Introducing Lawton Audio-- Denon Mods, Re-Cables, Woodies & More.

[markl]

Howdy,
Looking now for the next Head-Fi candidate for a loaner LA7000 (our flagship). Are you interested in sampling this phone for approx. 3 weeks? If you like what you hear, and find they are worth your time, are you willing and able to write up your impressions for the board? Have you been a Member for more than 2 years, and have a post count above 300? Are you located in the USA?

If so, please contact me, we'll see if we can hook you up. Cheers.

Mark

[HeadphoneAddict]

Originally Posted by markl

Howdy,
Looking now for the next Head-Fi candidate for a loaner LA7000 (our flagship). Are you interested in sampling this phone for approx. 3 weeks? If you like what you hear, and find they are worth your time, are you willing and able to write up your impressions for the board? Have you been a Member for more than 2 years, and have a post count above 300? Are you located in the USA?

If so, please contact me, we'll see if we can hook you up. Cheers.

Mark

Is there a way that we could get these for our Colorado High-Fi meet July 25th as demos for peeps to hear, and I could write something up about them as well?

[markl]

We got good response to the request for reviwers for the demo LA7000 unit. They will be spoken for for some weeks but I will post again when they become available. Cheers.

Mark

[markl]

Lawton Audio Introduces the Ultimate Sennheiser HD800 Cable-- The Adrenaline! Plus Senn HD800 Connectors for DIY-ers!

www.lawtonaudio.com

A Bigger Bang From Your Sennheiser HD800
When we finally came across the Jena Labs cable as a solution for our Denon-based headphones, it was a big relief; we had been through so many other wires that just didn't have "it". The Jena knocked us out, and after more than a year of selling Jena-cabled Denons to dozens of satisfied customers, it's safe to say our choice has been validated many times over.

As much as the Jena impressed us when put on a Denon, that leap in sound quality did not prepare us for what we're hearing from our new Sennheiser HD800 cable, especially in balanced mode.

There is a nice and appreciable (but not world-shattering) difference between single-ended and balanced on the Denons. I run my personal pair of LA7000s balanced on my Rudistor RP010B. In general, I tell customers of our Denon phones not to put the priority on going balanced, but rather on getting the best amplification they can afford, whether balanced or single-ended. Very sound advice for those phones.

The HD800, on the other hand truly comes to life when run in balanced mode, and combined with the effects of our Jena Labs wire and awesome Xhadow XLRs, it's like giving these phones a welcome shot of adrenaline. (Hmmm... that sounds like a great name for a cable. ) Being intimately familiar with the sound of the Jena cable, I knew at the outset that it would help flesh out and add meat to the bones of the basic HD800 sound. It would give it a warmer, richer and fuller tone, add some liquidity to the dryness, increase definition around individual instruments and darken the background of the soundstage. I was also expecting it would fill out the bass and add some much-needed punch to the HD800. After all, that's exactly what it did to the Denons. Like we always said, with the Jena, it's like getting more and cleaner water coming through a bigger pipe.

Can the HD800 Really Rock? Give It Some Adrenaline!
Well, our Adrenaline cable for the HD800 does all that and more. The Adrenaline really speeds up the pace of the somewhat lazy HD800. Before, the sound was a bit tame and let's face it, a bit limp and polite for a rock/pop fan; now it's punchy, nimble and spry, a real head-bobber and foot-tapper. The Adrenaline really increases the HD800's FUN-factor.

You've probably read some complaints here and there about the bass of the HD800 being rolled or not full enough, or a bit lacking in impact and snap. With the adrenaline in place, the phones dig deeper, throb harder, and pop with more verve. Bass tone also improves, adding a bit of muscle to the slight lean-ness of the basic HD800. The different tones from different bass notes are also fleshed out and made more distinct from one another.

A Powerhouse With the Sensitive Soul of a True Musician
But the Adrenaline is not at all just about pure brute force; far from it. If you are a detail/resolution junkie, the Adrenaline will deliver. If you are a person who prefers a “musical” sound to an “analytical” sound, the Adrenaline is for you. You will experience much more air, and better definition around different instruments and sounds; but thanks to it's liquidity, improved tone, and warmer, richer sound, it never sounds anything less than 100% "musical". You will never sacrifice the overall gestalt of the music in order to be able to hear and appreciate each squeak of the chair, intake of breath, or subtle shift in dynamics.

