Vortex Lavinia
I’m not here to persuade the unpersuadable. Cables have been one of my more recent obsessions within the audio hobby. For me, cables are a fine tuning tool. A link in a chain that can ultimately enhance or impair a particular set up. So without further ado, I present the Vortex Lavinia.
Specification
C.F.S. Series – Lavinia
MSRP - $759
Structure - Shielded Twisted pair & S-Z Strands
Shielding - Silver-plated 5N OFC
Core - 4N Pure Silver, Gold-plated OCC Copper, Gold-plated 4N Silver , Palladium-plated 4N Silver
Gauge Size - 20.4 AWG
Accessories - Full Set of Standard ConX 2.0 connectors, Carrying Case, Warranty Card
The Goods
The Lavinia’s packaging is quite elegant. After opening the shipping cardboard, I was greeted with a beautiful branded dark blue box. Inside, a magnetic carrying case, full ConX 2.0 connectors set, warranty card, and the cable. I’m not one to get giddy about packaging but this immediately reminded me of my FatFreq Grand Maestro unboxing experience.
Upon removing the cable, the first thing I noticed was the shielding material. It’s similar to my PWA Attila (First Times) but the Lavinia has better ergonomics. The hardware is premium, all metal, and with a unique design. Just a heads up, this cable is not equipped with a chin-slider. The overall aesthetic of the cable is loud. I wasn’t sure about the black and orange striping but after seeing it in person, I dig it.
Sound Analysis
Source: Cayin N7 - Medium Gain - Class A/B
IEM: NGaudio Khoas - Well balanced W-shaped signature
Vortex Lavinia
The background of the Lavinia is extremely dark. Sub-bass is deep, slightly boosted with some added texture to notes. Midrange through the lower treble region remains neutral and maintains a natural timbre throughout. Upper treble receives a touch of added sparkle and air. The sound stage received a noticeable boost in height and depth, emphasizing the Khoas’s laying ability.
Sound Comparisons
Effect Audio Code 23 - MSRP - $599 (Includes basic ConX & TermX)
To start, the Code 23 is a beast of a cable. It is a copper, 16.5 AWG, 2-wire that can easily be mistaken for a rope. Ergonomics and jokes aside, this cable fully embraces the sonic properties of copper. The first thing I noticed when comparing these cables was the added warmth to the mid range. Vocals were also more prominent in the mix. The sound stage remains wide but there’s a loss in depth and layering. Lows are deep but lacked control.
Liquid Links Evua II - MSRP - $449
The Evua II may be slightly cheaper, but don’t let its price fool you. This cable brings some flagship worthy features to the table and is hands down my favorite sub $500 pick. The Evua II is a OCC Silver/ OCC Copper hybrid, equipped with a pure silver Y-splitter, gold plated silver 2-pin connectors, and a Topura SHC Copper connector (4.4mm). The first standout feature I noticed is how black the background is and is on par with the Lavinia. The bass is well controlled and slightly more impactful than with the Code 23, but the quality is not quite at the level of the Lavinia. Mids remain uncolored. The Evua’s treble region offers the most sparkle of all cables tested. Soundstage expands in all directions with some good depth.
Conclusion
In my opinion, this cable competes well above its price point. Though I own several +kilo buck cables, I typically like to search for moderately priced boutique brands to avoid ‘big name’ manufacturer markups. Don’t get me wrong, my strategy doesn’t always prove successful, but the Lavinia is a slam dunk.
If you’d like to purchase, see link below!
MusicTeck - Vortex Lavinia
I’m not here to persuade the unpersuadable. Cables have been one of my more recent obsessions within the audio hobby. For me, cables are a fine tuning tool. A link in a chain that can ultimately enhance or impair a particular set up. So without further ado, I present the Vortex Lavinia.
Specification
C.F.S. Series – Lavinia
MSRP - $759
Structure - Shielded Twisted pair & S-Z Strands
Shielding - Silver-plated 5N OFC
Core - 4N Pure Silver, Gold-plated OCC Copper, Gold-plated 4N Silver , Palladium-plated 4N Silver
Gauge Size - 20.4 AWG
Accessories - Full Set of Standard ConX 2.0 connectors, Carrying Case, Warranty Card
The Goods
The Lavinia’s packaging is quite elegant. After opening the shipping cardboard, I was greeted with a beautiful branded dark blue box. Inside, a magnetic carrying case, full ConX 2.0 connectors set, warranty card, and the cable. I’m not one to get giddy about packaging but this immediately reminded me of my FatFreq Grand Maestro unboxing experience.
