Made out of 4 cores of 5N purity silver awg22 multistrand litz wire!
Will improve full potential of your setup by revealing pleasant transparency, wider soundstage and crystal clarity!
Very noticeable upgrade and step over the standard cable!
We advice at least 150h of burn in time before any critical listening sessions.
• Carefully handmade braided cable consists of 4 cores of 5N purity AWG22 multistrand litz silver wire.
• Soldered with Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder.
• 5N silver transmits electrical signals faster and with less distortion than ordinary OFC wires.
• Our awg22 litz wire is very soft, flexible and provides zero microphonics.
• Please note – silk sleeving is available till the Y split.
Purchase link here
Blog about their pure silver process here. and here.
Pros: Maximum clarity from a pure silver AWG22/5N device
Beautiful abundant staging filled with natural image formations
Increases pace and separation from the cable your IEM probably came with
14 different styles of plug choices, along with many other options to choose from
Increased resolution and 3D imaging
Forward vocals formed with IEMs that you didn't know had it in them
Perfect cable middle-size and low-weight gives dexterity and ergonomics
The ear-hooks are lovable
Clarity of bass and bass sculpturing inside the stage
Seems to improve timbre perception in Hybrid IEMs
Special crisp EST additives, bringing about an increase in both definition and clarity especially with the 4 EST Penon Volt
Cons: Expensive
LAVRiCABLES Redcarmoose Labs April 27th, 2024
"Go Into The Light"
Storms and light...................
There were thunderstorms and rain on the Wednesday the LAVRiCABLES sample arrived. In fact at 2PM returning home…………my Wife said “Why is it so dark out?” You know one of those questions married folks make that don’t need an answer. There it was, the slim box from LAVRiCABLES. As such there is not much to the opening experience, simply a felt carrying-case, the cable inside, a business card and a sticker…….you could put on your car window if desired.
As such LAVRiCABLES are quite the worker-bees, putting together an onslaught of over 100 different silver cable products. Made-to-order, in this area you can truly have it your way. Formed back in 2012, LAVRiCABLES is a group of audiophile-wing-nuts just like you and me, I mean how many manufacturers offer either 100 hour or 150 hour burn-in service with your purchase? Based in Latvia they specialize in silver wires only. You can order your cable with a plethora of build options, which we will get to later. LAVRiCABLES make headphone cables, speaker cables, interconnects and USB cables. As you browse their web-site you will first become aware of the hierarchy here. Meaning there are four levels.
The different levels of pure silver cables offered
1) Reference line. A solid silver core using a teflon jacket for (the possibility) of thwarting radio wave interference, and still 5N purity, along with Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder.
2) Ultimate line. Different geometry and thickness, offering AWG24 in a Litz configuration along with Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder.
3) Master line. Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder, along with a thicker, yep a thicker sonic transport device, more wire and different wire geometry.
4) The TOTL Grand line. The purity of 6N along with the Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder, and of course more wire and a different wire geometry.
Take note:
LAVRiCABLES never slows down, as the Master line is the Master V4 version we are looking at today........and is the fourth increase in model quality.
6N silver is incredibly expensive in comparison to 5N. While 1N is the lowest quality, 7N is the highest quality. The truth of the matter is the rating system is not fully accurate, as it is an approximation, meaning the term N is generally taken as only an estimate of purity, as the “N” means numbers on either side of the decimal point.
The AWG (American Wire Gage, sometimes called the Brown & Sharpe wire gauge) system is designed to rate wire thickness and has been used since 1857.
A LOWER AWG number indicates a THICKER wire.
Materials: Per Dsnuts
Silver for its highest transparency and stage enhancing.
Gold for that rich tone and depth.
Palladium for that remarkable imaging and detail.
Copper for body and warmth
Speed:
This being my first foray into the world of pure silver IEM cables I didn’t exactly know what to expect. Yep, I had read prior about the pure silver not actually being too bright, that the cable somehow creates expanded imaging and detail……..that whatever brightness is there is in-truth smooth and desirable. I mean this speed that pure silver brings enhances the transient response. That pure silver brings with it a transparency second almost to none, that the results are profound levels of detail? This is what I read prior to testing the LAVRiCABLES master IEM cable.
So was that true? Testing the Penon 10th Anniversary IEM (2ESTx2BAx2DD) Testing the prior co-partner TOTL Noble Audio K-10 Kaiser Encore Universal (10BA) Testing the Penon prior TOTL Volt Universal IEM (4ESTx2BAx1DD)
My cable testing preparations:
Cables and the resulting tones produced are much like the effects of IEM tonal judgment. Meaning when it comes down to it synergy is basically subjective, yet on the outskirts of perception we all form very objective ideas about tone. Meaning Head-Fi is based on a number of folks finding parallel ideas to be true, therefore valuable……..especially if you are about to buy something on-line (with your hard-earned money) with-out hearing it first. So we all know this tone is a combination of DAP, ear-tips, IEM and cable. Yet truth starts to form when we (as a Head-Fi group) start to form broad conceptual ideas about a particular product. So to kind-of clean the slate (of tonal perception) I actually take a few days off from listening to any IEMs or headphones……….no loud speaker music and the loudest thing may be my wife reminding me of something.
As such there can be sonic memory from the last IEM you reviewed skewing your ideas of what would be middle of the road. The last heavy instance of this occurring happened after reviewing the QKZ X HBB Hades, where the bass stage and bass amount was so large and overpowering that my regular gym TWS sounded thin and scrawny, which is not true in any way, shape or form. Sure there are IEMs which are balanced, which just by their style of tune may in fact recalibrate your ears, but I have found the very best way is to walk away from testing for a few days. Not only do you recalibrate your ears, so you can hear the reality in-front of you, but you also mentally take a break so your enthusiasm sparkles.
Testing:
This will be written like it was only one session, but keep in mind for readability it is the result of a few days. These different sessions were used to come-up with ideas. As such close back-and-forth trials took place, as well as long extended listening events which solidified my options and messages written here. Where I choose my Sony WM1A and Sony WM1Z with MrWalkman’s aftermarket firmware. I chose one of two ear-tips with primarily the silicone wide-bores on the Penon 10th and Volt…….and the wide-bore longer size silicone on the K-10 to increase with fitment.
The Penon 10th Anniversary model: Look, of course I wanted to find-out just what the results were. The Penon 10th Anniversary and the Volt are my favorite Penon’s to date out of about 16 models I have heard. Yet I'm almost cheating here, as the 10th and Volt are also some of the most well-rounded I have had the opportunity to hear. Where both go with multiple sources and most cables, even allowing this style of connection with alternative resulting tones which still can come-off as acceptable and normal……………and better than acceptable as they are entrancing and provocatively musical..............almost always. So you may be wondering why I chose them in the first place? They are my favorites and I simply was curious as to the new place they would go. Also I know their signatures like the back of my hand. In fact the Noble Encore I have over 3000 hours of ear-time, so you could say I know it personally.