This cable is not thin, clinical, subtractive or uninvolving; nor is it punishing, pummeling, piercing and fatiguing. It's fast, firm, and authoritative, yet always provides a smooooth ride. It simply gets out of the way and lets the music just flow. In short, the Adrenaline is full of life and will tickle and please the deepest recesses of your amygdala, allowing you to forget about the cable and simply experience the music one on one.

Construction and Build
Lawton Audio is very lucky to be partnered with one the best cable techs in the biz. His work is immaculate, and he is every bit as attentive to detail (OK, "anal") as I am. Our Jena Labs cables set the standard for anyone using this wire. Unlike the loose spaghetti strands offered by some that can get caught on sharp corners, we provide the tightest weave possible, which yields an incredibly supple and flexible cable; more flexible than most stock cables. We use no damaging or potentially weak solder joints in our wire; you get pure 22G Jena Labs in continuous form throughout.

Instead of the usual thin wispy wire stuck in a stiff plastic tube and covered in ugly techflex, our cables are a full 22G of the purest cryo-treated copper, wrapped in an (optional) supple but durable and tight-fitting nylon sheath, and accented with the wonderful Qables splitters. Unlike some cable makers (and the HD800 stock cable itself), we provide a full 14" of wire before the initial join; you will never feel "choked" or uncomfortable when wearing a headphone with our wire. Below you can also see just how soft and flexible our Adrenaline cable is.

We go out of our way to provide strain relief for our cables, so you need never worry about wear and tear on the more sensitive parts of the cable. Below we see the carefully marked left and right connectors (red = right), that make it easy to hook up your new Adrenaline cable, plus add that desired additional strain relief on the exit point of the wire from the connector. We also use two Qables splitters on the balanced Adrenaline (only one needed on the single-ended version) to help keep your cable organized, and to keep the strands from twisting.

Inside Jena Labs Ultra Wire
The Jena wire itself comes housed in a thick, tough and durable (yet remarkably flexible) jacket that will easily withstand even rough treatment. It can be stepped on, wound and unwound again and again, tugged at, etc., without risk of damage to the wire inside.

Here is what Jena Labs themselves has to say about the technical characteristics of this extraordinary wire:

“We start with exceptionally pure copper. Each ULTRA-WIRE strand is ultra high purity, linear crystal, stress-free, super annealed, micro-polished, ultra fine stranded copper. It is jacketed in a modified PE dielectric which offers dissipation and dielectric constant figures similar to TeflonTM, but without its mechanical stiffness and resonance problems. A special extrusion process allows the insulation to exert a high inward radial force on the wire strands, thus reducing audio smearing micro-vibration.

ULTRA-WIRE is Immersion CRYO treated by our own proprietary process in our own 'in house' Cryo lab. The Deep Immersion Cryogenic treatment entails a cold chilling process culminating in immersion of the cables or electronics parts in Liquid Nitrogen. Exposing metallic objects to this extreme cold causes beneficial molecular changes to occur. As metallic objects cool, they shrink. With the extreme cooling and the shrinkage that follows in super chilled LN2 immersion, the crystal boundaries of metallic conductors align more closely with one another and become more conductive and ‘quieter’. Mechanical integrity is also improved. The improved molecular condition stays intact through the slow warming process and is stable at room temperature. When conducting an electric signal, treated wire will produce less micro-diode-effect noise, less impurity inclusion field disturbance and less transverse energy wave noise generation.”

XLRs and Jacks by Xhadow and Furutech
The HD800 Adrenaline in single-ended form gets the world's best 1/4" jack from Furutech. Our balanced Adrenaline cables get the marvelous new Xhadow XLRs; truly high-end connectors in gorgeous brushed aluminum that match the looks of the HD800 to a "T".

We are among the first to use the Xhadows, and they are among the finest available, and frankly, not at all inexpensive. You’ve bought an HD800, and now you are looking for a better cable; you neither want nor deserve, a cut-rate, compromised, corner-cutting design for your XLRs.

Below are close-ups of these new Xhadow XLRs, including the extra gromit we add to the rear to enhance strain relief.

