Simgot LC7 IEM cable
- Added by Dsnuts
- Create date
Introduction:-
Hey guys this is a first of a kind review for me. This is a first time I am reviewing a cable, and the cable is from none other than Simgot. Its the simgot LC7 we have got in the house for review.
I have also shared a video version of the review at YouTube any support there in form of a view, A like or A subscribe is greatly appreciated. But if you so wish to read the written version you can read this.
This is a review unit from Simgot, but all the thought and opinions you are about to hear are my own.
Buy it here (Unaffiliated Link) :-
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256806199991817.html?
I will be as usual following my bullet style format for better readability for those who are dyslexic and in general find it hard to read long paragraphs. I follow this guide in general from the British Dyslexia Association.
Lets get started!
Review:-
1. The packaging of the cable is very simple. It comes in a small box where in there is the cable and extra 4.4mm modular jack.
2. The price of the cable is $69. Nice!
3. Its a 18AWG cable the components of the cable is High Purity oxygen free Copper and High Purity oxygen free Silver.
4. It has 732 cores. And is a dual core cable which is moulded with PVC
5. The housing material is copper alloy.
6. Its a standard 0.78mm 2 pin
7. Now the alking about the physicality cable. It is very supple and soft.
8. It has a decent amount of memory when rolling it, but it also doesn’t get kinks. Which is a very nice thing in my opinion.
9. They are not that microphonic atleast for me.
10. The weight of the cable is a bit heavy but they handle quite well in daily use.
11. The moulded earhooks are not aggressive like you see with most stock cables.
12. The chin cinch is very nice and is very effective when using it.
13. Now as for sound which is a big controversial take here. I paired it with other iems too, but this cable seems like it is made for ea1000.
14. As for the sound difference well, to be honest I didn’t hear any. Everything sounded the same.
15. This cable looks so good with the ea1000! It looks like it is made for the ea1000. While the stock cable is good but this cable takes it a notch above in terms of handling the iem.
16. At $69 I do think it is a bit expensive for a cable. But the quality if the cable with it being modular and other cables of similar quality being a bit expensive than this.
17. I think so it makes a good point to get this specially if you have an ea1000 or an iem which looks similar to it.
18. The cable could be a bit heavy so a case to carry it is suggested
19. So that was my review, i hope you liked it. Thanks for stopping by!
If you have any questions please feel free to ask me and also if you have any issues regarding this format of review please do comment I will try to mend it. Also sorry to those who are used to reading long paragraphs of review in headfi. I hope my review was upto the mark, I appreciate any feedback.
Again a big thanks to Simgot for making this review possible.
Have a great day ahead, Bye
The SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 High Performance Modular Cable
Hi!
Resident cable lunatic here…….and I always wasn’t this way. As of only the last few years I have come upon this malady of sorts…..call it a diversion, or a sickness, call it Head-Fi? It is the fact that I notice a very small difference from changing cables. This factor depends on the IEM in question, as well as the cable used…….if I hear a change or not and to what extent. Sure most of the time ear-tips make the most difference. And the rest of the world would view these tinkerers of audio-equipment crazy. And in a small way we are lunatics…….always looking for that small improvement, or change to realign the signal to our taste.
To summarize here:
1) Cables can add a style of enhanced sound quality
2) Cables can alter playback and change signals
3) Cables look nice, at times, nicer than the included cable
4) Cables at times have an increase in ergonomics than the included cable that came with your IEM
SIMGOT LC7
OFC SILVER PLATED IEM UPGRADE CABLE
https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-lc7
The thing is that all this these wire cores and effort put into plugs and such cost money. More money that typically comes with your $100.00 IEM purchase.
Some view the audio marketplace with contempt as these designers and builders are out for your disposable income. And in a way they are right, but there is a change when you alter the transmission line to your IEM. As such it is probably better that I start off with comparisons here.
The TINHIFI T5S:
Now here is a new IEM, in fact it is my most favorite TIN yet. A revamp of the original T5. Basically TINHIFI got feedback as to why the original T5 was not the success they were hoping for in 2021, and came-out with a new T5S variation of tone. They increased the bass levels and smoothed out the 5kHz peak. In fact such an IEM sells for $129.99 and makes the perfect example of maybe why you might want to upgrade your cable. The included TINHIFI T5S cable is also the very nicest included cable I have ever come across from TINHIFI, and I have reviewed a few TINs?
My personal TINHIFI history:
The TINHIFI T5 May 7th, 2021
The TINHIFI T1S April 26th, 2022
The TINHIFI Giant Panda Planar April 28th, 2022
The TINHIFI Tin Buds TWS June 24th, 2022 (no cable transmission line TWS)
The TINHIFI T2 DLC October 20th, 2022
The TINHIFI C2 January 10th, 2023
The TINHIFI T4 PLUS January 11th, 2023
The TINHIFI C3 January 20th, 2023
The TINHIFI C5 April 20th, 2023
The TINHIFI C0 ELF October 17th, 2023
The T5S cable comes with 28 strands of 0.06mm enameled copper with 54 stands of 0.05mm silver-plated copper. In short, TINHIFI are not messing around any longer and dead-set on success here. The included cable is amazing, and not only in sound, but in ergonomics too. Totally quiet and moving to where-ever you want it to.
The sound is slightly more intense than the LC7. The way my testing works is I start off with the T5S in use with the LC7 in 4.4mm balanced mode, then switch to single ended, then finally switch to the 3.5mm included cable single ended. And yes, the included cable is of a slightly reduced soundstage, and ever so slightly more forward with elements. This normally would be a good thing, except there is an open positioning of the stage that simply makes the LC7 better, not a world of difference, but different none-the-less. So we are experiencing a subtle LC7 stage width with slightly bigger imaging of a more relaxed and yet detailed stature. Really that is it.
SIMGOT EA1000:
Here it has very much the same effects. Yet the SIMGOT EA1000 is a sizable difference in cost…….$219.99. While a silver plated Litz structure was included with the EA1000, there is simply more material make-up to the LC7. Now my guess is the LC7 was actually made to go along with the EA1000. The sound improvement is accomplished simply by gaining access to the balanced 4.4mm port of your DAP. But also there is a noticeable commingling of aesthetics here? Let me ask you something……..do not the LC7 and EA1000 look like they were made for one another? As the ergonomics are fine, really it moves in and out of position well, with very little microphonics. The construction and the plugs, chin-cinch and covering are first rate, really very nice. As far as being a value there may be better under $100 cables out there, I mean the competition right now is heavy, to say the least. Yet in comparison to the included EA1000 cable...........we actually do find improvements, strong improvements. I used the included EA1000 cable which is 3.5mm in contrast to the LC7 in 3.5mm and found the extra core count did do something? Imaging was better as well as separation and a slight upgrade in vividness. There was slightly heavier bass and an improvement in treble imaging and clarity...............not the very best for $69.99 cable, but really good. Where the upgrade happened was when I moved to 4.4mm..............so here I am accessing a different balanced amp in the WM1A and this is when the party started.
The SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 and SIMGOT AUDIO EA1000:
I don't want to use the terminology night and day, but the stage was of considerable note-size difference, though keep in mind this is not maybe from the cable but from the source? Bigger imaging, noticeably better note weight....etc, etc. So all and all the looks and performance go well as an addition to the EA1000, as the LC7 was perfectly balanced and never colored the sound or skewed any one thing out of place, and if you were looking for a simple way to upgrade your EA1000 this may be a first place to look, as it's guaranteed to keep the EA1000 sound profile the same with just an added pizzazz! As trying to find how much difference a 3.5mm amplifier makes in contrast to a 4.4mm balanced, the simple plug change-out is an easy way to tell. And yes, both 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced were a noticeable improvement from the EA1000 included cable. Simply more vibrant and holding a slightly bigger presence into where notes where found in the stage.
