Pros: High end silver cable
Baltic gray color option
Good braid and craftsmanship
Silky and controlled highs
Balanced and full sounding
No harshness or graininess
Highly resolving and open
Spacious and detailed soundstage
Music flows, transients being gentler without being blunted
Beautiful but simple design, the 8 wire look beautiful
Perfect match with ZMF Verite Open
Cons: Minimal accessories and presentation, but also a good thing
8 wire add extra weight
Diminishing return
Storage pouch is a dust magnet
LAVRiCABLES GRAND SILVER V2 with ZMF Verite
Disclaimer
The Grand Silver V2 I got for free in return for a review and impressions with ZMF Verite, I am free to say whatever I want.
This is my second time owning LAVRICABLES, I have used other premium cables but this is the first pure silver together with my ZMF Verite. I will refer to the cable as Lavricables or Grand 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, and it's better looking at the source gear or pads first.
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 some warmth, I can also like forward midrange and treble if not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned gears for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are metal, electronica, jazz 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 current favorites in Headphones are ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.
My current favorites in IEMs are 634ears LOAK 2-TX02 and Campfire Audio Bonneville.
My current favorites in Earbuds are FranQL Caelum and Venture Electronics Zen 3.0.
Gear used in the main rig is Denafrips Ares 12th-1 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone amp. I also have a Schiit Lokius I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear being HIBY R8 II, with some dongles like HIBY FC6 and Colorfly CDA-M1P.
Who is LAVRiCABLES
This is a premium custom cable maker from Latvia, I have heard about Lavricables for a while.
Lavricables is specialized in silver wire, instead of having many types its only silver here in different qualities.
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 Grand Line, it is a 8 core 6N 20 AWG multistrand litz wire that's cryo treated.
The cable is soldered with Mundorf Supreme Silver 9.5%, I have the IEM cable from the line under and as I understand the Grand Line provides a step up with both better cable from 5N and lower quality Mundorf solder.
Konstantin told me the cable has been improved from the original V1 with the gauge of silver being bigger now, the core also having added graphene. This change has opened the soundstage with better layering and resolution compared to the first version. The difference is not night and day, but a subtle way of improving an already good cable. The original cable has been unchanged for 4 years, so perhaps about time for a change.
You get the option of customizing the cable to your liking, the one I have here is in the Baltic grey. 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 Furutech, Viablue and Aeco options are some of the best plugs out there. I did go for the carbon hardware from Lavricables as not all 4.4mm jacks work with 8W, and I wanted a 4.4mm instead of XLR to be able to use some portable gear without adapters.
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. While I like premium presentations I also love something like this.
The pouch is a lint magnet, I admit I would have preferred it if it was in a different material.
Quality
The transition from the hardware to the cable has black heat shrink with logo, it has clean cuts and is not an eyesore. The cable is also perfectly braided, in a looser style and is beautifully done. The part above the chin slider is twisted instead of the braid under, tight and make it look interesting having different styles over and under the splitter.
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.
To be a thick 8 wire it's fairly light, and I don't really notice any difference moving from a stock ZMF cable. The splitter is also 40 cm from the headphone plugs, which helps comfort also.
Sound description together with ZMF Verite Open Silkwood
Good silver cables should deliver a pure and resolving sound, this is what the Grand 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. But I admit during my review period my beliefs on what is possible have been questioned here, as the stage does seem to improve specially in separation and also some in stage versus more entry level cables.
What makes the Verite being a good match with a pure silver like this is the nature of the timbre on Verite, it has a very clean and natural sound that's on the brighter side. The Lacricables Grand Silver softens the transients some without blunting them, in return the music sounds more silky and flows better. For example I often tend to use tubes with Verite, and changing the cable does something similar where I enjoy it straight from the solid state amps instead. And to popular belief the sound doesnt get any brighter, it retains all the clarity in the highs without getting bright.
Comparisons
I will compare it with my other two main cables for Verite, the first one is a cheaper cable. Both have XLR instead of 4.4mm, my amp has both outputs so its not doing any difference when listening and after all both are balanced.
The ZMF OFC is a 24 AWG copper with aluminum and copper shielding, the hardware is cheaper with NEUTRIK XLR and budget mini XLR.
