[Kiats]

 

[Kiats]

Thanks Eric for the lovely present to help tide me over the Covid 19 Circuit Breaker! My apologies for not posting earlier. It’s been insane at work.

 

[Kiats]

As I am typing this message, I am listening to MQA Chinese music streamed from the Xiami app on the AK SP1000Cu; with the Sony IER-Z1R and Plato. As I was telling Eric the other evening, his recommendation of the Plato for the Sony is spot on. I will confess I was wondering if it would be too bright (mind you, there’s a reason why I only buy the copper versions of AK DAPs...). Well, those of you who own or have heard the Sonys will know that it is one of the most coherent and impressive hybrid universals IEMs around. The Plato is a wonderful platform for the Sonys to showcase what it is fully capable of. The headroom and depth and width of the soundstage is excellent. As is the timbre and the decay on the Sony. One of the reasons why I could not resist the Sonys is because the balance between details and an organic signature. The Plato brings all this out without being intrusive. Considering this is not quite the TOTL cable that Eric and Eletech Cables has in its stable of cables, I am very pleased and impressed.

 

[MrLocoLuciano]

As I am typing this message, I am listening to MQA Chinese music streamed from the Xiami app on the AK SP1000Cu; with the Sony IER-Z1R and Plato. As I was telling Eric the other evening, his recommendation of the Plato for the Sony is spot on. I will confess I was wondering if it would be too bright (mind you, there’s a reason why I only buy the copper versions of AK DAPs...). Well, those of you who own or have heard the Sonys will know that it is one of the most coherent and impressive hybrid universals IEMs around. The Plato is a wonderful platform for the Sonys to showcase what it is fully capable of. The headroom and depth and width of the soundstage is excellent. As is the timbre and the decay on the Sony. One of the reasons why I could not resist the Sonys is because the balance between details and an organic signature. The Plato brings all this out without being intrusive. Considering this is not quite the TOTL cable that Eric and Eletech Cables has in its stable of cables, I am very pleased and impressed.

Plato is already a TOTL cable for sure

 

[dooxtypoox]

Just wondering from the perspective of someone with little experience with cables - what exactly is the difference between cables of the same material from different companies? I would think that a copper cable from 2 companies should give the same sonic features.

I understand that the premium comes about with quality parts as with Eletech's custom designed Y-split, terminations and soft insulation. But are there other factors which can contribute to the difference in sonic qualities in making a cable, apart from the materials used?

 

[Deezel177]

Just wondering from the perspective of someone with little experience with cables - what exactly is the difference between cables of the same material from different companies? I would think that a copper cable from 2 companies should give the same sonic features.

I understand that the premium comes about with quality parts as with Eletech's custom designed Y-split, terminations and soft insulation. But are there other factors which can contribute to the difference in sonic qualities in making a cable, apart from the materials used?

Apart from the main material used, there are tons of other factors that go into a cable and its sonic effects. This includes the geometry of the cable. Are the wires Litz (or individually-enameled) wires? How many strands of material are in each Litz bundle? What's the dielectric used? What's the core of the cable made of? Is it Kevlar? Cotton? Then, there's also what the construct of the material is. Is it UPOCC copper? Simply OFC copper? You also have metals from different suppliers. Effect Audio mentioned having to choose from several different coppers when developing the Lionheart. Finally, you also have the solder, which affects what sonic characteristics the cable has as well.

 

[olddude]

Just wondering from the perspective of someone with little experience with cables - what exactly is the difference between cables of the same material from different companies? I would think that a copper cable from 2 companies should give the same sonic features.

I understand that the premium comes about with quality parts as with Eletech's custom designed Y-split, terminations and soft insulation. But are there other factors which can contribute to the difference in sonic qualities in making a cable, apart from the materials used?

I have an Ares ll 8-wire copper cable, a PS Exo copper cable, an Eletech Fortitude copper cable and a PWAudio 1960 2-wire.copper cable. The Ares is VERY different than the other three. The PS and the Eletech are somewhat similar but different, and the PW is a whole different thing.

