When asked if I be interested to review the latest flagship cable(s) from a reputable Norwegian Audio Cables brand, Skogrand Cables and,…after reading the statement below from them;…
“Our Skogrand Stravinsky line of cables is where we push for the absolute extreme of what is possible. With the Stravinsky line of cables we are going all the way – spearheading the Global market towards what is achievable within the realm of signal transfer”
(excerpts taken from Skogrand Cables’ website)
…my answer would definitely be a ‘YES‘. Therefore late last year (2024), I received two [2] pieces of two meters [2m] latest Stravinsky AC Mk.2 Power Cords (retail Euro €23,000 per 2m piece) from Mr.Knut (the Head Honcho) of Skogrand Cables (hereinafter referred to as Stravinsky AC2)

As most readers may already knew that I am a Skogrand Cables user since their initial Markarian 421 cables (2013), and have been following closely/ using their cables, from the improved flagships then, the Beethovan Mk.1 Speaker Cables to the Stravinsky Mk.1 Balance XLR interconnect cables.
However, I have used many other branded cables from MIT, Stein Music, Vermouth, XLO, Vitus, FM Acoustics, Göbel, Telos, Gryphon, Shunyata, Audio Note, Cardas, Audioquest, Straightwire, Ares Cerat, etc etc etc…therefore, I have ‘been around cables‘.

Listening to a pair of Power Cords?
Some may asked that was it possible to hear any difference(s) in the connected power cord(s). To others and myself,…
the power cord maybe the ‘most‘ significant, potent and hearable among the cables…
used in an audio system. It was explained that the power cord acted as,
an ‘extension of the transformer(s) and/or power supply in the connected component‘.
Therefore upon connection, the power cord became part of the component’s possibly most crucial part, the power supply.

Here, I connected the pair of Skogrand Cables Stravinsky AC2 Power Cords to the Vitus Audio Masterpiece MP-M201AF mono amplifiers,…and have them connected and in used for more than two [2] months before serious listening/ review (replaced the Göbel Lacorde Statement Power which retails Euro €7,500 per 2m piece, which was a mighty fine power cord!). The connected speaker cables were the Skogrand Cables Beethoven Mk.1, which I have used since 2017 (here, I did not use the newly received Skogrand Cables Silverspine latest flagship Speaker Cables throughout the review,…to maintain ‘my objectivity’ to the ‘attributes’ of the Stravinsky AC2 [2x] Power Cords). The loudspeakers in alternate used were the Magico S3, Magico M2, Genesis S7 Foxtrot and Genesis S7 Minuet. The preamplifier in used was my reference FM Acoustics 268C and the main source was the HiFi Rose RS150B (mainly listened to Tidal).

As stated above, the power cord being the most significant, potent and hearable among cables,…I could whole heartedly attest that upon connected the Stravinsky AC2, the Vitus Audio Masterpiece MP-M201AF mono amplifiers…
sounded different, and yet NOT different(?).
It was as if a layer of veil was removed from the entire audio presentation thus allowed more resolution of the recorded music/ detail to just flow out.

Here, I found Toku-san‘s voice at ‘Wings of Love‘, to be more layered, textured, nuanced and natural,…and with more subtle and minute details of lips dynamic, breathing, chestiness and energy. (For me) that whole audible experience amounted to an improved level of emotional realism that was intented by the performer for the listener.
Even the instruments sounded more defined, focused, delineated and dimensional,…
and weighted, as if anchored to the soundstage(!).
Similarly, it was the case at ‘Way Down Deep‘ (by Jennifer Warnes‘ in her album, ‘The Hunter‘) where the drums were presented with more weight, slam, dynamic, definition and in scale with the sound scape (the drums did not sound overwhelming and over-sized),…
it sounded (accurately) a drum and NOT like a drum!

In addition, when I heard Ms.Warnes‘ voiceation with the inclusion of Stravinsky AC2s, the first thought that came to mind was ‘how young she sounded(?)‘…she sounded more natural, sweeter, energetic, and at ease,…
thus she was more realistically presented.

At the track, ‘Bubbles‘ by Yosi Horikawa, with the inclusion of the Stravinsky AC2s, I was treated with an impressively black and silent soundstage and soundscape,…so much so I could not sense any boundaries. I was more impressed and (pleasantly) thrilled by the sound of objects bouncing around all over the entire audio den (not limited to the front stage),…
as if I was (convinced) being in an audio fanfare(!) within a dark and black room!
Here, each bounce of the object was projected with reflected energy that even reached my listening position/ chair, about eleven [11‘] feet from the loudspeakers,…and each energy projection was precise and defined. Eventhough with all the numerous energy projections going around,…
yet the musical presentation was NEVER distracted in the slightest.

Here, at any track throughout the album, I found that with the inclusion of the Stravinsky AC2s, there was that clear distinctness/ separation, space and air of Ms.Chloe Chua‘s violin with the rest of the instruments of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Therefore, that too lent to greater specificity in imaging of the main violinist from the rest of the musicians.

At my favorite test track ‘Wonder Woman’s Wrath‘, with the inclusion of the Stravinsky AC2s, I found and heard the beating drums to be clearer and distincted,…and that I was able to easily follow and flow with the rising tempo of those drums. In addition, I found the other groups of instruments at play were not overwhelmed by those drums’ beating at rising tempo and volume.
The entire presentation, though complicated at times were made uncomplicated with the inclusion of the Stravinsky AC2s.

Playing the ‘Poem of Chinese Drums‘, I could easily felt the dynamic power and energy from those beatings at the drums,…the sensations were intimate, close proximity and more engaging…as if the musicians, drums and the performance were in the same space with me,…LIVE!.
I could summed up that the connected components/ amplifiers were given more oomph!

Through the demanding Electronic Dance Music track ‘Ratchets‘, the Stravinsky AC2s brought about a level of unfazed delivery of power, energy, dynamic, tempo, scale and,…
at the same instance maintained musical coherence.

Easily recommendable if affordable.
The Skogrand Cables Stravinsky AC2 at Euro €23,000 per 2m piece may not be in everyone’s budget. However, if the audio component in questioned valued at a much higher retail price, then I would recommend it without reservation,…it was the very few power cords that did not introduce any audible ‘coloration of its own‘ to the connected audio component, but only enhanced the output performance of the said component,…
as if pumping higher/ better Ron Petrol to the Sport Car!

Available in the Stravinsky cable model range:
– SC Stravinsky speaker cables
– SCI Stravinsky interconnect cables
– SCJ Stravinsky jumper cables
– SCAC Stravinsky AC power cables
– SCD Stravinsky digital cables including 110 Ohm AES/EBU, 75 Ohm Coaxial RCA or BNC, USB and Ethernet cables
Some of the enhancements compared to the up until now top model Beethoven:
- 50% less polyolefin inner core heat shrink
- New inner core framework structure re-invented from the ground up to further improve ease of use, maximize durability and with even more effective energy transfer.
- 50% less Ultra Low K material touching the OCC solid core wires
- Inner core structure further stabilized changing exchange links from fabric to Ultra Low K hard density material. This locks the placement of the OCC wire within the air dielectric space centralizing it perfectly throughout the cable run. It also secures that the dual lead wires maintain 100% constant distance under all conditions
- Air dielectric percentage of total cable run increased from 98.9% to 99.45