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As for Mark’s steady evolution of power cables, they are my favorites of all the brands I have tried thus far. That includes MIT, Audioquest, WireWorld, PS Audio, Harmonic Technology, Audience, GutWire and probably several others I have since forgotten. Some of these cables are far more expensive than even Sablon’s top-line Quantum Gran Corona. It’s not so much that those brands are inferior. It’s that Mark’s sonic priorities are more in line with mine and less about sound, more about music i.e. coherence, dynamics, texture and richness rather than image specificity, soundstaging, detail.

The Quantum Gran Corona is Sablon Audio’s statement power cord and what a statement it makes (although knowing Mark, I suspect he still has a few tricks up his sleeve to squeeze even more goodness from this cable). The QGC contains all the features of the Gran Corona: modified Oyaide C-004/P-004 palladium/platinum/beryllium copper connectors, noise reducing crystals and anti-vibration Magic Paint in critical areas but adds an active Quantum Resonant Technology noise reduction circuit housed in a box mounted behind the IEC as well a revised grounding scheme. That's a shielded external counter-wound ground cable to further reduce crosstalk from ground plane noise. QRT should be familiar to most readers. Nordost, Russ Andrews, Reimyo, HiFi Tuning/Kemp and Walker Audio incorporate QRT into some of their products.


Since Mark sources his modules directly from QRT, it’s quite possible that some firms use the exact same modules in their products. According to QRT their proprietary circuit reduces “EMF noise and RFI interference effects on the mains waveform, audio and video signals and does so without limiting the voltage swing or altering the impedance of the AC supply”. QRT further state that this technology will result in “a lower noise floor, greater clarity and separation and increased dynamic range”. Sablon offer an upgrade program for Gran Corona owners. The QGC comes in Sablon’s standard 5-foot length. Terminations, wire and connectors are cryoed and each completed cable is tested for shorts and continuity. Finally each cable is conditioned with an Audiodharma Anniversary Cable Cooker.


Simply put the Quantum Gran Corona sounded like a turbo-charged Gran Corona. I heard way more jump and liveliness. Music was more tactile and compelling with an exciting live edge-of-seat feel. Dynamic swings between soft and loud were out of this world. Music sounded bigger with a more open layered soundstage. Also of note was the sheer clarity and minute detail retrieval that gave terrific insight into musical nuance. How can a power cord do this? The really cool thing was that the Quantum didn’t come across edgy or too forward, analytical or hyped up. It essentially had all the traits of the GC but added a big dose of adrenaline and wealth of inner detail without upsetting the overall musical balance and coherence.


It also offered a pleasant refinement and finish along with an uncanny ease or calmness that I don’t think I have heard to this extent with any other power cable. I’m guessing this was due to the Quantum module. Whatever the reason, I loved the results. This is a seriously good power cable, period. Whatever component I connected was transformed, be it my amp, CEC transport, DAC or even laptop which is currently receiving juice from SOtM’s excellent prototype external linear power supply. However I’d say the effect was slightly more pronounced on my amp and transport. To briefly recap my thoughts on Sablon Audio’s line of power cords, the Petite Corona is an ideal good value cable. It possesses all the traits of its bigger brother just not to the same degree and seems to be compatible with a broad range of components. The best or perhaps most universal cable is probably the Gran Corona - especially with amps both tube and solid state. The Quantum Gran Corona is for those who want it all. It was absolutely amazing feeding my CEC transport or Audiomat Opera Reference amp. I literally drove myself batty switching back and forth between them.