Inline MiniZaps Review
Friday, 21st June 2019
Featured in the July 2019 edition of Hi-Fi Choice magazine, their 'Choice Extras' section includes a short review of our Inline MiniZaps - Neville Roberts is impressed...
Users of other manufacturer’s cables
Fitting the MiniZap components into an existing WBT RCA Phono plug allows their use with any other make of cable, making MiniZap technology available to everyone.
Users of Kimber cables
For best performance, we still recommend having MiniZaps fitted to the cable itself – it’s cheaper and offers better performance. However, there are some advantages to using the inline versions:
1. You can use them on multiple cables. Say you use two sources, like a CD player and turntable, assuming the back of your system is easy enough to reach, you can swap the MiniZaps around according to the source you are using.
And 2. the inline versions allow you to easily compare the ‘with’ and ‘without’ results
Shop Inline MiniZaps here
So, how do they perform?
In this short review, Neville Roberts first notes the problem which the MiniZaps are there to address, i.e. “preventing noise from entering the audio path of your system” which, he says, “can be quite a challenge”. Having used the product, he concludes that “the MiniZaps have a positive effect filtering out RF interference from the audio signal”
In his test, Neville fits the plugs to coaxial-type analogue interconnect between his valve preamp and valve monoblocks. Playing the first movement of Elgar’s Enigma Variations he notes that he is “conscious of the inky-black quietness between the musical segments” and observes that without the inline plugs “there’s not the same sense of silence”.
In the second variation, he hears that there is an improvement in the instrumentation of the piece, describing how “the stringed instruments, particularly the violins, have a perfect balance of being bright and lively yet smooth.”
Shop Inline MiniZaps here
The down side?
He notes the cost is quite high. This is primarily because we chose the high-performing WBT plugs to house the components in. This was to ensure that the inclusion of the plugs inline with the signal path did not bring with it any negative effects. It’s pleasing to hear that this decision is borne out by the review, who notes that on passages where there are less obvious differences with the MiniZaps fitted, they do not have any obvious negative effect. Which, as he says, “is a good thing”.
Magazine: Hi-Fi Choice
Issue: July 2019
Verdict: 4.5 stars Recommended
Shop Inline MiniZaps here
Read The Audiophile Man review here
Written By Simon Dalton
Comments
reviewed by Vernon Joseph Rosario
26 Jul 2019