Kubala•Sosna Research Celebration OptimiZ4 Series InterconnectsWorld Premier Review of Kubala•Sosna Research Celebration OptimiZ4 Series Interconnects

I have enjoyed Kubala•Sosna interconnects, speaker cables, digital cables, and power cords for over 20 years, and value the advice of Joe Kubala greatly. My systems are tuned with Kubala•Sosna Emotion, Elation! and more, and have used these excellent cables to compare newcomers from all parts of the world. It is heartwarming to know the Kubala•Sosna Research cables are American made in New Jersey, and that they offer a trade-up program and repair service easy to access.

That said, the brilliant Joe Kubala does not stop improving his offerings and now moves to his newest standard: OptimiZ4 construction. All I know is their cables are 100% copper as are his previous creations. They use his rugged connectors with shields as before and are internally shielded to be used as both phono cables or standard interconnects. I am very impressed.

His 2025 Celebration OptimiZ4 Series Interconnects are only the second trickle-down technology and construction of the top of the line Ovation. I believe after much listening, they are the Sweetheart of the line with extraordinary definition, realism, and smoothness with no irregularities in their frequency response from top to bottom. A chart of the entire line with all the categories of Kubala•Sosna cable architecture in production can be seen at the Kubala•Sosna website (HERE).

Though not inexpensive, the newest OptimiZ4 interconnects require only two days of play time to reach 100% of their potential. That is compared to previous designs which took three days. This is much better than most top cable brands which require a week or more of run-in to achieve their maximum definition. These are nicely flexible cables with the Celebration finished in a beautiful dark green, nearly bullet-proof material. The connectors are top quality, push-on, and include a shield which covers the input. I am personally tired of WBT style screw-on connectors and gravitate to cables that do not use them.

Comparisons

I use many meters of Emotion interconnect. The Celebration is significantly more neutral, with more definition. The Emotion emphasizes the lower mids, and has a warm, delicious quality I particularly enjoy with headphones and their amplifiers. On main systems, they are really relaxed and romantic, making equipment reviews difficult. I hate blaming high-end gear for anomalies which come from interconnects. The Emotion speaker cables are similar in warmth and richness, and are truly excellent on horn speakers, electrostatics, and the like.

The Emotion S/PDIF cables are superb and highly recommended. As phono cables, they are equally warm and rich with a tubby bottom end, and should be used with bright MC or MM cartridges. Overall, the Emotion cable line is intensely musical but lacking in neutrality and snap.

For less than a grand more than the Emotion you can have the Celebration interconnects, which truly deliver the goods. The Celebration OptimiZ4 architecture delivers gorgeous definition, smooth textures throughout, and virtually zero coloration. The Emotion was the top of the line OptimiZ1 in 2002. Meanwhile, the Celebration, 2nd or 3rd in the line-up, is much more sophisticated, mature, and elegant with realistic reproduction in all ranges.

My recommendation is to trade up to the Celebration.

The Elation! are the top of the OptimiZ2 architecture and truly sing for their supper. They are fast, powerful, slightly lean side of neutral, and offer clarity unmatched by most other brands. Hear outstanding definition as well. At about a grand more than the Celebration, they must be considered. The new Celebration has higher flexibility, and an enviable neutrality and smoothness. The Elation! is about 15% more detailed though less rounded on acoustic instruments. The soundstage is a bit larger with the Elation, though massed instruments seem more real and elegant with the Celebration to my ears.

Lastly, I really like the Sensation Interconnect. It falls in the OptimiZ3 category and sounds quite similar to the Celebration. Hard to compare these as I did not have any Sensation on hand. I did spend a lot of time with it last year and was very impressed. Both have very low coloration, high definition, and very black backgrounds. My friends who bought the Sensation on my recommendation love it. I would bet the Celebration is more detailed and more textured by a small amount. They are priced at similar costs.

Obviously, I could go on forever comparing these three very different cable presentations. I personally prefer the Celebration by a nose, but you might think otherwise. If you are a classical music devotee or listen to acoustic jazz, I think the new Celebration is the ticket. If you have a complex system with inefficient drivers and listen to rock and heavy bass reproductions, the Elation! is for you.

Kubala•Sosna dealers will gladly loan you different models to try and have liberal return and trade-up policies. You can do what I do and enjoy a cable cocktail. The Kubala•Sosna models play together very well!

Summary

Kubala•Sosna Research Celebration OptimiZ4 Series interconnects are my new favorites. They perform well, yield superb definition, have gorgeous realistic textures, and an open, quiet soundstage. They do little to quibble about and challenge all brands at this price range with superior overall performance. I like them and consider them the sweetheart of the four OptimiZ lines currently available. The Celebration will not disappoint and function beautifully as interconnect or phono cable. They offer the kind of shielding you need in this age of digital noise. I highly recommend the Kubala•Sosna Research Celebration OptimiZ4 Series interconnects for audiophiles everywhere.