VBS MCC Interconnect Review
Cables are a finicky subject in audio as they are extremely system dependent, and of course a level of trust has to be had with the manufacturer if there is no description of why this design is different or better than another. Cost can't be the only indicator of quality either, as a more expensive cable doesn't always guarantee better performance. This is why in home demos and trustworthy review processes are critical in our industry, and why when I am offered the opportunity to review a piece of equipment, I test a little differently than most. For cables, I stand by a three step process in vetting a new entry into the system.
- The first test is to swap the cable into every applicable part of the chain in order to find the most synergistic location for further testing, as well as providing me with a good indication of any similarities in tonal shift. My system has been carefully tuned over the years, and I am very familiar with my own system synergy and tonal balance, so this step can be completed within a few minutes and is easily distinguishable if it will work in one position or another.
- Once this position is located, my next test is a series of rapid comparisons to at least two other cables, one being a set of decent stock interconnects, a set of proven design Hi-fi cables, and finally the cable for review. Comparison against stock cables is the most dramatic and highlights common qualities of the cable in question that you could expect in your own synergistic matching. If I simply replace a Hi-Fi cable, then I am making comparisons against that cable as a reference, and unless your system is very similar to mine, this wont be of much use to you. The rapid test against the proven design gives good insight of the cost effectiveness of the cable, and how well it transfers differences in minute details.
- The final test is simply living with the cable in my system for a period of time greater than a week, listening at different times of the day, different moods, and challenging what the cable has to offer. At the end of this period, I swap back in the original cable that I had in this position and record my first impressions, testing it against my own reference at that point.
The Review
Today I have before me something rather special, a handmade set of mono-crystalline copper interconnects from Andrej at VBS Audio out of Serbia. It is impressive to consider that these have travelled approximately 5000 miles, from Serbia to a friend in the UK, and from the UK to my home in the midwestern US. Handmade cables are some of my favorite to review, as it is a clear indication of the individual's passion and commitment to their craft. I've been sent cables in the past for review only to be greeted by cheap connectors not advertised in actual products, along with shoddy workmanship that fell apart after a few changes. 
No such worry here with the VBS cables; the build is quite nice, covered in soft cotton vs PET sheathing, with carefully assembled ends protected with heat shrink. These are built to last, looking and feeling like a worthwhile investment. Length is even on both interconnects, another indicator of quality and consistency in hand made cables. Similarly to the internal copper conductor of the cable, the RCA plug ends are made in house as well, utilizing a single conductor drain on the side of the milled plastic and mounted in what appears to be an aluminum shell covered by clear heat shrink tubing. I draw careful attention to these ends, as they may cause issues for some individuals. They are bulky, and may not work on equipment with closely spaced inputs or outputs. The fitment is tight and requires some force to make good connection with the drain conductor, causing hum otherwise. We spoke with Andrej about these ends and he claimed them imperative to the design so that only his mono-crystalline conductor is utilized throughout the entirety of the cable. This was sound enough logic for me and they worked with my equipment, so I began my testing. 
The first step of course is finding the best location to test these, while being mindful of any tonal shift similarities while swapping. I tried every input and output, finding that the best match for me was in between the DAC and preamplifier. There was a tonal shift in the midrange region similar across the swaps, highlighted best by musical pieces with front and center male vocals. This tonal shift was most accentuated in my system in between the preamp and amplifier to the point that voices were too far forward and shouty. For my application, the VBS were best suited on the input side with lower voltage. 
This made test #2 with rapid swapping easier. My preamplifier has a single set of discrete op amps that every source component is ran through, meaning even gain and volume for testing, along with only needing to swap one side, having the switch on the other. I proceed to connect my pair of stock interconnects (gold plated Mogami), my proven Hi-Fi cable (a vintage favorite, Straightwire Encore I) and the VBS to each input selection. I have a set of Straightwire Encore II as well, but the star quad geometry doesn't perform well on the input side of my system. I started my demo playlist chock full of demanding songs from every genre, and switched between each cable for every track. This was accomplished by swapping one side of the cable at a time so that the two chassis were always connected and grounded.
The stock cable performed as expected, sounding good with vague imaging. The Encore cleaned up the imaging, bringing instruments and vocalists into a better focus and transferred more detail than the stock renditions, allowing the speakers to better disappear into the soundstage. The VBS cables were.. different. I have had cable changes in the past that were dramatic. To an untrained ear the swap between stock and Encore could be labeled as such. The swap to the VBS wasn't a dramatic one, but the improvements were very clear and immediately recognizable. The best descriptor that comes to mind is "natural". Detail was clear without brightness, and I was honestly surprised at the improvement in imaging to be able to easily locate sounds, instruments and singers across the entire stage. After a while of rapid testing I moved straight into test #3 and left the VBS cables connected in my system and enjoyed what they had to offer. Clarity is another word that comes to mind, closing my eyes and sharing the room with some of my favorite artists. Simple, natural, and clear, these cables do exactly what an interconnect should, with an excellently low noise floor.
After a couple weeks of living with these cables, testing at all times of the day and night to every conceivable genre of music, I would forget at times that I was reviewing these and simply got lost in the music, meaning that the emotional connection from the music was shining through perfectly. I would honestly say that the VBS interconnects were a happy addition to my signal chain in allowing my system to perform as it should. There was only one final step of the testing; removing the VBS cable and installing my previous reference cable into its spot and note my first impressions. By now my ears have settled and become accostomed to the performance of the VBS and a swap at this point will highlight any shortcomings, of either cable. My previous reference in this location was a low capacitance, shielded, silver coated OFC instrument cables that had been fitted with WBT connectors. First impression upon reinstalling these was an immediate tonal shift to the brighter side, but I was surprised to notice that some details were lacking in comparison to the VBS, while imaging was good, it remained slightly veiled and not as easy to pinpoint instruments from the recorded reverberation of the stage. 
Conclusion
The VBS cables honestly had me a bit apprehensive on arrival due to the ends and worrying about the performance of these cables, as my friend who tried these before had bad hum issues, and the entire reason I was granted the opportunity to audition these. Luckily the issue was resolved with the ends and I was able to do my testing. These ends are definitely not made for constant changing, but once the VBS cables are set and in the system, they provide a surprising level of neutral clarity and coherency to the music. There is a slight tonal shift, perhaps an accentuation in the midrange frequency that does well on the input side of a preamp that tends to lean more toward the clinical side. Imaging is the best that I’ve experienced yet from my system, and these cables best most of my interconnects I have here to compare against. Andrej has a great product here and has changed some of my perspectives of cable design, as I believe the single conductor without interruption, soldering, or different metals plays a large part in the sound signature that the VBS interconnects are capable of, including the mono-crystalline copper structure that is created through his own process from a local copper mill. If these are in your budget and you are a fan of supporting independent Hi-Fi manufacturers, these are worth your consideration.
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