The other one made by Clan Audio is also copper cable but more high end, this is type 6 Litz copper in 8wire. The hardware is also more premium with AECO XLR, and mini XLR the same as the Lavricables in Furutech.
As with cables the changes are about small nuances in the music, and often the same material has less change than going to something with different material. But I do find that even going from the ZMF to Clan Audio both copper, I get a fuller sound with better extension into the upper treble, while bass actually maybe has more weight with the OFC of the two. And this is perhaps back to the nature of the high end Type 6 cable having less resistance and cleaner sound, making it behave more resolving.
Going from the Lavricables Silver over to ZMF OFC I am met by more intensity and sharpness, it does sound more closed in and lack refinements in specially the upper frequencies and air. This was much more of a difference than what I expected to hear, and even the low end is as full with more cleanliness to it. Specially the silky and more musical way every note flows is what catches my attention the most when comparing, there is also less definition in the low end while also sounding less dynamic and punchy. Soundstage sounds smaller and lacks the imaging capabilities of the SIlver, while not being a huge difference I notice it more and more the longer I have used the Silver over the review period.
The Clan Audio and Lavricables are more similar in resolution and airiness, where they differ is the silky and more magical sound. It sounds more controlled and is less bright, this is quite important as Verite is a bright headphone. Similar to the ZMF OFC the Clan Audio has less silky flow of the music, but it's cleaner sounding than the OFC that appear a little grainy. So it's closer to the Lavricables in providing clean sound, but lacks the thing making it more musical. The bass weight also seems a little fuller on the Lavricables, with a little more sub bass extension and punch. Very interesting when we think about the belief people have about silver, if it's the Graphene core of just the part of good silver making it fuller is a good question. Soundstage also here seems more clear and separated on the Silver, the stage depths are very similar and I cannot really hear the difference.
The link is to a playlist consisting of some tracks I have saved for testing, it's still a work in progress.
I will also mention a few albums here I used when testing the cable, this is mostly music I have been enjoying the last months instead of going for the best recordings. Hopefully this can also give yourself some new music to explore.
The first track on the albums I use to hear after brilliance and airiness in the music, but the album as a whole is very nice if you like ambient and jazz.
I am going to keep mentioning this album over and over in my reviews, as it's my favorite release this year. Atmospheric black metal with dark folk vibe, sounds both wonderful and brutal.
Did I know I needed this in my life one month ago, no but I do now. Inspired by the old Italian movies in 60s and mid 70sm with guest appearances from Italian film legends, giving the cinematic experience and feel.
Electronic IDM/darkwave that delves into the artist's darker thoughts, the feel in quite immense and interesting.
Conclusion
The Lavricables Grand Line V2 turned out to be a perfect combination for Verite, the refinement is the last part of the puzzle to make it perfect.
Often people say silver cables are for more clarity and brighter sound, I don't see that is true when you have a quality silver cable like this. Good silver cables 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 transients. The upper treble has some velvety airiness to it that a copper cannot replicate, it's addictive and you will find it lacking going back to copper after.
This is a costly cable, especially in the configuration I have here of 8 wires. You can get the price down by going with half the wires, or instead going for the Master line. But then you also won't get the same cable as I have here, this is the finest Lavricables has to offer, and for that you have to pay.
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 much for a cable. The cable is also beautiful while minimalistic, you don't pay for custom premium splitters or branding. The new Baltic grey color is also refreshing and adds some warm grey color to the silver look.
I recommend the Lavricables Grand Silver v2, this can be for the veteran or the new audiophile who wants to get a high end cable. While I have tested it on ZMF Verite Open it should be as good for other ones also.
I will rate this a full 5 stars for sound, I don't think the packaging and accessories should reflect the ranking of the cable.
Lavricables Grand Review
Since 2019, when I bought my first pure silver headphone cable, I've been amazed at how a piece of wire changes the sound simply because it's made of a different metal. No wonder I wanted to try how this effect would be combined with my favourite Abyss AB1266 PHI TC. However, first things first…
Build quality
This cable is made in two versions, I have a thicker (8 cores) type. It’s my third Lavricables and the build quality is top notch as always. The cable is very soft and pleasant to touch. And looks are even better. Grand is perfectly braided and it’s probably the prettiest headphone cable I've ever gotten my hands on. Silver in transparent isolation looks more like a piece of jewelry than an audiophile cable. And here I mean "jewelry" in the good sense of the word. Not something shiny and conspicuous, but refined, stylish and expensive looking.
