Well, the Drausk arrived! About 25 hours of burn-in completed with them (I’m going to put 50 hours on them) so far. I am SO happy with them!
I thought I’d share some listening notes I sent a friend who also has a pair of Audezes (LCD-Xs).
All very, very positive listening impressions:
- It’s like the cable “unshackled the potential” of my LCD-XCs and really let the Gungnir shine as a source (amp: Violectric V200).
- The sound is much more organic, especially the midrange. I haven’t tried the worst recordings I own yet, but harshness seems to be a thing of the past. That said, there can be “bite” and plenty of “punch” when needed. Examples: Diana Krall, Daft Punk.
- Bass seems to have gained half an octave. Example: Thievery Corporation, “Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi”.
- Detail levels are phenomenal, but without requiring you to focus on them. This prevails across a number of tracks I’ve listened to, but Sza’s “The Weekend” is a fair example (that bass!).
- Timing is incredible- when beats stop/start, there is NO delay/overhang unless intended. Example: Radiohead’s “Amnesiac” album.
Another track example: A couple of nights ago (pre-Drausk) I played an Adele track (“Daydreamer”) and was happy how the shift to a Violectric amp (from an SPL Auditor) had given my ears a more natural presentation of her voice, even with the 50s-style miking/mixing. Then, after installing the Drausk, the change was now complete: Her voice sounds natural, fluid, and simply lovely.
Overall thoughts:
It’s as if the interface between the amp/source and the LCD-XCs was opened up completely or removed. I don’t just like my head-fi setup now, instead I LOVE it. I’m honestly somewhat gobsmacked that the difference is that large.
But then I hold up the
puny stock cable next to the copper
rope called Drausk... Heh. But fear not, the Drausk is incredibly flexible, comfortable to handle, and absolutely non-microphonic. The connectors are an excellent fit, nice and snug. Build quality is simply off the charts! Build time was about four-five weeks, but of course worth the wait.
Added bonus: I feel like a wannabe gangsta with my audio jewelry draped on me.
And yes, it’s a
clear Drausk! I got lucky with an early order, but Trevor will intro these properly soon.
Last but not least, Trevor is indeed both the gentleman and artisan he is reputed to be! I am thrilled and the Drausk is more than worth every penny. I’d even posit it is
excellent value for a near-flagship headphone like the Audeze LCD-XCs.
Happy to answer any questions- now, which album did I want to listen to next?
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