The 10th:
Ahh……this is not work, it is play. How can something this fun be anything but play? And you know the word fun is also the single best description of the Penon 10th. It was designed to be different for Penon, kind-of like a departure into a new land, a land Penon would (maybe) visit more in the future IEM productions. Yet with all this fun the 10th is not perfect. In fact there are a few that think the Penon 10th Anniversary is not a party? So to those few folks out there, I challenge you to try a silver cable, or better yet, this exact LAVRiCABLES Master IEM cable……….and you tell me if the 10th is now something else. Now there are actually quite a few cables that maximize the 10th stage, and in fact that stage is one of the most endearing factors to keep in mind if you were contemplating a 10th purchase in your life.
2x Sonion EST for ultra-high frequency
1x Knowles BA for high frequency
1x Sonion BA for middle frequency 2x 6mm crystalline plated biofilm dynamic driver for low frequency
As such the 10th showcases a Hybrid idea. But more than that it is one of my favorites ever. And you know how favorites go, at times you don’t know why they are your favorite, they just are. But to showcase features the LAVRiCABLES Master brings to the table, again the stage was the first noted thing, secondly the bass was given plastic surgery.
Where the 10th is known for having this slightly lumbering bass, and the silver imaging and tautness goes forward to even add detail in this department. This feature will also be reiterated in the Volt review later, but the only way I can explain it is clarity and separation, that and the edges are slightly cleaner, the bass got a haircut........a trim so to speak. People that have heard pure silver cables before are probably sitting back and laughing as this kind-of stuff is normally par for the course? But since this is my first silver IEM cable, I will carry on regardless of the hecklers. You know who you are! Where before with most cables the 10th bass was a stage foundation, where everything else was added on top, like a Sunday Ice Cream. And there is nothing wrong with loving that style of display, only there are cleaner windows to look through, more stark realities of imaging and pace which is simply an example of the clarity and the transparency of pure 5N silver. Where this enables us to see slightly further down into the stage, to open the drapes to what is taking place in the lower realms, and to gain satisfaction in observation. The end results are a bounce, a groove and a pace that is unarguable and real, real-life. Sure part of this maybe that the 10th is well-rounded, the 10th is not a problem child, no. The 10th acts in a careful respectable way and is friends with many found audio friends in music file form or source form. It’s just the overall demeanor has been both clarified and cleaned-up of any drawbacks to be (one style of) the best it can be.
Where sure, the Sony WM1Z was able to communicate the tiny (possible) box reverberations of a Yangqin hammer dulcimer with flying colors. In actuality both the 1A and 1Z were a treat here, with the Master V4 bringing stage and details never before even guessed could be extracted from the 10th. And not little things either, like big timpani strikes and bright cymbal washes somehow continuing to have reverberations and cymbal fall-off...........due to a forwardness and clarity into stage displacement. I mean let's face it, the longer you live on this earth, the more treble hearing-loss takes place, starting at just 18 years old. The best way I know to combat these effects is to find a set-up that offers clarity without glare, and that is what the 10th and LAVRiCABLES Master V4 brings for the price of a single admission ticket. Sure I have many favorites in the cable field, I’m a cable maniac, but I have never heard anything exactly like what I’m hearing today?
What I have to do is keep picking up the IEMs and trying them out…..as special as this tone is.
Truth to be said:
I have grown to love the 10th more and more since I wrote my review. And as always finding love is a form of mystery, there are parts that can’t be written about, those parts can’t be written about because they can’t be put into words..............you don’t know the words in the first place. So somehow the 10th has continued to amaze me, becoming truly a special affair. The LAVRiCABLES Master brings the 10th into what could only be described as a detail monster. But not detail due to glaring highs, but detail due to musicality and realism. Due to timbre and transients, pace and stage……..but most of all due to this 3D construction into the stage where there is stuff forward, out to the side and up and down……not to mention living on the back-side. Inside of those images live a real breathing existence of recordings long gone. In a way to summarize the LAVRiCABLES Master it could almost be thought of as breath, and air.
The Totem Adapter Cable:
This is crazy but after finding out Dsnuts got the LAVRiCABLES Master with the sold copper plug I was curious. Not that I wasn’t happy with my choices of options. I mean who could ever write the above paragraphs with-out being totally smitten with cable. So for not having a choice of a better word, let’s call this curiosity. And not that I use it all the time, except the Totem 4.4mm to 4.4mm adapter is a way to add authority and density to a mix. Yep, this 2 shares, 334 cores per share cable is like a filter, and it goes between the DAP and the Master V4.
Single crystal copper silver-plated Litz type6 & Palladium-plated pure silver & Single crystal copper plated with pure gold adapter lets you add a taste of pure Totem magic into your playback. And while I have loved the rendition of added thickness to the 10th, what I am really curious about is the Encore.
The Kaiser Encore:
I have a confession to make. When I first heard about the fact that I was getting the LAVRiCABLES Master I knew I had to try it with the WM1Z and Noble Encore. If this silver was truly silky smooth I would know. And sure enough on that rainy afternoon I joined the Encore to the LAVRiCABLES Master and the other end to the Sony WM1Z. And you know what? I could live with it for short amounts of time............but not for long listening runs at a loud volume.
Having over 3000 hours of playback time, I know what the Encore does on a daily basis. And sure, here it was more detailed than I have ever heard it. More detailed than ever and somewhat correct?
The Encore is a double edged sword, where when I first got it I purchased two relatively expensive pure copper cables to try and align the 5kHz to 8kHz peak, or rather shelf. Even if the total energy at 8kHz is a result of coupler resonance, it doesn’t matter…….just look at it. This combined with a relatively flat midrange and neutral bass means the peak is the focus of the tuning outcome. So the LAVRiCABLES Master was simply showing what was there, and because it adds clarity, it was even more there. Kind of like using vodka as a mixer for whiskey, it was too much........for me anyways. Now who knows, a treble head may find a perfect home here, as nothing was out-of-whack, only a little forward, especially at 5kHz. So what was I to do?
You guessed it, the Totem Adapter goes into usage:
Now I have to say I tried it with both the 1Z and 1A, and believe it or not the 1Z was simply more consistent and tuned correctly. Where this additive of midrange boost with the 1A tune, along with the Encore and Master clarity being fed by the Totem adapter made the midrange vocals and instrumentation somehow not natural…….for a lot of music. Though get the combo any electronic music and we were fine.
Using the Totem Adapter and the Sony WM1Z we were really fine all the time. Yet out of roughly possible 110 volume clicks...........I was only 4 clicks back. So yes, volume had to be ever so slightly diminished due to the vividness, but it was honestly a totally working way to go, and did all genres of music. What was cool was the Totem Adaptor cable also being at the very start thickened up the low end and enhanced the spacial qualities and image density. Yet, I am pretty sure, there will not be another IEM in my stable that will make the Totem a necessity?
