Just a little shoutout to Phantom owners for a cable pairing I have grown fond of, the new Rhapsodio 2.98 silver/gold alloy cable. The 2.98 provides a clear sound, with the slightest touch of warmth to maintain a natural tone. The punchy mid-bass is there, but in a more controlled manner. The decay of the bass is a bit quicker, so the warmth is less dominant in the tone and staging. The upper-bass is a bit attenuated, but the mid-bass retains its impact, while improving in definition - a tighter bass. Midrange notes trade in a bit of thickness for improved transparency, while retaining a full body; since the bass quantity as a whole is not really decreased but primarily improved in control, it retains a fairly similar note and vocal size.
The treble is slightly brighter, but I would still consider it smooth (although listeners that are already sensitive to the 6 KHz range might find it a bit more aggressive); mostly, the Phantom sounds clearer, while retaining a natural quality. It creeps closer to neutral/natural with beautifully melodious upper mids, rather than a predominantly warm/natural tone. For those who have heard it, I would say the Phantom's tone becomes a bit reminiscent to that of the A6t. As a result, I prefer it with a wider range of music, specifically now including pop and electronica. In fact, it was the first time I preferred electronica with the Phantom than one my usual favourites, the A18. The tone and body of the upper mids was more befitting the dreamy synthetic melodies I indulge myself in. The Leonidas for instance is also a very good pairing with the Phantom to provide a more uncolored yet smooth and technically superior sound, but I find its upper mids a bit drier by comparison. Similarly, Leonidas offers a tight and impactful bass, but I find the 2.98's mid-bass a bit softer and more organic, while still offering a punchy impact. In addition, there is a step up in its resolution and airiness, and accordingly, its precision of imaging. The sound just becomes a bit tighter overall, while retaining its coherent and organic feel.
Anyways, tomorrow I will be seeing Eric from EA at a minishow at the local store, so I will be able to try the Ares II & Thor II 8-wires you guys seem hyped up about, and compare with this as benchmark. For now, I am pretty content with the 2.98 and Phantom, as I think it might be one of the most pleasing and all-round pairings I have heard so far, and is certainly a favourite for now. I'll send it to
@Kerouac and/or
@Wyville and maybe some other Phantom owners to get a second opinion. At $550 it is definitely a bit more upscale than a standard copper, but still more in the more sane realm compared to the current upper class cables.