LC7 summary:
Here we are provided with a stout and robust cable, in contrast to the regular cable which is provided with our IEMs. As such the LC7 can be of a profound price increase depending on who you are. While yes, the LC7 provides a constant and noticeable difference, still this is also the area of diminished return for your audiophile dollar. Meaning The EA1000 is $219.99 and the LC7 is $69.99? Yet the value here is in fact the personality of the LC7. Yep, the LC7 doesn’t really alter the signal any except for slight smoothness and size of replay. This very specific trait means the LC7 can be found as an addition to all kinds of IEMs where you don’t want to make the signal too dark or too bright. Meaning you may have the new SIMGOT AUDIO EA500LM in the mail to you, and the LC7 would be the perfect complement to it. While of course the LC7 could be found to be less bright than some included cables, like with the included TINHIFI T5S included cable, really the differences were not that great. Where the forwardness of the T5S was maybe desirable, maybe not……depending on the style of listener you are. What is not arguable was the stage enhancement and the subtle polish that was obtained when you compared the T5S cable in 3.5mm to the SIMGOT LC7 in 3.5mm.
Bonus add-on comparison:
Even though I finished with the different IEMs in use with the LC7 and did my comparisons, I want to try one more?
The GEEK WOLD GK10s:
Now the intense part here is I haven’t posted the GK10s review yet, But here I am doing cables rolls……..And while the Penon SPACE is probably the closest to the LC7 I have, trading cables with the GK10s is a regular way to find any differences. Now at times the SPACE shows itself to be quite the beast. Yep, one of the coolest cables to use with the Penon Serial, as the SPACE has 2X the wire included with the Penon OS133. Yep the OS133 is 2 shares, single share is 133 cores , a total of 266 cores. And the SPACE is 4 shares, single share is 133 cores, a total of 532 cores. Yet our LC7 is 732 cores? Still the SPACE is a faction clearer and holding a tad more detail yet they are super close to being the same. Though one of the main differences is at times the SPACE can be really microphonic, where the LC7 never is. I say that but today with the GK10s the SPACE is not microphonic at all, so it depends on the IEM used. Maybe there is a different style of silver or the construction makes these small changes? Part of all this testing can be psychological, meaning you always have a pre-expectation bias which colors your view into the reality of cable tests. I say all this but the OS133 is a very widely used cable in the PENON accessory architecture, being used for Tail Amplifiers and even cable Adapter Modules. Reason being is just like the SPACE it is relatively transparent and doesn’t color the sound in any which way! Here we are bestowed once more to clear and clean renditions of stage size as well as being very middle-of-the-road as far as changing the tone. Really both the SPACE and the LC7 where almost indistinguishable from one another here, plus too it’s only a $49.90 GEEK WOLD IEM, that while definitely great sounding, the GK10s isn’t the last word in resolution, therefor not the very best IEM to distinguish cables with. Yet of course we were better than the included GEEK WOLD cable.
Packaging:
it should be noted that SIMGOT went way above and beyond to incase the cable box into a specially designed extra-box which seems like it was custom made?
Conclusion:
Call me impressed. This is SIMGOT AUDIO’s very first cable, and I hope not the last. Going perfectly with many IEMs I have, I did a 5 day burn-in cycle by simply using the cable for IEMs I happened to be burning-in at the time. Built like a brick SCHIIT-HOUSE the LC7 is not messing around here. Call it macho or call it normal, the more cables I review and the more I come in contact with aftermarket cables the smaller they become.
As I go back to cables I purchased in 2017 and they actually look and feel small in comparison to what is arriving here at Redcarmoose Labs regularly. Does it matter? Does size matter, as far as cables go? I personally feel material make-up to be more of a determining factor. I say this as I have some copper/gold cables that are giant sounding and almost thin as a hair. Though as far as SPC goes, yes size matters. And conveniently the LC7 is just right, as far as ergonomics go. I mean I truly think SIMGOT AUDIO spent their time and researched thoroughly before introducing their one cable to market. Still besides the transparent uncolored sound, the build is out-of-this-world. I mean just look at the cable for Pet’s sake. Because the way nothing screws down (at least that I can see)? I mean I’m sure this is put together like most cables, except none of that shows. The plugs come-off and go on to the modular connection super fast and firm? You don’t even have to visualize the connection slot, nope........you just spin until it stops then slides in. Once in it is as firm as any cable I have ever come across? While it doesn’t come with a modular 3-in-1 2.5mm, I don’t own any 2.5mm plug equipment. As such the ear-hooks are smooth and not too aggressive, the micrphonics a dream……………………I mean what more do you want? The LC7 simply offers more material to broaden your stage, and looks cool in action. The LC7 never gets in the way by altering your sound. Though it is slightly smooth in relation to some included cables, so there is that, in that it holds that as an attribute which seems to go with the EA1000?
SIMGOT AUDIO EA1000:
I know I keep bringing the EA1000 up, but that’s SIMGOT AUDIO’s flagship and this TOTL cable seems made for it, I mean why else would they introduce it? There is a non-fussy way about the cable combined with the chrome that just works, as it is a joy to use. If SIMGOT offers new IEMs down the line, I’m pretty sure this style of cable will go along for the ride? That is unless you want to drastically alter your tonal response, to either gain treble or (in-reverse) smooth-out the stage midrange or treble peaks drastically……well then…….you would probably need to look somewhere else?
Price $69.99 USD
https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-lc7
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Fia Lam from SIMGOT AUDIO for the opportunity to review SIMGOT AUDIO HIGH PERFORMANCE LC7 Cable.
Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle 4.4mm and 3.5mm
These are the experiences and thoughts of a single individual, your results may vary.
Hi!
Resident cable lunatic here…….and I always wasn’t this way. As of only the last few years I have come upon this malady of sorts…..call it a diversion, or a sickness, call it Head-Fi? It is the fact that I notice a very small difference from changing cables. This factor depends on the IEM in question, as well as the cable used…….if I hear a change or not and to what extent. Sure most of the time ear-tips make the most difference. And the rest of the world would view these tinkerers of audio-equipment crazy. And in a small way we are lunatics…….always looking for that small improvement, or change to realign the signal to our taste.
To summarize here:
1) Cables can add a style of enhanced sound quality
2) Cables can alter playback and change signals
3) Cables look nice, at times, nicer than the included cable
4) Cables at times have an increase in ergonomics than the included cable that came with your IEM
SIMGOT LC7
OFC SILVER PLATED IEM UPGRADE CABLE
- Harmony of High Purity Copper and Silver
- Quality Conductors, Delicate Transmission
- 732 Cores for Detailed Presentation
- Radiant Copper Alloy Shell
- Broad Compatibility, Interchangeable Plugs
- Transparent PVC Coating, Enduring Freshness
https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-lc7
The thing is that all this these wire cores and effort put into plugs and such cost money. More money that typically comes with your $100.00 IEM purchase.
Some view the audio marketplace with contempt as these designers and builders are out for your disposable income. And in a way they are right, but there is a change when you alter the transmission line to your IEM. As such it is probably better that I start off with comparisons here.