The Volt:
While the 1Z was great and the ticket probably for many, I came out liking the more mid-centric Sony WM1A better. Where the 1Z is a hard V shape, it going forward to produce a slower more physical bass and a bigger treble stage encircling you head, still something about the WM1A midrange forwardness, combined with the Master Cable Magic, which brought me home? To a place I would love to describe to you if I could? The first thing I noticed was the stage size, same as Dsnuts first reported. Stage is created (we think) by frequency as well as technicalities, and the separation is formed by the imaging, in truth the transient response. As such it is this finite sculpturing of attack-edges that combined with the broad staging makes musical elements that much more fascinating and quick. Now you’re probably asking me (as you are reading) is this on the thin side or is the whole deal too bright? The trick that’s going on here is balance. A balance of all three, held in the DAP, the IEM and the cable. But more than that it is this brisk note weight that has me brushing-off my household duties and responsibilities and acting like a bum……..a happy bum.
Where the wild thing is the bass (while tight also) is broadcasting its due frequencies.
Maybe tad less slowness and drama from some copper added cables......still the Master V4 is in its own way perfect here, and that’s a word I almost never use, ever in reviews.
But wait……..you know where nirvana is……it’s in the vocals. Meaning in my 4 days of trying out the Master Cable, I kept saying to myself…….this is vocal playback. Where just by the fall-out of frequencies there is this itemization where the vocals are both smooth and forward. And the treble? Well, you may be wondering what happens to EST drivers when you feed them right?
I mean for this to work (to perceive this unique spectacle) the sound has to be recorded first, then played back in the DAP, and accentuated by the cable and have the EST working their magic…….to really have this audiophile finite result in your hands……….
Ok, I will quit beating around the bush here. The Volt treble stage takes the cake. Where during my earlier Volt review I seemed to perceive a slight drawback in a place where the mids and treble join. This lower treble diminishment would only take place on certain songs and only with certain instruments. And truly it’s not a big deal, as nothing is perfect. But what is amazing is I can’t seem to find it? And the more songs I put through this DAP IEM configuration, the more I still find a well rounded-ness. This well rounded-ness first comes probably from the Volt, where I have heard a few finite instruments parlayed with slightly more brightness (with other IEMs), but they don’t at the same time offer this grooving midrange pace and bass bump. Meaning even with the LAVRiCABLES Master Cable in place the Volt is well balanced and plays all genres and file types. Just the basic fact of the Volt offering a level of clarity has me smitten.
Why smitten? Well everything is just right, no matter which file of music genre I choose and I don’t have to worry about volume used because there is no glare or stridency........or anything at all off. I mean people rejoice in reporting better timbre? Maybe? I mean timbre is the kinda thing that when it’s correct it can be ignored, and that is what we have. Sure this is a midrange forward tune set-up, the cable in-a-way could be looked at as accentuating the mids, and I have wide-bore tips in use…….but I guess it is the smoothness of the Volt which is pulling-on my heartstrings? It is giving the Volt a bigger presence into imaging and separation, it is quickly cleaning-up pace issues and bringing the music home, home in living color. That means zero coloration. There even seems to found better contrasts, more tones separating the lows and highs?
Summary of Penon Volt and LAVRiCABLES Master Cable V4:
People that know me know I’m a soundstage junky. I can forgive a laundry-list of mediocre results if the IEM just performs soundstage in a big way. Now the thing is there is kind-a a phenomena when you tighten up the low-end details.......and that soundstage is enhanced again. I have to be careful when I write this as some may get the idea that the Volt low-end is compromised by the Master, when in fact it is just another example of clarity here, this fact makes you question why we would ever have anything to do with copper in this specific situation. As such the Volt has and has always had this magical midrange, and the Master makes a new step in a better direction, cleaning up the overall tone and enhancing the already great attributes in separation, imaging, tonal correctness and vocal presence. Personally I feel I have hit the jackpot here, and will be utilizing this exact set-up long after the review is published. I simply can’t walk away from this exact tonality.
Packaging:
I commend LAVRiCABLES for supplying just the bare necessities for shipment. I mean sure it is nice to get a giant box with layers of levels and slowly “find” your cable. Yet all that costs money and normally gets thrown-out. Isn’t the value here construction and sound……maybe looks? And that’s the thing, LAVRiCABLES is busy making sure they have all the parts for every cable imaginable, they are not too worried about the box opening experience. I mean, sure what you get is only a pouch, a business card and a sticker for your car window…….but in a way this is all you need. Also I’m pretty sure the pouch is sized to fit every cable they make. See the thing is if they didn’t deliver in the sonics department then maybe they would need an elaborate box-opening-experience? But they deliver at a lesser cost than many cable brands, plus less shipping costs, as they are not shipping this giant block of useless cardboard to you............. that you’re going to toss the next day.
Build:
Here is the deal, I’m not a total cable expert, but I have tested my fair share of cables. Also over the years I have come to learn what are the most important features that you could possibly have in construction. The way my Master V4 was ordered it comes out to 27 grams in weight. I ordered the regular gold plug in 4.4mm balanced, yet there are 13 other termination choices. As an example Dsnuts ordered a solid copper plug, typically believe it or not that will add another 5 grams or so onto the weight. A solid copper plug goes and warms the signal a tad, taking away (slightly) from the total analytical qualities, giving smoothness. Another example there are Rhodium plated copper plugs on offer too. There is even XLR plug option to name another route to go. There are four different cable lengths you can get……and finally (not finally really) there is a choice of 100hrs burn-in service or 150hrs burn-in service. The very basic cable is $294.09 and all the bells and whistles come out to $390.68. Yet it really depends on what you value as nothing changes with your Master order in regards to the AWG 22 wire, in 5N purity of a Litz design.
Typically I don’t copy and paste too much vender script, as if you are here reading there is a good chance you have already read all that. Plus I don’t need review filler text as my reviews are way too long as it is. Still here is the link to the differences among various cable lines on offer.
Now in usage the Master V4 shows well, as it is really not too big and bulky as some cables are, yet not thin and delicate either. This middleweight and middle-size goes very well with your expected ergonomics. But to take these ergonomics a step farther, the way the cable lays around, and the feel when wearing (and listening) is very, very good. As such the 2Pins you can order flush or recessed, and just the simple paint work on the 2Pins goes to show red for right and black for left. There are also perfect ear-hooks that are not too aggressive or too floppy, but just seem to work-out well. Both the splitter and plug are notated with an L for LAVRiCABLES with a tiny drawing of a cable. The chin-cinch is a style of silicone I’m guessing, which is a first here at Redcarmoose Labs. But to go slightly into more detail the plug end to the cable is furnished with a clear shrink-fit material, but more than that it has been cut perfectly even. It is this very small effort in the details which goes to proclaim that you have in your hand a cable of exceptional build quality.
