A few days ago I got in the SilverFi R1 and IEM-X, and finally I got around to a short listening session with the R1 and wanted to share some of my first impressions.
I have been very eager to get an opportunity to try some of SilverFi's cables and not just because a few of my friends around here keep teasing me with their R4's and R5's, but because of my own preference for prioritising tonality and realism over "in your face" resolution. That is also why I bought the Empire Ears Phantom, for instance. From reading about SilverFi I understood them to prioritise tone and timbre to achieve just the sort of sound I look for in my gear. So I was very pleased to receive these two cables and get a chance to pit them against some of my favourite cables.
R1
First off, I have to hand it to SilverFi for making a stunningly beautiful cable. It is a work of art and very much in keeping with the true artisan character of the company SilverFi. It does come with one obvious (and often criticised) drawback and that is that the ergonomics are not among the best out there. This cable is clearly one to use at home behind a desk, or better, lying on the sofa listening to music with your eyes closed. That is what I do and I did not have too many issues. Those issues that I did have such as the cable not looping tightly around my ears and the microphonics (exacerbated by the cable not looping tightly) should be considerably better when the fit is customised to fit your ears, which with demo units is of course impossible to achieve.
I personally would never buy a cable such as the R1 for on-the-go use because I feel the advantages of such a cable would be somewhat wasted if I could not savour the music without distraction. For me the R1 is all about giving my full attention to the music and immersing myself in the image it creates.
So expectations were pretty high and sound-wise I feel the R1 immediately lived up to those. I paired it with my Phantom and I know those IEMs really well, so it was easy to see how the R1 influenced the sound. The R1 gave my Phantom a very large and especially deep stage with outstanding imaging. When listening to classical music such as Paganini's Violin Concerto No.4, I felt that it was yet another step up from my usual cables such as the Effect Audio Eros II 8-wire. Moreover, in terms of tonality the R1 can be described as a "warm silver" cable, but I think that does not quite do it justice. Together with the Phantom the tonality is exceptionally good in the warm-natural way that I prefer. Instruments have body to them and convey the emotion of the music really well. Each instrument is well place in the soundscape and has enough body to not be lost in empty space, while also the clarity to rise above the others when needed. The music flows organically, smoothly and yet with great definition to it. The R1 is a highly resolving cable that much like the Phantom does not push the details forward, but lets the listener find those at their leisure. This is how I personally want my music to sound because it is incredibly immersive and makes the emotion of it tangible.
This is only a very brief "first impression" that I wanted to share because SilverFi is not as well known as some of the other companies, but based on these first impressions I certainly feel they warrant more attention among us "cable connoisseurs". I immediately loved the synergy between the R1 and my Phantom as much as I did the synergy between my Phantom and Leonidas II. In fact, at first glance there seem to be some similarities in the sound, although I have to be careful because the R1 is terminated in 3.5mm SE and my Leonidas II in 2.5mm balanced, which makes quite a difference with my AK70 DAP. Still, it will be very interesting as I get more time in with both cables.
, I was thinking if with the same variables, less resistance would mean better cable, but it is about sinergy then
, so I try to ask, in a few time I will receive my first pair of serious iem, an old but still new Ex1000, and I want to try those balanced so I started to learn about cable and which choice can suits better, by now I'm oriented on copper or hybrid silver/gold, but if it is about synergy maybe it is all futile