Upon removing the cable, the first thing I noticed was the shielding material. It’s similar to my PWA Attila (First Times) but the Lavinia has better ergonomics. The hardware is premium, all metal, and with a unique design. Just a heads up, this cable is not equipped with a chin-slider. The overall aesthetic of the cable is loud. I wasn’t sure about the black and orange striping but after seeing it in person, I dig it.
Sound Analysis
Source: Cayin N7 - Medium Gain - Class A/B
IEM: NGaudio Khoas - Well balanced W-shaped signature
Vortex Lavinia
The background of the Lavinia is extremely dark. Sub-bass is deep, slightly boosted with some added texture to notes. Midrange through the lower treble region remains neutral and maintains a natural timbre throughout. Upper treble receives a touch of added sparkle and air. The sound stage received a noticeable boost in height and depth, emphasizing the Khoas’s laying ability.
Sound Comparisons
Effect Audio Code 23 - MSRP - $599 (Includes basic ConX & TermX)
To start, the Code 23 is a beast of a cable. It is a copper, 16.5 AWG, 2-wire that can easily be mistaken for a rope. Ergonomics and jokes aside, this cable fully embraces the sonic properties of copper. The first thing I noticed when comparing these cables was the added warmth to the mid range. Vocals were also more prominent in the mix. The sound stage remains wide but there’s a loss in depth and layering. Lows are deep but lacked control.
Liquid Links Evua II - MSRP - $449
The Evua II may be slightly cheaper, but don’t let its price fool you. This cable brings some flagship worthy features to the table and is hands down my favorite sub $500 pick. The Evua II is a OCC Silver/ OCC Copper hybrid, equipped with a pure silver Y-splitter, gold plated silver 2-pin connectors, and a Topura SHC Copper connector (4.4mm). The first standout feature I noticed is how black the background is and is on par with the Lavinia. The bass is well controlled and slightly more impactful than with the Code 23, but the quality is not quite at the level of the Lavinia. Mids remain uncolored. The Evua’s treble region offers the most sparkle of all cables tested. Soundstage expands in all directions with some good depth.
Conclusion
In my opinion, this cable competes well above its price point. Though I own several +kilo buck cables, I typically like to search for moderately priced boutique brands to avoid ‘big name’ manufacturer markups. Don’t get me wrong, my strategy doesn’t always prove successful, but the Lavinia is a slam dunk.
If you’d like to purchase, see link below!
MusicTeck - Vortex Lavinia
Up until MusicTeck started carrying Vortex cables, I wasn’t aware of the brand at all. After reading some initial impressions and taking a look at the materials they were using and their shielding design, I decided to try out Lavinia.
The Vortex Lavinia retails at $759, which isn’t a crazy price in the current market. It arrives in packaging that you would expect to find with much more expensive products.
Lavinia comes with nicely machined, steel hardware which has a unique look to it. Interestingly, the cable comes with a full set of EA’s ConX system, which allows you to change from 2 Pin to MMCX and so on. The outer jacket of the cable seems fairly durable, and I like that it doesn’t catch in things like some other cables with similar designs do. I am not sure about the orange pattern, but I guess they use it to make it stand out.
The cable is pretty light and supple. It is easy to coil for storage and uncoils back to its original shape. The ear hooks work well and are comfortable to wear for long sessions.
I’ve put together some impressions on Lavinia below, comparing it to some other cables in a similar price bracket. I tried out the cables connected to my Kinera Loki using a Hiby RS8 and Mass Kobo 475.
Specification
Structure: Shielded Twisted pair & S-Z StrandsShielding: Silver-plated 5N OFC
Cores: 4N Pure Silver, Gold-plated OCC Copper, Gold-plated 4N Silver , Palladium-plated 4N Silver
Origin of materials: Taiwan
Gauge Size: 20.4 AWG
Accessories: Standard ConX 2.0 connectors – Full Set, Carry Case.