This is how the cable tested was ordered.
Cable comparisons: Sorry, this is my one and only first pure IEM silver cable, I don’t even have a $15.00 pure silver (ya-right) example of another brand of silver cable. Yet I still think this comparison section will come of value going forward to showcase the sonic differences between a few cables.
Top-down: The ASOS+ Cable:
The Penon Vocal Cable:
The SIMGOT LC7 Cable: The Penon Mix Cable:
The Master Cable V4:
Here I use my Sony WM1A with the Penon Volt IEM to try and generalize about differences. I am using my standard wide-bore silicone ear-tips.
The Penon ASOS+:
Such a cable is one of my all-time favorites. Decked-out with Palladium Purple plug and 2Pins, the ASOS+ is a force to be reckoned with! A regular plug in 4.4mm balanced weighs about 4 grams, yet this Purple Palladium plug weighs 5 grams……in-contrast, amazingly the pure copper (OFC) plug weighs in at 7 grams. It should be noted the regular ASOS has modular plugs. This + has 8 strands, 25 cores alloy copper silver-plated + 99 cores single crystal copper silver-plated wire mixed. The ASOS+ is noticeably more chunky at 53 grams, but I like that feature. Where the Master V4 Cable has less authority in the bass department, the Master V4 Cable projects the vocals way out front. This is interesting as both cables provide an even, correct and complete playback, it is just a slight rearrangement of focus, where neither is better or worse than the other, simply wildly different. If you were slightly sensitive to midrange heat I would choose the ASOS+ as it is delivering more smoothness and warmth, yet if you really want vocals (like in your face) choose the Master V4 Cable.
The Penon Vocal Cable:
Here we have a legendary cable in a way. Where when the Vocal cable came out it was (and still is) a wild market disruption. I know of a few members that leave the Vocal in place on their ISN EST50 IEM, as it is one of the best cables to showcase vocals, the side effect is also bass is a little curtailed and the stage is wonderfully enhanced. The tricky thing though about the Vocal is it is very much a colored cable. Meaning at times it sounds natural and at times not. Now if you are smitten with this off-side-stepping and embrace it, the Vocal is a tremendous value, really it’s a value no matter what. But before my test I’m already kind-of envisioning the left field the Vocal music comes from.
You know and I know, and I know that you know where we will be here. Sure a $69.00 cable against many times more money in cable. Yet we are in this place because really when you get down to brass tacks the Master V4 Cable is a vocal cable……that and of course everything else...........I talked about.
After a few side-by-sides I have to say the vocals emitted by the Vocal Cable are somehow very forward, just like our Master V4 Cable, yet the bass from the Vocal Cable is also bigger. It comes-off like the Vocal Cables is more flashy is the bass department, yet lacking the realness and calmness of the Master V4 Cable. The surprising thing was just how both cables provided a super big stage, and that staging was on equal terms as far as footprint. Though the Master V4 Cable had more inside stage detail and tonal purity.
The SIMGOT LC7 Cable:
Wow, this is a workhouse of a cable. Priced like the Penon Vocal at $69.99 the LC7 is known for tonally a correct and clear balanced transferrer of signals......meaning no off-color. More wire than what is typically included with a $100-$200 IEM cable, the LC7 is wildly easy going with no real issues as far as demeanor. It only goes to provide so much detail and stage, yet what is there is fully appreciated for the money spent. A gift of SPC with 732 cores. It should also be noted this LC7 comes as a modular cable, enacting both 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced. More bass than what has been viewed so far today. Yet while the vocals are there, there is less dimension into the stage, combined with a small amount of grain that seems to emit a lesser amount of detail. Where the Master V4 cable simply offers a more airy stage filled with more details and faster agility. This agility goes even down to the bass department, offering simply faster Master V4 pace, and a stripped down more in-focus bass response, that while less in quantity, is better in detail, texture and bounce.
The Penon Mix Cable:
Finally the Mix Cable. As this is my only pure silver cable, the pure silver part only makes-up half of the construction, with the addition of pure copper delivering the other half. The other feature about the Mix is it comes with a modular plug. Again more Mix bass action, though very much cleaner than the LC7, and the vocals here? What? I simply wasn’t ready for the Mix to push-on such a great display of vocals……holding both texture and detail……..just gorgeous here…….far from what I remember. Also the Mix is a deal at only $149.00........all day long. Where the Master V4 goes to provide an extended existence of vocals, yep they are far more forward and enveloping. You can touch them and feel the singer's breath almost? The bass is a little more recessed, and not as woody or and standout-ish as the Mix. This bass with the Master V4 is totally adequate and clear, it has just stepped backwards a foot or two. Where what incurs by the Master V4 bass stepping back is the midrange opening up, and allowing the (already) more vibrant little creatures of the forest to be found. Like rabbits crawling out from the woods, only now these little life-forms are in full detail and open for inquisitiveness.
Conclusion: While the only pure silver cable I ever heard was pure silver interconnects back in 2008. These RCA cables were part of a friend's system which coincidentally was how LAVRiCABLES got their start, making interconnects and speaker cables in 2012. As such these interconnects where part of a bi-amplification system, and the silver cables fed the tweeters. When I put them into use as regular RCA cables the pure silver was too energetic and too busy causing me to think this was just how silver was. Yet I only knew so much back in 2008, and the headphones I was using were the (overly bright) AKG k701 full-size. The interconnects were from a CD player to my full-side headphone amp………and I quickly reverted back to the $15 Monster drugstore cables.
Success:
I have never had a chance to hear well made and sensibly priced quality silver IEM cables before. And if you have read the review I have included my thoughts, but to reiterate a few things, LAVRiCABLES is not trying to make this Hollywood showboat of a product. They don’t have cable names of Greek Gods. They don’t pay top dollar for Hollywood Photography or Hollywood Writers to drum-up a fancy cable review. LAVRiCABLES is simply letting the cables do the talking...........sure, silver cables are expensive, except cables have way more longevity than IEMs do……….Yep, you may think this is an expensive purchase now, but you will be using this cable on other IEMs 5 years from now.........on IEMs that haven’t even been invented yet. There is a timeless quality to resolution, stage and detail…….as such......these values never go out of style…….but what we do know is the price of precious metals is on the rise...........so get yours today.
Review encapsulation/summary, so you don’t have to read the whole thing. LAVRiCABLES Master Cable V4
The different levels of pure silver cables offered
1) Reference line. A solid silver core using a teflon jacket for (the possibility) of thwarting radio wave interference, and still AWG 24 silver with 5N purity, along with Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder.
2) Ultimate line. Different geometry and thickness, offering AWG24 in a Litz configuration along with Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder.