The TINHIFI T5S:
Now here is a new IEM, in fact it is my most favorite TIN yet. A revamp of the original T5. Basically TINHIFI got feedback as to why the original T5 was not the success they were hoping for in 2021, and came-out with a new T5S variation of tone. They increased the bass levels and smoothed out the 5kHz peak. In fact such an IEM sells for $129.99 and makes the perfect example of maybe why you might want to upgrade your cable. The included TINHIFI T5S cable is also the very nicest included cable I have ever come across from TINHIFI, and I have reviewed a few TINs?
My personal TINHIFI history:
The TINHIFI T5 May 7th, 2021
The TINHIFI T1S April 26th, 2022
The TINHIFI Giant Panda Planar April 28th, 2022
The TINHIFI Tin Buds TWS June 24th, 2022 (no cable transmission line TWS)
The TINHIFI T2 DLC October 20th, 2022
The TINHIFI C2 January 10th, 2023
The TINHIFI T4 PLUS January 11th, 2023
The TINHIFI C3 January 20th, 2023
The TINHIFI C5 April 20th, 2023
The TINHIFI C0 ELF October 17th, 2023
The T5S cable comes with 28 strands of 0.06mm enameled copper with 54 stands of 0.05mm silver-plated copper. In short, TINHIFI are not messing around any longer and dead-set on success here. The included cable is amazing, and not only in sound, but in ergonomics too. Totally quiet and moving to where-ever you want it to.
The sound is slightly more intense than the LC7. The way my testing works is I start off with the T5S in use with the LC7 in 4.4mm balanced mode, then switch to single ended, then finally switch to the 3.5mm included cable single ended. And yes, the included cable is of a slightly reduced soundstage, and ever so slightly more forward with elements. This normally would be a good thing, except there is an open positioning of the stage that simply makes the LC7 better, not a world of difference, but different none-the-less. So we are experiencing a subtle LC7 stage width with slightly bigger imaging of a more relaxed and yet detailed stature. Really that is it.
SIMGOT EA1000:
Here it has very much the same effects. Yet the SIMGOT EA1000 is a sizable difference in cost…….$219.99. While a silver plated Litz structure was included with the EA1000, there is simply more material make-up to the LC7. Now my guess is the LC7 was actually made to go along with the EA1000. The sound improvement is accomplished simply by gaining access to the balanced 4.4mm port of your DAP. But also there is a noticeable commingling of aesthetics here? Let me ask you something……..do not the LC7 and EA1000 look like they were made for one another? As the ergonomics are fine, really it moves in and out of position well, with very little microphonics. The construction and the plugs, chin-cinch and covering are first rate, really very nice. As far as being a value there may be better under $100 cables out there, I mean the competition right now is heavy, to say the least. Yet in comparison to the included EA1000 cable...........we actually do find improvements, strong improvements. I used the included EA1000 cable which is 3.5mm in contrast to the LC7 in 3.5mm and found the extra core count did do something? Imaging was better as well as separation and a slight upgrade in vividness. There was slightly heavier bass and an improvement in treble imaging and clarity...............not the very best for $69.99 cable, but really good. Where the upgrade happened was when I moved to 4.4mm..............so here I am accessing a different balanced amp in the WM1A and this is when the party started.
The SIMGOT AUDIO LC7 and SIMGOT AUDIO EA1000:
I don't want to use the terminology night and day, but the stage was of considerable note-size difference, though keep in mind this is not maybe from the cable but from the source? Bigger imaging, noticeably better note weight....etc, etc. So all and all the looks and performance go well as an addition to the EA1000, as the LC7 was perfectly balanced and never colored the sound or skewed any one thing out of place, and if you were looking for a simple way to upgrade your EA1000 this may be a first place to look, as it's guaranteed to keep the EA1000 sound profile the same with just an added pizzazz! As trying to find how much difference a 3.5mm amplifier makes in contrast to a 4.4mm balanced, the simple plug change-out is an easy way to tell. And yes, both 3.5mm and 4.4mm balanced were a noticeable improvement from the EA1000 included cable. Simply more vibrant and holding a slightly bigger presence into where notes where found in the stage.
LC7 summary:
Here we are provided with a stout and robust cable, in contrast to the regular cable which is provided with our IEMs. As such the LC7 can be of a profound price increase depending on who you are. While yes, the LC7 provides a constant and noticeable difference, still this is also the area of diminished return for your audiophile dollar. Meaning The EA1000 is $219.99 and the LC7 is $69.99? Yet the value here is in fact the personality of the LC7. Yep, the LC7 doesn’t really alter the signal any except for slight smoothness and size of replay. This very specific trait means the LC7 can be found as an addition to all kinds of IEMs where you don’t want to make the signal too dark or too bright. Meaning you may have the new SIMGOT AUDIO EA500LM in the mail to you, and the LC7 would be the perfect complement to it. While of course the LC7 could be found to be less bright than some included cables, like with the included TINHIFI T5S included cable, really the differences were not that great. Where the forwardness of the T5S was maybe desirable, maybe not……depending on the style of listener you are. What is not arguable was the stage enhancement and the subtle polish that was obtained when you compared the T5S cable in 3.5mm to the SIMGOT LC7 in 3.5mm.
Bonus add-on comparison:
Even though I finished with the different IEMs in use with the LC7 and did my comparisons, I want to try one more?
The GEEK WOLD GK10s:
Now the intense part here is I haven’t posted the GK10s review yet, But here I am doing cables rolls……..And while the Penon SPACE is probably the closest to the LC7 I have, trading cables with the GK10s is a regular way to find any differences. Now at times the SPACE shows itself to be quite the beast. Yep, one of the coolest cables to use with the Penon Serial, as the SPACE has 2X the wire included with the Penon OS133. Yep the OS133 is 2 shares, single share is 133 cores , a total of 266 cores. And the SPACE is 4 shares, single share is 133 cores, a total of 532 cores. Yet our LC7 is 732 cores? Still the SPACE is a faction clearer and holding a tad more detail yet they are super close to being the same. Though one of the main differences is at times the SPACE can be really microphonic, where the LC7 never is. I say that but today with the GK10s the SPACE is not microphonic at all, so it depends on the IEM used. Maybe there is a different style of silver or the construction makes these small changes? Part of all this testing can be psychological, meaning you always have a pre-expectation bias which colors your view into the reality of cable tests. I say all this but the OS133 is a very widely used cable in the PENON accessory architecture, being used for Tail Amplifiers and even cable Adapter Modules. Reason being is just like the SPACE it is relatively transparent and doesn’t color the sound in any which way! Here we are bestowed once more to clear and clean renditions of stage size as well as being very middle-of-the-road as far as changing the tone. Really both the SPACE and the LC7 where almost indistinguishable from one another here, plus too it’s only a $49.90 GEEK WOLD IEM, that while definitely great sounding, the GK10s isn’t the last word in resolution, therefor not the very best IEM to distinguish cables with. Yet of course we were better than the included GEEK WOLD cable.
Packaging:
it should be noted that SIMGOT went way above and beyond to incase the cable box into a specially designed extra-box which seems like it was custom made?
Conclusion:
Call me impressed. This is SIMGOT AUDIO’s very first cable, and I hope not the last. Going perfectly with many IEMs I have, I did a 5 day burn-in cycle by simply using the cable for IEMs I happened to be burning-in at the time. Built like a brick SCHIIT-HOUSE the LC7 is not messing around here. Call it macho or call it normal, the more cables I review and the more I come in contact with aftermarket cables the smaller they become.
