VL GODSPEED™ Phono Cable DTCS

REVIEW from HiFi-Voice, PLATINUM REFERENCE

“Voodoo Labs, a Hamburg-based manufacturer of original cabling solutions, underpinned by rationally articulated interpretations of physical laws—albeit viewed from an unorthodox perspective—has recently expanded its portfolio with the introduction of its first cable specifically designed for the connection of turntables to phono preamplifiers. In this segment of the signal chain, extremely “fragile,” low-level signals are transmitted, making the system particularly susceptible to any interference, which can significantly impact the listening experience. Therefore, true to the company’s ethos and its motto “A Sound Supreme” (a homage to John Coltrane), Jan Hendrik Geschke—whose primary vocation lies in the fine arts, particularly the Old Masters, while having spent several decades as a creative force behind brands such as Dynaudio, Audionet, and until recently, Peak Consult—opted for a radically different constructional approach.

This is evident at first glance: such a thick and unyielding cable is unlikely to be found elsewhere on the market. Furthermore, one would struggle to find another cable wrapped not in a conventional, aesthetically pleasing or tediously neutral braid, but rather in genuine Lamborghini leather.

Yet it is not the strikingly blue casing emblazoned with a seared cat’s head—an allusion to the English idiom “cat’s whiskers,” denoting something particularly desirable—that constitutes the most arresting feature of the Godspeed cable. Rather, it is its rigid, linear, cylindrical construction, virtually impervious to bending, with a pair of gilded RCA connectors cautiously peeking from each end, sheathed in a soft woven fabric. Upon request, one may opt for a DIN termination at one end, or bare wires for a direct installation into the turntable. One side of the cable exhibits a thinner braid (intended for the turntable), while the other side is thicker (destined for the phono preamplifier). The standard 50 cm length thus necessitates meticulous arrangement of the components, and the general handling of the cable becomes an exercise in meditative patience—installing Godspeed into a system is by no means a trivial task. Voodoo Labs, however, offers versions between 20 and 90 centimetres upon special order.

The philosophy of Voodoo Labs is to achieve the “fastest” signal transmission possible, thereby minimizing interference and striving for the closest proximity to the theoretical values defined by mathematical and physical laws. Their solution, safeguarded by no fewer than three patents, employs a 4x4 matrix of extremely fine, tinned copper conductors of Danish origin, each with a solid core. According to the company’s claims, this ensures minimal resistance and capacitance. The design principles are derived directly from Maxwell’s equations and Poynting’s theorem.

The cable’s remarkable thickness is primarily attributed to the employment of DTCS technology—Distant Triple Carbon Shield. As the name suggests, this consists of a combination of carbon layers, precisely spaced both from the conductors and from one another, with each layer subtly differing in composition. Cotton impregnated with oil is used as the dielectric material, in conjunction with an extraordinarily generous volume of surrounding air.

The shielding within Godspeed is designed to protect the transmitted signal from any external electromagnetic influences, while the abundant internal space allows for the formation of an adequately large electromagnetic field, which, according to the company’s research and viewpoint, is the true medium through which the signal propagates—not through the conductor itself, but via the surrounding electromagnetic field. Jan Hendrik Geschke has expounded this theory in considerable detail in a lengthy text appended to the bottom of the product description.

Voodoo Labs does not publish extensive technical specifications or in-depth data; the only measurable information disclosed is that the internal resistance of the cable is a mere 0.03 ohms per meter.

Given that our editorial turntable outputs via a DIN connection, we were obliged to borrow “external” equipment for our evaluation. Furthermore, the cable’s physical properties rendered conventional installation impracticable, necessitating a somewhat inelegant arrangement of the system, dictated by the constraints imposed by Godspeed.

We tested the cable initially with a rather disproportionate system consisting of a Pro-Ject Debut EVO 2 and a Lindemann Limetree Phono II, and subsequently with a Technics SL-1300G outfitted with our editorial HANA ML cartridge in combination with a Musical Fidelity M6x Vinyl phono stage. We compared it against a Nordost Heimdall 2 cable. The main system comprised a Norma Revo SC-2 LN preamplifier, Norma Revo PA 160 MR power amplifiers, and KEF Blade One Meta loudspeakers. Further technical specifics are detailed in the right-hand column.