3) Master line. Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder, along with a thicker 5N wire, yep a thicker sonic transport device, more wire at AWG22 and different wire geometry.
4) The TOTL Grand line. The purity of 6N along with the Mundorf 4% fine silver audio solder, and of course more wire and a different wire geometry. There is an enormous difference in cost building with 6N wire in contrast to 5N wire.
The AWG (American Wire Gage, sometimes called the Brown & Sharpe wire gauge) system is designed to rate wire thickness and has been used since 1857.
A LOWER AWG number indicates a THICKER wire.
As in use here the Master Cable V4 with use of 4 cores of 5N purity silver AWG22 multistrand Litz wire finds itself projecting the vocals forward with the ISN EST50 in a way I have never heard before. Combining that with the HiBy R3 II was a literal walk in the park. Big harmonics, you can now hear the sliding fingers on guitar stings, and wonderful full-stage positioning. Though the difference is vocals now are projected into the light. Positioned in the perfect place to gain clarity. Silver also tightened up the bass and went ahead to increase pace. Truly the EST50 is now the best I ever heard it to be. Oh, and if you're wondering how the $179.00 little HiBy R3 II performed, well the M response somehow seems to go with this deeper bass from the EST50? I have roughly 3000 hours on the R3 II as it is one of my burn-in devices. What was surprising was this was all I needed, sure some songs were better than others, yet this style of playback actually due to stage and separation offers a fully involving experience even from poorly recorded music. The reason I’m guessing is not only the stage and separation, but the bass energy and lower midrange going and filling out thinner older recordings. Now the real crazy thing was I liked the Master Cable/EST50 combo better with the HiBy R3 II than the Sony WM1A? Why? I’m not totally sure, except the bass was wonderfully striated and owned-up details such as synth and electric bass combo’s occurring at the same frequency only separated by instrument timbre.
As such we owners of the ISN EST50 have often have had a precarious love/hate relationship with the ISN EST50. And truly it is now a way different IEM than when I reviewed it. Mainly due to cable understanding and ways to fully actualize bass detail. While in use (and a sonic value) was the $69.00 Penon Vocal Cable, the Vocal did many of these same somersaults to focus the bass and extend the vocal positioning, though as many know the Vocal Cable is a colored cable and while lovable in the end, is farther from the encountered reality we are now witnessing with the Master Cable V4.
The Master V4 in this set-up comes in at $346.82, though with inclusion or exclusion of build options prices can range from $293.30 to $389.64. That may sound like a lot, but what if you had only one cable and it fully actualized the EST50? You could leave that particular cable on for life.........that is unless you found another IEM a few years down the road and wanted to do a sonic clean-up.
EST results:
Of the implemented 3 tested EST IEM driver set-ups, each responded with a crispness, clarity and focus rarely encountered, if ever. Especially the Volt 4 ESTs waking-up to dynamic transients due to an increase speed and realism, ending in great imaging. In truth this Volt EST smoothness has been the Achilles heel about the tune in the past. Yet it was simply a different listening experience for all three IEMs. With each showing a vibrant style of contrasts and treble itemizations.
The Penon 10th Anniversary IEM (2ESTx2BAx2DD)
The Penon prior TOTL Volt Universal IEM (4ESTx2BAx1DD)
The ISN EST50 (2ESTx2BAX1DD)
Pros: Exceptional quality 5N silver
Beautiful blue cable
Full natural sound
Silky and transparent highs
Minimal microphonics
Technicalities at top
Customisability
Soft and pliable
You pay for the cable nothing extra
Cons: Minimal accessories and presentation, but also a good thing
Storage pouch is a dust magnet
LAVRiCABLES MASTER SILVER AWG22
Disclaimer
The Master Silver cable I got for free in return for a review, I am free to say whatever I want.
This is my first time owning LAVRiCABLES, I have used other premium cables but this is the first pure silver in this price range. I will refer to the cable as Lavricables or Master Silver through the review.
I know that cables is a heated topic, I have self been a skeptical person. So if you're against the description of cables, it's better to just stop here. I also think that cable is the thing that changes the sound the least in the chain when looking at IEMs, source and tips.
All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.
Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce
My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.
My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward if not shouty. I can also handle forward treble if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are metal, electronica, jazz, indie rock/metal, r&b, and pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.
I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments.
My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.
My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Ascension and Campfire Audio Bonneville.
The AüR Audio Ascension is a tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2EST, that is tuned to be warm and natural. The Bonneville is hybrid with 1DD and 3BA, tuned to be a colorful and fun IEM with heavy note weight.
Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
I have a few DAPs and dongles to change up the sound, my favorite being HIBY R8 II.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.
When evaluating and comparing Master Silver 22AWG I have used the tracks listed here and more.
The link is to a playlist consisting of some tracks I have saved for testing, it's still a work in progress.
Who is LAVRiCABLES
This is a premium cable maker from Latvia, I had heard about Lavricables for a while. But very few I know own cables from them, the few have been very satisfied.
Lavricables is specialized in silver wire, instead of having many types its only silver here. There is 4 Line’s of Silver cables: Reference - Ultimate - Master - Grand
They provide cables for headphones, IEMs and interconnects.
ABOUT US
Dear customers, thanks for coming to the store! Here you may find 100+ different pure silver cables that will make you feel delighted.
We are a team of audiophiles who love music and have been enjoying hi-fi and hi-end equipment for decades. We travel around the world and visit various audio exhibitions and shows, we perform lots of tests and simply admire music. We keep an eye on all new and latest innovations and constantly improve our products as well as develop new ones. Our experience and technical knowledge help us to offer great cables to our customers.
The brand Lavricables was created in 2012 as a hobby. Since lots of audio brands hugely overcharge their products, in particular cables, we decided to invent our own RCA interconnects as a starting point. To ensure the highest quality of our products we used pure silver which is the best conductor available nowadays. Silver is also known for its neutrality, resolution and soundstage openness. Moreover, braided solid core cable geometry allows to eliminate radio frequencies and electromagnetic interferences and with increased number of cores, skin effect is also minimized on high frequencies. Combination of these factors and our knowledge offered tremendous results in comparison to lots of other cables which are priced twice or even more.
The first massively released products were Interconnects and Speaker cables. The last ones were used to biwire the trebles and revealed lots of new details and nuances we haven’t heard before. As to the interconnects, they sounded with great transparency and resolution. Later after various tests and hundreds of happy customers we’ve moved to headphone and usb cables.
Currently we make cables for most of the headphones and iems available on the market. The ones that are not present in the shop still could be made on request. We improve our products and services year over year. Some of the cables have been revised several times based on customers’ feedback and represent an exceptional value for the price. Revisions could be found on our blog. We offer different kinds of cable terminations starting from our custom made gold/ rhodium plated plugs, ending with highly advanced pure copper plugs from AECO.