As I go back to cables I purchased in 2017 and they actually look and feel small in comparison to what is arriving here at Redcarmoose Labs regularly. Does it matter? Does size matter, as far as cables go? I personally feel material make-up to be more of a determining factor. I say this as I have some copper/gold cables that are giant sounding and almost thin as a hair. Though as far as SPC goes, yes size matters. And conveniently the LC7 is just right, as far as ergonomics go. I mean I truly think SIMGOT AUDIO spent their time and researched thoroughly before introducing their one cable to market. Still besides the transparent uncolored sound, the build is out-of-this-world. I mean just look at the cable for Pet’s sake. Because the way nothing screws down (at least that I can see)? I mean I’m sure this is put together like most cables, except none of that shows. The plugs come-off and go on to the modular connection super fast and firm? You don’t even have to visualize the connection slot, nope........you just spin until it stops then slides in. Once in it is as firm as any cable I have ever come across? While it doesn’t come with a modular 3-in-1 2.5mm, I don’t own any 2.5mm plug equipment. As such the ear-hooks are smooth and not too aggressive, the micrphonics a dream……………………I mean what more do you want? The LC7 simply offers more material to broaden your stage, and looks cool in action. The LC7 never gets in the way by altering your sound. Though it is slightly smooth in relation to some included cables, so there is that, in that it holds that as an attribute which seems to go with the EA1000?
SIMGOT AUDIO EA1000:
I know I keep bringing the EA1000 up, but that’s SIMGOT AUDIO’s flagship and this TOTL cable seems made for it, I mean why else would they introduce it? There is a non-fussy way about the cable combined with the chrome that just works, as it is a joy to use. If SIMGOT offers new IEMs down the line, I’m pretty sure this style of cable will go along for the ride? That is unless you want to drastically alter your tonal response, to either gain treble or (in-reverse) smooth-out the stage midrange or treble peaks drastically……well then…….you would probably need to look somewhere else?
Price $69.99 USD
https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-lc7
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Fia Lam from SIMGOT AUDIO for the opportunity to review SIMGOT AUDIO HIGH PERFORMANCE LC7 Cable.
Linsoul website: https://www.linsoul.com/
Linsoul Aliexpress Store: https://ddaudio.aliexpress.com/store/2894006
Linsoul USA Amazon Store link: https://www.amazon.com/s?i=merchant-items&me=A267P2DT104U3C
Equipment Used:
Sony WM1Z Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony WM1A Walkman DAP MrWalkman Firmware 4.4mm and 3.5mm
Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/AMP Firmware 1.03
Electra Glide Audio Reference Glide-Reference Standard "Fatboy" Power Cord
Sony Walkman Cradle BCR-NWH10
AudioQuest Carbon USB
Shanling UA3 Dongle 4.4mm and 3.5mm
These are the experiences and thoughts of a single individual, your results may vary.
PapaThrust
Thanks for that! "Where a mid focused IEM may reveal the 3 to be perfect equals, believe it or not."
Kinda glad you said that, My Butastur is the only IEM I have that I can readily/easily discern differences. The Space clearly affected staging and spacial clues yet pulled the vocals back a touch...It would be absolutely perfect if it could somehow leave my singer where he was. Also, I was able to carefully mould the space ends with some hot water ....that helped a lot!
Kinda glad you said that, My Butastur is the only IEM I have that I can readily/easily discern differences. The Space clearly affected staging and spacial clues yet pulled the vocals back a touch...It would be absolutely perfect if it could somehow leave my singer where he was. Also, I was able to carefully mould the space ends with some hot water ....that helped a lot!
Redcarmoose
@PapaThrust,
Ha Ha, you sound as crazy as me.......in regards to ascertaining cable qualities. Well, the Space does the extra staging and as you say imaging/spacial clues, though I don't hear the vocals recessed, though I believe you. As such this is a marriage of DAP personality, ear-tip personality and cable personalities, along with the transducer.
I mean you could try going up the ladder to something like the Penon OSG.....yet that is not going to be as neutral as the Space, but does other vocal characteristics, which may be your forte? I have never heard the Butastur, but I bet that one will open the treble and midrange for resolution and tone discernment.........
Ha Ha, you sound as crazy as me.......in regards to ascertaining cable qualities. Well, the Space does the extra staging and as you say imaging/spacial clues, though I don't hear the vocals recessed, though I believe you. As such this is a marriage of DAP personality, ear-tip personality and cable personalities, along with the transducer.
I mean you could try going up the ladder to something like the Penon OSG.....yet that is not going to be as neutral as the Space, but does other vocal characteristics, which may be your forte? I have never heard the Butastur, but I bet that one will open the treble and midrange for resolution and tone discernment.........
The Simgot LC7 is a fairly beefy 18AWG two wire combination of OFC & SPC wire conductors, with a modest price of USD $69.
The cable boasts a total of 732 individual cores, so there's quite a lot of metal here which should in theory conduct electrons very effectively. I've always found thicker & heavier cables deliver better IEM performance, though there's often an ergonomic price to be paid.
Simgot sent me the LC7 in exchange for a review and it's the first of their cables I've tried, so I've no idea what to expect... at first glance it certainly looks attractive if nothing else!
Arriving in a fairly minimalist cardboard box, the LC7 is actually a modular cable that's supplied with both 4.4mm & 3.5mm plugs, and a small plastic cable tie.
It's a fairly spartan package but I have no issues with it given the LC7 is only USD $69.
Weighing in at a middleweight 44 grams, the LC7 hits the sweetspot of being substantial enough to (hopefully) deliver great performance, whilst remaining acceptably light & flexible.
The soft PVC insulation helps improve comfort, and the cable drapes nicely without stiffness being an issue. There's no moulded earhooks which I find is the most comfortable approach, so I rate comfort as very good overall. It also helps that the Y-split is extremely light.
In terms of hardware the plug, splitter & 2pin connectors are fairly utilitarian, but there's a pleasingly minimalist appearance here without them coming across as cheap.
Despite being the lowest-cost cable in this roundup, you wouldn't know it based on performance.
Bass is one area I find the LC7 may not improve an IEM's performance quite as much as the other cables, whereas the midrange is where the LC7 really shines - bringing greater focus & emphasis to vocals on all IEMs I test it with, even enhancing detail throughout the mid frequencies in the process. Conversely treble isn't accentuated terribly much, so you can safely pair it with brighter IEMs.
I've also found the LC7 is very good at growing the soundstage to give your earphones a larger, more spacious presentation.
Mostly I find this is the perfect cable to 'correct' V-shaped IEMs by bringing vocals forward, as one of my pet-hates is budget V-shaped earphones with weak midranges that position voices annoyingly far away - to some extent the LC7 can solve that common issue.
Simgot EA1000 - 1xDD 1xPR (USD $219)
I'm not sure if Simgot tuned the LC7 for the EA1000, but it feels like they did. If you own an EA1000 I strongly recommend picking one up because it's obvious the synergy between them is terrific.
In this impressive pairing the vocals are shifted forward, and the midrange gains greater resolution to reach very impressive levels. Note weight and overall sense of heft is improved, which may be influenced by a greater emphasis on the lower midrange. Imaging is also that little bit more defined, and the LC7 + EA1000 combo is one I can listen to for hours without fatigue with great satisfaction.
ISN EST50 – 2xBA, 1xDD, 2xEST (USD $449)
This was another impressive pairing with the EST50s' stage growing wider & becoming more spherical, as opposed to flatter on the stock S8 cable. However there's a slight sense of diffuseness as well.
Vocals are also brought forward which helps correct the EST50's V-shaped tuning and midrange resolution is increased in the process.
Penon Turbo - 6xBA (USD $549)
I'm not quite as keen on this pairup. The Turbos' stage deepens but doesn't widen, and though I detect a little more midbass there isn't the sense of sub bass improvement I was hoping for.
