[Tobes]

I wouldn’t say it’s harsh in the general sense, but it is certainly harsh on some tracks, whereas the Black Dragon was never harsh.

The "never harsh" comment is a bit of a red flag for me as I wouldn't want to lose too much of the Utopia's highs.
However a lot of people seem to like the Black Dragon and the price is pretty reasonable for the long length I require.

With every cable there seems to be naysayers.
The cable that seems to garner the most consistent praise for Utopia here and elsewhere seems to be the rather expensive Lazuli Reference.
Then I read comments like these and I think maybe the Black Dragon is a safer bet (i.e. less to lose):

interestingly,I bought a pair of the Dana cable for my Utopia and quickly sold them because I could not hear an appreciable difference between my Moon Black Dragon and the Dana....

The stock cable is on the warm side as well. Strikingly so, I'd say.
In fact, I once I helped administer a blind A/B test for an acquaintance and out of 20 attempts, he was only able to tell the difference between the stock cable and the Lazuli Reference about 55-60% of the time.

 

[thecrow]

The cable that seems to garner the most consistent praise for Utopia here and elsewhere seems to be the rather expensive Lazuli Reference.

it also has some critics -purely personal from what i've read (as opposed to it being a bad cable)

I've never heard it myself

 

[elisiX]

At $999 USD or more, it better be amazing.

Even the Black Dragon at $400 or so is a big ask, though worth it from my experience.

 

[Mh996]

I recommend the Lazuli Reference unless you're already on the fence re: Utopia's comfort (it is heavy and snake-like in thickness) or you prefer the sound of silver cables. My impression of the LR is that: 1. the soundstage is enormous compared to stock; 2. notes, especially mid-bass and mids, have much more texture and body; 3. layering improves by a degree; 4. it's a sexy cable. It changes the tonality to something more agreeable to a lot of people, myself included. It's expensive, sure, but the improvement it added to my HugoTT2 --> Utopia set-up was more than just subtle. YMMV.

 

[thecrow]

I recommend the Lazuli Reference unless you're already on the fence re: Utopia's comfort (it is heavy and snake-like in thickness) or you prefer the sound of silver cables. My impression of the LR is that: 1. the soundstage is enormous compared to stock; 2. notes, especially mid-bass and mids, have much more texture and body; 3. layering improves by a degree; 4. it's a sexy cable. It changes the tonality to something more agreeable to a lot of people, myself included. It's expensive, sure, but the improvement it added to my HugoTT2 --> Utopia set-up was more than just subtle. YMMV.

Thanks for that
(rest of post was deleted as i didnt read it correctl)

 

[Tobes]

Thanks for that
By aggressive do tiu mean fuller in sound or something different?

I think you meant to write 'agreeable', can't see where @Mh996 mentions the word aggressive - but I take it to mean the opposite of aggressive, so maybe that's where your mind substituted the words.

 

[thecrow]

I think you meant to write 'agreeable', can't see where @Mh996 mentions the word aggressive - but I take it to mean the opposite of aggressive, so maybe that's where your mind substituted the words.

My bad - what a bozzo!!!!! (me)
carry on....

 

[Hoegaardener70]

I recommend the Lazuli Reference ... it's a sexy cable.

For me, it was the opposite - it felt like a garden hose covered in some cheap plastic synthetics, I was very underwhelmed by feel and optics. Sound was good.

 

[MacedonianHero]

@MacedonianHero I also have the HPA4 with the Utopia.
I've mostly been using my speakers for listening recently, but I'm now revisiting the HP setup and wondering what I might gain from a cable upgrade.
I used to own the Heimdall 2 years ago and liked it, my memory is of a precise and spacious sound with a nice delicacy - I recall it made the stock cable sound congested by comparison - but perhaps lacking some 'beef' and drama. I sold the Heimdall as the length was too short for my current situation (maybe I should have got the extension cable).
I reverted back to using the stock 4m Focal cable and can't use anything shorter - ie any new cable would be at least 4m.
The stock cable actually sounds much better than I remember - nicely balanced and nothing offensive.

How do you rate the Moon cables? They one of the more affordable options for longer lengths. I presume above you mean you prefer the Black Dragon to the Silver - not an overall cable preference for the Black Dragon?
You used to be a big proponent of the Danacable Lazuli Reference, but am I reading correctly that you now prefer the Heimdall 2?
The impressions I've read of the Lazuli make it sound very appealing - but bloody expensive in a 4m length.