The delicate pizzicato of Paul Chambers’ double bass in “Wild Man Blues” (“Legrand Jazz” | 2022 | recorded 1958 | WaxTime In Color | 950725) sounded markedly freer with the Godspeed cable. The qualitative difference is difficult to encapsulate in words: it is not that the Heimdall 2 lacks clarity, precision, or depth. Rather, Godspeed enhances contrast; the bass becomes simply more realistic, shedding any residual sense of mechanical striving, allowing the music to flow and breathe with richness and a profound sense of liberty. Even though the proportion or precision of the lower frequencies does not undergo revolutionary change, the overall perception is diametrically altered. Each note feels more accessible, more meaningful, imbued with a difficult-to-describe vitality. In comparison, the reproduction via Heimdall 2 seemed somewhat ponderous.

A similar effect was noted with “I Can’t Stand the Rain” by Sara K. (“In The Groove” | 2011 | Stockfisch Records | SFR 357.8011.1), where only a guitar and voice, resonating with the ambient recording space, are featured. Here too, the overall presentation opened up and brightened; where Heimdall 2 offered a clean sound, Godspeed removed veils, revealing an extraordinarily immediate and palpable presence of both the instrument and the vocal—yet without altering the inherent character defined primarily by the HANA cartridge. It is as if the Voodoo Labs cable simply cleared the path, allowing vastly more of everything to emerge.

The same effect extended to the highest frequencies, typically a touch subdued with the HANA cartridge. The resonant cymbals in “It’s a Raggy Waltz” by The Dave Brubeck Quartet (“Time Further Out” | 2014 | recorded 1961 | WaxTime Records | 771959) exhibited genuinely prolonged decay and a more brilliant tone. However, it is not any single phenomenon that stands out. Rather, the entire presentation matures: every metallic resonance breathes with greater clarity and presence, without undue emphasis. The result is a heightened sense of contrast and immediacy, a complex improvement difficult to attribute to any single sonic feature. It simply feels like absolute freedom, unshackled speed, and openness in reproduction.

The vigorous dynamism in “One for Joan” by the Chico Hamilton Quintet (“Drumfusion” | 2023 | recorded 1962 | WaxTime Records | 772338) also sparked noticeably. Not that the music sounded anemic via Heimdall 2, but it is scarcely comparable to the vitality and unboundedness brought forth in Godspeed’s company. Whether in the drum kit of the principal artist—where the effect is most pronounced—or in the bass, each tone carries an undeniable immediacy and presence. Voodoo Labs’ cable seems almost to disappear from the chain, “releasing the brakes” and endowing the music with sincerity, lightness, and a liberation from mechanical constraint hitherto unfound.

When the stylus dropped into Gould’s “Aria” from Bach’s “The Goldberg Variations” (“The Goldberg Variations” | 2022 | recorded 1955 | WaxTime In Color | 950733), we were astonished to perceive the near-absence of noise in this otherwise venerable recording. Despite careful restoration, this pressing exudes a sonic haze typical of its vintage—but through Godspeed, that haze seemed almost to vanish, revealing Gould’s articulation of the keyboard as immediate, clear, and close, rather than remote, as it appeared through Heimdall 2. The increase in contrast was so pronounced that it seemed to transcend the category of mere cables. Sounds and resonances, previously masked by a subtle veil, emerged with newfound clarity.

Similarly, the sense of dimensionality and spatial realism in the purely vocal reinterpretation of “Hotel California” by Vocal Sampling (“Akapelleando” | 2021 | recorded 2006 | Vocal Sampling | ESAAI0192356) was profoundly transformed. The spatial rendering did not merely expand or stretch; rather, it resembled the experience of an autostereogram suddenly resolving into vivid three-dimensional clarity—nothing added, but everything made more intelligible, more immediate, and richly textured. Again, the Godspeed cable did not alter the basic sonic signature; it simply stripped away mechanicality, uncertainty, and systemic constraints, leaving only the music.