Again the midrange is given greater emphasis and note weight increases, and I feel like the tuning is a bit more musical now with a little more groove, though the stock cable has slightly brighter treble performance which I prefer given the Turbos are relatively dark to begin with.
At just USD $69 the Simgot LC7 is a no-brainer if your IEMs require more midrange body & emphasis.
Comfort is perfectly decent and it doesn't look or feel cheap, yet performance improvements are well within the realm of being easy to hear compared to a lot of cables out there.
This isn't your typical copper cable that's going to strengthen the midrange with the caveat of adding a ton of extra warmth that may be too much to handle - the LC7 strikes a nice balance between maintaining neutrality & adding an increased sense sense of gravitas.
The cable boasts a total of 732 individual cores, so there's quite a lot of metal here which should in theory conduct electrons very effectively. I've always found thicker & heavier cables deliver better IEM performance, though there's often an ergonomic price to be paid.
Simgot sent me the LC7 in exchange for a review and it's the first of their cables I've tried, so I've no idea what to expect... at first glance it certainly looks attractive if nothing else!
Packaging
Arriving in a fairly minimalist cardboard box, the LC7 is actually a modular cable that's supplied with both 4.4mm & 3.5mm plugs, and a small plastic cable tie.
It's a fairly spartan package but I have no issues with it given the LC7 is only USD $69.
Ergonomics
Weighing in at a middleweight 44 grams, the LC7 hits the sweetspot of being substantial enough to (hopefully) deliver great performance, whilst remaining acceptably light & flexible.
The soft PVC insulation helps improve comfort, and the cable drapes nicely without stiffness being an issue. There's no moulded earhooks which I find is the most comfortable approach, so I rate comfort as very good overall. It also helps that the Y-split is extremely light.
In terms of hardware the plug, splitter & 2pin connectors are fairly utilitarian, but there's a pleasingly minimalist appearance here without them coming across as cheap.
Sound Performance
Despite being the lowest-cost cable in this roundup, you wouldn't know it based on performance.
Bass is one area I find the LC7 may not improve an IEM's performance quite as much as the other cables, whereas the midrange is where the LC7 really shines - bringing greater focus & emphasis to vocals on all IEMs I test it with, even enhancing detail throughout the mid frequencies in the process. Conversely treble isn't accentuated terribly much, so you can safely pair it with brighter IEMs.
I've also found the LC7 is very good at growing the soundstage to give your earphones a larger, more spacious presentation.
Mostly I find this is the perfect cable to 'correct' V-shaped IEMs by bringing vocals forward, as one of my pet-hates is budget V-shaped earphones with weak midranges that position voices annoyingly far away - to some extent the LC7 can solve that common issue.
IEM Impressions
Simgot EA1000 - 1xDD 1xPR (USD $219)
I'm not sure if Simgot tuned the LC7 for the EA1000, but it feels like they did. If you own an EA1000 I strongly recommend picking one up because it's obvious the synergy between them is terrific.
In this impressive pairing the vocals are shifted forward, and the midrange gains greater resolution to reach very impressive levels. Note weight and overall sense of heft is improved, which may be influenced by a greater emphasis on the lower midrange. Imaging is also that little bit more defined, and the LC7 + EA1000 combo is one I can listen to for hours without fatigue with great satisfaction.
ISN EST50 – 2xBA, 1xDD, 2xEST (USD $449)
This was another impressive pairing with the EST50s' stage growing wider & becoming more spherical, as opposed to flatter on the stock S8 cable. However there's a slight sense of diffuseness as well.
Vocals are also brought forward which helps correct the EST50's V-shaped tuning and midrange resolution is increased in the process.
Penon Turbo - 6xBA (USD $549)
I'm not quite as keen on this pairup. The Turbos' stage deepens but doesn't widen, and though I detect a little more midbass there isn't the sense of sub bass improvement I was hoping for.
Again the midrange is given greater emphasis and note weight increases, and I feel like the tuning is a bit more musical now with a little more groove, though the stock cable has slightly brighter treble performance which I prefer given the Turbos are relatively dark to begin with.
Conclusion
At just USD $69 the Simgot LC7 is a no-brainer if your IEMs require more midrange body & emphasis.
Comfort is perfectly decent and it doesn't look or feel cheap, yet performance improvements are well within the realm of being easy to hear compared to a lot of cables out there.
This isn't your typical copper cable that's going to strengthen the midrange with the caveat of adding a ton of extra warmth that may be too much to handle - the LC7 strikes a nice balance between maintaining neutrality & adding an increased sense sense of gravitas.
Gears Used for Testing
- Simgot EA1000
- Spirit Torino Twin Pulse IEM
- Letshuoer S15
- 7Hz Legato
Material
- High purity oxygen free copper & silver plated wire hybrid
- Single 18AWG, 732 cores in 2 strands
- Coaxial Litz structure weave
- Approximately 120cm (excluding plugs)
- Customised transparent PVC
- Standard 0.78mm 2 Pin
- Standard 3.5mm single-ended / 4.4mm balanced gold plated interchangeable plugs
The cable itself is very well built, it is very soft and doesn’t retain cable memory, hence making it easy to store and bring out from storage. The 0.78 2 pin jack as well as the modular plug is very solid, the plug has good ergonomics based on my experience of using it for several weeks , where the shape of the jack somehow provides a very good grip when you want to unplug it from the headphone or your amp. Very well thought out, although it might sound a little inconvenient, but i do hope there will be some locking mechanism on the modular plug itself to further secure it, similar to Moondrop Aria II’s stock cable’s mechanism. Overall, i like the build quality very much, aesthetically as well as the tactile of the cable
Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far
Sound Impression
*The cable has been run in for approximately 20-30 hours prior to writing this sound impression.
I have tested several SPC based cables and despite having the same material, they all sound different, i am aware that this is a rather controversial topic, hence if you are someone who believes in cable, feel free to read further, else just skip this review/impression at once. The LC7 does improve several aspects of the sound, in terms of slightly better note weight as well as a more spacious sound
Listening impression
Simgot EA1000 with LC-7
- Compared to stock cable of EA1000 as well as default nozzle, pairing it with the LC7 improved the overall note weight, with a bit more texture and body on the mids and lows, treble is slightly smoother while doesn’t sacrifice much in terms of technicalities
- I also noticed slightly better soundstage reproduction as well
- Vocal positioning doesn’t change much but slightly better texture on the mids
- Twin Pulse IEM’s sound profile is very natural overall and LC-7 do well in terms of synergy
- The soundstage on the Twin Pulse is slightly more spacious sounding, in terms of width, slightly more out of your head, as well as better depth
- The vocal positioning however, is being pushed back by a little
- S15 sports a slightly warmer tuning, hence pairing this with the LC7 does open up the treble a little, making the S15 slightly more energetic on the top end
- With a slightly more open treble, this also contributes to a slightly wider soundstage, coupled with the R-sonic passive filter within the S15, it makes the overall listening experience very engaging, in the sense where the bass feels enveloping
- Legato is a very fun and bassy IEM, some will prefer the monstrous bass, whereas some might find it a tinge too much and want to tame it down a little
- The bass is slightly tighter hence the perceived response is slightly faster bass and slight reduction in quantity
- Treble also slightly opened up bringing a little bit more details and resolution
- This pairing is good for those who find the Legato is lacking in terms of treble and resolution
Final Thoughts
Cable altering/improving the sound of the transducer is a very controversial topic, there are some who don’t hear any difference and there are those who are like me, who have the ability to perceive the changes/improvement. Do keep in mind that cable will not make a bad sounding headphone sound better, That aside, Simgot LC-7 is definitely a worthy investment if you are looking to improve or tweak a certain aspect of your headphone (soundstage,lusher mids and slightly better treble extension), this is the cable for you.