It is worth noting the use of transparent heat shrink instead of a typical splitter. Classic metal splitters for headphone cables are only good in photos. I like the heat shrink solution much more - it weighs less and does not pull the cable down, plus it does not look as pretentious as big logo splitters.
Unfortunately, my photo skills leave a lot to be desired, and my camera is just an old iPhone, so when looking at the photo, keep in mind - it looks much, much better in person.
Sound
After several weeks with Lavricables and I can say that it’s definitely an improvement over stock. I normally try not to judge any new stuff from the beginning. Brain needs some time to adapt, so I spent two full weeks listening to Lavricables Grand and only then began to compare it with stock cable. This is not my first silver cable, so there were certain expectations, which were confirmed after listening, although there were some surprises.
What is typical of silver is beautiful high frequencies. Any silver or silver-plated cable emphasizes the high frequencies slightly. However, unlike silver-plated, pure silver cable makes treble smoother and less harsh at the same time. With this cable, the effect is fully present. And then the surprises begin…
Usually silver cables have a lot of benefits, but have a significant drawback in the form of a more "lightweight" sound. And the new Grand does not have this drawback at all. High frequencies seem to even acquire additional “weight”. Treble becomes more tangible. Cymbals, plates, triangles - everything that rings sounds noticeably more realistic.
The midrange is also changing for the better. The voices do not sound "fat", as is the case with thick copper cables, but rather sound “confident". Just a touch warmer and less distant than with a stock cable. The “texture” of the human voice is rendered with a lot of fine detail and therefore sounds more realistic overall. Together with beautiful highs, the operatic soprano is simply breathtaking.
Bass sounds more controlled. At first glance, it seemed to me that there was less bass, but after changing the cables several times, I was convinced that I liked the new sound better. It just beats faster and more precisely, the stock cable seems slightly smeared in contrast. Low-frequency sounds are better localized in the soundstage.
The soundstage with Lavricables Grand has become slightly deeper and more three-dimensional. Various reverbs and a sense of space are more distinct. Imaging is more holographic. In general, this cable complements the sound (which was already excellent) with a variety of small touches here and there. The changes may seem rather small, but taken together, these small touches create a strong overall impression of "better sound”. I also liked the overall tonal balance. The sound does not seem "warm", but rather "not cold”. Such tuning does not lose transparency, but it is still pleasant to listen to.
Old Grand vs. New Grand
I enjoyed using the old version of the cable which was made with multiple solid conductors and I have to admit that I like new version better in every way. It sounds better, feels better and looks better. Does it make sense to change the old one to the new one? If you want the best, yes. The old version was a great cable, but the new one is truly something.
Abyss with Lavricables Grand
I really, really liked the sound of headphones with a stock cable and mostly out of curiosity decided to try another cable. However, after a few weeks with Lavricables Grand, going back is not an option. The sound with silver cable is more realistic and more beautiful at the same time. This is especially evident with a live music with minimal compression.
In terms of comfort there is nothing really to speak about. The Abyss stock cable is stiff, springy and extremely uncomfortable. Any braided cable will feel better, and the Grand is no exception.
Considering that with Abyss you can increase and decrease the amount of bass by changing the position of the cups, I personally don’t see any shortcomings at all. Yes, it's pricey, but the sound is worth it. Given the absolutely insane prices for some other TOTL cables, Lavricables offer feels absolutely reasonable. You can buy a more expensive cable, but I highly doubt you can buy a better cable.
I feel the same for USB, power and interconnect cables, but all headphone cables are custom made. Length, termination, braid and sleeving options... I'm afraid nobody will offer return on such type of products.
Hi! Great review! I have same Grand (4cores) for DanClark Audio Stealth using with Chord Dave. This cable is mind blowing. I can complement on all findings here stated. This is trully what you get with this silver core cable! Grab it! I am now tempted for power cord and usb as well.
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