*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings.
Used with: 64 Audio U6, Custom Art FIBAE 3 and Inearz P350
4 cores of AWG28 (0.33mm ⌀) solid silver 6N purity wire
http://www.lavricables.com/cables/reference-silver-1964-ears-adel-a10-u10-a12-u12-upgrade-cable/
Packaging, Build Quality, and Ergonomics:
The Reference cable comes in a nice little velvet pouch; there is no other packaging to speak of. Lavricables are very well priced and less on packaging means more savings to the end user, I am not that bothered about the lack of fancy retail box.
The cable is very well built, the braid is very even and the connectors are all very well put together, the connectors cannot be opened, they are sealed with glue. The y-split is a simple piece of heatshrink and there is a chin slider, included are some light and flexible rubber ear guides. The cable has good strain relief, with an extra strand of wire internally where there is more stress to help prevent the cable from breaking. Overall I really like the build of the cable, and providing you don’t stress it much it should last a long time.
Ergonomics are not this cables strength, but that is because it uses a single strand of solid pure silver cable so you expect it to be a little stiff and also to transmit noise. It is not as bad as I was expecting, but it does retain its shape if coiled for any length of time and is a little noisy when it hits against things. The ear guides help lower the noise, but I prefer to use the cable without them.
Sound:
To start off with the Reference cable does not sound thin, the bass does not disappear but what happens is really impressive. The bass becomes tighter, more responsive but still full bodied and articulate. This is not a cable that is thin or harsh; the lows still slam and punch with excellent power, body and extension.
The midrange becomes sharper with finer details being easier to pick out, there is extra air around notes and the sound is less congested in faster passages. Electric guitars in rock music have a sharper edge and become a bit more aggressive and crisp.
The highs gain some extra presence and seem to extend a little more effortlessly, however there is not even a hint of glare or harshness. There is a better sense of air up top with slightly more natural tonality.
This cable does not totally transform the sound of your IEM’s, but it pairs best with IEM’s that have a slightly warmer sound. This cable tightens up the lows, adds additional air to the whole sound and there is improved separation and definition. The treble gets a slight boost without any harshness, if you could get this sound from a stranded cable, it would be high up in my list of recommendations.
This cable is a more up front, energetic and engaging yet still airy, it is not a lush laid back sounding cable so careful pairing is key. Lavricables offer some excellent sounding cables, at very reasonable prices, but they are best suited to home systems where you won’t be moving around a lot.