*Received the review sample from Simgot for the purpose of this review, big thanks to them for the support as always
Head over to their dealer Linsoul to purchase one if you’re interested:
Simgot LC7 - Non affiliated
Simgot LC7
Simgot has been a company on a mission. Their newer IEMs just resonates with the headfi community and has garnered a following that has put them on the Map. I can tell they care about their products as the workmanship shows in each product they make. I knew they made IEMs but I had no idea they also created a cable to match up with their IEMs called the LC7. This high purity OFC cable plated in silver comes at a price tag around $70 and at this price range one would expect a more refined IEM cable.
I will get into what makes the LC7 a good addition for the Simgot fanatics and or fans of their products. Cables that hover at this price range at the $70- $100 range are facing a huge uphill battle simply because there are so many variations on the aftermarket IEM cables out there. In fact the most numerous types of IEM cables all fall into the sub $100 category of IEM cables. Owning a kings share of IEM cables at all levels of the game I use on a daily basis. I have a very good understanding of what to expect at the given price ranges and how they shape a base IEM sound signature for the better or in some cases for the worse and with this report I will lay out the goods as far as what to expect when looking into Simgots first premium IEM upgrade cable in the LC7
Cables do not magically somehow change your IEM sound to be something it isn’t but it is however much like the tips you use on your IEMs, a good cable matchup can be the difference in liking an IEM to loving the IEM. The subtle sound shaping and or enhancing ability of a good IEM cable for the audiophile is a viable tool to get the best synergy possible for a given IEM it is attached to. At the LC7s cores, it is made with what was advertised as a higher purity Oxygen Free Copper then plated with pure silver to bring out the best traits of both materials and how that ultimately translates to your end IEM sound. This type of cable finish is fairly common but not all SPC type cables are the same.
What makes SPCs sold at different levels has a lot to do with material purity, the cost associated with it and its geometry involved with its overall quality. While even cheap budget SPC type cables say they are at a certain purity grade. Of course you can’t really believe in any of that as there is no real way of knowing if marketing purity is actually what it is. So we are always left with actually trying out a cable and deciding whether or not it works well with your IEMs. I know that is not the most scientific way of figuring things out but it is more or less trial and error for these types of cables. The more affordable the easier it is to just try one. This being said, when Simgot says they are using a higher purity copper. I have a tendency to believe them simply because of the value they put out on the market for their own IEMs. So going off of that. These are my take on the FC7 as follows.
The LC7 comes in a simple box package and its specs are as follows.
OFC silver plated
732 shares, 18AWG thickness per core x 2 cores
Copper alloy hardware
Transparent PVC
Modular plugs, 3.5mm single ended
And 4.4mm balanced.
3 Month warranty
My tester is simple. I will use Simgot’s own IEMs and a few others vs their included cables. There is a reason why the LC7 costs an extra $70 and does not come with the EA500 and or the EA1000 for example. The included cable on the EA1000 interestingly enough seems to be made of the same or similar material in that it is also using silver plated OFC. So a direct comparison against the stock cable will be an interesting one. Does the $70 cable warrant its price tag? Let's find out.
Standard disclaimers: The LC7 was provided by Simgot for the purpose of a review. You can look up their product page here.
What I have observed thus far in pros and cons.
Pros
-Well made solid modular cable
-Ergonomic and easy to use
-No extra cord noise.
-Good clean looking cable
-Pliable with no noodling
-Stage enhancing-spacious presentation
-adds slight note weight and forwardness to mids
-weightier bass notes.
-maintains an IEM tonal balance
-transparent, clean overall profile.
-Easy pull in and out for plugs
Cons
-Decent but not at a high value for what it does
-not the best for precision or enhancing technicals like stage, sound separation, imaging
-pull out modularity. Some do not like modular option
It was the EA1000 included cable that first came to mind. I wanted to try with the LC7 first.
After using the cable for a period of a week's time these are the results from going back and forth from the stock cable.
EA1000 included cable is very similar in makeup and is described similarly as well as a high purity OFC silver plated in litz. The only real physical difference between the LC7 and this cable is that the LC7 clearly has more substance and is a thicker cable in comparison. I have done reviews for 4 cored vs 8 cored vs 16 cored cables and it comes down to materials of the cable make up and just how much of it is being used for its sound output. From how I understand it, more cores make for more efficiency therefore the sound perception of a more expansive stage with greater note weight to sound is more due to this factor. It has been fairly consistent in how more cores/ material relates to sound performance and this is also true using the LC7.
Connecting the LC7 to the EA1000 seems to be what the designer of the earphones had in mind vs its included stock cable. There is a limit to what IEM manufacturers can include with a package of an IEM or they will have to charge more for including a higher end cable. So what was included with the EA1000 is a LC7 lite cable meaning it comes close but not exactly what the LC7 does for the sound. The EA1000 overall tonal balance and how they sound remains the same but what did change for the better was its overall presentation being more spacious, slightly more expansive, more airy with an uptick in dynamism in comparison. The stock cables match well with the EA1000 but it only comes in single ended. This again was a business decision on the part of Simgot as there is no balanced option when ordering a set of EA1000. EA500 or the EA200. The EA1000 package is so close to the $200 price point that most will refer to the EA1000 as a $200 level IEM but not so much if the price hikes to $250-$270 or more due to adding an upgraded cable. Simgot probably wanted to see what they can do for the price point and it is a more potent statement with the price hovering at the target price point for the IEM.
Differences vs the included cables are subtle but noticeable especially when listening to an entire track and then replacing the cable and then listening again. This was using single ended. It will be more beneficial to go 4.4mm balanced as it is already known dynamic IEMs expand with more power so it made sense to compare with the stock cable vs the LC7 in single ended than balanced just to see what the cable is doing. What the LC7 does for the EA1000 is that it now sounds more meatier in all regions of its sound output. I have cables that do stage perception better but these do a remarkable job opening up the goodness of the sound that is the EA1000. Slightly more expansive stage which includes its depth perception. Meatier/ more body to music notes. Which seem to align with the use of more material for the cables. If the EA1000 base sound with the LC7 is now at 100%. I would estimate the sound output of the stock cable and the EA1000 to be at around 95%. I know that does not seem much but there are a lot of you that love the EA1000 so much that chasing after that last final 5% of sound performance will be worth the cost to attain.
OFC copper cables seem to expand the sound of a base IEM; this was evident from other cables I have done reviews for in the past that use the same type of OFC silver plating. I am referring to the Penon OS133 cables and Penon Space cables. I would put the performance of the LC7 somewhere in the middle between the OS133 and the Space cables. More leaning toward the Space cables which is simply double core count of the OS133 OFC silver plated cables.
This puts the price point at what LC7 cables are actually valued at to be accurate. Certainly not a bad price point. So basically if you want something that is a level above the OS133 but would like something closer to the Space cable than that is where the LC7 falls. I would put the stock cable the EA1000 comes with at a very similar level to the Penon OS133 cables. Both cables have similar thickness and material count.
