In a bid to achieve musical perfection, HMS has completed its new benchmark-setting Suprema line with the LS speaker cable.
The first product in the new top-of-the-range line, the Energia Suprema SL network cable, has been on the market for quite a while now (see FIDELITY No. 23, issue 1/2016) and is so impressive that it was immediately put in charge of feeding all my components, including my Energia Definitiva. So you can imagine just how thrilled I was to find out I’d be the first person to test out the recently completed Suprema line. I’ll begin here with the Suprema LS and will report on the new Suprema Interconnect signal cable in the next issue.
The man behind HMS, Hans M. Strassner, needs no introduction. I would, however, like to add a few words of praise by saying that I only know a handful of developers on the entire highend scene who are like Strassner and not only seriously know what they’re doing but are also exceptional individuals. Not a single customer inquiry goes unanswered by Strassner, who treat every concern with the genuine respect that every customer deserves. This simply had to be said given how these days it seems only the flashiest bombastic competitors who shout the loudest garner recognition.
HMS developed the new LS cable to outshine the company’s previous number one cable, the Gran Finale Jubilee. And I think that shows a certain go-getter attitude as many music fans quite rightly see the Jubilee as the best loudspeaker cable out there. The company’s “TOP Match technology” features here as well, of course: In the Energia Suprema SL, only the type of stranding has been changed to achieve even lower capacity, and improved ferrite configuration ultimately ensures even lower stray field losses. Faultless production quality and top-notch connector sets from WBT in various finishes are par for the course at HMS in any case.
HMS cables are sometimes accused of being so technically perfect that they make some systems even sound “too perfect.” If you happen to be one of these critics, I can assure you that you should have no qualms about using the HMS Suprema LS. This loudspeaker cable has absolutely no limitations, has all the highly praised virtues of the Gran Finale Jubilee line, and yes, also has improved musicality. Just to clear up any possible misunderstandings: I think that in terms of musicality all the lines from this Leverkusen-based company already rank among the best in their price categories — even in higher price categories but am happy to admit that something really special has actually happened here.
The Suprema LS, which incidentally can be used equally well with tube and transistor amplifiers, enthralls the listener not only because of its ability to make everything audible, right down to the tiniest of details, but also immediately stands out due to its relaxed approach and tonal intensity, which allows you to enjoy stress-free music listening. Here’s something you may well have already experienced: All of a system’s devices and cables are considered “perfect” yet you find yourself suddenly turning the volume down again. On the other hand, an old gramophone deeply moves us musically.
The famous all-in-one solution must be able to do both — and HMS’s Suprema LS comes very close to this ideal. Extremely close in fact. It conveys both the sound in its entire spectrum of precision, dynamics, and energy as well as the musical intentions and structures with all nuances and tonal contrasts. Sound isn’t music. Music is simply expressed through sound. Sound alone is simply the medium through which the feelings and intentions of the music are conveyed. Only when both are present will the resulting output produce the moving and intense human feelings in us that only music can do. In short, the HMS Suprema loudspeaker cable is one of the three best loudspeaker cables I’ve ever had the pleasure of listening to and of these three, it’s the most widely usable and the cheapest.
HMS Suprema LS | Example prices by stereo meter (pre-assembled): 2 x 1 m €2,900 / 2 x 3 m €5,780
HMS Elektronik
Am Arenzberg 42
51381 Leverkusen
Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 2171 734006