So yes, copper cables can be different. The Ares ll 4-wire, the Fortitude and the PS are all $150-200 (the 8-wire is $300), while the PW is $1000. If you start moving into hybrid cables, with mixed metals, prices can really go up. Worth it? Up to you.

 

[dooxtypoox]

I have an Ares ll 8-wire copper cable, a PS Exo copper cable, an Eletech Fortitude copper cable and a PWAudio 1960 2-wire.copper cable. The Ares is VERY different than the other three. The PS and the Eletech are somewhat similar but different, and the PW is a whole different thing.

So yes, copper cables can be different. The Ares ll 4-wire, the Fortitude and the PS are all $150-200 (the 8-wire is $300), while the PW is $1000. If you start moving into hybrid cables, with mixed metals, prices can really go up. Worth it? Up to you.

Apart from the main material used, there are tons of other factors that go into a cable and its sonic effects. This includes the geometry of the cable. Are the wires Litz (or individually-enameled) wires? How many strands of material are in each Litz bundle? What's the dielectric used? What's the core of the cable made of? Is it Kevlar? Cotton? Then, there's also what the construct of the material is. Is it UPOCC copper? Simply OFC copper? You also have metals from different suppliers. Effect Audio mentioned having to choose from several different coppers when developing the Lionheart. Finally, you also have the solder, which affects what sonic characteristics the cable has as well.

Thanks for sharing this info guys, seems like there are plenty of factors to take into consideration!

 

[olddude]

You can spend thousands on this hobby. And buying a $2,000 cable will not be 10X better than a $200 cable. It will likely be "better," but it will be an incremental better. It also depends on your source (DAP), your IEMs or earphones, the kind of music you listen to, and what kind of files you listen to (without starting THAT argument). So you need to take it all into consideration before jumping in with both feet. Unless you have LOTS of disposable income. This site is also a good place to sell that which you don't like or are tired of, and a good place to buy used stuff that might interest you.

In my case I have a DAP that is not especially warm (not lots of bass) and IEMs that are very revealing, detailed and transparent (not lots of bass). Silver/copper cables make the whole system too bright, with treble being too highly accentuated. So I use copper cables to keep treble in a good place, keep the middle transparent and add bass. If I had a system that was warmer, I might want a hybrid cable that would add a bit of treble and make the bass a bit more transparent and tight.

The best way to learn here is to listen to how folks describe what their equipment does and what synergy it has with other equipment. The danger is to assume because it works a certain way with what they have that it will do the same with what you have. Even with exactly the same equipment, you might like a different type of music and that throws the whole thing off. Or your ears "hear" differently than do theirs. Taking small steps and working your way up the cost ladder is a good way to go. Or just say the hell with it and spend $5K or more and hope for the best.

Oh, and if you put in your signature the equipment you have, it helps others understand what you have and what you might (or not) enjoy.

 

[Eric Chong]

Thanks Eric for the lovely present to help tide me over the Covid 19 Circuit Breaker! My apologies for not posting earlier. It’s been insane at work.

You're most welcomed! I hope things aren't getting too crazy with the announcement of further extension of Circuit Breaker! For now, Enjoy! Look forward to Iliad's impressions and synergy

Just wondering from the perspective of someone with little experience with cables - what exactly is the difference between cables of the same material from different companies? I would think that a copper cable from 2 companies should give the same sonic features.

I understand that the premium comes about with quality parts as with Eletech's custom designed Y-split, terminations and soft insulation. But are there other factors which can contribute to the difference in sonic qualities in making a cable, apart from the materials used?

Thanks @Deezel177 for taking the time to share his experiences with cables - Well he does have a large amount of cables in his hands to make proper comparisons! He's quite accurate there. Im adding on some stuffs so we can all ponder over :

With Cables, perhaps in the past (a decade or so before) where not much R&D has been on-going, indeed "Material" is often the deciding factor with how the end product is going to sound. However, the industry has experienced major changes since then. The Cable segment has since seen loads of new technologies and experimentations that got us to the platform where we are today.