We Stand By Our Cables
In short, we've carefully considered each and every aspect of this cable to make sure we are providing the highest quality product for you. We also stand by our work. We warrant our headphone cables for a period of one year against any defects in manufacturing.

Sennheiser Adrenaline Availability and Pricing
The Adrenaline is available NOW for folks who want to send us their stock HD800 cables, so we can de-solder the old, inferior wire and attach our superior cable to the Senn HD800 connectors. This process will take us 2-3 weeks after we receive your stock cable.

Don't want to give up your stock cable? Lawton Audio has tracked down and contracted the original manufacturer of the Senn HD800 connectors to custom build us a supply of the very same connectors they make for Sennheiser HD800. These connectors are built 100% to Sennheiser specifications, and are of the highest quality. We are the very first to be able to offer these connectors as part of our cables and separately for DIY-ers who want to use their own cables. We will take delivery of these connectors in early August ‘09.

Single-Ended Adrenaline Cable with 1/4" Furutech Jack + Black Nylon Sheath

5.5ft. Adrenaline Cable with 1/4" Furutech and Black Nylon Sheath: $489.

7.5ft. Adrenaline Cable with 1/4" Furutech and Black Nylon Sheath: $579.

10ft. Adrenaline Cable with 1/4" Furutech and Black Nylon Sheath: $699.

Additional footage (please contact).

Balanced Adrenaline Cable with Xhadow XLRs:

5.5ft. Adrenaline Cable with Xhadow XLRs and Black Nylon Sheath: $679.

7.5ft. Adrenaline Cable with Xhadow XLRs and Black Nylon Sheath: $769.

10ft. Adrenaline Cable with Xhadow XLRs and Black Nylon Sheath: $889.

Additional footage (please contact).

Want to save $40-$80? Take out the black nylon sheath and go with naked Jena wire.

Sennheiser HD800 Connectors, for the DIY-er!



Lawton Audio has tracked down and contracted the original manufacturer of the Senn HD800 connectors to custom build us a supply of the very same connectors they make for Sennheiser HD800. These connectors are built 100% to Sennheiser specifications, and are of the highest quality. We are the very first to be able to offer these connectors as part of our cables and separately for DIY-ers who want to use their own cables. We will take delivery of these connectors in early August.

We are taking PRE-ORDERS! Supplies are LIMITED, so you better order soon. The price for a pair of 2 Sennheiser HD800 connectors is a low $39.99 plus shipping.

Want To Be The First to Review The Adrenaline?
We are currently looking for a potential reviewer who owns a HD800 and a quality balanced amp and would like to audition the Adrenaline. We prefer a Head-Fier with whom we are familiar, and that has a relatively long history here and above-average post count. Please contact me if you qualify and are interested, and we'll explore this possibility.

www.lawtonaudio.com

[Bonthouse]

As one cablemaker to another, this is the most awesome, sexy, perfect recables I've ever witnessed..
Much love and kudos!

[markl]

As one cablemaker to another, this is the most awesome, sexy, perfect recables I've ever witnessed..
Much love and kudos!

Thanks, Bonthouse, I totally agree. When people get this cable in the flesh, they will be able to see first hand the amazing build quality. My cable tech never ceases to amaze me with what he does. This new Adrenaline cable is so far his masterpiece. I just can't wait for people to hear it...

[mrarroyo]

Originally Posted by markl

Howdy,
Looking now for the next Head-Fi candidate for a loaner LA7000 (our flagship). Are you interested in sampling this phone for approx. 3 weeks? If you like what you hear, and find they are worth your time, are you willing and able to write up your impressions for the board? Have you been a Member for more than 2 years, and have a post count above 300? Are you located in the USA?

If so, please contact me, we'll see if we can hook you up. Cheers.

Mark

Originally Posted by markl

We got good response to the request for reviwers for the demo LA7000 unit. They will be spoken for for some weeks but I will post again when they become available. Cheers.

Mark

Did not see this earlier, if/when they become available I would love to listen/compare them. Thanks in advance.

[kool bubba ice]

Need a comparison with the V3. Very neutral and component sensitive.

[markl]

Hi kool bubba ice,
I'm not allowed to comment on a compeitor's product.

