 plus HiCAP and two 135 monoblock system.

"Sound stage was much sharper, more brilliance. Well constructed cables, look good as well. A bonus!"

For further information on the Synergy analogue interconnect (phono lead) and the Euphony stereo interconnect please refer to our Audio Interconnects page, which also contains details of our Clarity digital interconnects. Additional information on these cables can be found on our AV Interconnect Cables page, along with descriptions of our sub-woofer interconnect cables, RGB component video leads, RGBS / RGBHV projector / HDTV cables, composite video cables and multi-channel audio cable sets.

For details of our complementary range of Prodigy single and bi-wire speaker cables with Profigold¹ banana plugs or Ixos spade connectors, please see our speaker cable page.

¹Neutrik is a registered trademark of Neutrik.