By offering four product lines we ensure our customers will find the best cable for their setups and will have lots of pleasant listening hours. Our goal is to enhance the full potential of your setups and make you happy!
Our Blog is constantly being updated with new information, pics and articles. Your reviews and suggestions are always very appreciated.
This cable is from the Master Line, it is a 4 core 5N 22 AWG multistrand Litz Wire.
The cable is soldered with Mundorf 4% fine silver, had to read up on it and it's a premium and good choice for soldering.
You get the option of customizing the cable to your liking, the one I have here is in the Sky Blue. Also an option to get it in transparent sleeve color, or even having it with a Silk sleeving.
There are plenty of hardware to choose from, the Viablue and Aeco options are some of the best plugs out there. But I did go for the carbon hardware from Lavricables, they are also premium and look great.
Accessories
This is as simple as it gets, there are no extras in the package. You get a branded pouch, the business card and the cable itself. Unless my review cable has a simpler packaging, while I like premium presentations I also love something like this.
The pouch is a lint magnet, Would have preferred it if it was in a different material.
Quality and Comfort
The transition from the hardware to the cable has transparent heat shrink, it has clean cuts and is not thick and an eyesore. The cable is also nicely braided, not too tight and beautifully done.
Over time the braiding can get looser on a loop here and there, this is due to rolling the cable together when we store them. If so it's an easy step of straightening to be perfect again.
First of the ear guides are perfect, not too thick heath-shrink and have a nice curvature that is not too aggressive. The cable is also very pliable and soft, also light but not too light where it feels like bad quality.
There is also a chin slider to help with secure ear fitment, it's a silicon ring. I have some questions about the longevity of this, as with all softer materials they degrade faster.
Sound
Good silver cables should deliver a pure and resolving sound, this is what the Master Silver does. You get a transparent sound with clear extended highs that is silky and airy, without being bright or piercing. Even the low end has some warmth and sound natural and full, this is not a bright thin cable as cheap silver cables tend to be.
Soundstage is also very multidimensional and expansive, I don't believe any cable improves upon stage that much unless they hinder it. This is just that, as good as it gets for both the technical side and also getting a clear sound.
Comparisons
The Effect Audio Cadmus 8w is a really good SPC cable, it has what I call a balanced but bright sound. This is the cable up in the left corner of the photo, a thick and beautiful cable. This is UP-OCC Silver Plated Copper Litz EPO* 24 AWG 8 Wires.
The Lavricables have a small amount more microdetail, it also has less bite in the treble. Both have the effect of making IEMs less shouty in the upper midrange.
Comfort is not EA strength, that alone is a reason for many to avoid the 8 wires from EA.
The Gladiator Cables is a Type 1 Litz 5N OCC pure silver palladium plated 24AWG per wire imported from Japan. It is thinner and feels more fragile than the Lavricables, both are equally comfortable and pliable. But the hardware on the Gladiator is of worse quality, it also looks worse on the finish and work done.
The sound is similar on both of them, they both have a transparent and open treble that is soft and delicate. The Lavricables sound a little warmer, and seem to have slightly wider staging.
The last one is an extremely good copper cable from Clan Audio, type 6 litz copper. This is not available as a purchase yet, it is a reference for me in a neutral cable. Usually we think about warmth when using copper cables, here the Lavricables are actually warmer than the Clan Audio.
Same with the highs being more silky and refined, microdetail is also a small step up.
IEM pairings
I will just mention a few IEMs I have tried it on, been testing it compared to the cables above and also some stock cables. I will continue and use the Master Silver in IEMs reviews forward, but as the sound is so good I really don't find any bad pairings with it.
Hisenior Mega5EST Anniversary Edition
This is a tribrid with 1DD 2BA and 2EST, neutral warm sound.
Compared to the supplied good SPC Cable, the Master is more technical and less aggressive. Actually the sound is warmer due to fuller low range and the extended treble being more silky and refined, just sound more elegant and balanced.
I have been using the Silver Palladium a lot on Mega5EST, this is a slight improvement as it sounds more spacious and warm.
Venture Electronics Grand Duke
This is a bold sounding single DD, it has a big and slightly slower sound. Never owned the stock cable since the IEM was a gift to me, this is much better compared to the Penon Mix that has been my go to cable on this. Specially the lows seem more defined and punchier with less bloat, the treble also is not sharp as with the Mix. This is the best pairing I had with Grand Duke, and the IEM that will keep the cable on it after the review.
Kinera Verdandi
The Verdandi is a quadbrid IEM with 1DD 2BA and 2EST and a BC, has a lively and energetic sound. Stock cable is brighter and less resolving than this, it's also less airy and silky.
The Verdandi with the Master Silver just enhances the original sound, clear and transparent. There is a small improvement in the midrange not being as shouty compared to the stock cable, similar to how the Cadmus behaves on Verdandi. But the Cadmus is not this refined and natural sounding.
AüR Audio Ascension
My reference set is in refined natural sound, tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2 EST. Stock cable is a cheap SPC, Master Silver is a different level when looking at premium feel and design. Sound you get more open and transparent treble, start to wonder if the EST gets pushed more by the treble. Not in a sharp way, just in how resolving and airy it is. Bass also is tighter and more well defined, with midrange just sounding clear and full.
My go to cable is usually the Type 6 Litz Copper on Ascension, here instead I get a less sharp sound with more silky air. While the rest keep itself very similar, maybe a small step up in the technicalities.
Conclusion
You get here a silver cable of high quality, with excellent hardware. The cable is soft and pliable, and has a nice balanced weight.
Often people say silver cables are for more clarity and brighter sound, I don't think that is true when you have a quality silver cable like this. Good silver cables like this have a transparent sound with maximum clarity, but it's never bright and sharp. It's more on the neutral side, with clear but silky highs.
I love the clean and cheap packaging, you know all your money goes into the cable and not extra packaging or accessories. For some this might be a negative, as some expect premium packaging when paying this for a cable.
I recommend the Lavricables Master Silver AWG 22, this can be for the veteran or the new audiophile who wants a premium silver. I see the price they charge as good, not overpriced and you get what you pay for.
@goga1980
In my opinion the quality of Lavricables are higher than Gladiator Cable's.
Also 20awg mean thicker wire, but doesn't mean it's a better cable.
Pros: Master craftsmen at work
A highly refined pure silver IEM cable
Almost zero microphonics
Flexable and pliable
Versatile pure silver performance
Clean treble presentation
Highly technical
Higher silver level detail
Higher silver level imaging
Higher level sound separation
Enhances stage expansion
Does not neuter bass emphasis
Good price for performance.
Burn in service-You better check the purchase link.
Cons: The idea that all pure silver cables are the same.
This is a refined pure silver cable hence you pay to play.
Lavricables Master Silver 22AWG IEM cables.