Sound Impressions
Listening to: “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3
1950s/ Cardas Clear Clone
Ergonomics between the two cables is quite similar, as it is the overall size. Both are equally flexible. As the name suggests, the cable uses Cardas Clear copper for all of its cores.
This was the comparison I was most interested in as Cardas Clear-based cables have become the standard bearers from a performance versus price perspective and it’s the standard the Vortex cable will be judged against.
Listening with Vortex first, there is a very black background, and the soundstage stretches far from front to back. The vocals are centre stage, but the instruments feel like they are positioned all around you.
Vocals are clear and easy to hear. The heavy bass line that comes into the track with the vocals sounds great, and you can feel the vibrations from it as Lavinia elevates the sub-bass levels. As the track intensifies, it remains easy to hear each instrument and sound. This cable pairing with Loki really highlights the 3D stage it can create, and the whole track is kept in control nicely, even when it is at its busiest.
Swapping to the Cardas Clear cable, the start of the track sounds very similar, but as the vocals and bass come in, there is more intensity to how it’s delivered. The vocals and bass are slightly warmer, and there is a little more detail coming through.
Possibly because every sound is that bit more full-on, the stage seems a little more intimate, and the vocals are closer, as are the instruments.
As the track picks up, some of the higher-pitched sounds became a bit too much at the volume level I had the amp set to from the previous cable and I had to reduce it a little.
The Cardas Clear cable overall is slightly more detailed than Lavinia, but it produces a more full-on listening experience. I would lean towards preferring the Vortex cable in this comparison. It was easier to appreciate the technical abilities of the IEM and the track was better controlled overall.
Listening to: “Stars” by Sara K.
EA Fusion 1
The EA Fusion 1 is a slightly heavier and slightly less flexible cable than Lavinia, but there is very little difference in use. Fusion 1 uses UP-OCC material gold-plated silver litz, pure silver litz, and pure copper litz hybrid for its cores.
Listening to this track, there aren’t massive differences between how the cables sound, and the differences between the two are similar enough to what they were with the Cardas Clear cable.
With Lavinia, notes have a shorter decay, so there is a sense of less colour being added by the cable. Everything is crystal clear and detailed. The sound is refined, and it’s a very relaxed and enjoyable listen.
As it is mainly a singer and a few instruments, the stage is intimate, but it feels right, and everything still clearly has its own place.
With Fusion 1, notes linger longer, and the overall tone is warmer. Vocals are slightly more forward and have a more romantic tone to them. It is also a very enjoyable listen, but you are sacrificing accuracy for that comforting warmth!
Much like the Cardas cable, some notes hit a little harder than with Lavinia, so it is not as balanced, but these are really very small details between them.
Lavinia has a more balanced sound, with everything keeping nicely in line, allowing you to enjoy the track, whereas Fusion 1 presents a more coloured version of the track with a lingering warmth.
Listening to: “Devil Inside” by INXS
Kinera Orlog
The Kinera Orlog is very light. It's probably one of the lightest and most supple cables I have come across. It uses multi-strand gold-plated copper, silver-plated copper mixture and multi-strand pure copper core mixed with pure sterling silver for its cores.
Listening with Lavinia, the track has a nice top-tapping intensity to it which is very engaging. There’s a nice weight to the notes. The layering is impressive, and each instrument, along with the vocals, is detailed and clear. As the track picks up, there is a nice rumble from the drums and bass guitar. This is a really nice pairing for this track. It pushes the intensity to the right level without ever going too far, and it sucks you into the track.
Swapping to the Kinera Orlog, there is an immediate difference in the intensity of the track. The instruments don’t grab your attention as much as they do with Lavinia, and everything feels more reined in. Details levels aren’t massively different, but there is less of a sense of air, and the stage feels smaller. The track is very easy to listen to with Orlog, but it isn’t as engaging. The difference in sub-bass levels is also quite noticeable and it is a less tactile experience listening with this cable.
Conclusion
I have been impressed with the Vortex Lavinia. Considering its retail price, I think it is very good value. It doesn’t add a lot of colour to the sound, and it produces a black background, which allows all of the instruments, sounds and vocals to come through nicely. There is definitely a boost in sub-bass using it, and with a set like Loki, that results in a more tactile listening experience. It does a good job of improving the technical aspects of an IEM, and it should pair well with a broad range of sets.
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