Soooooo - This is my try to review the Romi Audio Encryption Series cable named Zero aka 零 - or just short "Zero" cable:
https://www.romiaudio.com/product-page/encryption-series-zero-aka-零
I listen with my Focal Stellia and my LPGT ti (portable endgame!). The Zero is terminated with a 4.4 mm plug so I could test the DAPs balanced out. Thanks to my friend
@F700 who told me months ago that this is a true flagship cable
The Zero should have been a complimentary cable to another flagship cable I had (UPOCC Silver/Palladium cable from Arctic Cables in single end termination, which I bought for $ 1700.- back then), but when I compared those two cables, I immediately knew that I would sell my other cable and keep the Zero from Romi Audio. It´s not that the single end out of my LPGT ti is worse than the balanced out, rather in the contrary, where the single end should be even better for headphones, because the Lotoo engineers gathered even more juice in the se out than in the balanced out, which is very unusual nowadays where all the balanced outs sound superior.
So I did expect the balanced out to sound inferior because it has less current. But it didn´t, at least not with the Zero cable, which in fact sounds "like coming home". Really. It was that great. I also tested the se out with an adapter (from DD-Hifi) to doublecheck. And still found the Zero cable to be audible better IMHO. Though TBH, if I would only have a warm sounding DAP, I would have kept both
For those who aren´t familiar with the LPGT ti: It is a fairly neutral DAP. Maybe the most neutral out there.
The Zero cable is not a cheap cable by all means and very unique in its looks but in my opinion it is worth every penny (they have some special deals from time to time, so have a lookout if you want to save money).
The Stellia sounded more open than every other cable I heard (copper cable, pure silver cable, palladium plated silver cable). I don´t know how those genius engineers of Romi Audio pulled that off but the sound is so wonderfully round and at the same time very clear (but not overdone), that I had to re-listen all my favorite albums. Very immersive. Very "complete". Also with that deeply black background it is such a joy.
The cable itself comes in a beautiful leather bag and is very pliable. No microphonics to be heard. The craftmanship is perfect. All the plugs fit nicely. It has a very nice chin-slider, too (as you can see in my pics down below).
The bass is just there. Not exaggerated. Just right. Bass guitars and doublebass sound real and punchy and full.
Mids are clean but meaty. Everything is present, as it should be. Vocals sound pleasing. Not too upfront, not too in the back. As I can hear it, they have the perfect spot.
Highs are crazy extended for a copper cable (found not much info on their website: 7N occ, silver plated shielding). But at the same time I hear not the tiniest piercing. The highs just sound lifelike and are not overdone. As a former drummer I can confirm that cymbals sound 100% correct (as does the kick drum)
And there is also a 3D like sound I never heard before with the Stellia headphones and thought it wouldn´t be possible with closed backs.
I am really picky when it comes to cables where I have heard silver cables in the past that are not much better than the stock cables. But I really can´t find something bad about the Zero cable. Sure, you have to like its colors (I personally LOVE them because they give the luxury Stellia look a kind of a refined DIY attachment that brings its appearance down to earth and also feels a bit retro). So they might fit with one headphone but not with another. But other than that? If you have the funds, I can heartily recommend this cable to get your headphones (or IEMs) an upgrade you certainly won´t regret.
And here are some pics I made with my new camera, which I also love