This was equally true for the venerable and not always easily digestible “Non, je ne regrette rien” by Édith Piaf (“L’Essentiel” | 2021 | recorded 1946 | French Connection | 490633). Normally, a certain haze is emphasized by higher-resolution systems; yet once Godspeed was introduced, that veil largely disappeared. The slightly hoarse vocal recording and the somewhat blunt instrumental definition remained, as did the “aged” character—but the overall immediacy, vividness, and emotional impact were dramatically heightened, making the musical experience far more engaging.

The Voodoo Labs Godspeed phono cable is, without exaggeration, unlike anything we have previously encountered. Entirely impractical, demanding vast space and exceptional patience due to its rigid construction and fixed spacing, and commanding an exceedingly ambitious price—yet integrating Godspeed into the analogue chain was a revelation. No noise, no interference, no distraction from the recording itself; instead, an ability to “open the curtains,” “wash away the patina,” or “clear the windows,” however one may wish to describe it. It is an effect no cable ought, by rights, to possess—yet somehow, it does. It is not a solution accessible to everyone, whether for financial or practical reasons, but those fortunate enough to experience it will surely recognize the addictiveness of truly liberated, unmechanical, and gloriously open reproduction.“

by Editor-in-Chief Daniel Brešina 5/2025

Understanding Electric Current and Electromagnetic Fields: Where Energy Really Flows

When we think of electric current, we often imagine electrons flowing like water in a pipe,  carrying energy directly from one point to another. This is wrong! The energy in electric

material, travelling microscopic distances.

- When you apply voltage (electric potential difference) across a conductor, it creates an

electric field along the wire. This field pushes on the free electrons, making them "drift"

energy of the current is not carried by the electrons themselves. Instead, it travels in the

- When electrons move through the conductor, they create a magnetic field around the wire.

Together, the electric and magnetic fields form an electromagnetic field.

- This electromagnetic field is the true carrier of energy in a circuit. The direction and

shows that energy flows outside the wire, through the surrounding space, not within the wire

establish the electromagnetic field. But once the field is set up, the energy travels in the

3. Poynting’s Vector: Mapping the Flow of Energy

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where:

- \( \vec{S} \) shows the direction and strength of energy flow

  - According to Poynting’s vector, the flow of energy is perpendicular to both the electric
and magnetic fields. So, the energy “surrounds” the conductor, moving through the electromag-

**Sources used for Electromagnetic Fields and Electric Current**

1. **Books and Texts on Electromagnetic Theory:**
  - *“Introduction to Electrodynamics” by David J. Griffiths*

    This book is a respected resource for understanding electromagnetic fields, electric current, and concepts
like Poynting’s vector.

  - *“The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Volume II” by Richard Feynman*
    Richard Feynman’s lectures, especially Volume II, provide an accessible yet deep explanation of electricity,

magnetism, and energy transmission via electromagnetic fields.

2. **Poynting’s Theorem and Vector:**
  - *“The Theory of the Electromagnetic Field” by David M. Cook*

    This book gives a detailed discussion on Poynting’s theorem and how electromagnetic energy flows in space,
making it ideal for understanding the role of the Poynting vector in energy transmission.

  - Original paper: *Poynting, J. H. (1884). “On the Transfer of Energy in the Electromagnetic Field.”
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London.*

    This foundational paper introduces the Poynting vector, which mathematically describes how electromagnetic
energy flows around conductors.

3. **Modern Interpretations and Texts on Electrical Energy Transfer:**
  - *“Fields and Waves in Communication Electronics” by Simon Ramo, John R. Whinnery, and Theodore Van Duzer*

    This text explores the movement of electromagnetic energy in space, particularly useful for communication
and electronics contexts.

4. **Educational and Open Access Resources:**
  - *HyperPhysics (Georgia State University)*

    HyperPhysics offers easy-to-understand explanations on electric current, electromagnetic fields, and related
topics. It’s a reliable online reference for core concepts in physics.

5. **Research Papers and Articles:**
  - Haus, Hermann A. (1984). *“Electromagnetic Fields and Energy.”* MIT OpenCourseWare.

    This free resource from MIT covers key concepts, including field theory and the non-reliance on electron
drift for energy flow.