We will be looking for a potential reviewer who owns a HD800 and a quality balanced amp and would like to audition the Adrenaline. We prefer a Head-Fier with whom we are familiar, and that has a relatively long history here and above-average post count. Cheers.

[les_garten]

Originally Posted by mrarroyo

Did not see this earlier, if/when they become available I would love to listen/compare them. Thanks in advance.

Hi Miguel,
I Jumped on the LA7000 loaners QUICK! I have them and they are awesome! I was happy with my D5000s till I heard these. Trying to figure out what to do now! I'll be writing up something on them in the next few weeks. I'm likin' them a lot. I'm sending them out for a Meet in a few weeks, so then they'll be gone, unfortunately.

Les

[HeadphoneAddict]

Originally Posted by les_garten

Hi Miguel,
I Jumped on the LA7000 loaners QUICK! I have them and they are awesome! I was happy with my D5000s till I heard these. Trying to figure out what to do now! I'll be writing up something on them in the next few weeks. I'm likin' them a lot. I'm sending them out for a Meet in a few weeks, so then they'll be gone, unfortunately.

Les

Right, please don't forget to make sure we have them for the CO meet.

I am leaving for Denver on Friday the 24th so they need to be here at least a day before I head out of town.

[darkswordsman17]

Hey Mark, I was curious if I could be put on a list to try out a pair?

[markl]

Flame Amboyna Burl "Molten Lava" Custom Cups
Here we have what is so far, in terms of looks, clearly the most exotic pair of custom cups we've turned out. Cut from a rare and expensive wood, Flame Amboyna Burl, they are a wonderful and one-of-a-kind (so far) set of woodies from Lawton Audio.

They happen to belong to my father, and were turned specifically for his pair of LA2000 "Lite" headphones. As a woodworker himself, my father selected the sample block that was sent to Roshan, our master wood turner, to be turned into these unique specimens.

EDIT: A quick word about my pops if you will indulge me. He's the one responsible for my audiophilia; I was trained from an early age, and follow in his footsteps. He's an engineer by trade, music lover by avocation. He even built speakers for us long ago, 15 years before it was trendy, and was always involved in audio and home theater. Growing up in an audiophile's house, you can't help but adopt those ideals, lessons, and standards, and then take them to a new extreme on your own. When he tells me he approves very much of our Lawton Audio headphones, and has never heard their like, yes, you can forgive me for being pretty darn chuffed.

When you look closely at the swirls and little whirlpools of color, you can't help but think of streams of super-hot molten lava, converging and twisting together with small flecks of black obsidian swimming for dear life.

The Amboyna Burl is a hard wood, but surprisingly light in weight. This gives it a crisp, clean, snappy sound with a neutral tone. It's not a super-warm or liquid sound, and tends to be a bit more forward relative to some of the woods we offer. Great for the listener who values immediacy, quickness, and resolution.

It's possible we can make some more of these, which is why I'm showing you guys these pics. However, these would be a Premium Premium Wood. Our normal cups run $229, and our premium cups are $249. Because the amboyna is expensive to buy, hard to find large enough blocks without cracks and fissures, plus being hard to turn, it would have to have a special Premium Premium Price TBD.

A quick word in regard to pricing of our cups. I've recently read some comments here that some find the price of our cups too high. Fair enough, but please consider that Denon charges you approx $200 for their stock, generic, doo-doo colored wood cups when you upgrade from the D2000 to the D5000. Not only are our cups prettier, but they are the result of a lot of prototypes, looking to find the ideal size and shape to enhance the soundstage size without compromising the basic sound. Denon designed their cups to be sleek and slim profile so you look "cool" while wearing them; our larger cups are designed to maximize the perception of soundstage size and depth and put more air behind the driver. Enough said, now we can all drool at the pics....













So, what do you guys think? Is there room for a Premium Premium Wood?

[markl]

Hey Mark, I was curious if I could be put on a list to try out a pair?

Hi darkswordsman17,
This is definitely possible. Please shoot me an e-mail or PM with some details of your system and current headphone of choice. Cheers.

[KingStyles]

With wood like that, I will upgrade my d7000 in about 2 or 3 weeks. Please let me know the price of the cups. Thats totally what Im looking for. What is the sound characteristics of that wood?