Simgot EA500. With the budget level at sub $100 for the entire package. The EA500 which sells for as much as the LC7 cable itself. Simgot is using once again very similar OFC silver plated cable here but even thinner and less material than what came with the EA1000 cable. Now here is where the bigger differences lie in comparison. What enhanced the EA1000 enhances the EA500 even more so due to the included cable being at a bare minimum for what it does. LC7 enhances the EA500 to a degree that is much more perceivable vs the EA1000. Heck I can throw on the stock cable for the EA1000 on the EA500 and it will do one better but with the LC7 with its more substantial core count makes the EA500 absolutely the best it can here getting the stage at a similar level to the EA1000 even. EA500 definitely benefits even more so than the EA1000 in that regard.
A 3rd IEM I checked with its included cable, a silver-plated crystal copper with graphene, is the cable that was included with the new 4 dynamic IEM in the Penon Quattro. This time since the Quattro I have come with a 4.4mm pentacon connector I will compare both cables in balanced 4.4mm for the Quattro and 4.4mm with the LC7
The Quattros included cable is actually a very good matching cable that was hand selected for its transparent properties that enhances the base Quattros technical ability. But Penon like all manufacturers has a limit to what they can include for an IEM. The value on this particular cable I feel is very close to the value on the LC7 as the Quattros RP is at $400. So exactly how do they compare? From just eyeing both cables side to side. It seems the LC7 is using more material for its cable make up. The thinner 4 cored included cable with the Quattros are not exactly the most substantial when it comes to core count, I sound say it is barely above what I would consider thinness in make up. It would have been great to see an 8 core version of this cable which Penon being a cable maker might actually do at one point. But for now the differences are as follows.
My initial assessment of both these cables trading punches was correct. The LC7 seems to give a light uptick in note weight and fullness and an uptick in bass impact and presence but the Quattro cable lends to a slight uptick in perceived detail and imaging and treble articulation as a trade off. The Quattro cable seems to bring a bit more in the way of details and treble uplift while the LC7 does a bit more with the Quattros mids adding that fullness with a spacial quality for its mids presentation. Bass being more impactful with added body here as well. Both of them are very similar in how they project stage and but the depth of stage going to the LC7. A bit more airy presentation going to the stock Quattro cable due to the increase in resolution of the sound with a slight elevation to the treble area.
In the end
The LC7 is a cable in makeup that is familiar to me as I already did a review for a very similar cousin of what this cable is made of. Silver plated OFC. Its sound enhancing characteristics are very close to the Penon Space cable using very similar materials. I suppose it is a win for the LC7 that its RP is cheaper, but it isn’t exactly the same as the Space cable. I do believe these are brothers from another mother meaning they were designed completely different from two different manufacturers but found that this particular material is indeed an upgrade from your standard variety of cables included with a lot of IEMs.
The LC7 is a musical body enhancing IEM cable as it injects a bit of soul to your IEM pairings with an added presence for stage and fullness to your IEM sound profile. Sometimes that is all that your IEM needs to make it sound the very best it can. It's not the type of cable that is all about enhancing details nor does it somehow change the tonal balance of an IEM. However this aspect does make the LC7 more versatile to use for a variety of IEMs. The LC7 is a good solid upgrade to what comes with your IEMs especially if you need a cable for balanced connection to make use of more power from your sources. It's not revolutionary or does it represent the absolute peak for IEM cables at the price point. What is does is gives a consistency in its sound enhancing ability, it is a clear upgrade to what was included with for Simgots own IEMS. And I suppose that was the clear purpose for the existence of the LC7. Thanks for taking the time to read and happy listening always.
Simgot has been a company on a mission. Their newer IEMs just resonates with the headfi community and has garnered a following that has put them on the Map. I can tell they care about their products as the workmanship shows in each product they make. I knew they made IEMs but I had no idea they also created a cable to match up with their IEMs called the LC7. This high purity OFC cable plated in silver comes at a price tag around $70 and at this price range one would expect a more refined IEM cable.
I will get into what makes the LC7 a good addition for the Simgot fanatics and or fans of their products. Cables that hover at this price range at the $70- $100 range are facing a huge uphill battle simply because there are so many variations on the aftermarket IEM cables out there. In fact the most numerous types of IEM cables all fall into the sub $100 category of IEM cables. Owning a kings share of IEM cables at all levels of the game I use on a daily basis. I have a very good understanding of what to expect at the given price ranges and how they shape a base IEM sound signature for the better or in some cases for the worse and with this report I will lay out the goods as far as what to expect when looking into Simgots first premium IEM upgrade cable in the LC7
Cables do not magically somehow change your IEM sound to be something it isn’t but it is however much like the tips you use on your IEMs, a good cable matchup can be the difference in liking an IEM to loving the IEM. The subtle sound shaping and or enhancing ability of a good IEM cable for the audiophile is a viable tool to get the best synergy possible for a given IEM it is attached to. At the LC7s cores, it is made with what was advertised as a higher purity Oxygen Free Copper then plated with pure silver to bring out the best traits of both materials and how that ultimately translates to your end IEM sound. This type of cable finish is fairly common but not all SPC type cables are the same.
What makes SPCs sold at different levels has a lot to do with material purity, the cost associated with it and its geometry involved with its overall quality. While even cheap budget SPC type cables say they are at a certain purity grade. Of course you can’t really believe in any of that as there is no real way of knowing if marketing purity is actually what it is. So we are always left with actually trying out a cable and deciding whether or not it works well with your IEMs. I know that is not the most scientific way of figuring things out but it is more or less trial and error for these types of cables. The more affordable the easier it is to just try one. This being said, when Simgot says they are using a higher purity copper. I have a tendency to believe them simply because of the value they put out on the market for their own IEMs. So going off of that. These are my take on the FC7 as follows.
The LC7 comes in a simple box package and its specs are as follows.
OFC silver plated
732 shares, 18AWG thickness per core x 2 cores
Copper alloy hardware
Transparent PVC
Modular plugs, 3.5mm single ended
And 4.4mm balanced.
3 Month warranty
My tester is simple. I will use Simgot’s own IEMs and a few others vs their included cables. There is a reason why the LC7 costs an extra $70 and does not come with the EA500 and or the EA1000 for example. The included cable on the EA1000 interestingly enough seems to be made of the same or similar material in that it is also using silver plated OFC. So a direct comparison against the stock cable will be an interesting one. Does the $70 cable warrant its price tag? Let's find out.
Standard disclaimers: The LC7 was provided by Simgot for the purpose of a review. You can look up their product page here.
What I have observed thus far in pros and cons.
Pros
-Well made solid modular cable
-Ergonomic and easy to use
-No extra cord noise.
-Good clean looking cable
-Pliable with no noodling
-Stage enhancing-spacious presentation
-adds slight note weight and forwardness to mids
-weightier bass notes.
-maintains an IEM tonal balance
-transparent, clean overall profile.
-Easy pull in and out for plugs
Cons
-Decent but not at a high value for what it does
-not the best for precision or enhancing technicals like stage, sound separation, imaging
-pull out modularity. Some do not like modular option
It was the EA1000 included cable that first came to mind. I wanted to try with the LC7 first.
After using the cable for a period of a week's time these are the results from going back and forth from the stock cable.
EA1000 included cable is very similar in makeup and is described similarly as well as a high purity OFC silver plated in litz. The only real physical difference between the LC7 and this cable is that the LC7 clearly has more substance and is a thicker cable in comparison. I have done reviews for 4 cored vs 8 cored vs 16 cored cables and it comes down to materials of the cable make up and just how much of it is being used for its sound output. From how I understand it, more cores make for more efficiency therefore the sound perception of a more expansive stage with greater note weight to sound is more due to this factor. It has been fairly consistent in how more cores/ material relates to sound performance and this is also true using the LC7.