From personal experiences, multiple different elements impacts on the "Sound" aspect of a cable. These includes "Geometry", IE., the same material placed in a non-Litz setup would bound to sound different in a Type 2 / Type 4 Litz setup. Along with other defining elements of "Stranding Size" , "Stranding Numbers" , "Purity", "Grade of Materials", "Conductivity" as well has "Plating thickness" and "Ratio of Alloy" if we are talking about non-mono material cables. All these factors are bound to affect on the end result.

Now, where the broth gets interesting is where every cable manufacture has pretty much adopted a unique set of philosophy and pursues different objectives during the creation of their products. Some opt for the highest purity and conductivity and believes that that is going to sound the 'Best'. Wherein some goes for exotic mixes to create a truly unique experience unlike others. These resulted in different options of cable albeit even if we're comparing copper against copper or the like. "Sound / Listening" is personal. You'll probably have to listen around and see what fits you best!

My 2c, Hope this helps

-Eric

 

[ezekiel77]

Hi guys this is the Head-Fi version of my Prudence review.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/eletech-prudence.24231/reviews#item-review-23609



Nifty little cable.

 

[dooxtypoox]

You're most welcomed! I hope things aren't getting too crazy with the announcement of further extension of Circuit Breaker! For now, Enjoy! Look forward to Iliad's impressions and synergy



Thanks @Deezel177 for taking the time to share his experiences with cables - Well he does have a large amount of cables in his hands to make proper comparisons! He's quite accurate there. Im adding on some stuffs so we can all ponder over :

With Cables, perhaps in the past (a decade or so before) where not much R&D has been on-going, indeed "Material" is often the deciding factor with how the end product is going to sound. However, the industry has experienced major changes since then. The Cable segment has since seen loads of new technologies and experimentations that got us to the platform where we are today.

From personal experiences, multiple different elements impacts on the "Sound" aspect of a cable. These includes "Geometry", IE., the same material placed in a non-Litz setup would bound to sound different in a Type 2 / Type 4 Litz setup. Along with other defining elements of "Stranding Size" , "Stranding Numbers" , "Purity", "Grade of Materials", "Conductivity" as well has "Plating thickness" and "Ratio of Alloy" if we are talking about non-mono material cables. All these factors are bound to affect on the end result.

Now, where the broth gets interesting is where every cable manufacture has pretty much adopted a unique set of philosophy and pursues different objectives during the creation of their products. Some opt for the highest purity and conductivity and believes that that is going to sound the 'Best'. Wherein some goes for exotic mixes to create a truly unique experience unlike others. These resulted in different options of cable albeit even if we're comparing copper against copper or the like. "Sound / Listening" is personal. You'll probably have to listen around and see what fits you best!

My 2c, Hope this helps

-Eric

Thank you for such a detailed reply Eric, I'm looking forward to comparing your works with my cables

 

[Eric Chong]

Hi guys this is the Head-Fi version of my Prudence review.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/eletech-prudence.24231/reviews#item-review-23609



Nifty little cable.

Thanks for posting it up Lau! Glad you loved it. Stay safe!

Thank you for such a detailed reply Eric, I'm looking forward to comparing your works with my cables

You're most welcomed Looking forward to that!

-Eric

 

[Kiats]

Listening to some glorious MQA music streaming off Xiami on the AK SP2000Cu, and the Fitear Titans paired with the Iliad. As you can imagine, other than the Cayin N8 or Sony 1Z, it doesn’t get better than this. What I have noticed about the pairing is the richness and density of the sound. What one could never deny is the sparkling trebles and wide soundstage of the Titans. With the Iliad, there is a noticeable deepening of the soundstage. As a consequence, you get an almost holographic image of the music. There is now a richness of the music that can’t be beat. And no congestion at all. Happy listening here.

 

[Spidermanxd]

I'm looking to start with FORTITUDE for my fir audio M3, I had almost all of effect audio cables, it get very stiff over time, will these also get stiff