Lavricables was founded in Latvia in 2012, for folks that don't know who Lavricables are these guys are serious sound engineers/ sound geeks that deal with pure silver cables, interconnects, RCA cables, speaker wires, USB cables, XLR, all manor of audio cables, IEM and headphone cables to name a few. But with one distinct difference from most other companies. They use their higher grade of pure silver for just about all of it. You can check out their award winning history and their website here.
If you don’t know by now. Pure silver as a material in relation to audio gives the fastest, cleanest, purest transmission of all things related to sound. This is the reason why you will see silver and its many various forms, its geometry and purities used for audio cables of all kinds. These guys are sound purists hence they specialize in the properties of pure silver in all their products. Their site has over 100 plus types of audio cables in all sizes and forms. I was reached out from Lavricables to check out one of their Master Silver cables and here we are. A review sample was provided for the purpose of a review. You can look them up on their site here.
This is a first for me, I knew I was dealing with some serious sound guys because of this reason. I have never seen an actual burn in service for cables but Lavricables has this for some extra bucks. Too busy you are to burn in your own cables? Well they provide that as an option when you purchase one of their cables. 100 hours or 150 hours. I know some of you might be rolling your eyes right now. But there is a reason why pure silver cables need to burn in before they sound proper. I actually tested this myself. This was my review of the ISN AG8. The AG8 is also a pure silver cable but much thicker in substance. I had 2 of these cables, one well burned in and one fresh out of the box.
And there was a difference. The burned in one sounded more spacious, smoother, more full bodied in sound character, the non burned in version sounded a touch brighter and leaner sounding. The advice I was given from an engineering friend that makes silver audio cables is that yes these pure silver cables especially need burn in. I was in the camp that kinda believed it and kinda didn't at the same time. But my comparison was proof enough for me to understand. There is something that happens when you use these cables for an extended period of time.
Case in point the Master Silver V4 cable I have on hand was fully burned in from Lavricables before I even received it. And these are what to expect from them as far as sound enhancing goes.
First thing I noticed is an expansion of stage. This is a side effect of how silver highlights the technicalities: imaging, detail and sound separation. Brings better snappier transient qualities for your sound vs your garden variety of IEM cables. But then what surprised me the most is that the trebles are not as highlighted as I was used to from most silver based cable. Infact trebles for IEMs I used on them had clear control if not just slightly smoother than I would have originally thought. Believe me I don’t associate smoother trebles with pure silver but that is what I am hearing. That notion that pure silver leads to brightness well yes and no. I noticed lower end pure silvers do that. Not so much these Lavricables. There seems to be a slight upper mid skew for these cables that brings some highlights to stringed instruments and vocals.
This is the other aspect that surprised me. Vocal performances are airy. Delicate sounding. I have cables that enhance vocal performances. See Vocal cable review. The Lavricables give a more spacious account of your sound and in doing so vocals are nicely separated from the background instruments. Imaging quality is improved. When you have IEMs that have dimensional character, these cables seem to highlight this aspect to an even better degree. That smoother airy quality is some of the best I have heard from a pure silver cable.
Then there is how they do bass. The biggest shock of all the sound enhancing aspects. These are not like a pure copper cable when it comes to bass but at the same time they don't perform in the bass department like a standard pure silver cable I am used to using either. I bet when you use them you will be wondering if there are some copper elements to its make up, well just a bit. There is none minus the pure copper plugs and connectors it is using. I was asked what type of plugs I wanted to try on these. I purposefully chose a pure copper plug to balance out the pure silver here. Which turned out to be a great choice on my end.
They do provide Rhodium and gold plated ones. Which will provide a slight variation to the pure silver sound. Rhodium brings even a greater enhancement of details, clarity and trebles. Which unless you're a detail freak is not really needed on a pure silver cable. Just my opinion but I know there will be folks that want the most detail possible based on a cable performance and that is where Rhodium will come into play. Gold brings a bit of a darker hue to silver's cleaner sound profile and while it was a toss up for me between gold and copper. I went with pure copper to give more of a foundational character to V4 pure silver litz material.
I have a few pure silver cables that seem to lower the perceived impact and rumble from the host IEMs sound performance ( see NiceHCK 8 core pure silver and GU craftsman cable comparison below) but thus far I have to say I am very impressed with how the Lavricables does with bass for my IEMs. Sure these cables are not going to specialize in bass emphasis, impact and texture. But I don't perceive them to be taking much of it away from the glorious bass from my more bassier IEMs. Case in point. The Penon Quattro with 2 dynamics handling the bass emphasis. Since its overall tonal character is analogues, slightly warm in signature I figure this would be a good match to bring out its technical side.
And I was right. Not only does it synergize with the Quattro but leaves its bass impact and rumble the way it is from using its stock cable which is a silver plated copper type cable with graphene. It gets a nice noticeable expansion of stage. Better perceived details and with that smooth lush airy vocal performance. This is an excellent match up with the Quattros.
Moving onto the ISN NEO5 which is a bassy musical tuned IEM. The end result was very similar to what the Master Silver cable does on the Quattro. Expansion of stage. Smoother more airy mids, clean detailed trebles, better imaging, with surprising bass presence. The NEO5 included a good SPC type cable which does a good job giving a good account of what the NEO5 can sound like but higher end cables really bring the sound to be more audiophile. The Lavricable used on the NEO5 is not a small upgrade for the sound here; it is a clear leap in sound performance. NEO5 by nature has a fundamental warmth to the sound profile so it really likes pure silver to bring out better technicalities. Stage, imaging, instrument separation. Cleaner tonal character even leading to a more accurate timbre from the stock cable. This cable makes the NEO5 sound a good solid tier upgrade from what they initially sound like with its included cable.
Moving onto 4BA+2DD hybrid in the Tansio Mirai X. This IEM is very versatile due to its bass switches that you can easily manipulate for different levels of bass presence for its reference tuned U shaped balancing. What is interesting about this IEM is that it has plenty of treble presence and is by default a nicely technical sounding IEM with basshead levels of bass as an option. Adding the Lavricable Master Silver cable to the mix here yields a highly detailed, nicely imaged TSMR-X with an even greater airy quality to the sound. This cable does an excellent job maintaining the TSMR-X bass end while creating a greater atmosphere for your music to come pure clean and extremely musical sounding.
I remember when I first got these cables my first thought was. I must compare this cable with my other pure silver cables including a pure silver cable from China that cost a mere $38 for the sake of subjective sound science! Yes there is such a thing as pure silver cables that costs that much. So here are some comparisons from my other pure silver cables.
