Sonnet Of Adam and Purgatorio Impressions from auditon/listening test this weekend at Can Jam SoCal
Putting up a quick impression after being able to do A/B of Sonnet and Adam Vs. Ode To Laura (OTL) and Purgatorio Vs. Inferno
I own both the OTL and Inferno, and enjoy them greatly with specific monitors, and do agree with MRT-Man above it comes down to synergy and personal preference.
I'll put up a more detailed "write-up" later as I will have both the Sonnet of Adam and The Purgatorio coming.
FYI: I don't consider myself a professional reviewer, just some who enjoys audio, so hence I don't think of what I write as "reviews", and call them write ups.
But I did get some limited time with Eric and the 2 cables at Can Jam so here is my off the cuff thoughts from my time with both cables, against my own OTL with over 200 hours of time on it, and my own Inferno with well over 300 hours of time on it.
Sonnet of Adam
As Eric described he considers both the Sonnet of Adam and the OTL as "Co-TOTL" cables for Eletech. I agree wholeheartedly with his positioning.
They both deserve to be considered worthy of TOTL status and part of his Parnassus series. Both do not replace the Illiad or Aneid in my opinion they build on the foundation both cables brought forward.
Sonnet of Adam is similar to OTL in that it cleans up the bass/mid bass, and does help extend the highs, but it is different than OTL in its pace.
OTL is a warmer, more laid back presentation of sound that is deep and wide, but relaxed, and to use a description that is becoming way to overused, more Analog in its sound.
Sonnet of Adam is a "pacier' cable, is also a wide sounding cable, that is faster in transients, and again an overused analogy but only one I can think of, more digital in its sound.
It brings in a nice bass tone and adds some sub-bass rumble, mids and highs though are much pacier/faster, notes decay at a quicker pace than with the OTL
It will all depend on which IEM's you have, and how you perceive them with the stock cable, which would be a better fit.
The IEM's I used I consider fairly neutral/natural in its sound so they quickly take on the signature the cable is presenting so this is what I did hear this past weekend.
Purgatorio
I hear a similar difference to what I described above for SoA and OTL between the Inferno (all copper) and Purgatorio (all silver)
Inferno does things that you would not normally associate with an all copper cable ( very warm bass centric). Its not a typical copper cable in its sound, in that it does help the highs and mids along with bass improvement, but it does keep some of that warmth and easy to listen to "fun" a good copper cable with bring forward
Similarly the Purgatorio, doesn 't move to a overly bright treble rich cable many associate with an all silver cable. It never went toward sibilance with my short time with it, and I did try to make it go that way to see if it would.
It like all good silver cables the Purgatorio will bring out more bass but the bass here too has a faster pace than the all copper Inferno
It was a cable that teased out some additional detail, and maybe some more layering, but more to see once I get a cable and put the right amount of burn in, as when I got my Inferno, it changed a lot from out of the box, at 50 hours at 100 hours, and just came into its own around the 150 hour mark
It did seem to have a little more highs than the Inferno but this could also be the difference in a cable that has enough burn in time vs one that has not. Wondering if after then 150 hours Eric recommends for this line will have a similar change and smooth out the Purgatorio, or change it and add to it? Can't wait to see.
More to come as out of can Jam some new IEMs, some new Open Back Over the ears and these 2 cables are heading my way
And I always like to add, all the above is IMO, and Your Milage May Very (YMMV)