I'm good with the Heimdall length, so I'm good...because its the best sounding cable that I've paired with the Utopia so far. Moon Audio cables are great and you don't have to break the bank. I would recommend the Black Dragon with the Utopia over the other cables. The Lazuli is a killer sounding cable...adds some nice added warmth, but it's a too heavy and I find the nimbleness of the Heimdall just perfect!

 

[Tobes]

I recommend the Lazuli Reference unless you're already on the fence re: Utopia's comfort (it is heavy and snake-like in thickness) or you prefer the sound of silver cables. My impression of the LR is that: 1. the soundstage is enormous compared to stock; 2. notes, especially mid-bass and mids, have much more texture and body; 3. layering improves by a degree; 4. it's a sexy cable. It changes the tonality to something more agreeable to a lot of people, myself included. It's expensive, sure, but the improvement it added to my HugoTT2 --> Utopia set-up was more than just subtle. YMMV.

@Mh996 What about focus and clarity of images vs the stock cable? Is everything kind of 'bigger' at the expense of focus?
Asking because I'm thinking there may be some choice between the warmth and focus/clarity.

My recollection of the Heimdall 2 cable - which had no spreading warmth - was of superior focus and articulation with resulting 'smaller' images but still quite spacious. Very refined and not bright either, however an overall lighter weight sound - not bass depth/impact, which was still comparable - just the consequence of less added warmth I guess.

I also made a DIY cable with Kimber TCSS wire that gives a somewhat more spacious but also more focussed sound than stock - at the expense of some mid warmth (and perhaps some articulation in the highs).

 

[LCMusicLover]

After doing a lot of fiddling with my system I found that I preferred a silver cable (Lavricables Grand) to Lazuli Reference. LR definitely adds warmth, but to my ears, it ‘cost too much’ as I heard it stealing some detail and muddying the bass a bit (while boosting it some). JMHO of course.

 

[buzzlulu]

I have been running Kimber Axios Copper cable for the past 3 years with my Utopias (and Z1R). Anyone care to comment or speculate comparisons between my Axios and the Heimdall or Lavri Silver?

My source is Linn Klimax DS and dCS Rossini while the amplifier remains the GSX Mini. I have also had the HPA4, Luxman P750, Violectric V281 and Moon 430HA in house however I keep staying with Justin’s amp

 

[Tobes]

After doing a lot of fiddling with my system I found that I preferred a silver cable (Lavricables Grand) to Lazuli Reference. LR definitely adds warmth, but to my ears, it ‘cost too much’ as I heard it stealing some detail and muddying the bass a bit (while boosting it some). JMHO of course.

Did you get the 6n multistrand silver Litz or the 5n solid core version?

Anyone care to comment or speculate comparisons between my Axios and the Heimdall or Lavri Silver?

I found a brief comparo on another forum - the Axios was one of the cables preferred by that listener.
I note the comparo is from 2017 and the Lavricable Grand is now offered with a silver Litz - which may be better or worse.
https://www.superbestaudiofriends.o...eam-of-consciousness.2669/page-22#post-133848

 

[iamoneagain]

@Mh996 What about focus and clarity of images vs the stock cable? Is everything kind of 'bigger' at the expense of focus?
Asking because I'm thinking there may be some choice between the warmth and focus/clarity.

For the Danacable, I find it increased clarity and focus. If feels like a vale in the mids have been removed. I’m using with mscaler/Dave combo and do not feel it’s warmer than the stock but perfectly balanced. It’s more transparent but with nice rich mids.

 

[joseph69]

USPS can be spotty with scanning. Sometimes it doesn't scan until it reaches destination distro center.

!00% correct. Tis happened to me after I dropped a package off at USPS! I went home to give the buyer the trackin# and it kept saying "label created waiting for package"?
I waited a few days and no updates on the movement of the package, so I went to USPS where I dropped it off and they said that it won't scan until it reaches its destination distribution center (which I've never experienced, ever) so I was certain someone stole the package. Sure enough , though, the tracking registered when it arrived at it destination distribution center and from there on I was provided updates right up to the delivery.