Connecting the LC7 to the EA1000 seems to be what the designer of the earphones had in mind vs its included stock cable. There is a limit to what IEM manufacturers can include with a package of an IEM or they will have to charge more for including a higher end cable. So what was included with the EA1000 is a LC7 lite cable meaning it comes close but not exactly what the LC7 does for the sound. The EA1000 overall tonal balance and how they sound remains the same but what did change for the better was its overall presentation being more spacious, slightly more expansive, more airy with an uptick in dynamism in comparison. The stock cables match well with the EA1000 but it only comes in single ended. This again was a business decision on the part of Simgot as there is no balanced option when ordering a set of EA1000. EA500 or the EA200. The EA1000 package is so close to the $200 price point that most will refer to the EA1000 as a $200 level IEM but not so much if the price hikes to $250-$270 or more due to adding an upgraded cable. Simgot probably wanted to see what they can do for the price point and it is a more potent statement with the price hovering at the target price point for the IEM.
Differences vs the included cables are subtle but noticeable especially when listening to an entire track and then replacing the cable and then listening again. This was using single ended. It will be more beneficial to go 4.4mm balanced as it is already known dynamic IEMs expand with more power so it made sense to compare with the stock cable vs the LC7 in single ended than balanced just to see what the cable is doing. What the LC7 does for the EA1000 is that it now sounds more meatier in all regions of its sound output. I have cables that do stage perception better but these do a remarkable job opening up the goodness of the sound that is the EA1000. Slightly more expansive stage which includes its depth perception. Meatier/ more body to music notes. Which seem to align with the use of more material for the cables. If the EA1000 base sound with the LC7 is now at 100%. I would estimate the sound output of the stock cable and the EA1000 to be at around 95%. I know that does not seem much but there are a lot of you that love the EA1000 so much that chasing after that last final 5% of sound performance will be worth the cost to attain.
OFC copper cables seem to expand the sound of a base IEM; this was evident from other cables I have done reviews for in the past that use the same type of OFC silver plating. I am referring to the Penon OS133 cables and Penon Space cables. I would put the performance of the LC7 somewhere in the middle between the OS133 and the Space cables. More leaning toward the Space cables which is simply double core count of the OS133 OFC silver plated cables.
This puts the price point at what LC7 cables are actually valued at to be accurate. Certainly not a bad price point. So basically if you want something that is a level above the OS133 but would like something closer to the Space cable than that is where the LC7 falls. I would put the stock cable the EA1000 comes with at a very similar level to the Penon OS133 cables. Both cables have similar thickness and material count.
Simgot EA500. With the budget level at sub $100 for the entire package. The EA500 which sells for as much as the LC7 cable itself. Simgot is using once again very similar OFC silver plated cable here but even thinner and less material than what came with the EA1000 cable. Now here is where the bigger differences lie in comparison. What enhanced the EA1000 enhances the EA500 even more so due to the included cable being at a bare minimum for what it does. LC7 enhances the EA500 to a degree that is much more perceivable vs the EA1000. Heck I can throw on the stock cable for the EA1000 on the EA500 and it will do one better but with the LC7 with its more substantial core count makes the EA500 absolutely the best it can here getting the stage at a similar level to the EA1000 even. EA500 definitely benefits even more so than the EA1000 in that regard.
A 3rd IEM I checked with its included cable, a silver-plated crystal copper with graphene, is the cable that was included with the new 4 dynamic IEM in the Penon Quattro. This time since the Quattro I have come with a 4.4mm pentacon connector I will compare both cables in balanced 4.4mm for the Quattro and 4.4mm with the LC7
The Quattros included cable is actually a very good matching cable that was hand selected for its transparent properties that enhances the base Quattros technical ability. But Penon like all manufacturers has a limit to what they can include for an IEM. The value on this particular cable I feel is very close to the value on the LC7 as the Quattros RP is at $400. So exactly how do they compare? From just eyeing both cables side to side. It seems the LC7 is using more material for its cable make up. The thinner 4 cored included cable with the Quattros are not exactly the most substantial when it comes to core count, I sound say it is barely above what I would consider thinness in make up. It would have been great to see an 8 core version of this cable which Penon being a cable maker might actually do at one point. But for now the differences are as follows.
My initial assessment of both these cables trading punches was correct. The LC7 seems to give a light uptick in note weight and fullness and an uptick in bass impact and presence but the Quattro cable lends to a slight uptick in perceived detail and imaging and treble articulation as a trade off. The Quattro cable seems to bring a bit more in the way of details and treble uplift while the LC7 does a bit more with the Quattros mids adding that fullness with a spacial quality for its mids presentation. Bass being more impactful with added body here as well. Both of them are very similar in how they project stage and but the depth of stage going to the LC7. A bit more airy presentation going to the stock Quattro cable due to the increase in resolution of the sound with a slight elevation to the treble area.
In the end
The LC7 is a cable in makeup that is familiar to me as I already did a review for a very similar cousin of what this cable is made of. Silver plated OFC. Its sound enhancing characteristics are very close to the Penon Space cable using very similar materials. I suppose it is a win for the LC7 that its RP is cheaper, but it isn’t exactly the same as the Space cable. I do believe these are brothers from another mother meaning they were designed completely different from two different manufacturers but found that this particular material is indeed an upgrade from your standard variety of cables included with a lot of IEMs.
The LC7 is a musical body enhancing IEM cable as it injects a bit of soul to your IEM pairings with an added presence for stage and fullness to your IEM sound profile. Sometimes that is all that your IEM needs to make it sound the very best it can. It's not the type of cable that is all about enhancing details nor does it somehow change the tonal balance of an IEM. However this aspect does make the LC7 more versatile to use for a variety of IEMs. The LC7 is a good solid upgrade to what comes with your IEMs especially if you need a cable for balanced connection to make use of more power from your sources. It's not revolutionary or does it represent the absolute peak for IEM cables at the price point. What is does is gives a consistency in its sound enhancing ability, it is a clear upgrade to what was included with for Simgots own IEMS. And I suppose that was the clear purpose for the existence of the LC7. Thanks for taking the time to read and happy listening always.
Dsnuts
I would get a hold of the EA500 tuning kit. I believe Linsoul has them. It seems to be the same thing as the EA1000 kit. Either one. Does not cost much but you can install a small foam piece underneath one of the nozzles. I have it in my gold nozzles. Works great. https://www.head-fi.org/threads/simgot-iem-discussion-thread.968797/post-17646636
P
pong2541
Oh ok, because right now I've been recently using the foam from the black nozzle and put said foam into the gold nozzle which sort of helped. So, I ordered the DIY Kit few days ago to later try out the mesh filter. Some say the 500-mesh filter on the gold nozzle helps lower the treble. I'll see how it goes but thanks for the help and the link 
When I wrote this review I had less experience with the three cables of SPACE, White Whale and LC7. Meaning you're always interfacing new IEM experiences. As such a treble detailed IEM can reveal more clues as to the 3 cable personalities and differences. Where a mid focused IEM may reveal the 3 to be perfect equals, believe it or not.
As such I would probably now put the White Whale at having a smoother (lower midrange) take on (less detailed treble) sound transfer, the LC7 is much closer to the SPACE, but the SPACE is still at times more revealing. You can order the SPACE with ear-hooks now. But yes, the LC7 ergonomics are world-class in my book. Just how everything............the 2 modular plugs, and how they fit, the ear-hooks........the LC7 rocks. And with all the wire (added) the LC7 adds stage and transparency from a lot of (free) included cables. I use the LC7 every day, being the workhorse that it is. Cheers!