Vs NiceHCK 8 core pure silver priced at $38
Going from the Master Silver to this cheap pure silver cable. The difference here was about as clear as it gets. The only similarities I got from these two cables was that the tonal quality from using the TSMR-X on both sets were similar. However, the main difference? The NiceHCK cable made the sound overly flat with weak dynamics. Absolutely lacking the imaging and airy quality of the Master silver. The cheaper cable is much thinner in note weight. Made the very bassy TSMR-X sound anemic is the best way to describe it. Even with the full bass switch on, I couldn't get over just how lame the TSMR-X sounded using this cable. It basically made the TSMR-X sound like a budget fi level IEM.
On an ideal planet it would be great to be able to pay $38 and get a cable that matches up to one that costs $300. But this is wishful thinking. The NiceHCK cable, while using pure silver. The owner of the company provided a metallurgy sheet proving it. And to be fair it is the cheapest pure 8 core IEM cable but as far as sound enhancing goes. In the end is a $38 level IEM cable. Even though it is an 8 core variety, its cores are much thinner with a thicker PVC finish to make them look more substantial. That is how they make sound by the way. Thin sounding treble, thin sounding mids and thin sounding bass.
Vs ISN AG8 priced at $199
Now we are talking about a much more substantial pure silver cable. Now this cable is interesting as it is literally the opposite of the NiceHCK 8 core cables in that it is using much more material in its make up. This cable actually has the leg up on the Master Silver cable in note weight but only slight. Its stage presentation is very comparable here as well. Where it loses out to the Master Cable is in its inner details. The mids imaging is better on the Master silver. Trebles sound just a bit cleaner. Bass end for both sets of cables are comparable but in vocal tracks the Master silver wins out as the AG8 tends to smooth out the mids presentation a bit in comparison. Vocals and instruments seem to blend a bit more so vs being better separated in the Master Silver, this is what I meant by smooth out. Vocal performances seem better separated from the background instruments and have a better airy quality to the mids most of the other silver cables I tested them against does not quite have, including the AG8.
Vs GU Craftsman 6n pure silver priced at $130
Going from the GU Craftsman pure silver to the Master Silver. Well to my surprise the bass end of the Master silver is much more to my liking. Where the GU craftsman is excellent is in its technical ability. It is very comparable to the Master Silver for imaging, details, and sound separation. Where they differ is for dynamics. The Master silver is much better for bass impact and extension vs the GU Craftman pure silver. GU craftsman leans more neutral in all things treble mids and bass hence it sounds a bit light in what it does in comparison. It's not to the extent of the NiceHCK cheapo silver but it kinda leans that way in comparison to the Master silver. For folks that loved them some GU craftsman pure silver, a logical upgrade would be the Lavricables Master silver. Especially if you're using hybrid IEMs with dynamic bass in your IEMs.
Tri Wolfram. Priced at $89- on sale to $130ish
Now these are not exactly pure silver, they also use a OFC copper shielding surrounding pure silver cores. Interesting concept that yields some interesting sound properties. What's interesting on the Tri Wolfram here is that its technical properties mirror pure silver but the use of OFC shielding has an effect on treble presentations as it brings a slight smoothening of the trebles and also has greater enhancement for bass emphasis. It is more of a hybrid type cable vs pure silver so it will be its copper elements that adds to a more bass leaning treble smoothening aspect that pure silver cables do not do. It loses out to the Master Silver cable in the sheer size of stage and once again its inner mids performance is not as pristine or airy but otherwise for the money this is one of the better hybrid type cables in the industry that brings a bit of both copper and silver in the mix.
Penon Golden Armour priced at $699.
Ok much like the Wolfram before this comparison the Golden Armour is not just a pure silver cable. It is pure silver cable plated in pure 24K gold and deliberately has 8 thicker cores of it which is probably the reason why it costs about double of the Master Silver cable. One thing for certain you're not going to get double the value or double the sound enhancing properties from this particular cable in comparison to the Master Silver cable. The Golden Armour and cables that cost more than $700+ fall into the money is not an object category. The sound improvements here are more related to the idea of rounding the note edges of what pure silver does with the plating of pure gold. I also own copper cables plated in gold which to be completely honest are not really versatile. Now if you plate pure silver with gold, ok this is where things get very interesting. Gold material in how they translate to your IEM sound brings a darker hue to a sound. Meaning if you plate a warm copper cable with gold. That just brings a bit too much darkness and warmth to the table for sound enhancing properties.
The Golden Armour counters some of the edginess of pure silver for folks that love a richer silkier tonal quality. Golden Armour and Master silver are very comparable when it comes to their technical enhancing ability. Stage has similar expansion, mids have similar airy quality, and sound separation is amazing on both. Where the Master Silver loses out to the Golden Armour has to do with how gold brings more texture and a silky quality to treble notes. Brings a richer tonal quality with greater contrast to vocal performances, Bass contrast is a bit darker bringing even better separation and definition vs what the Master Silver does. This being said. This is one of those cases where if you never heard a 24K gold plated pure silver cable before using your higher end IEMs. The Master Silver clearly brings a better value. What you're really paying double here for is a richer tonal quality on top of what higher end pure silver does for your IEMs. For a rich/absolute sound purists, I do believe the Golden Armour is worth every bit of cash asked for a set as it brings a type of sound and imaging, pure silver cables just are not capable of by itself regardless of geometry. It's that inclusion of pure gold plating over silver that somehow works to give your IEM sound even more contrast and texture adding a vividness with a roundness of note that pure silver just can't do by itself.
Conclusion.
The Larvricable Master Silver V4 here is clearly a higher end refined silver cable completely worth the asking price. I say this because I have compared them to some of my best pure silver cables and the price is set correct on these. The idea that all silver cables are the same is completely false. If that statement was true then all pure copper cables should be the same too right? There is a reason why you see so much variety of cables for IEMs and headphones nowadays and at all price levels. I know a lot of you guys are wondering, If you spend $300+ on a pure silver cable will it be better than my $130 Tri wolfram or $200 ISN AG8. The quick answer to that is Yes it is.
It took several weeks of going back and forth and again and again in order to do these comparisons I laid out on this reader, at the end of it. It was clearly evident Lavricables has an exceptional pure silver cable they are offering to their patrons in the Master Silver V4. This is the 4th generation of this particular cable Lavricables has made in order to achieve its more refined state and that is something to be proud of. Definitely worthy of your hard earned cash when looking into a proper IEM cable. It has very minimum microphonics, fairly light, flexible and pliable. Most of all it will make your IEMs sound amazing. To be honest when I see some of the pure silver type cables others offer at ridiculous prices I wonder if those cables have true value in why they are charging so much. There is no mystery here. You are definitely getting a higher end pure silver cable to use with your favorite IEMs. Thanks for taking the time to read.
These cables look super high quality, unfortunately I don't think I can justify forking over $300+ USD on cables (given my current budget, or perhaps ever, unless money becomes so abundant that spending becomes irrelevant).
I am intrigued by the use of silver wires over copper colored wires as these are so much shinier and prettier, much more pleasing to look at. The internal braiding pattern is also looks great!
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